Guided Meditation

0:00 Welcome to this afternoon's meditation class. Again, this is run concurrently with the beginner's meditation class being led by Prem. He's a very, very good teacher. He's been around for a long time and he's still got lots of wisdom. So that's for the beginner's meditation class. The class here is for usually those who have meditated before and who knows the basics of meditation, who just have the opportunity to take the meditation deeper. Report an error in the passage at 0:00 Highlight the passage at 0:00

0:40 One of the reasons why I usually give a talk for about 15 minutes before the meditation begins is because I know that many people have not just been spending the afternoon in the monks' quarters, you've been out there getting here So I wanted to help sort of make that transition from the world outside to the world of meditation. Report an error in the passage at 0:40 Highlight the passage at 0:40

1:13 I do know many times that if you're on a meditation retreat, it's quite easy because day after day, hour after hour, one does this meditation and we try to make sure that people are as mindful. ...and as quiet as possible, which means that that quietness of the mind, that peace of the mind begins and grows. Report an error in the passage at 1:13 Highlight the passage at 1:13

1:40 And so you don't need much introduction when the time for the meditation begins. You can simply sit down in a quiet and comfortable place and do the meditation so beautifully and so peacefully. However here it seems to really help. To have the opportunity to meditate after we've talked about meditation. And I do try to say some which is also very useful for you. Report an error in the passage at 1:40 Highlight the passage at 1:40

2:11 One of those good little pieces of information which somebody said yesterday in the question time was that they got bored when they meditate. Do you ever experience boredom when you're meditating? If so, why? Report an error in the passage at 2:11 Highlight the passage at 2:11

2:30 I know that years and years and years ago when I was still a lay person I thought I wasn't getting that far in my meditation and I wondered why. One of the reasons was a simple thing like my posture. When I say my posture I don't mean how I've got my legs crossed underneath me. I mean one of the most important parts of the posture which a lot of people don't give enough attention to. Report an error in the passage at 2:30 Highlight the passage at 2:30

3:01 ...was the smile on your face. And I'm being sort of serious about this. If when you meditate, you can from time to time, if you're not getting anywhere, the mind seems not to be engaging with the meditation process, just turn the corners of your mouth upwards. Put a little smile on your face. To me that always works. Report an error in the passage at 3:01 Highlight the passage at 3:01

3:31 As soon as a tiny bit of happiness is almost constructed in my mind, it's like my mind remembers what this meditation is all about. The peace of the mind, not the busyness of the body, but the peace of the mind is always really delightful. You can imagine just going into a nice park somewhere or a mountain, A forest, a place which is really comfortable, not too hot, not cold, but really comfortable and you can walk in that beautiful part of nature and you see so much beauty. Report an error in the passage at 3:31 Highlight the passage at 3:31

4:20 Would you have a smile on your face? Please, encourage that smile. What it's doing is the mind is recognizing the beauty which is there. Report an error in the passage at 4:20 Highlight the passage at 4:20

4:35 But if you have some recording equipment and you're trying to make a video of something or trying to find some treasure or trying to do something it spoils the peace, it spoils the joy, it spoils the beauty. Report an error in the passage at 4:35 Highlight the passage at 4:35

4:57 That's one of the reasons why if you ever do want some exercise and enjoy some beautiful parts of the world please make sure it's comfortable. Report an error in the passage at 4:57 Highlight the passage at 4:57

5:08 And also you have nothing to do, just enjoy. And when you have nothing to do, just do enjoy, of course. It helps to have the smile on your face. And that smile is not something which is like a laughter on some sort of great sort of joke or some great performance of music. It's just the joy, the happiness. Report an error in the passage at 5:08 Highlight the passage at 5:08

5:40 happiness having an opportunity to rest your brain not do so much. almost like connect with this moment than planning something else. Report an error in the passage at 5:40 Highlight the passage at 5:40

6:16 And that was not peaceful at all. There's always something to improve. But then, I don't know where I got this from, but someone told me, stop trying to improve things. Report an error in the passage at 6:16 Highlight the passage at 6:16

6:28 Sometimes just go for a walk in that forest. Make sure it's comfortable. Don't have a time scale. Don't even have a direction which way you want to walk. Just enjoy the walk, moment by moment. With no plan, with no schedule you have to meet, with nothing you need to do, just to be here. Report an error in the passage at 6:28 Highlight the passage at 6:28

6:58 And then smile as you're doing that. And if you smile as you're doing these little exercises, you find it so much easier to engage into what you're doing. It's not something which is imposed on you. It's something you love doing. And you're making that first little... Suggestion to your brain to enjoy by that little smile. And that's why sometimes when I see people and they come into this monastery or this temple, whatever you wish to call it, and they are smiling, that kind of encourages me. Report an error in the passage at 6:58 Highlight the passage at 6:58

7:42 These are people who have started to get the message. You don't have to pay a tax on smiling. It does nothing wrong for you. All it ever does, it allows the mind to follow the body and be happy. And as it does that, the happiness of peace becomes very easy to maintain. Easy to maintain because much of the happiness of our world does become temporary. It's some video you see on a computer. Report an error in the passage at 7:42 Highlight the passage at 7:42

8:25 What are the things which you really enjoy? Do you really enjoy when you've finished a project and it's done? Or if a project is done, do you start thinking about it? I could have done it better. What if people see all the mistakes? It's one of the reasons why if you do a project, the last thing I want to do, if you'd show it to me, is see any faults. Report an error in the passage at 8:25 Highlight the passage at 8:25

8:54 And I would ignore those faults on purpose even if I see them. The reason I do that, it makes me happy and it makes you happy. Report an error in the passage at 8:54 Highlight the passage at 8:54

9:05 It gives you a sense of something's done and it's not bothering you anymore. The idea of not being bothered by something so you can experience the freedom from all these standards you're supposed to live up to, all these duties you're supposed to do well. and protecting yourself from any criticism at all. Isn't it beautiful when you can go outside and you can see the park outside and you can see just how beautiful everything is there. Report an error in the passage at 9:05 Highlight the passage at 9:05

9:41 This morning when I was walking in that park you notice how tall the grass was and first of all I thought that grass needs to be mown. I said no, it's not my park. Report an error in the passage at 9:41 Highlight the passage at 9:41

9:58 And I thought, isn't it wonderful, there's lots of grass there, there may be some beautiful seeds growing. And who knows, the next thing I thought, something positive, if some of our kangaroos down in Serpentine, if they could see that grass in that park, it would be like a five-star restaurant. It's just so green, well watered and thick. Always try and see the positive in whatever's happening. Report an error in the passage at 9:58 Highlight the passage at 9:58

10:29 Like even today I think you can already guess that this morning I'd lost my voice almost totally. I could hardly speak. And I thought, wow, that's wonderful. Maybe I can not have to give any talk today. Report an error in the passage at 10:29 Highlight the passage at 10:29

10:48 I always see the positive side in things. Unfortunately, when you're not afraid of anything, you always see the positive in it. So the sore throat tends to heal. Report an error in the passage at 10:48 Highlight the passage at 10:48

11:03 So it doesn't last that long for me. So I've got another talk later on this evening somewhere. But nevertheless, to talk about meditation is easy. The reason is because it's something I enjoy so much. If there's anything which is the center of my life, it is the path of meditation. And I enjoy it so much. It's like talking about, you know, my favorite place to be, the most beautiful... Report an error in the passage at 11:03 Highlight the passage at 11:03

11:35 ...landscape deep inside, and how simple it is to get there. All one needs to do is to have this inclination towards happiness, to peace, to freedom. Report an error in the passage at 11:35 Highlight the passage at 11:35

11:52 You all work very hard. I work really hard. The monk sitting next to me, Akinchana, works really hard. And all the people who set this hall up, who said all the... Chairs in the right place, clean them, clean the toilets, make sure that when you come here you feel safe, comfortable and you know there's nothing you have to do. Report an error in the passage at 11:52 Highlight the passage at 11:52

12:18 That's the best. It's like you finished all the tasks you had to do. Now you just come here and the only task you have to do when you're here is just to watch the breath. Report an error in the passage at 12:18 Highlight the passage at 12:18

12:33 It's a pretty simple ask, isn't it? You think that people say, well, is that all? You know what happens next? Then people ask, yeah, just watch the breath. But how do you watch the breath? They say, be mindful. But how do you be mindful? And they say, well, just don't think of anything else. But how do you not think of anything else? That's one of the reasons why if I do give a guided meditation, I do it pretty quickly and then I shut up myself. Report an error in the passage at 12:33 Highlight the passage at 12:33

13:06 No more questions. Just be in this moment and find out how easy it is just to be in this moment enjoying, enjoying the feeling of having nothing to do and nobody's judging you. No one's going to give you a grade. You don't have to repeat the lesson because you failed. There is no failure. All there is, is just learning how to appreciate what's happening in this moment and being at peace with it. Report an error in the passage at 13:06 Highlight the passage at 13:06

13:45 As it says in front of me, learning how to make peace, be kind and be gentle. Those are the only words you really need to know when it comes to the meditation practice. So you're sitting down, just make peace, be kind and be gentle with whatever you're experiencing. Report an error in the passage at 13:45 Highlight the passage at 13:45

14:13 And don't try to have a goal, an aim. Something you want to achieve or live up to. Let everything go. There's nothing in the world you want. Just being here. Total freedom. And no one's going to judge you. You're not going to take some certificate out after you. Report an error in the passage at 14:13 Highlight the passage at 14:13

14:40 You're just enjoying this moment. And it's kind of easy to enjoy this moment here. In this hole, it's quiet, it's peaceful. Report an error in the passage at 14:40 Highlight the passage at 14:40

14:56 And hopefully it's comfortable for you. So that's just a little bit of an introduction. It's what I do to kind of incite, turn your mind towards the path of meditation. And please excuse me for coughing. But once I start meditating, those coughs tend to vanish somewhere. So let's start it. If you are in a good position, again, if you're beginning meditation, You might as well just stay here now, but you have the beginners class next door. See how it goes. So right now, please start by making sure your body is as comfortable as you can possibly get it. Report an error in the passage at 14:56 Highlight the passage at 14:56

15:48 There are many types of comfort. There's a comfort which appears relaxed at the beginning, but you always have to move. That's what happens when you lay down. Report an error in the passage at 15:48 Highlight the passage at 15:48

16:03 If you can, sit in the chair, leaning against the wall, or just sit cross-legged on a cushion. That's usually the best. It feels much more peaceful. It can be maintained much longer. Report an error in the passage at 16:03 Highlight the passage at 16:03

16:24 So I'm looking at my body now, and I'm checking the usual places which I need to consider to make more comfortable. The first is my legs. Make sure they're properly crossed, not too close together. So I just first of all, oh my goodness, that's so much better. Report an error in the passage at 16:24 Highlight the passage at 16:24

16:50 Once my legs are comfortable, I feel them. You get to know the sensations in your legs and you get to know them so well. You know what needs to be moved, what needs to be scratched, what needs to be just left there and it will get peaceful and quiet all by itself. Report an error in the passage at 16:50 Highlight the passage at 16:50

17:20 I check my buttocks. I do that because quite often if I don't sit properly at the beginning my buttocks start to ache and it's disturbing for the meditation. Report an error in the passage at 17:20 Highlight the passage at 17:20

17:35 You can feel the sensations in your buttocks. Make sure they're kind of even, well balanced and then those sensations disappear. Report an error in the passage at 17:35 Highlight the passage at 17:35

17:49 You can't even feel them after a while. And then just my waist. I noticed because I injured my back building monasteries years ago and I was hunched over, I couldn't straighten up. So I know just how my waist feels and how it's great to be able just to stretch my back slightly to get into that optimum position. Report an error in the passage at 17:49 Highlight the passage at 17:49

18:19 All these years I've learnt about my body and how to Look after it, treat it, so that when I meditate it can be comfortable and really still. And Report an error in the passage at 18:19 Highlight the passage at 18:19

18:40 then inside my body I usually just do a quick scan, mostly on my digestive system, to make sure that everything is comfortable. It doesn't have to be perfectly comfortable, just comfortable enough to disappear. Report an error in the passage at 18:40 Highlight the passage at 18:40

19:08 Any part of my body is aching or hurting. After all these years I've learnt how to leave it alone, to give it this beautiful loving kindness and it relaxes. Any ache or pain tends to vanish. That Report an error in the passage at 19:08 Highlight the passage at 19:08

19:38 includes my throat which this morning was so sore, I could hardly speak. I was croaking. Sounded more like a frog than a monk. But Report an error in the passage at 19:38 Highlight the passage at 19:38

19:56 now I can feel, I can feel those muscles or whatever it is in my throat and be so kind to them. When I'm kind to them they relax and the irritation gets less. Report an error in the passage at 19:56 Highlight the passage at 19:56

20:16 And of course I check my shoulders, relax those to the max. I just relax everything, even down to my fingers. Report an error in the passage at 20:16 Highlight the passage at 20:16

20:33 I just noticed the position of my fingers now. It's not my usual posture, but my fingers are happy down there. Fine, you remain. I'm not a control freak. I love being able to trust my body. Report an error in the passage at 20:33 Highlight the passage at 20:33

20:54 So now I go back up to my throat. My poor throat has been coughing and hasn't been comfortable for most of this morning. Report an error in the passage at 20:54 Highlight the passage at 20:54

21:08 Feel compassion towards it. Feel compassion if you had a cough. I Report an error in the passage at 21:08 Highlight the passage at 21:08

21:19 go to my face, feel this face. I haven't paid it much attention because all my attention has been in my throat. I relax every muscle on my face, my forehead, around my nose. It's really fun to relax. Everything seems to loosen up. Report an error in the passage at 21:19 Highlight the passage at 21:19

21:51 Relax the muscles around the eyes and the nose and the mouth. Many of those negative emotions like fear or tiredness, they also go. So Report an error in the passage at 21:51 Highlight the passage at 21:51

22:06 even my mind is beginning to relax. But before I leave my body and just start dwelling in the mind, I just join all those parts together. The legs, toes, buttocks, waist. Back and stomach and shoulders and arms and fingers and neck and face. It's like I feel the whole lot together working as a team, looking after each other and relaxing to the max. Report an error in the passage at 22:06 Highlight the passage at 22:06

22:55 I Report an error in the passage at 22:55 Highlight the passage at 22:55

22:59 also know that this can be where not relaxing the mind can disturb. All the relaxations you've done in the body, fear of the future, disappointment from the past, all of that. You may have some disappointing stuff you have to deal with, not your fault, but don't deal with it now. Report an error in the passage at 22:59 Highlight the passage at 22:59

23:30 It's not the time. Same for the future. Don't deal with it now. I always noted that now is where your future is being made. Report an error in the passage at 23:30 Highlight the passage at 23:30

23:48 Such a beautiful reflection. If I really care about my future, I put all my attention into the present moment, the place where my future is being made. And Report an error in the passage at 23:48 Highlight the passage at 23:48

24:09 I really appreciate being peaceful right now. That Report an error in the passage at 24:09 Highlight the passage at 24:09

24:17 has huge benefits. To be peaceful, obviously in this moment, it's the only time there really is. And in this moment, No plans, no holding the weight of the past. Report an error in the passage at 24:17 Highlight the passage at 24:17

24:41 Just in this moment, being free. What Report an error in the passage at 24:41 Highlight the passage at 24:41

24:58 does freedom feel like when Report an error in the passage at 24:58 Highlight the passage at 24:58

25:06 nothing is telling you what to do? No Report an error in the passage at 25:06 Highlight the passage at 25:06

25:13 one is telling you to achieve anything. Report an error in the passage at 25:13 Highlight the passage at 25:13

25:19 Just to be here and relax. I Report an error in the passage at 25:19 Highlight the passage at 25:19

25:38 will be quiet now until the end of the meditation. End Report an error in the passage at 25:38 Highlight the passage at 25:38

· · · silence, 35 minutes

1:00:35 of the meditation period now. How do you feel? Report an error in the passage at 1:00:35 Highlight the passage at 1:00:35

1:00:48 What is the result of a peaceful mind? How Report an error in the passage at 1:00:48 Highlight the passage at 1:00:48

1:00:58 beautiful does it feel? Now Report an error in the passage at 1:00:58 Highlight the passage at 1:00:58

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:01:33 ring the gong, make it chime to lead us out from the meditation period. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:33 Highlight the passage at 1:01:33

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:02:36 Okay, so we have some questions. Many of you may not realize, but this talk, this meditation is also, it's live streamed. We have questions today from India, from Petra in Germany, from UK, from Wolfram in Germany, and even another one from Bulgaria. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:36 Highlight the passage at 1:02:36

1:03:07 First from India. To overcome ill will during meditation, is it helpful to consider the internal parts of the body of the person like the skeleton, kidneys, intestines, etc.? There's a very complex way to overcome ill will. Sometimes I usually prefer just letting go of the hold of my body and then letting go of the thoughts, especially of the past, Report an error in the passage at 1:03:07 Highlight the passage at 1:03:07

1:03:44 especially thoughts of the past, because once they disappear there's nothing to have ill will about. Ill will is about the past. A lot of times we may have misunderstood. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:44 Highlight the passage at 1:03:44

1:03:58 Exactly what that person did or what life did and how to deal with it. So usually ill will is something I find pretty simple to let go of. And sometimes if there's some doubt that person really was selfish and hurt me, I thought, thank you for teaching me. I can always see something good in everything. From Germany, Dear Ajahn, sometimes in meditation, A huge energy arises, more than I've ever had experienced before. How to deal with this? If that huge energy arises, but it changes very slowly, it's just there, enjoy it. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:58 Highlight the passage at 1:03:58

1:04:53 With what I've experienced before, hopefully, it's not just energy, it's extremely beautiful. If that's the case, Marvelous. Enjoy and later on when it starts to pass away, then just reflect on it. What was that and why? This is what happens in meditation. Often you get some incredibly powerful experiences and they're always really, really positive. It's nice to be able to experience them and understand them. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:53 Highlight the passage at 1:04:53

1:05:32 From UK, I've started meditating in the middle of the night. And notice the meditation is more profound and mysterious. This is common. Thank you, Ajahn. You're not quite sure what it is, but if it is in the middle of the night and you're very clear, so you know exactly what's going on, your mindfulness is strong, it can be profound, but mysterious doesn't make sense to me. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:32 Highlight the passage at 1:05:32

1:06:03 When the meditation is clear, it's not mysterious, it's beautiful. I'm from Wolfram in Germany. Dear Ajahn, I need peace and silence for meditation. But when energy grows, I get restless and nervous. I'm severely ill with no healing. I'm sad. Thank you kindly. Please excuse me for saying this, but you don't get restless. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:03 Highlight the passage at 1:06:03

1:06:34 The body may get restless. You're not that body. If you can, just let... Move away from the body. You're watching it at a distance. Be not really so involved with it. If you are severely ill with no healing, don't be sad. Understand meditation is a way of letting go. Letting go of this body which often cannot be controlled so you never get sad. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:34 Highlight the passage at 1:06:34

1:07:09 Lasi from Bulgaria. Dear Ajahn, when an enlightened being dies, Do they go through all meditation stages, jhānas and immaterials, or do they jump straight to cessation? It's a technical question, but the answer is they go through the jhānas and then they leave. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:09 Highlight the passage at 1:07:09

1:07:35 Okay, those are the questions on the computer. Any questions from those people here? Report an error in the passage at 1:07:35 Highlight the passage at 1:07:35

1:07:47 Please pull your hand up if you have a question. Okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:47 Highlight the passage at 1:07:47

1:07:56 Hello Ajahn, my question is about the samādhi, the furthering of joy when you're in meditation, where you talk about putting a smile on your face and I'd actually ask you, what are some other things that you particularly do or have told or taught your monks to bring into the meditation when you're, you know, you're seeing that white light and you want to Bolster that joy. Patience. Because if you bring anything in, it would usually disturb. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:56 Highlight the passage at 1:07:56

1:08:39 So when I said patience, patience is like a non-doing, increasing your awareness, your mindfulness, but not disturbing anything. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:39 Highlight the passage at 1:08:39

1:08:50 I don't know why anybody wants to bolster, if you see a beautiful light in the mind, just let it develop. Don't do anything with it. The only thing you usually do is to disturb. And that's not a really appropriate thing in meditation, to disturb. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:50 Highlight the passage at 1:08:50

1:09:13 Next question. Going, Report an error in the passage at 1:09:13 Highlight the passage at 1:09:13

1:09:27 going, gone, great. I said going, going, going, great, because I know for some reason that little irritation in my throat is still in the background there. And today, I don't know why I let myself get into doing this. I'm going to give another talk this evening. I forget exactly where, but they're coming to pick me up at 4.45. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:27 Highlight the passage at 1:09:27

1:09:58 And at the same time, Ajahn Brahmali is coming to give a talk here this evening. I'm not quite sure what he's up to. Sometimes we see each other, sometimes we come like passing. But apparently he's giving a talk here at five. At the same time, Venabha Kinchana is giving a talk at the Kalyanamitta group. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:58 Highlight the passage at 1:09:58

1:10:26 So I don't want to disturb other people. So I'm going to finish off now. There'll be a few people to ask their questions here. And then afterwards, some of the monks will go their different ways. We'll come back again later. I kind of like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:26 Highlight the passage at 1:10:26

1:10:44 That we never understand too much about what's happening next. We understand a lot about what's happening now. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:44 Highlight the passage at 1:10:44

1:10:55 OK, so let's bow and then get ready for the next event, wherever that is. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:55 Highlight the passage at 1:10:55

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:11:40 Svakkhato bhagavata dhammo namassami Report an error in the passage at 1:11:40 Highlight the passage at 1:11:40

1:11:53 [chanting]