Buddhist Society of Western Australia

Ajahn Santutthi | The Practise Of Meditation | Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram

February 2020

Ajahn Santutthi talked to us about being a Buddhist monk in the modern world and how it helps to cope with the stresses that come with our modern world. Meditation, over time, allows our monks and us, to leave these stresses behind. If only for a short time, just to allow our minds to relax and quieten.

Ajahn then guided us in a thirty minute meditation well suited to all by encouraging us to simply relax. Make ourselves comfortable and detach from our hectic lives.

After meditation Ajahn opened to questions and further encouraged us to be kind to our minds. Don't make meditation a job, chore or task. Just allow your mind to be your mind and relax.

 

Please support Wat Dhammayanaram Cambodian Society of WA (CBSWA) in making teachings available for free online here.

Teachings are available for downloading from the CBSWA website.

Visit the BSWA Stocker Road Project.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Ajahn Brahmavamso | Nature Therapy | The Armadale Meditation Group

Ajahn Brahm arrived at Club Med early to the surprise and delight of us all.

Ajahn then explained to us that using nature, specifically a place of peace and beauty, helps us to shift our focus, relax both body and mind. The problems we face day to day don't seem quite as extreme when we face them relaxed.

Ajahn then related his recollection of the fires that destroyed Bodhinyana Monastery in the 1990's. Being Buddhist as he is, Ajahn realises that nothing is really permanent. So being upset and distraught about the monastery being destroyed would only affect him in a personal way. It wouldn't bring the monastery back nor rebuild it. Ajahn asks us to consider and realise that meditation can help us be content and easily satisfied.

Ajahn then guided the group through a body scan, within our own minds silently asking each area of our body, how it feels. When our bodies are “relaxed to the max”, it is much easier to relax the mind. Ajahn then moved us toward noticing our breathing, not controlling, just noticing. This meditation is well suited to beginners and experienced meditators alike.

After the guided meditation, Ajahn as always, uses his life experience and humour interspersed with jokes to convey his message.

 

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page , choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website, the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

Venerable Sampasadana | Meditation Is Like Gardening | The Armadale Meditation Group

Venerable Sampa first visited the Armadale Meditation Group a year or so ago. On that occasion he used the analogy of meditation and cooking. This time he asks us to use a visual approach and a garden. Our troubles are like weeds and good feelings and thoughts, like flowers. Venerable encouraged us to use our imaginations and make the garden a beautiful place, a comfortable place, a quiet and relaxing place.

Venerable then lead the group in a slightly longer than thirty minute meditation. Venerable begins by spending ten minutes getting comfortable in body and mind. This meditation is well suited to both experienced and new meditators alike.

After meditation Venerable opened to questions before continuing his talk.

 

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page, choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website, the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

Ajahn Cittapalo | Making The Effort | Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram

January 2020

Ajahn Cittapalo asked us to be grateful to ourselves for making the effort to be there on a Monday night and meditating. As we struggle with meditation, we often forget to be grateful to ourselves for at least making the effort.

Ajahn then guided us in a thirty minute meditation well suited to all. Ajahn then spoke to us on right thought and his two favourite verses from the suttas.

Vist Sutta Central to view and read - Two Kinds of Thought.

Please support the CBSWA in making teachings available for free online.

To find and download more Wat Dhammayanaram meditations, please visit.

Teachings are available for downloading from the CBSWA website.

Ajahn Jhanarato | Impermanence - Anicca | Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram

January 2020

Ajahn Jhanarato spoke on anicca [impermanence], an apt subject given the current situation here in Australia. Ajahn spoke on this subject, not to say that we should not be concerned about the climate, but more to point out that it may not affect us and that it keeps us from the present moment. Not thinking of a possible future that may not occur, nor dwelling in the past that may disturb. Ajahn read a sutta from “In The Buddha's Words” by Bhikkhu Bodhi that covers the subject very well.

Ajahn lead the group in a 30 minute relaxing meditation reminding us to not dwell in the past nor become anxious about the future. This meditation is well suited to beginners and experienced a like.

After meditation Ajahn opened to Q&A before continuing to speak on a variety of subjects.

Please support the CBSWA in making teachings available for free online.

Teachings are available for downloading from the CBSWA website.

Visit the Stocker Road Project.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Ajahn Santutthi | Buddha and Mangoes | Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram

December 2019

Ajahn Santutthi related a simile by the Buddha about mangoes. Rather than picking the fruit, the Buddha patiently waited for the fruit to fall. Ajahn encourages us all to do the same regards our meditation practise, be patient and wait for the deeper states to occur naturally.

Ajahn then guided us in a thirty minute meditation well suited to all. Ajahn then related Buddha's earlier practise of meditation when he was trying many different techniques in his effort to find the best meditation.

Please support Wat Dhammayanaram Cambodian Society of WA (CBSWA) in making teachings available for free online here.

Teachings are available for downloading from the CBSWA website.

Visit the BSWA Stocker Road Project.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Kevin Hume | Science and The Buddha | The Armadale Meditation Group

Kevin focuses on teaching meditation and mindfulness as simple, practical skills. He teaches us how and why meditation works, draws on the most up-to-date scientific research, and introduces us to techniques that we can use on the go - whenever and wherever we are. He is also keen to help us find innovative ways to adapt meditation to our own needs. His teaching methods reflect his life experiences as a high-level communicator and participant-observer in the media, politics and corporate life. He has a particular interest in the science of meditation, as well as in the cultures and traditions from which such techniques are drawn. Kevin was introduced to meditation in 1992 by renowned meditation teacher Eric Harrison of the Perth Meditation Centre.

Kevin lead the group in meditation by first asking us to relax and listen to sounds around us. By doing this we shift from thinking to observing. The meditation is a full detailed body scan encouraging us to simply observe, not think nor engage with random thoughts. The meditation is well suited to all levels of meditators.

After meditation Kevin opened to questions.

 

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page, choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website, the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

Ajahn Jhanarato | Christmas Edition Meditation | Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram

December 2019

The last meditation before Christmas 2019 and Ajahn JR promises us that there is nothing to think about for our half hour meditation. The most important thing right now, is right now, just this moment. Nothing to think about, nothing to do, just relax and let the thoughts arise and pass.

Ajahn lead the group in a 30 minute mindfulness meditation well suited to beginners and experienced a like.

After meditation Ajahn opened to Q&A.

 

Please support the CBSWA in making teachings available for free online

Teachings are available for downloading from the CBSWA website

Visit the Stocker Road Project

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon

Ajahn Cittapalo | Something To Aspire To | Armadale Meditation Group

Ajahn Cittapalo asks us to consider the Metta Sutta and it's wording. Ajahn reminds us that the Metta Sutta is something to aspire to. How-ever, when we meditate we should focus our attention on just one person, ourselves. Make number one happy, then more often than not, those around us will be happy too. Ajahn reminds us that we should put our own mind first in meditation. If we are calm and happy, it will be easier, more pleasant to wish others well.

Ajahn then guided the group in meditation well suited to beginners and experienced alike and a pleasure to do. Ajahn asks us to be kind to ourselves first before considering others. To simply allow thoughts to come, to go and not apply any pressure to our mind. Just let it progress.

After the meditation, Ajahn continued his talk on the Metta Sutta asking us to bare in mind that it is a translation, not a set of instructions.

 

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page, choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website, the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

Ajahn Santutthi | Get Off The Treadmill | Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram

December 2019

Ajahn Santutthi suggests we use our meditation to get off the treadmill that we often feel we are on in life and just relax in meditation. Ajahn further suggests we give ourselves the opportunity to relax, to forget about the past, not dream of the future and just relax in the present moment.

Ajahn the guided us in a thirty minute meditation well suited to all before reminding us that nothing lasts for-ever.

 

Please support Wat Dhammayanaram Cambodian Buddhist Society of WA (CBSWA) in making teachings available for free online here.

Teachings are available for downloading from the CBSWA website.

Visit the BSWA Stocker Road Project.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Venerable Pasado | Living Simply | Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram

April 2018

Recorded at Wat Dhammayanaram.

Please support Wat Dhammayanaram Cambodian Society of WA (CBSWA) in making teachings available for free online here.

Teachings are available for downloading from the CBSWA website.

Visit the BSWA Stocker Road Project.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Venerable Bodhidhaja | Letting Go In Meditation | The Armadale Meditation Group

Venerable Bodhidhaja doesn't get to Club Med often, certainly not as often as we'd like. How-ever, when he does it's always to an audience that greatly appreciates the session.

Venerable commenced with an explanation with comparisons, of the Four Noble Truths. Rather than quote the sutta, Venerable termed them in a manor more easily understood by us all and relating to our meditation practice. The focus of his talk is in letting go during meditation, something we all struggle with to one degree or another.

After the introduction Venerable lead the group in meditation for slightly longer than usual and in a method not seen by the majority of us. Venerable asked us to imagine that we were slowly filling with warm, comforting water. Commencing with our feet and working slowly to the top of our heads. An interesting meditation that was thoroughly enjoyed by all and suitable for beginners and experienced alike.

After meditation Venerable talked on gratitude, a subject well needed at this time of year and very much a part of a monks life. Venerable suggested the following to assist us;

Reflecting on the good during every long trip [commuting to work].
Gratitude countdown from 10 to 0 or ABC.
A gratitude jar or journal
Acknowledgement [in conversation, sms or e-mail]
Reflecting with gratitude before bed, upon waking and when commuting.

As is usual with Venerable he included references that are on-line and open to all of us;

In A Nutshell [Kurzgesagt] – An antidote to dissatisfaction.

A Grateful Day – Brother David Steindl-Rast.

The Virtue Project

Share Tree App & Character Cards

Venerable then opened to Q&A.

 

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page, choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website, the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

Venerable Pasado | Consequences | Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram

April 2018

Recorded at Wat Dhammayanaram.

Please support Wat Dhammayanaram Cambodian Society of WA (CBSWA) in making teachings available for free online here.

Teachings are available for downloading from the CBSWA website.

Visit the BSWA Stocker Road Project.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Ajahn Santutthi | Add Value to Meditation | Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram

2nd December 2019

Ajahn Santutthi recently rode a bus to Albany. The trip took 5 hours. Whilst he managed the trip by meditating he recognised that for many of us learning to meditate, that it at times seems an endless and boring trip. Ajahn encourages us to add value to our meditation by thinking of something that makes us happy. Or brings to mind an enjoyable moment in our lives before we commence meditation. By doing this the trip seems less of a drag, a lot more pleasant and not so long a trip.

Ajahn then lead the group in a slightly longer than usual meditation. After meditation Ajahn opened to Q&A before continuing his talk on his recent trip to Albany.

This meditation is well suited to intermediate and experienced.

Please support Wat Dhammayanaram Cambodian Society of WA (CBSWA) in making teachings available for free online here.

Teachings are available for downloading from the CBSWA website.

Visit the BSWA Stocker Road Project.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Ajahn Santutthi | Our Habitual Nature | Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram

November 2019

Ajahn Santutthi talks to us about the habitual nature of our minds and how it can disrupt our meditation practise.

 

Please support Wat Dhammayanaram Cambodian Society of WA (CBSWA) in making teachings available for free online here.

Teachings are available for downloading from the CBSWA website.

Visit the BSWA Stocker Road Project.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Ajahn Brahmavamso | Pleasant Moment Awareness | The Armadale Meditation Group

Ajahn Brahm arrived at Club Med and entered in his usual manner, via the wrong door. Ajahn then partially sat down and then promptly stood again, to the surprise and laughter of the entire room. Ajahn does this in good humour to set us on the path to fun and laughter for the evening regardless of the subject.

Ajahn then for the benefit of those who are starting out in meditation, spoke on the many methods of and hindrances to meditation. Ajahn then guided the group through a 30 minute meditation beginning with a body scan and ending with silence. This meditation is well suited to beginners and experienced meditators alike.

After the guided meditation, Ajahn opened to Q&A. As always, Ajahn uses his life experience and humour interspersed with jokes to convey his message and answers.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the
BSWA teachings page: /, choose the AMG teaching
you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website, the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

Ajahn Jhanarato | Loose The Days Baggage | Monday Night Meditation at Wat Dhammayanaram

Recorded at Dhammayanaram Monastery, home of the Cambodian Buddhist Society of WA November 2019.

Ajahn Jhanarato asks us to leave behind the days baggage and simply enjoy the meditation as a time to relax. We humans tend to hang onto everything, just let it go and relax. Ajahn also suggests that watching the current news before meditation is not going to help. Turn off the phone, the TV and anything else that may intrude and just meditate.

Ajahn lead the group in a 30 minute body scan meditation well suited to beginners and experienced a like.

After meditation Ajahn opened to Q&A.

Please support Wat Dhammayanaram Cambodian Society of WA (CBSWA) in making teachings available for free online here.

Teachings are available for downloading from the CBSWA website.

Visit the BSWA Stocker Road Project.

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

Bhante Aranavihara | Why Am I Meditating? | The Armadale Meditation Group

Bhante Aranavihara encouraged us to ask ourselves why we meditate? Bhante then gave a brief talk on some of the reasons we meditate and how best to deal with them once meditation commences. Bhante asked us to remind ourselves every five minutes or so to come back to our meditation object, not forcefully, but gently.

Bhante begins the meditation by using a body scan and asking us to let our bodies settle down. After the body scan Bhante suggests we shift our attention to either the breath or our metta object.

After the meditation Bhante opened to Q&A. 

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page, choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website, the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

Ajahn Appichato | What Can Meditation Do? | The Armadale Meditation Group

The monks' Rains Retreat has finally come to an end and the first to bless us with his teachings is Ajahn Appi.

In his pre-monk life Ajahn was a nurse and he ordained as an anagarika at Bodhinyana monastery in 1993. After 5 years as a fully ordained monk he travelled extensively, living in monasteries in Italy, England, Thailand, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. In 2008 he returned to Bodhinyana and is now second only to Ajahn Brahm in seniority.

Ajahn guided us firstly through a 10 minute meditation focusing our attention on the ever present dark colour, we seem not to notice, when we close our eyes. The meditation then progressed to breath meditation focused on the sensations around the mouth.

An easy meditation well suited to beginners and experienced meditators alike.

Following the meditation Ajahn opened to questions.

 

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page, choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.

Teachings are available for downloading from the BSWA website, the BSWA Youtube Channel, the BSWA Podcast, and Deeper Dhamma Podcast.

Barry Gaskin | Comparative Buddhism | The Armadale Meditation Group

The last week of Rains has arrived. The monks will be with us again next week but we have one more guest speaker before then - Barry Gaskin. Barry has been an attendee at the Armadale group for almost 20 years. He has traveled much of South East Asia in his working career - Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

Barry gave a background to his strange introduction to Meditation and Buddhism. He explained his observations as a Westerner living in Buddhist countries, his beliefs of Pre-Birth through to Post Death, how lucky we are and also how meditation can impact on happiness. Meditation is always taught "how to do" but he wants to explain "when to do" as a way of life, with difference and ease.

Barry then lead the group in a 30 minute meditation easily enjoyed by experienced and beginners alike. Barry began with a relaxing body scan, asking us to open our hearts to self-compassion and finishing with a difference.

After meditation Barry continued his talk on Buddhism in both the West and the East.

 

Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.

 

To find and download more Armadale Meditation Group Teachings, visit the
BSWA teachings page, choose the AMG teaching you want, then type the title into the Podcast search box.  Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.