Guided Meditation

0:00 We're going to start in a couple of minutes, but just beforehand, for those people who are doing the introduction to meditation with poli-in, they are holding their meeting in the room to our right here. As you come in here, there's another room next to it. On that right-hand room, that's where you'll find poli-in. Report an error in the passage at 0:00 Highlight the passage at 0:00

0:28 And excellent teachings on intro to meditation. The reason, as I said, we have two different classes every Saturday afternoon. This is the more advanced class for those who are so close to enlightenment. It's just a tiny bit is all you really need. Report an error in the passage at 0:28 Highlight the passage at 0:28

0:51 And the major difference is that Over here we can sit meditation a little bit longer. And over there, if you just sit for a short period of time, many people feel that here it's too short. You're not really having the time to really get into it. And sometimes when you are getting into a deep meditation, it's beautiful, wonderful. Report an error in the passage at 0:51 Highlight the passage at 0:51

1:21 You have a great time. And it makes me feel guilty for ringing a bell. If you're having a good time in meditation, they're making you get up and move. So those people are just starting out, intro to meditation. That class is with the excellent teacher on my right. It's also for those people who are very humble and they feel that they're just starting out in meditation. Report an error in the passage at 1:21 Highlight the passage at 1:21

1:50 They're the ones who go over to that room. The ones over here. Are they arrogant, proud, think they're so great? Report an error in the passage at 1:50 Highlight the passage at 1:50

2:02 No, it's just if you like the teachings in this room and you're having a good time here, peaceful, you can sit for 40 minutes or so, then wonderful. Just carry on. There's still a few more people coming in, so I still have to ad lib until the last peoples have come in. Report an error in the passage at 2:02 Highlight the passage at 2:02

2:29 But anyway, most people are here, so I can kind of start. And this is the ongoing meditation class. And this is all the things which I do in our Buddhist society. And to be honest with you, this is the thing which I like the best, to be able to teach meditation, deep meditation, where you can relax so incredibly deeply. Report an error in the passage at 2:29 Highlight the passage at 2:29

2:54 And it has amazing results. After all these years of practice, you can't really stop talking about what happens when the mind becomes very still and peaceful. It stops fighting and you think, you just let things be. You maybe heard those words so many times in your life. Let go. Report an error in the passage at 2:54 Highlight the passage at 2:54

3:17 Relax. To the max. She'll be right. Just don't do anything. Make peace. Be kind, be gentle. And those last words, what does it say in front here? Report an error in the passage at 3:17 Highlight the passage at 3:17

3:38 May peace, be kind, be gentle. Yeah, that's why we put those words down there. You know where those words came from? Not from me, no. Not from me. That came from the Buddha. That's a very decent translation of the second fact of the Eightfold Path. Report an error in the passage at 3:38 Highlight the passage at 3:38

4:01 It's powerful. When you know they came from the Buddha, you know how powerful these are. Make peace, be kind and be gentle. And sometimes when people ask, why is their meditation not taking off? Why aren't they experiencing that stillness? It's because they're not making peace. They're sometimes making war, you know, with their mind, with their body, with their situation in life. Report an error in the passage at 4:01 Highlight the passage at 4:01

4:33 Sometimes it's unfair. What do you do when it's unfair, when life treats you badly? Make peace. You don't go to war. This is not a place for Mr. Trump to actually fight war with somebody. This is a place for someone who's very gentle and who makes peace, who is kind, who is gentle. And you do that to your own body and your life. Report an error in the passage at 4:33 Highlight the passage at 4:33

5:04 It's amazing how powerful that actually is. You do become quiet and happy and far more insightful. You understand more. But I can say that I can promote that, but what I want to do is let you explore that yourself, to have those moments where you have such incredible peace, incredible peace of mind. You feel your whole body relaxing and feeling so free. And there's no tightness or tension in your body at all. Report an error in the passage at 5:04 Highlight the passage at 5:04

5:47 You can check that. After a while, you begin to become so sensitive to the feelings in your body. You know if it's tight anywhere, if there's a problem in the body. It's like your body wants to tell you if there's a problem. It wants to inform you. But a lot of time you don't listen or just don't know how to see it, sometimes out of fear. But once you start to overcome any fear of truth, this is what it feels like, this is what it is, and you're calm and peaceful to it, it's amazing how it gets overcome so easily. Report an error in the passage at 5:47 Highlight the passage at 5:47

6:34 I don't know if many of you have been watching me for the last day or two. I just came back from Cambodia for a retreat, teaching meditation over there. And when I come back, I'm not quite sure how or when, I think I was probably on a journey back. I got a very sore back. I injured it some years ago. And for the last couple of days, two or three days, you've had times when it's really painful. Report an error in the passage at 6:34 Highlight the passage at 6:34

7:07 Have you noticed that in me? You went on arm flounder with me this morning. Did you notice how my back was sore? How come? How come? It's because you know how to relax to the max and allow any of those feelings to disappear. I'm amazed just how powerful the mind can be. Report an error in the passage at 7:07 Highlight the passage at 7:07

7:34 Continually amazed. Sometimes I get surprised at how you can meditate and be still. And how just the body heals itself super fast. So I know that for myself and I want to share that with you. Why am I teaching this? I don't need more disciples. You've got too many sometimes, you don't know what to do with them. Report an error in the passage at 7:34 Highlight the passage at 7:34

8:00 But what you do want to see is when people have these meditations and they were sick or they were ill, they were in pain, and then they don't take any drugs or... Anything, they just sit down, be quiet, make peace, be kind, be gentle. And when they open their eyes after the meditation, they feel so much better. Report an error in the passage at 8:00 Highlight the passage at 8:00

8:25 Now I know there's a few people come in, so just to again repeat, there is a beginner's class in meditation, for those who haven't meditated much before, who resist the idea of... 45 minutes sitting absolutely still, not moving. So if you're the beginner, then that class is in the room to my right. Just repeat that. This is a class we sit usually for 45 minutes. And when we sit, we are mindful of our body. Report an error in the passage at 8:25 Highlight the passage at 8:25

8:58 You can feel it. As I'm mindful of my body, you can feel it. You can feel any tightness, tensions. As I said, I can feel that tightness in the back. You know, because of some injury or whatever, but I can feel it, and it doesn't sort of hurt. You can relax it, make peace with it, be kind to it, be gentle with it. Report an error in the passage at 8:58 Highlight the passage at 8:58

9:23 And it feels so much better, so much easier. And if I can do that, usually you don't need to go see a doctor. I know people say, but Ajahn Brahm, you have to see a doctor every now and again to get a checkup. So I did tell people, all honesty, I went to see my GP. Report an error in the passage at 9:23 Highlight the passage at 9:23

9:44 On Tuesday, Report an error in the passage at 9:44 Highlight the passage at 9:44

9:49 honestly, because my GP, he's like an honorary GP, he became a parliamentarian and I had to go to a ceremony in Parliament House on Tuesday. That's where I saw my GP, in Parliament House. How are you? I said, fine. Okay, thank you. Report an error in the passage at 9:49 Highlight the passage at 9:49

10:16 Well, that's what he said. Let's go see my GP. Report an error in the passage at 10:16 Highlight the passage at 10:16

10:22 He doesn't charge anything. Report an error in the passage at 10:22 Highlight the passage at 10:22

10:29 Anyhow, but he literally is my GP, legally. So if I get into any trouble, he's the one who gets in problems. So anyhow, the idea of learning about your own body and how to make peace with it, be kind to it, be gentle with it, which is what the Buddha asked me to do, see in front. And how you do that, You should stop fighting. I don't know if you've had any pain. What do you do? Can you just stay with it? Report an error in the passage at 10:29 Highlight the passage at 10:29

11:08 Be with it? Understand it. Understand what is the body's suggesting you to do with this. And I understand it. So many times the body's telling me, stop fighting, make peace, be kind, be gentle. Then the body heals itself. Report an error in the passage at 11:08 Highlight the passage at 11:08

11:28 And I know just whatever problems you have in life. Any difficulties, make peace, be kind, be gentle. And I also know that in meditation. That's how I meditate. Report an error in the passage at 11:28 Highlight the passage at 11:28

11:41 I honestly don't deliberately watch my breath. You shouldn't be surprised, I've told you that many times. I make peace, be kind, be gentle. Report an error in the passage at 11:41 Highlight the passage at 11:41

11:54 And then from that peace, you don't want to go anywhere. You stay where you are, in this moment. Time vanishes for you. It has no more pull on you. Worrying about the past, the past is gone. Report an error in the passage at 11:54 Highlight the passage at 11:54

12:14 Even when people say, no, you should always keep the past in mind and learn from it. And I argue with them. I say, you learn much more from the present than you ever learn from the past. But you've got to plan for the future. No, the future is being made right now. Report an error in the passage at 12:14 Highlight the passage at 12:14

12:36 So if you start thinking about the future instead of caring for the present, you are harming your future. When I argue like that, it gives me the meaning, the reason why I stay in the present moment. Report an error in the passage at 12:36 Highlight the passage at 12:36

12:53 I find out that so much pain comes from fear, fear of what's going to happen, or trying to interpret the past. I always know that if I do think of the past, I think of the past Report an error in the passage at 12:53 Highlight the passage at 12:53

13:09 Depending on what mood I'm in, if I'm in a bad mood, you start thinking of the bad parts of the past. If you're in a good mood, you think of the good things in the past. Your memory is selective, so I don't trust it that much. And then you can be so peaceful, free from the past, free from the future, and just being in this moment. Report an error in the passage at 13:09 Highlight the passage at 13:09

13:40 I like really getting into this moment. When I'm in this moment, I'm kind to it. That was so important. Why is it? It sounds so reasonable, logical, just being the present moment during this meditation. But how is it you find that so difficult? The past keeps on coming up, what somebody said to you, how unfair that was. Report an error in the passage at 13:40 Highlight the passage at 13:40

14:08 What about the times they said something beautiful to you? We like to deal with problems. We don't like to celebrate success. And then the future. Why are you afraid? It hasn't happened yet. Just the projections, what might happen. Leave it alone. Stay in this moment. In this moment, no one is criticizing you. Report an error in the passage at 14:08 Highlight the passage at 14:08

14:37 No one is asking for money. No one is asking for anything. You know, sometimes I wasn't really in form. Bit of an exaggeration. I wasn't really informed about the room where I was staying in a hotel in Cambodia for the retreat I was given. I kind of assumed. I wasn't told outright who'd have to pay for it at the end of the retreat. Report an error in the passage at 14:37 Highlight the passage at 14:37

15:11 So anyhow, I was very happy to give a nice blessing to all the staff at the end of the retreat. I'm very happy because I figured out, well, if I give them a nice blessing, which is worth a lot, they won't charge me anything. Report an error in the passage at 15:11 Highlight the passage at 15:11

15:32 That's the way I pay my bills. I chant for people. So if I owe anybody anything, please come up and I'll give you some nice long chanting. Report an error in the passage at 15:32 Highlight the passage at 15:32

15:47 It would be wonderful to do that if I went into Bunnings or went into some other place and just give them some nice long chanting. Report an error in the passage at 15:47 Highlight the passage at 15:47

15:54 But there's something to that because you're kind to others. Others give you kindness back. You pay with another currency in this world, the currency of goodness and kindness. I kind of enjoy that. So anyway, you live a beautiful life in this moment, not having to worry about things. You know what happens? The mind relaxes so deeply, so beautifully. Report an error in the passage at 15:54 Highlight the passage at 15:54

16:27 Nothing to worry about, nothing to care about, and you're still very much alive, very much mindful. What I usually say, kindful. Report an error in the passage at 16:27 Highlight the passage at 16:27

16:39 And when you're kindful, adding this beautiful goodwill, idea of service, idea of love and forgiveness, especially forgiveness. Forgive all the people who've ever hurt you, or who are hurting you. Forgive yourself. For anything you've ever done, really forgive. That type of kindness, that's letting go of the past and having this great confidence in your ability to be a good person, a peaceful person, a healthy person, that's being kind to the future. Report an error in the passage at 16:39 Highlight the passage at 16:39

17:30 Then after a while, future and past are not a burden anymore. And they're easy to let go of. It's so logical to let go of past and future. It's the kindness which allows you to do it more than any other quality. And when you're free of the past and future, wow. You don't need to think and to have ideas, great ideas. Report an error in the passage at 17:30 Highlight the passage at 17:30

18:03 I would say that all ideas, big ideas, great ideas, amazing ideas, they're just more burden on the mind. I compare that to when I go traveling. I just come back from traveling to Cambodia. When I go traveling, I just take my bag. I don't own a suitcase. I never take a suitcase. So I just take my bag like I brought my bag in here today. Report an error in the passage at 18:03 Highlight the passage at 18:03

18:32 And it's so beautiful just having little baggage. It's like having little thoughts or no thoughts sometimes. You just strive through life. Carrying no weight, no burden, just like a Buddha, only carrying the weight of his robe and bowl as he walks through his homeland. Report an error in the passage at 18:32 Highlight the passage at 18:32

19:02 Your homeland is your mind. Your homeland you walk through just with your present moment, no past, no future, no having to think. Report an error in the passage at 19:02 Highlight the passage at 19:02

19:14 Enjoying this moment because you deserve it. It's your right. Enjoy this moment. When you find it's just so peaceful, so burden-less, and then you really relax. Report an error in the passage at 19:14 Highlight the passage at 19:14

19:36 Your body relaxes, your muscles relax, and your mind relaxes, which is the best. When your mind relaxes, it really is like you're free. You haven't got a boss telling you what to do. And honestly, I try hard never to tell you what to do. Report an error in the passage at 19:36 Highlight the passage at 19:36

20:03 But to let you be, let you be. Renounce, give up, no control. Report an error in the passage at 20:03 Highlight the passage at 20:03

20:16 You don't wander off all over the place. What's the point of wandering off? After a while you just stay still, effortlessly still, deeply still. And you get more still than you've ever been in the world before. Until the world disappears, and you're out of this world. Report an error in the passage at 20:16 Highlight the passage at 20:16

20:43 Real stillness. If it's effort, that can never create stillness. It's only the peace that lets stillness grow and grow and grow and grow. So Report an error in the passage at 20:43 Highlight the passage at 20:43

21:04 I've been talking a little bit longer than the usual intro, but I think it was working for you. So those of you who are reasonably comfortable, we'll just carry on. Report an error in the passage at 21:04 Highlight the passage at 21:04

21:20 usually for 45 minutes. If you want to just to adjust your posture, please feel free to do so at this point. Please check your legs. Report an error in the passage at 21:20 Highlight the passage at 21:20

21:33 I'm going to check mine. I've been too busy being kindful to the words coming out of my mouth. And notice that I have got my legs crossed, but they're not very comfortable, so I'm going to move them. Report an error in the passage at 21:33 Highlight the passage at 21:33

21:53 Just a little gift of kindness in this moment. I feel Report an error in the passage at 21:53 Highlight the passage at 21:53

22:04 the result of that kindness to my own body. And it's wonderful. It's like my body and I have a beautiful relationship. And if I do something kind like this to my body, my body responds, like saying, thank you. And I feel so much more calm, peaceful. Report an error in the passage at 22:04 Highlight the passage at 22:04

22:30 Sometimes I just feel beautiful energy, pleasure in my body. It's nothing illegal for a monk to enjoy relaxation. And Report an error in the passage at 22:30 Highlight the passage at 22:30

22:46 when I do feel that, I Report an error in the passage at 22:46 Highlight the passage at 22:46

22:52 will linger with it because I know how positive that is to what comes afterwards. Report an error in the passage at 22:52 Highlight the passage at 22:52

23:02 It can relax more deeply into the meditation. It's never on to the meditation. It's always in to the meditation. It's always going inwards. Going in, in, in, in. Report an error in the passage at 23:02 Highlight the passage at 23:02

23:20 Into this moment, into the silence, into the peace and the beauty of that peace. And Report an error in the passage at 23:20 Highlight the passage at 23:20

23:33 I check my thighs, make sure they're okay, they're good enough, and my butt and my waist. Kind of careful of that today because of the injury, you might call it, or whatever. You know, I had to make me feel... Report an error in the passage at 23:33 Highlight the passage at 23:33

23:59 A bad back in the last few days. I Report an error in the passage at 23:59 Highlight the passage at 23:59

24:08 can feel my spine now. I can stretch it just nicely. Report an error in the passage at 24:08 Highlight the passage at 24:08

24:18 And I listen to how my spine reacts. It's kind of, every part of my body has its own wisdom. If I listen to it, you can find out, yeah, that was actually a good idea. It feels much better having that little stretch. And Report an error in the passage at 24:18 Highlight the passage at 24:18

24:45 I go back to the base of my torso. And start doing the guided meditation up the insides of my body, scanning it, going further and further upwards. And I can feel what part is tense and what part is loose. Any part which is tense, I will pause there. Report an error in the passage at 24:45 Highlight the passage at 24:45

25:15 Just the area of my intestines, just below the stomach, feels a bit tense. So I just pause, stay with it. And after a while, it relaxes. It relaxes automatically. Report an error in the passage at 25:15 Highlight the passage at 25:15

25:41 Keep the mindfulness there. Report an error in the passage at 25:41 Highlight the passage at 25:41

· · · silence, 1 minute

26:19 Another day, I feel so at ease. So I go further up to my stomach. Report an error in the passage at 26:19 Highlight the passage at 26:19

26:30 Relax that. Further up to my lungs. I have noticed that the hay fever season seems to have started for me. So I make sure that my lungs feel free. Report an error in the passage at 26:30 Highlight the passage at 26:30

26:52 So the breath can come in and out easily. I Report an error in the passage at 26:52 Highlight the passage at 26:52

27:02 relax my lungs. I Report an error in the passage at 27:02 Highlight the passage at 27:02

27:08 relax my heart area. I Report an error in the passage at 27:08 Highlight the passage at 27:08

27:15 don't need to beat loudly or fast or slow. I just suggest to my heart just to breathe in. Sorry, not to breathe in, but to beat just gently. So gently. And Report an error in the passage at 27:15 Highlight the passage at 27:15

27:38 I feel my whole shoulders. Mindfulness goes up closer to the neck. The whole shoulders start to relax too. Report an error in the passage at 27:38 Highlight the passage at 27:38

27:53 Little by little my whole body starts to get more at ease. I'm not holding anything tightly. The Report an error in the passage at 27:53 Highlight the passage at 27:53

28:07 Buddha sometimes compared this like to holding a bird. Report an error in the passage at 28:07 Highlight the passage at 28:07

28:15 But I'm describing it now to myself. It doesn't matter if I hold the bird very loosely. It never flies away because it likes me. I don't have to squash it. Report an error in the passage at 28:15 Highlight the passage at 28:15

28:30 I don't have to squash anything. My mindfulness, or rather kindfulness, goes down my arms, past my elbows, past my wrists, to my hands. It's so easy to be aware of the sensations in your hands. There's so many sense receptors there, especially in the fingers. And Report an error in the passage at 28:30 Highlight the passage at 28:30

29:03 it's like reasserting my friendship to my fingers. It may sound strange to you. When I'm meditating, these parts of my body, I regard them as not as my slaves. I don't own them. They're my friends. I say to my fingers, thank you. Thank you for helping me today. And Report an error in the passage at 29:03 Highlight the passage at 29:03

29:32 I keep that attitude to them. They always just, they get so loose and compliant. To me, they're like little cats who just curl up on my lap. I don't have to say anything to them. They just go to sleep. And they're so welcome there. Little fingers. Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 29:32 Highlight the passage at 29:32

29:59 And then I go up to my shoulders and neck again. Go up my neck. Always notice if my head is too far forward or too far back. To the side, left or right. That's where the tension comes from. Report an error in the passage at 29:59 Highlight the passage at 29:59

30:19 So I balance my neck. When I balanced it, it just had a nice burp. Report an error in the passage at 30:19 Highlight the passage at 30:19

30:29 The muscles relax there. And I go lastly to my face. In that face, usually around the eyes and the mouth especially. Those two areas. I check them out because there's a sign that if I'm afraid, anxious, worried about what I have to do next, you can feel that tightness. The tightness expressed on the muscles of the face. Report an error in the passage at 30:29 Highlight the passage at 30:29

31:08 To make sure everything there is nice and loose. Report an error in the passage at 31:08 Highlight the passage at 31:08

31:13 The eyes are closed. It's nice not to be able to see anything. And around the mouth that's also closed. But loosely. The Report an error in the passage at 31:13 Highlight the passage at 31:13

31:30 last thing which I do, very rarely these days, but I did this in Cambodia and they liked it. I imagine feeling my brain. I know roughly where my brain is located. Report an error in the passage at 31:30 Highlight the passage at 31:30

31:50 You can't usually feel any sensations there. So I tell my brain, you work too hard. So I imagine that there's a hidden hinge on the side of my skull and I move the skull open. Report an error in the passage at 31:50 Highlight the passage at 31:50

32:13 Open up the skull. It's only imagination. I find it helpful. Open up the skull. Take out your brain and put it in a nice little... basket sitting next to you, a lovely pillow, a nice blanket. Take a rest. The next half an hour you have no business to do at all, brain. And let it fall asleep. Your mindfulness is still there. Report an error in the passage at 32:13 Highlight the passage at 32:13

32:56 But the thoughts can take a break. You don't have to figure out anything. There Report an error in the passage at 32:56 Highlight the passage at 32:56

33:05 I've relaxed. My whole body and brain, from toes up to head, and Report an error in the passage at 33:05 Highlight the passage at 33:05

33:17 it feels free. That feeling of freedom when nothing is compelling, nothing needs to be concerned about. You've let things be, and all you're doing is just being here, relaxing, no plans, no thoughts. You put the brain to a temporary bed. You just feel. Report an error in the passage at 33:17 Highlight the passage at 33:17

33:50 Feel this moment and relax to the max. Report an error in the passage at 33:50 Highlight the passage at 33:50

34:06 Soon I feel my breath. I never go looking for it. I let everything else go. And the breath is the last thing left. And it's so natural, so easy, so beautiful. I Report an error in the passage at 34:06 Highlight the passage at 34:06

34:29 wait and then it comes. The beautiful breath. You're breathing in. It's pleasure with every in-breath. Pleasure with every outbreath. So easy. Not forced. I Report an error in the passage at 34:29 Highlight the passage at 34:29

34:54 usually can't speak at this point. I've got to stop now, sorry. Start speaking again at the end of the retreat, at the end of the meditation. Make Report an error in the passage at 34:54 Highlight the passage at 34:54

· · · silence, 3 minutes

38:27 peace. Be kind. Be gentle. It's Report an error in the passage at 38:27 Highlight the passage at 38:27

· · · silence, 20 minutes

58:59 getting close. Another couple of minutes to the end of this meditation period. Don't rush out. Please, how do you feel? What Report an error in the passage at 58:59 Highlight the passage at 58:59

59:27 is the emotional content at the end of this meditation? I'm Report an error in the passage at 59:27 Highlight the passage at 59:27

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:00:09 going to let the gong chime. Please listen to the sound of the gong. And when it stops, you may come out of the meditation. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:09 Highlight the passage at 1:00:09

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:01:24 Thank you. I think so. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:24 Highlight the passage at 1:01:24

1:01:33 Now we start, and I prefer to start this way. With some questions from the internet first, so you don't have to put your brain back into your skull yet. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:33 Highlight the passage at 1:01:33

1:01:54 From Matt in Perth, if I can accept the present moment as it is, why do I still have a feeling that I would like it to be different or more comfortable, especially in difficult situations? It's because you're moving and judging it. You don't have to do that. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:54 Highlight the passage at 1:01:54

1:02:15 Just let it be, and the letting be helps it heal. Remember, the mind doesn't stay the same, or the brain doesn't stay the same. It's like planting a seed. The seed is not the flower. The flower is not the fruit. In different stages of development, and that's what happens to your mind at first. You say, I don't want to stay with this, but please stay there. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:15 Highlight the passage at 1:02:15

1:02:49 It changes by itself. From Report an error in the passage at 1:02:49 Highlight the passage at 1:02:49

1:02:55 UK. I have a lot of ill will in recent years due to harassment and threats. Mettā meditation doesn't work and feels insincere. Is there any other way meditation can calm ill will? Thanks. Of course. The ill will has to have a perception of the future. If you just stay in this moment. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:55 Highlight the passage at 1:02:55

1:03:29 Then the ill will loses most of its strength. Right now, the body can handle it, just. And because it doesn't have to think and be tortured by threats of the future, it can just be here. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:29 Highlight the passage at 1:03:29

1:03:51 And after a while, even the ill will gets less and less and less. From another one in Perth, Ajahn mentioned being still to allow the truth to arise. What is this truth? I feel a slight fear when meditating, which is maybe a fear of letting go and seeing this truth. This is the truth, the nature of things, and that nothing can harm you or hurt you. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:51 Highlight the passage at 1:03:51

1:04:20 Even that, a sense of reassurance and safety. The fear I mentioned many times before in talks, that stops people progressing. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:20 Highlight the passage at 1:04:20

1:04:35 It's because you want to be in control. When you realize there's nobody in control, that means you can let go. When you try that out, that is the safest place to be. And now from USA. Thank you, Ajahn, for all your wonderful teachings. I am becoming a kinder, more peaceful person because of them. And my life has improved so much for that. I am so grateful. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:35 Highlight the passage at 1:04:35

1:05:08 She doesn't say who it is. It could be Donald Trump. I Report an error in the passage at 1:05:08 Highlight the passage at 1:05:08

1:05:21 don't think so. I think I know who that one is. Thank you. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:21 Highlight the passage at 1:05:21

1:05:32 Any questions from the floor? I went through those very quickly, that's fine. From our audience here. Any of you? Questions? Yeah, okay, thank you. My phone is coming. Don't run too fast. You can be patient, yes. Ajahn Brahm? Yeah, that's me. Easy. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:32 Highlight the passage at 1:05:32

1:06:04 Is there a place that we should place our attention? Ah, in the center of now. The center of the heart? Of now. Of now. This is time, first of all. And Report an error in the passage at 1:06:04 Highlight the passage at 1:06:04

1:06:22 then a place right here. Because if you make those two locations, now and here, you'll find it means now plus here spells nowhere. So Report an error in the passage at 1:06:22 Highlight the passage at 1:06:22

1:06:46 that's where you should be. Thank you. If you try to be somewhere, to put the attention in the heart, do you know where your heart is? I was always quite surprised. It's never actually central. It's to the left, I think. How much to the left? How much to the right? It gets complicated. So sometimes, when it's nowhere, let the mind be where it feels happy. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:46 Highlight the passage at 1:06:46

1:07:18 Nowhere. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:18 Highlight the passage at 1:07:18

1:07:22 Okay. Haven't you heard that joke before? No? plus here nowhere really wow there are some funny stories which people haven't heard before ok go on Ajahn Brahm, why is it that when you do loving kindness that everything opens up? I don't know what part of the meditation, maybe halfway through, I was just trying to... Report an error in the passage at 1:07:22 Highlight the passage at 1:07:22

1:07:57 I tell my mind, stop thinking, release, let go. And then I just thought, oh, well, I'll just try loving kindness. And then everything changed. Everything just opened out and it was like there was no effort. It was just completely letting go. And I thought, why is that? It's when you do that letting, that's kindness. If you do it right early, you're actually doing loving kindness. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:57 Highlight the passage at 1:07:57

1:08:39 Don't do loving kindness. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:39 Highlight the passage at 1:08:39

1:08:59 doing loving-kindness properly, you feel it. You feel it works and it's nice and open and free. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:59 Highlight the passage at 1:08:59

1:09:11 It's much better when you feel how it works and if it's working properly. Much better than anybody like me teaching you or telling you. You know it. That's beautiful. You feel so free. It's so easy. You don't have to do anything. And the one thing with loving kindness which I told someone over in Cambodia. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:11 Highlight the passage at 1:09:11

1:09:41 If that loving kindness is restricted by who it's focused on, maybe focused on, say, a father or a mother or a child or something, it's never as free as when it's to all objects. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:41 Highlight the passage at 1:09:41

1:10:03 Or what I sometimes say, like disembodied loving kindness. Everything, not even just the... Beings. I like doing that to things too. Give loving kindness to things. The example which comes up, she's not here, thank goodness, is Ronnie, Veronica. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:03 Highlight the passage at 1:10:03

1:10:28 When I, she challenged me when I was walking past the car. Her car was locked, she couldn't open the boot, they wanted to use it for something. And she said, oh, here comes Ajahn Brahm. You know, he can open the car. And then I told her, I will open the boot of your car. They'd been trying for, I don't know, 45 minutes or more. They called the RAC, but it was busy. So when I came past her, I'll open the boot of your car if you promise you'll become a bhikkhuni, a nun. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:28 Highlight the passage at 1:10:28

1:11:12 I did that. You know, she was hanging around the Buddhist society for a long time. And so... Agreed? She said, okay, agreed. Give me the key. She gave me the key. Turned it and opened first time. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:12 Highlight the passage at 1:11:12

1:11:28 I love that story. You can ask her if anyone was here with her. And she went, oh, no. But she had a friend with her at the time who was training to be a lawyer. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:28 Highlight the passage at 1:11:28

1:11:47 And the lawyer got her out of the trouble. She said, yeah, she did promise to become a nun. She never said when. Maybe in the next life or she got away with it. But it's an example and I've done that many times. It's beautiful when something doesn't work. A door is jammed or something has gone off and then you can't fix it. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:47 Highlight the passage at 1:11:47

1:12:19 Do loving kindness to things. It does work. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:19 Highlight the passage at 1:12:19

1:12:28 I don't do it much on computers because I like it when the computer goes off. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:28 Highlight the passage at 1:12:28

1:12:39 Any other question anyone has? Oh, poor elves running around. Going. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:39 Highlight the passage at 1:12:39

1:12:57 Gone. Okay. So let's do some bowing and then you can go and do what you... It's amazing. No one's got any questions. But usually right afterwards there's a big line in front of you. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:57 Highlight the passage at 1:12:57