Guided Meditation

0:00 I just paid attention to it and I realized it was actually a monk shouting in my ear as loud as he could, about this far away from the ear. I forgot to go to an appointment and he was sent to come and collect me and remind me. But at that time, I could hardly hear it, even though he was shouting in my ear. Report an error in the passage at 0:00 Highlight the passage at 0:00

0:29 And I realized what was happening even during walking meditation. I was so focused on just the joy of walking that I could hardly hear any sounds. And one of those other experiences I had in the north of UK, I'd go to any retreat center where I could find an opportunity to meditate and that was in a Zen monastery. Report an error in the passage at 0:29 Highlight the passage at 0:29

0:55 And for Zen meditation I was taught Keep your eyes open. Sit still and watch a wall. That was all. Instructions were very easy. I didn't know what to do really. I was just watching this whitewashed wall. And at about 15 or 20 minutes, because I was still, I was not thinking, I wasn't moving, the wall vanished. Report an error in the passage at 0:55 Highlight the passage at 0:55

1:25 And that was a really weird experience. I wasn't sick, I wasn't taking any drugs, just looking at a wall. At one moment it was there, the next, totally vanished. My sense of sight, even with my eyes open, turned off. And I started to understand, actually I never understood at the time, it was such an interesting experience. I realized whenever you are still, things start to disappear. Report an error in the passage at 1:25 Highlight the passage at 1:25

1:57 And I've done that many times with my body. If there's an ache or a pain, sometimes you try and pacify it as best you can, but it doesn't go away. Then afterwards, when you get still after a time, then the body disappears. I still remember teaching that in Singapore years ago, when people asked me, can you please tell all these executives, they have an hour, actually less than that, how to meditate. Report an error in the passage at 1:57 Highlight the passage at 1:57

2:27 And one of the reactions I got from some of them, that when they were meditating, their hands disappeared. And they thought that was weird. I said, no, that's great. Imagine you can let your five senses which know the body vanish. Report an error in the passage at 2:27 Highlight the passage at 2:27

2:46 You can't see anything even with your eyes open. You can't hear sounds, even if it's very noisy. You can't smell odors. You can't taste anything. You can't feel anything in your body even if something touches you. That's not weird. That is actually understanding the nature of a body and what happens when you start to meditate and you get access to your mind, just your mind and nothing else. Report an error in the passage at 2:46 Highlight the passage at 2:46

3:18 All the five senses vanish. It's invariably a very beautiful experience. You have a lot of joy. Which lasts after you come out of meditation. But it's not only that. Some of the side effects which it has on you, number one, I don't know why it is, but we're talking, you know, there's a couple of people coming very close to the end of their life and talking about death. Report an error in the passage at 3:18 Highlight the passage at 3:18

3:48 And a lot of people are afraid of death. This is not dying. Dying can be painful. But actually the point of death, what happens? Report an error in the passage at 3:48 Highlight the passage at 3:48

3:58 The point of death is your five senses vanish. They turn off. In meditation, it's similar. Deep meditation, your five senses vanish. In meditation, they come back again. But in death, they've gone. Report an error in the passage at 3:58 Highlight the passage at 3:58

4:17 Now, I'm not sure why people are afraid of this. Because if you know how to meditate, you meditate a long time, you go deep, not just superficial. You can actually get to those states. It's like experiencing what death is really like, what it can be like. Beautiful, delightful, full of joy. I'm not making that up. This is just what happens to everybody, or most people anyway, unless you're consumed by some guilt or some pain or something, memory of pain, because the actual physical pain is gone. Report an error in the passage at 4:17 Highlight the passage at 4:17

4:57 So, What happens when we start to experience the citta? Most people experience it as a beautiful light. They can't feel their body. The body's disappeared. That executive in Singapore, he was really scared because he couldn't feel his hands. Report an error in the passage at 4:57 Highlight the passage at 4:57

5:19 He was a control freak, like many executives in Singapore are, excuse me. But not all. When he can't feel his hands, why not? Someone taking my power away. Report an error in the passage at 5:19 Highlight the passage at 5:19

5:33 And you find that in the meditations, when you get to these deep stages of meditation, you often feel fear. And I said that before, I forget where I got it from, but they said if in deep meditation things are going very well, and you have a lot of joy, but you feel some fear as well, you know, I often tell them, well done, you're getting closer to the goal. Report an error in the passage at 5:33 Highlight the passage at 5:33

6:05 You're coming to see some things in your practice of meditation which are usually you don't want to see. But the joy is so good you can see it and you can let it go. And when you do let it go and you see the bliss which happens afterwards, that's a wonderful way of seeing what attachments you have. Report an error in the passage at 6:05 Highlight the passage at 6:05

6:37 Overcoming them, seeing how stupid they were and what happens when you do let them go. One of those was your attachment to being in control, being a doer, being an owner of whatever you experience. Report an error in the passage at 6:37 Highlight the passage at 6:37

7:00 That itself is one of the problems of meditation. We let go little by little, more and more. Until we get to our big attachments, when you can let go of some of those major attachments you have, you'll always have some fear. Report an error in the passage at 7:00 Highlight the passage at 7:00

7:21 These are things which you've known such a long time. And when you let go of them, you are free of them for a while, a few hours maybe. When they come back again, they never have the same pull on you ever again. Report an error in the passage at 7:21 Highlight the passage at 7:21

7:43 You've loosened those attachments enormously, such as your consciousness of the five senses, such as your misconception you control these five senses. Your will is totally different. And now you're not doing this in a laboratory. Report an error in the passage at 7:43 Highlight the passage at 7:43

8:11 You're doing this in your own mind, your own experiences. And it's very, very clear. For those of you who study Buddhism, you will know the deeper you get in this meditation, the more qualities like what we call five hindrances, qualities like doubt, restlessness, sloth and torpor, vanish. Report an error in the passage at 8:11 Highlight the passage at 8:11

8:45 Wanting or not wanting, vanish. And because of that, You cannot be more mindful, more clear than these deep meditations where the five senses vanish and where the five hindrances also go. Report an error in the passage at 8:45 Highlight the passage at 8:45

9:05 That gives you that confidence. You're not imagining these states. These are real. These are how Buddhist monks and nuns in deep meditation go off and get enlightened. Report an error in the passage at 9:05 Highlight the passage at 9:05

9:19 If that's what you want, you've come to the right place. So whenever this jitta, you usually experience it, we've got no words for the objects of the mind. So what we usually do, we borrow words from the five sense world. The most common of your senses is sight. Report an error in the passage at 9:19 Highlight the passage at 9:19

9:49 That's why what you see when you see a nimitta, A sign of the mind is usually a beautiful light. And many of you have probably heard others say, yeah, they're meditating, so there's beautiful light in their mind. Report an error in the passage at 9:49 Highlight the passage at 9:49

10:09 It's not a light. It's not a visual object. It's a mental object, seen as a different sense. But why do you think of it as a light? Because it's just getting a name. Somehow language is there to try and remember, guide. See what happened. But there was one of the experiences which I remember clearly, was the light was so bright, so powerful. Report an error in the passage at 10:09 Highlight the passage at 10:09

10:42 Straight away you feel, my goodness, I'm going to go blind. Seeing nimittas is not the reason I wear glasses. You can see that nimitta as bright and powerful as it can be. It's not a physical light. It's how you interpret the power of the mind at that moment. And that's beautiful. You never go blind. Be as bright as it needs to be. And the other thing is it doesn't matter what shape or what actually is. Report an error in the passage at 10:42 Highlight the passage at 10:42

11:19 When I was teaching meditation to monks many, many years ago in Thailand, I was saying at first when you see these signs of the mind, what I used to see, was not simple. It was like, honestly, seeing a cartoon in the mind. When those kind of cartoons happened, they were not stable, very powerful, I would indulge in them. Report an error in the passage at 11:19 Highlight the passage at 11:19

11:50 And I tell each one of you, indulge in them. Sometimes on a retreat, monks have been meditating such a long time, and in those days we didn't have Internet or computers, just add your mind. So, can I give you an example of one of the things which I indulged in? I remember having this psychic battle with an Indian yogi, with a sadhu who had psychic powers. Report an error in the passage at 11:50 Highlight the passage at 11:50

12:27 We were flying through the air, sapping each other. And I kind of knew, because it was my fantasy, I would win. So I wasn't at all scared. Just enjoying the exercise of an active nimitta experience. You couldn't feel your body. You were very aware. And you were just enjoying a little game. I said I encourage people to do that because what it does, it gets you used to the realm of the mind and how it works in an active way. Report an error in the passage at 12:27 Highlight the passage at 12:27

13:07 Later on, you tend to just simplify everything. As you simplify things, you don't worry about battles or anything. You simplify things, you see a simple light. And this is where in the Upakalasa Sutta, which I was kind of disappointed I had no chance to talk about tomorrow in the Sutta class. In that Upakalesa Sutta, it said, please don't get into diversity. Keep it as simple as possible. Report an error in the passage at 13:07 Highlight the passage at 13:07

13:47 And the most simple of lights in the mind is usually a beautiful circle. That's the most simple mathematical object. Something just beautiful, clear, as bright as you like, but something which is a simple object. and keeping it stable as well. That is the third of that third tread, Samadha Hang Chit Hang. Report an error in the passage at 13:47 Highlight the passage at 13:47

14:19 Keep it still. Once that nimitta is bright and still, then it has all sorts of power. It can just really give you a huge amount of bliss and that bliss allows you to stay there. You don't need to put any effort in, honestly. Report an error in the passage at 14:19 Highlight the passage at 14:19

14:41 It's very attractive. Sometimes I notice when I go to people's houses, you have these huge screen TVs. Do you have to put effort in to watch the movie? Do you really have to restrain yourself to listen to a symphony? The symphony, the movie, attracts you. So you don't wander anywhere. And the energy of it gives you a lot of bliss. You never get sleepy. So those are little ideas when these nimittas come up and they're strong. Report an error in the passage at 14:41 Highlight the passage at 14:41

15:30 Don't be afraid of them. This is what is supposed to happen. And they get so beautiful, you can't feel your body. That goes. This is not a superpower like you're a weirdo. This is real. It has always incredible positive effects, overcoming sicknesses and diseases, big ones. Then afterwards, you hang out and when the nimitta gets very, very still, that light, because it's still, that disappears. Report an error in the passage at 15:30 Highlight the passage at 15:30

16:17 What remains is the bliss. That's called jhāna. I know that many people want to have these jhānas. They're part of the Buddhist path. It's called deep meditation, fair enough. And many of you think maybe I'm talking too deeply. But it happens to people. You guys as well. So if it does happen, right on, keep on going. Report an error in the passage at 16:17 Highlight the passage at 16:17

16:49 Just enjoy to the max. There's nothing wrong at all happens to you. When people ask, is there any danger? You've heard me say before, this is the last little message. Yes, there is a danger. Report an error in the passage at 16:49 Highlight the passage at 16:49

17:07 And the danger is, you might lose your hair. Report an error in the passage at 17:07 Highlight the passage at 17:07

17:14 You get so inspired. Nothing can match this. You want to ordain. Thank you for listening to this short message on nimittas. I hope there's some questions afterwards. But right now, please, Carry on sitting where you are. I do a quick guided meditation and let you be loose and see what happens. See if you can allow the five senses to vanish. See what happens next. If you want it, that is the biggest hindrance. Report an error in the passage at 17:14 Highlight the passage at 17:14

17:52 Don't want anything, just enjoy. Okay, so please close the eyes. And Report an error in the passage at 17:52 Highlight the passage at 17:52

18:15 with the eyes closed, start to relax the body. Many of you have heard me do this so often. Report an error in the passage at 18:15 Highlight the passage at 18:15

18:25 Relax the toes. To do that, first you have to feel them. Report an error in the passage at 18:25 Highlight the passage at 18:25

18:34 Allow the sense consciousness just to be with toes. Report an error in the passage at 18:34 Highlight the passage at 18:34

18:43 Relax them to the max. By Report an error in the passage at 18:43 Highlight the passage at 18:43

18:48 the max, I really mean that. As much as you can. If you have to adjust the position to move, please do so at the beginning. Report an error in the passage at 18:48 Highlight the passage at 18:48

19:04 I can only describe how I feel. My toes are now really nice. Peaceful, relaxing. And I move up from the toes to the other parts of my feet. Report an error in the passage at 19:04 Highlight the passage at 19:04

19:25 I feel those feet. It's like a doctor would ask me, how are your feet right now? And I will do my best to make an accurate, honest answer. My Report an error in the passage at 19:25 Highlight the passage at 19:25

19:44 big toe is a bit squashed. I'm just going to move it slightly. I Report an error in the passage at 19:44 Highlight the passage at 19:44

19:57 find parts of my body are just like... Complete human beings, if you care for them and you realize you're caring for them, they relax. They feel safe and Report an error in the passage at 19:57 Highlight the passage at 19:57

20:16 go right Report an error in the passage at 20:16 Highlight the passage at 20:16

20:21 through every part of my feet. My Report an error in the passage at 20:21 Highlight the passage at 20:21

20:28 feet aren't perfectly relaxed. That's about as good as I'm going to get them. Report an error in the passage at 20:28 Highlight the passage at 20:28

20:36 And I know what's left over, what feeling is left over, will soon disappear by itself. Go up to the ankles. Report an error in the passage at 20:36 Highlight the passage at 20:36

20:47 The ankles. Feel good. Not much ache or pain there at all. Go up the calves of my legs. What I'm doing is finding any way to relieve tension in any part of my lower legs. Report an error in the passage at 20:47 Highlight the passage at 20:47

21:12 Sometimes trying to change the posture big time doesn't work. I just almost wish them relaxation. Legs, you don't have to do anything. Report an error in the passage at 21:12 Highlight the passage at 21:12

21:29 As long as you're comfy, stay like that. Go to my knees and relax them. I Report an error in the passage at 21:29 Highlight the passage at 21:29

21:45 like relaxing these. I Report an error in the passage at 21:45 Highlight the passage at 21:45

21:51 can feel them. First of all, to know them as a physical sensation. If I find any tightness anywhere, I relieve that tightness. Report an error in the passage at 21:51 Highlight the passage at 21:51

22:05 Tightness is a squashing or a stretching. And I use those words. They're some of the most beautiful words I've ever heard. Let go. Report an error in the passage at 22:05 Highlight the passage at 22:05

22:20 Short word but very powerful. Let go. Report an error in the passage at 22:20 Highlight the passage at 22:20

22:27 You try using that word and then you apply its real meaning. It works. That's why you get enormous insight by doing body relaxation. Report an error in the passage at 22:27 Highlight the passage at 22:27

22:40 And then I go to the thighs. They Report an error in the passage at 22:40 Highlight the passage at 22:40

22:47 are quite tight. My ones right now. So I'm going to spend a little bit longer on them to be able to relax them as much as I can. And Report an error in the passage at 22:47 Highlight the passage at 22:47

23:07 I go. This is my buttocks. Report an error in the passage at 23:07 Highlight the passage at 23:07

23:18 And I've tried. I can't totally relax them. I just make sure the feeling in my buttocks is balanced. Report an error in the passage at 23:18 Highlight the passage at 23:18

23:33 There's not too much feeling on the right cheek or the left cheek. It's kind of balanced. Then I know that that feeling will disappear by itself because it doesn't change. Report an error in the passage at 23:33 Highlight the passage at 23:33

23:48 Then I kind of stretch my back a bit. To get my waist in a good position. When my waist is in a good position, I can feel it. Report an error in the passage at 23:48 Highlight the passage at 23:48

24:04 But I know through so much experience that feeling too will disappear. And Report an error in the passage at 24:04 Highlight the passage at 24:04

24:18 then, make sure my back feels good. Sometimes I give it a bit of a twist, stretch. Until through experience I know the most comfortable position for my back. Report an error in the passage at 24:18 Highlight the passage at 24:18

24:36 So comfortable, I don't need to move it for 45 minutes. And Report an error in the passage at 24:36 Highlight the passage at 24:36

24:44 then I go to the base of my body, the base of the torso, the waist area. And then I start scanning my body upwards past my digestive tract, all the way up to the stomach. Report an error in the passage at 24:44 Highlight the passage at 24:44

25:09 And if I feel any tightness, contraction, anything weird, Unusual. I will just pause there to relax. I Report an error in the passage at 25:09 Highlight the passage at 25:09

25:27 relax with kindfulness. Not just mindfulness, but adding the kindness there as well. And that always works. It's one of those places where I know what kindfulness means. I try it. If it works, yes, that is kindfulness. Not just a theory, but a practice. Report an error in the passage at 25:27 Highlight the passage at 25:27

25:55 And if I come to any organ or any area of the skin which feels bruise or aches, it could be a place where a cancer is growing. Report an error in the passage at 25:55 Highlight the passage at 25:55

26:08 I pause there too and give it huge amounts of kindfulness and the problem vanishes. Report an error in the passage at 26:08 Highlight the passage at 26:08

26:19 When I get up to my stomach, I feel my stomach and want it to relax even more than it is, to be really at ease. Report an error in the passage at 26:19 Highlight the passage at 26:19

26:39 Is there any organ which I pass in my body? Liver or kidney? I don't exactly know where they are, but if I feel any tightness, tension anywhere, I will pause there and relax it. And Report an error in the passage at 26:39 Highlight the passage at 26:39

26:59 above the stomach is the lungs. I Report an error in the passage at 26:59 Highlight the passage at 26:59

27:07 am not exercising much right now, which means my lungs are free to relax even more deeply. I don't tell them what to do. I invite them, my two lungs, to breathe gently, go Report an error in the passage at 27:07 Highlight the passage at 27:07

27:33 up to my heart area, and even my heart, which has to pump blood all through my system, I Report an error in the passage at 27:33 Highlight the passage at 27:33

27:46 invite that too. I allow it to beat gently, just like what I'm doing with my whole body, an exercise in gentility. I Report an error in the passage at 27:46 Highlight the passage at 27:46

28:07 go up to my shoulders, relax them. Report an error in the passage at 28:07 Highlight the passage at 28:07

28:13 And I know I've really relaxed them when they kind of disappear, when an ache or a pain vanishes. Report an error in the passage at 28:13 Highlight the passage at 28:13

28:25 Allow my awareness to go down my arms, past my elbows, down the forearms and wrists, the palm of the hands and the fingers. Report an error in the passage at 28:25 Highlight the passage at 28:25

28:39 And I usually do the same question. Fingers, how are you? It's like there's somebody else's fingers. I'm just their carer. Anything you need. And right now, my fingers remind me I haven't got them in a good position. And they're saying to me, please move them. So now I do. Report an error in the passage at 28:39 Highlight the passage at 28:39

29:10 This is what I've got used to. Right palm over the left palm. And the fingers slightly, or the thumbs slightly touching. Report an error in the passage at 29:10 Highlight the passage at 29:10

29:25 And my perception is my fingers say, thank you. Report an error in the passage at 29:25 Highlight the passage at 29:25

29:32 I care for my body. I go back up to my shoulders and neck and make sure that my head is well balanced on top of the neck. Report an error in the passage at 29:32 Highlight the passage at 29:32

29:45 Not too far to the left or too far to the right. Not too far forward. And if ever I feel sleepy, I just move the head slightly backwards. Report an error in the passage at 29:45 Highlight the passage at 29:45

29:59 It makes it feel stronger. I go to my face and I just... Survey the muscles around my eyes, my nose and my mouth. That's where most of the feelings are. Report an error in the passage at 29:59 Highlight the passage at 29:59

30:18 And I learn how to relax all of those muscles. Relax them to the max. And some of those emotions which cause that tightness around the eyes or around the mouth are things like anger or fear or longing or lust. Report an error in the passage at 30:18 Highlight the passage at 30:18

30:41 Those vanish as you relax those muscles. You're more at peace inside. Report an error in the passage at 30:41 Highlight the passage at 30:41

30:54 And now, having relaxed all of my body, if there's a part which I have missed, I go back to it. Report an error in the passage at 30:54 Highlight the passage at 30:54

31:06 This is not what I read in books, not what I expected, but I know when I'm really relaxed deeply because it feels really good. I pay attention. Report an error in the passage at 31:06 Highlight the passage at 31:06

31:23 To the pleasure of relaxation. It Report an error in the passage at 31:23 Highlight the passage at 31:23

31:32 takes a little while to come up, but now it's coming up. It feels good. I'm going to stay with this for a minute or so. It's something I never expected, which you observed. Observed. When you see the pleasure of relaxation, the relaxation gets deeper and more stable. Report an error in the passage at 31:32 Highlight the passage at 31:32

32:08 Then I go to the mental objects. First of all, I call it sometimes peace, but to be more specific, present moment awareness. And I've found over many years of experimenting, when you are kind, really kind to your past, really kind to your future, it's Report an error in the passage at 32:08 Highlight the passage at 32:08

32:41 easy to let them go. I'm Report an error in the passage at 32:41 Highlight the passage at 32:41

32:46 just in this present moment now. The next thing which helps is not giving things names. Being silent inside, experiencing the feelings in the mind rather than naming them, that Report an error in the passage at 32:46 Highlight the passage at 32:46

33:10 becomes even more enjoyable. And Report an error in the passage at 33:10 Highlight the passage at 33:10

33:16 often, this is where automatically the experience of breathing comes up for me for the first time. In silence, and no naming, right Report an error in the passage at 33:16 Highlight the passage at 33:16

33:33 now. And Report an error in the passage at 33:33 Highlight the passage at 33:33

33:39 it's so peaceful, it kind of hardly takes any effort at all. You're just enjoying watching the breath, letting it go as deep as it wants, let it end when it wants to end. Report an error in the passage at 33:39 Highlight the passage at 33:39

34:00 What I love to add is to seeing the gap between the breaths. In-breath is finished, out-breath yet to begin. I'm Report an error in the passage at 34:00 Highlight the passage at 34:00

34:21 describing how my meditation is going. I'm now going to fall silent and let the feeling of the breath get so quiet. Report an error in the passage at 34:21 Highlight the passage at 34:21

34:38 The breath starts to appear in a different way. First of all, as a mental object, with joy and happiness. I don't do anything that disturbs the meditation. I let it happen. Let it be. When I start talking again, I'll be close to the end of the meditation. End Report an error in the passage at 34:38 Highlight the passage at 34:38

· · · silence, 19 minutes

54:34 of this meditation. How do you feel? Can you feel your body? And it starts to turn on again. How does it feel? Report an error in the passage at 54:34 Highlight the passage at 54:34

54:52 How is your mind? Clear? Bright? Powerful? Report an error in the passage at 54:52 Highlight the passage at 54:52

55:04 In a minute or two, I'm going to request you to come out from your meditation. But before you do or as you do, just check your bodily relaxation and just how peaceful is your mind. Report an error in the passage at 55:04 Highlight the passage at 55:04

· · · silence, 1 minute

56:29 First, are there any questions online? Report an error in the passage at 56:29 Highlight the passage at 56:29

56:38 Very good. Report an error in the passage at 56:38 Highlight the passage at 56:38

57:09 Very good. Okay. Three questions coming. First from Germany. Dear Ajahn, how do I know that I meditate and not just sit around and breathe without getting nowhere? How to turn breathing into meditation so I know I do it right? You start to know you do it right when more energy comes up, more joy comes up, and the body vanishes more. Report an error in the passage at 57:09 Highlight the passage at 57:09

57:43 The results are very powerful. You can't deny them or you cannot sort of ignore them. They're beautiful. It's one of the reasons why it's hard to miss. You enjoy it so much. Report an error in the passage at 57:43 Highlight the passage at 57:43

58:05 So it's not just sitting around and breathe without getting nowhere. You find that you do get beautiful meditations sometimes. If you meditate a lot, Many of those times you bliss out. In one place you can always know there was a good meditation. It was just afterwards the state of your mind has improved enormously. Tiredness vanishes. Report an error in the passage at 58:05 Highlight the passage at 58:05

58:37 Clarity is powerful. And even memory is more strong. Basically when the five hindrances get weak. When you're discontent, no wanting, no not wanting, the mind is beautiful. Report an error in the passage at 58:37 Highlight the passage at 58:37

59:01 Okay, there's only one question I saw there. Report an error in the passage at 59:01 Highlight the passage at 59:01

59:06 So, are there any questions from the floor? Report an error in the passage at 59:06 Highlight the passage at 59:06

59:33 Okay, it doesn't matter. I haven't got enough good karma. What about people here? Please stay with the microphone. Report an error in the passage at 59:33 Highlight the passage at 59:33

59:54 Mind, would you say also that they It's connected in some way with the universe or is it just within your mind? Just within your mind, you're actually disconnecting from the universe. Report an error in the passage at 59:54 Highlight the passage at 59:54

1:00:13 Disconnecting, which is a beautiful idea. The body vanishes, you can't feel your body. You've just got this beautiful mind. I say it's disconnecting. Thank you. That's really nice. Sometimes we have so many burdens when we get connected to things. Unfortunately, connected to the Buddhist Society of Western Australia, to the Buddhist Society of Victoria, to this monastery, that nun's monastery, our spiritual director, also to the Cambodian Buddhist Society. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:13 Highlight the passage at 1:00:13

1:00:55 How did I get myself into all of these connections? In meditation, I'm not connected to anything. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:55 Highlight the passage at 1:00:55

1:01:11 The more that I meditate deeply, the more disconnected you do become. Disconnected to my body. I'm over 74 years old now. I expect to have more pains and aches. Good. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:11 Highlight the passage at 1:01:11

1:01:37 Excellent. Well done. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:37 Highlight the passage at 1:01:37

1:01:42 I'm so disconnected with others, I don't compete. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:42 Highlight the passage at 1:01:42

1:01:48 To others, I don't compete. It's nice being free. My body is happy. It can vanish. My mind can then take over. And then you don't worry about anything in the whole world. Isn't that nice? Report an error in the passage at 1:01:48 Highlight the passage at 1:01:48

1:02:10 You're letting go of so many attachments which we carry around with us in our world. And that is a burden. Even I don't mind saying this, I might get into trouble again. But, you know, people said to me, when's the last time you had a medical checkup? Report an error in the passage at 1:02:10 Highlight the passage at 1:02:10

1:02:35 And I said, just about 10 minutes ago. And they don't understand. I'm not just trying to avoid medical checkups. I just know that when you are aware of your own body, Really aware of it. And you can just settle all sorts of anomalies in the body. And basically that is the most efficient checkup. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:35 Highlight the passage at 1:02:35

1:03:06 Please don't quote me when you're sick. Say, Ajahn Brahm told me not to have a medical checkup. No, that's just me. I trust my awareness and the power of kindfulness. You know how your body feels. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:06 Highlight the passage at 1:03:06

1:03:24 I don't avoid things, get to know them and understand them, be free from them. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:24 Highlight the passage at 1:03:24

1:03:34 OK, next question. Hello, hello. Hello, Ajahn Brahm, to your left. Yeah, hi. Hi, my name's Ben. I'm here from your homeland of England with my partner Rosie. Excellent. Yeah, so come a long way to see you. And I've been watching your videos for 15 years on YouTube. Yeah. So it's quite surreal to be here. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:34 Highlight the passage at 1:03:34

1:03:57 and especially walking in the room because the reality of it it was kind of in my mind kind of different yeah being here almost bigger so um Thank you for the wisdoms you've imparted on me over the past 15 years and helped guide my life. One of my questions was, what are your top survival tips for a secular Buddhist living in the busy Western world? Report an error in the passage at 1:03:57 Highlight the passage at 1:03:57

1:04:26 Take as much time out as you can with your meditation. First of all, people thought they needed a quiet place to meditate. But over here, when I became like a teacher, it challenged, does it really need to be that quiet? So a few times I've meditated in noisy places on purpose. One of the most noisy places I learned to meditate in It was some event to draw people's attention to what was happening in Burma many years ago. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:26 Highlight the passage at 1:04:26

1:05:07 And we did like a two-hour meditation in Hay Street Mall on the steps of the Uniting Church. It was directly opposite, not just the noise from cars, but the noise from this shop called Time Zone, it was his name. And there, it was like a video game store. And people were playing these games of very loud music. And I thought, this is perfect. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:07 Highlight the passage at 1:05:07

1:05:37 To see what I can do to not be disturbed on the long meditation. And it was all sitting on hard pavement, no cushions. And so that's wonderful. After a while, you knew what you had to do and what you didn't have to do. And you became peaceful. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:37 Highlight the passage at 1:05:37

1:05:59 And I did that because it's possible. If it's in the middle of the city and there's noise everywhere, imagine drawing a bubble around you. That's what I do. I can imagine a bubble and I come inside. And inside, I can keep that quiet. And noise kind of doesn't penetrate. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:59 Highlight the passage at 1:05:59

1:06:29 So I'm in silence. I can do my meditation, nothing disturbs me. That's my little method and it works. Yeah, I'm looking forward to self-driving cars. Self-driving, oh yeah. Plenty of time to meditate. They're great. Even electric cars. We have a couple for our monastery. You know, sometimes people objected when the first car, the only electric vehicle we could get was a Tesla. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:29 Highlight the passage at 1:06:29

1:06:59 We've got a BYD as well now. And I love them because they're quiet. When they start driving off you can hardly hear them. And less noise. Usually we always have more noise. These are very, very quiet vehicles. That's why I love them. They're not self-drive in Australia yet, but they're quiet drive. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:59 Highlight the passage at 1:06:59

1:07:26 I appreciate that. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:26 Highlight the passage at 1:07:26

1:07:31 Another question? Thank you for that and welcome to Australia. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:31 Highlight the passage at 1:07:31

1:07:43 Do you hear the sound of Eddie? Report an error in the passage at 1:07:43 Highlight the passage at 1:07:43

1:07:50 Oh, gee, sorry. Thank you. I love you. Ajahn Brahm, when we meditate, you know, at a time when we have a problem, of course we meditate to calm ourselves down, isn't it? It's just for us, you know. You understand? I understand. So when we meditate, at a time when we don't have a problem, you know, It's even better. Yeah, so it's beautiful. You have no problem, you know, at the moment. And the meditation is beautiful. So, somehow you are thinking of, want to share this experience with people. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:50 Highlight the passage at 1:07:50

1:08:29 Yeah. Or someone in difficulty. Can we bring, like, it's not loving, like, if you, oh, I don't have a problem, you know, people have problem. So, can we just, like, how to, like, After the meditation is complete, that's when your mind has the most power. How about during meditation? Not during, you're building up the power. And once the power is at its peak, then you can share your loving kindness, your energy with others. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:29 Highlight the passage at 1:08:29

1:09:04 But that is when you have the peak, but you're still meditating, isn't it? After meditation it's gone no more, you get up and go away. No, just at the very last five minutes. That's the peak of your mind. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. You haven't got up yet. Yeah. And then you're not disturbing the meditation. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:04 Highlight the passage at 1:09:04

1:09:27 As the meditation builds and builds and builds, your mental energy, spiritual energy, psychic power, whatever you wish to call it, grows. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:27 Highlight the passage at 1:09:27

1:09:40 And at the very end, it's powerful. And then if somebody wishes to share loving kindness with or give them a big boost of energy, that's the best time to do it. So we visualize the person, this thing, and then send the energy? That's beautiful, yes. I used to perform that experiment for everybody when I did a meditation on loving kindness at the end of my meditation retreats. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:40 Highlight the passage at 1:09:40

1:10:09 And if anyone had been noticing me, I would always open my eyes when I was doing this to check the time. And then after the meditation was complete, I would say, at that particular time, you shared loving kindness with the person you chose who needs it the most. I asked everybody on the retreat, please, when you go home, give them a call. Just don't say what you've been doing. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:09 Highlight the passage at 1:10:09

1:10:43 Just a generalised call and just ask them how they are. And a lot of times, the reason I don't do that these days is because it always tended to work. They said, oh it's funny you ask me about that. I was thinking of you at say 4.18 this afternoon. So they receive it? Yes. You know why I ask you? Report an error in the passage at 1:10:43 Highlight the passage at 1:10:43

1:11:08 Oh, I'm just sharing, you know. I mean, I have problems, but now I'm problem-free, you know. So I was just thinking, oh, how can I share, you know. And then I remembered there was many, many years ago, many, many years, probably over 10 years, 15 years ago or what, I had a problem, you know. So I went to tell the monks, you know, the Wednesday night chanting, you know, they have a problem. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:08 Highlight the passage at 1:11:08

1:11:36 So the next day, for two days, at 4 o 'clock in the morning, I don't know, I tell you, this is no bullshit, but I was lying down at 4 o 'clock, and then the intense bliss arise in me. It was so intense, and they said, don't move. I saw my electric clock, 4 o 'clock, don't move. And it lasted for half an hour. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:36 Highlight the passage at 1:11:36

1:12:04 Good. Yeah. And then I thought, what's this? Oh, probably the monks, because they know me. Yes. So they send all this good energy probably to me to help me to do, you know, a problem. The next day, the same thing too, four o 'clock for half an hour, only two days. Yes. Yeah, for two days. I thought, oh, three days or two days. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:04 Highlight the passage at 1:12:04

1:12:26 And then the problem just go off. Yeah. You know, what time do I get up in the morning usually? Report an error in the passage at 1:12:26 Highlight the passage at 1:12:26

1:12:38 Thank you. I'm being honest with you. I got into the habit of getting up at 4, sometimes beforehand. By 4 a.m. I've usually woken up. So I let you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:38 Highlight the passage at 1:12:38

1:12:56 Any other questions anyone has? Well, these nimittas, there's a few people who have asked me about them recently. So I thought I'd let you know how they work and how powerful they are. You do see those lights in the mind. Don't think there's something gone wrong. They're not a distraction. They're part of what happens in meditation. And eventually you'll all experience those and they take you into beautiful meditations. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:56 Highlight the passage at 1:12:56

1:13:28 And very happy ones as well. Really bliss out. Okay. If there's no more questions, we'll just bow three times to the Buddha and then we can have those personal discussions. Always say no. Any more questions? There's a huge line of people afterwards. Okay. It's about the Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:28 Highlight the passage at 1:13:28