Guided Meditation

0:00 Okay, welcome everybody for the ongoing Saturday meditation class. I've been teaching so much this Christmas period that after the previous teaching I had to go and meditate in order to come and teach you meditation. Report an error in the passage at 0:00 Highlight the passage at 0:00

0:25 It's nice that we have these breaks from the world Christmas period. Report an error in the passage at 0:25 Highlight the passage at 0:25

0:35 It's been nice. We got a break from the really hot weather, what we had for a while. Report an error in the passage at 0:35 Highlight the passage at 0:35

0:45 So we just talked about in the last part of the Word of the Buddha, we talked about rites and rituals. We Report an error in the passage at 0:45 Highlight the passage at 0:45

0:56 were thinking there together with Venerable Virago afterwards, what are these rites and rituals, what do they mean for us personally? Meditation can become really easily rites and rituals as if there is like a form you do. You sit a certain way or you have a method you do. That could be a rite and ritual for you as a Buddhist practitioner. You think you have a way of meditating, this is my method, and surely if I just keep following this method, something will happen. Report an error in the passage at 0:56 Highlight the passage at 0:56

1:37 It's the same if you have a certain kind of teacher, and you think, I'm just following this one teacher religiously, that can become a rite and ritual. Report an error in the passage at 1:37 Highlight the passage at 1:37

1:53 You go to retreats, All the time, that's my ritual. I keep doing it. I sit longer and longer hours. Report an error in the passage at 1:53 Highlight the passage at 1:53

2:06 Nothing seems to be happening. I'm not getting happiness in my mind. But if I just keep doing this, I'm a really diligent Buddhist, I'm sure I will be fine. Report an error in the passage at 2:06 Highlight the passage at 2:06

2:19 Careful with becoming a ritualistic meditator. Try to see if you can bring up joy in your meditation. Bring some kind of easiness. Make more of those kind of mind states which are happy mind states. Meditation is not supposed to be something which brings our mind down. Report an error in the passage at 2:19 Highlight the passage at 2:19

2:49 So please, since everybody's here, looks like most of the people are already here, so close your eyes again. When starting in meditation, it's easier to meditate when you close one of those senses, of the five senses in the body. Report an error in the passage at 2:49 Highlight the passage at 2:49

3:05 And when you close your eyes, you can feel how does the body feel like. Report an error in the passage at 3:05 Highlight the passage at 3:05

3:15 You're saying with your mind, how does your mind really feel? Are you thinking subtle, subtly even, that you cannot meditate? Report an error in the passage at 3:15 Highlight the passage at 3:15

3:30 Is there subtle ways of thinking, I'm just going to endure here, and then after the endurance of 45 minutes, I got something. But as long as I look at the pain for 45 minutes, that's what we do as meditators. Is there resistance? resistance towards this meditation already. What is your mind state? Or Report an error in the passage at 3:30 Highlight the passage at 3:30

4:04 is there happiness? Oh, finally I can come to the Buddhist society. I'm with like-minded people, kind people, surrounded by good people. Report an error in the passage at 4:04 Highlight the passage at 4:04

4:20 I'm here just to relax and be at ease. If you have that attitude, then it's a good attitude. Good way to start your meditation. Report an error in the passage at 4:20 Highlight the passage at 4:20

4:33 But even if you have the negative state, don't despair. Maybe we can change that just slightly. So again in the beginning think about are you doing this thing ritualistic? Do you think sitting on the ground gets you extra points and you know it's going to be painful for you? Maybe you should change your posture first in the beginning of the meditation. Be kind towards your body and being kind towards your body you are kind towards your own mind. Report an error in the passage at 4:33 Highlight the passage at 4:33

5:18 We are here to grow in good, kind qualities. Report an error in the passage at 5:18 Highlight the passage at 5:18

5:45 So again, if you still need to move your body, now eyes closed, and if you secretly want to sneak back to a chair because now you feel guilty about sitting on the floor, please do so. Allow Report an error in the passage at 5:45 Highlight the passage at 5:45

6:25 your body to relax. Is there tension still somewhere in your body? Is there something you could do to make your body to be more at ease? Report an error in the passage at 6:25 Highlight the passage at 6:25

6:38 How can you be kind towards your body? Report an error in the passage at 6:38 Highlight the passage at 6:38

6:57 We're still moving. The body is still moving. Make sure your neck is relaxed. Move your neck a little bit. You've had that heavy head of yours resting on your neck again. Make Report an error in the passage at 6:57 Highlight the passage at 6:57

7:16 sure your neck is relaxed. Report an error in the passage at 7:16 Highlight the passage at 7:16

7:21 Same with your shoulders. Allow Report an error in the passage at 7:21 Highlight the passage at 7:21

7:28 your shoulders to relax. Report an error in the passage at 7:28 Highlight the passage at 7:28

7:34 Relax. What Report an error in the passage at 7:34 Highlight the passage at 7:34

7:41 about your stomach? Do you have tension in your stomach? Report an error in the passage at 7:41 Highlight the passage at 7:41

7:50 Stomach is one of those places where we have worry. Report an error in the passage at 7:50 Highlight the passage at 7:50

7:57 Don't try to change that pain in the stomach, those knots, those worries in your stomach. Just look at it and say, it is just what it is. Be kind towards the tummy. Report an error in the passage at 7:57 Highlight the passage at 7:57

· · · silence, 1 minute

9:16 We are coming to the end of the year. Many things have happened throughout the year again. Report an error in the passage at 9:16 Highlight the passage at 9:16

9:31 We are here to let go of the world. What happened? Report an error in the passage at 9:31 Highlight the passage at 9:31

9:44 Don't try to think out of your own thinking. Report an error in the passage at 9:44 Highlight the passage at 9:44

9:52 Don't try to outsmart yourself. That's not the way to meditate. Report an error in the passage at 9:52 Highlight the passage at 9:52

10:10 Just feel wherever the body or the way it wants to sit allow it to sit there. Wherever Report an error in the passage at 10:10 Highlight the passage at 10:10

10:28 the mind wants to go here and there in the beginning please allow it as much as you can. No need to rein in your mind too much. Report an error in the passage at 10:28 Highlight the passage at 10:28

10:44 What are you doing? You are just relaxing here. You're just sitting. This is nothing special. You are just sitting. Try Report an error in the passage at 10:44 Highlight the passage at 10:44

· · · silence, 1 minute

11:39 to have kind forgiveness in your mind. Report an error in the passage at 11:39 Highlight the passage at 11:39

11:50 Whatever comes as an object to your mind, irritation because there's pain in the body, irritation because somebody's talking too much, irritation Report an error in the passage at 11:50 Highlight the passage at 11:50

12:11 because you don't know how to meditate, Report an error in the passage at 12:11 Highlight the passage at 12:11

12:19 As long as you have kind, forgiving attitude towards any mind state, any object which supports your mind, it's okay. Report an error in the passage at 12:19 Highlight the passage at 12:19

12:35 So the body wants to move, allow it. Give it kindness. Forgive your body of giving you pain. It's not the body's fault. Report an error in the passage at 12:35 Highlight the passage at 12:35

· · · silence, 1 minute

13:35 We are still allowing the mind to wander wherever it wants to go. Allow it. Forgive your mind of being busy, restless, sleepy. Allow it to be. Report an error in the passage at 13:35 Highlight the passage at 13:35

· · · silence, 1 minute

14:44 Don't fight anything in your mind. Nothing except your mind. Have this attitude of kindness and forgiveness to your mind. Report an error in the passage at 14:44 Highlight the passage at 14:44

· · · silence, 1 minute

16:04 When you're there observing the mind, you feel like you're sitting in this bubble of yours. Report an error in the passage at 16:04 Highlight the passage at 16:04

16:16 There's a world outside, but we're not worried about it. I'm in my own world, allowing the mind to go here and there. And Report an error in the passage at 16:16 Highlight the passage at 16:16

· · · silence, 2 minutes

18:39 if you allow the mind to wander once in a while, the breath appears out of nowhere. Allow the breath to be there, but Report an error in the passage at 18:39 Highlight the passage at 18:39

18:59 when it disappears, allow it to go. If Report an error in the passage at 18:59 Highlight the passage at 18:59

· · · silence, 11 minutes

30:02 you've been able to have easiness with your mind, you Report an error in the passage at 30:02 Highlight the passage at 30:02

30:11 can subtly... Report an error in the passage at 30:11 Highlight the passage at 30:11

30:16 Observe the breath for a while now. If Report an error in the passage at 30:16 Highlight the passage at 30:16

· · · silence, 13 minutes

42:57 your mind is starting to calm down, now you can try to move it to the breath again. Report an error in the passage at 42:57 Highlight the passage at 42:57

43:14 Attitude of kindness towards the breath. So it wants to stay with you. Report an error in the passage at 43:14 Highlight the passage at 43:14

· · · silence, 2 minutes

45:34 We're getting close to the end of the meditation. Report an error in the passage at 45:34 Highlight the passage at 45:34

45:41 So now that you have a little bit of more easiness in your mind, we can try to do a small contemplation towards the year. Look at Report an error in the passage at 45:41 Highlight the passage at 45:41

46:13 that breath like it's your friend, a loved one. Can Report an error in the passage at 46:13 Highlight the passage at 46:13

46:36 you see somebody you really care is breathing with you? You're breathing together. Report an error in the passage at 46:36 Highlight the passage at 46:36

46:50 It is not just you breathing. Allow Report an error in the passage at 46:50 Highlight the passage at 46:50

46:58 the breath to move in and out with your loved one. Report an error in the passage at 46:58 Highlight the passage at 46:58

47:27 When you're breathing together, you are like one. Report an error in the passage at 47:27 Highlight the passage at 47:27

47:54 Perhaps... This loved one of yours also needs some peace, what you have. Do Report an error in the passage at 47:54 Highlight the passage at 47:54

48:07 you notice how soft and gentle the breath is? The Report an error in the passage at 48:07 Highlight the passage at 48:07

48:39 same way if you think of your whole family with you, how Report an error in the passage at 48:39 Highlight the passage at 48:39

48:46 you wish your whole family would have this kind of peace and ease. You Report an error in the passage at 48:46 Highlight the passage at 48:46

49:00 wish all Report an error in the passage at 49:00 Highlight the passage at 49:00

49:05 the peace towards them with all the breaths you take. Report an error in the passage at 49:05 Highlight the passage at 49:05

49:37 So all your loved ones and your families breathing with you, and Report an error in the passage at 49:37 Highlight the passage at 49:37

50:00 all of us, we are here with you as well. Report an error in the passage at 50:00 Highlight the passage at 50:00

50:14 We all know this path of peacefulness. Report an error in the passage at 50:14 Highlight the passage at 50:14

· · · silence, 1 minute

50:56 And if you pay attention again to your body, how it's breathing, do you notice how the body has changed slightly from the beginning of the meditation? Report an error in the passage at 50:56 Highlight the passage at 50:56

51:14 What are the positive changes you have in your body? Report an error in the passage at 51:14 Highlight the passage at 51:14

51:29 Allow the body to breathe in and out for a while and Report an error in the passage at 51:29 Highlight the passage at 51:29

51:59 enjoy the body whilst breathing. Report an error in the passage at 51:59 Highlight the passage at 51:59

52:25 Same with your mind. What are the positive aspects in your mind now? Report an error in the passage at 52:25 Highlight the passage at 52:25

· · · silence, 1 minute

53:10 Think of the year which is passing. Think of how lucky you are to be able to experience this peace. Just Report an error in the passage at 53:10 Highlight the passage at 53:10

53:33 keep breathing peace. Sign a bit longer. I Report an error in the passage at 53:33 Highlight the passage at 53:33

54:07 will ring. The bell soon three times. Don't be scared. Report an error in the passage at 54:07 Highlight the passage at 54:07

54:20 Listen the gong three times after which you can open your eyes and come back to the world. Report an error in the passage at 54:20 Highlight the passage at 54:20

· · · silence, 1 minute

55:06 That is the end of the meditation. Report an error in the passage at 55:06 Highlight the passage at 55:06

55:17 Very good. Okay. Great. I was asked to do a forgiveness meditation but my mind is a bit dull after the whole day so I didn't seem to want to engage too much. Report an error in the passage at 55:17 Highlight the passage at 55:17

55:35 Okay. Question online. Report an error in the passage at 55:35 Highlight the passage at 55:35

55:41 Dear Ajahn, how can I generate kindness when in pain and breathing is difficult? Kindness is hard to get when severely ill. Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 55:41 Highlight the passage at 55:41

55:55 It is true. It's hard to generate good mind states when you really have a lot of struggles in your mind. But there are different methods and perhaps what I've I was asked to do about the forgiveness meditation, for example, and it is actually, it is quite powerful. Can you forgive your body being sick? Report an error in the passage at 55:55 Highlight the passage at 55:55

56:23 Your body doesn't really belong to you, it belongs to the nature. So, see the body with a little bit of more with equanimity. Report an error in the passage at 56:23 Highlight the passage at 56:23

56:37 Look at your body with kindness in a sense that I forgive the body. It's not body's fault that it's sick. Report an error in the passage at 56:37 Highlight the passage at 56:37

56:47 You don't have to really concentrate on the breath perhaps, but if the mind wants to go into that illness part of the body when there's a lot of pain, for example, you can go towards that, take that as an object. But instead of fighting it, you try to have easiness towards that. So you try to make that, instead of having the pain really very small and very, very, very painful, you try to start bringing it bigger and bigger. Report an error in the passage at 56:47 Highlight the passage at 56:47

57:19 So you sort of diffuse it like a balloon. And then if you allow it to sort of grow, be at least a little bit more ease, it's not so severe perhaps. The pain is still there, but you're not sort of like making it bigger because you're not angry towards that. But I would say, look, forgive your body. Really try to do that. Try to have more and more. Report an error in the passage at 57:19 Highlight the passage at 57:19

57:48 Forgiveness and kindness go hand in hand and when you have that forgiveness to your body and you realize it's not yours, you understand there's nothing, you cannot control your body. Report an error in the passage at 57:48 Highlight the passage at 57:48

58:00 But it is difficult. We all know, even if we have normal sicknesses like fever, how terrible it is to have a high fever. You have no energy and it's just terrible place to be. Report an error in the passage at 58:00 Highlight the passage at 58:00

58:17 And it's sort of a reminder for us, so thank you for reminding us that sicknesses do exist. Because when you're healthy, we tend to forget. So now it's time to practice even for us who are healthy more or less in the body. Practice now because those times will come. There is somebody now in Germany who's got a lot of difficulty because they're severely ill. Well, we're not sort of... Report an error in the passage at 58:17 Highlight the passage at 58:17

58:48 Who knows when we will be severely ill? Who knows who one of us will get the cancer? Which one of us will have those kind of problems where these difficulties are ahead of us? But if you practice now, you're trying to understand that the body is not yours, you practice ease, and slowly, slowly we start going towards that. Report an error in the passage at 58:48 Highlight the passage at 58:48

59:13 And then when these things come to us, then we have a little bit more understanding. What to do? But you try your best with this, even with the severe illnesses. But yeah, if you can have a bit more equanimity towards the body, I think it already helps. The Buddha said, even if the body is sick, your mind doesn't have to be sick. So try to remove that second error, that error of that pain in the mind. Report an error in the passage at 59:13 Highlight the passage at 59:13

59:42 Very good. Any questions from the audience? The Report an error in the passage at 59:42 Highlight the passage at 59:42

59:53 microphone is going, going. Report an error in the passage at 59:53 Highlight the passage at 59:53

1:00:00 Nothing? Are you sure? Don't come and ask me afterwards. People come to us like, well, I didn't dare to ask where everybody else was listening. They can learn from you. So if you have something to share, please do so. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:00 Highlight the passage at 1:00:00

1:00:15 No? Where's one question? There we go. My question Report an error in the passage at 1:00:15 Highlight the passage at 1:00:15

1:00:31 is about cultivating right attitude. attitude when you, because a Originally when you were saying the habitualization or the ritualization of meditation, and when it gets systematic, if you've been doing it after a while, one of my problems has been just been doing it for a little while is that I sometimes get into that method and mode of like, I'm going to do a meditation, I'm going to do my focus on my breath in and out, and it's about bringing that right attitude. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:31 Highlight the passage at 1:00:31

1:01:06 into the journey yeah and practice of meditation yep and I'd ask in your practice how have you implemented that in for yourself. Yeah. Well, I'm very lucky that I'm a monk and I live with a good teacher like Ajahn Brahm. So it's a good, you know, somebody always pushes you along the path. Whereas for you, the danger is that you will stop. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:06 Highlight the passage at 1:01:06

1:01:22 perspective yeah well Report an error in the passage at 1:01:22 Highlight the passage at 1:01:22

1:01:40 I was like, what's the point? Nothing is happening, and I'm just doing this ritual, so to speak. So in that sense, for me, it would have been probably very easy to stop as well. But being in the monastery for 15 years, you just sort of like, you know, you pushed along in the past. So it's just like, I would say. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:40 Highlight the passage at 1:01:40

1:02:02 Position yourself to, you know, I'm going to go to the Buddhist society no matter what. It's not happening, it's not happening, but it doesn't matter. At least I meet good friends. So one of the things is actually is that thing where you find the inspiration from others and you do it with others and then you tend to continue with it. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:02 Highlight the passage at 1:02:02

1:02:18 If you try to do it just by yourself, you will stop. There's not enough inspiration there. So as much as possible, position yourself to be around the same-minded people. And who understand these kind of problems and who know they go through themselves with these things so you can discuss about the same issues. One thing which is Ajahn Brahm's story is that he always recommends that like look a little bit once in a while like or Ajahn Brahm actually says to look after every meditation even if it's five minutes, 15 minutes. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:18 Highlight the passage at 1:02:18

1:02:57 That you look into like what happened. Because otherwise you just sort of sit there And then you just get up and you didn't do enough of that kind of like, what happened there? Is there something that happened with my meditation? And don't look into negativity. It's like, what other positive changes have happened? Just try to get into the habit of, okay, I'm going to, you know, okay, meditation, I feel that it's coming to an end. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:57 Highlight the passage at 1:02:57

1:03:24 Going to see some change in a positive way. Don't look into negativity. So that's one thing. Don't set yourself too high goals. So make sure that if you think it's like, okay, today I'll be sitting 15 minutes, but then now I need to move to a next level. So don't have these kind of lofty goals that you need to sit a certain amount of time. So personally, I try to do it so I just get into a habit of sitting and not make too much of it. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:24 Highlight the passage at 1:03:24

1:03:57 May I ask a follow-up question? Yeah. So as a layman, And this is just when it comes to what Buddha says about laymen. What would you actually say is the goal and role of a layman when it comes to practicing? Report an error in the passage at 1:03:57 Highlight the passage at 1:03:57

1:04:16 Well, it's the goal and role. I mean, I'm not sure what you mean by the role, but the goal has to be the same for us. The goal is to really to start... Allowing the suffering of life, the suffering, what everything is suffering to, you become more and more, you're leaving the suffering behind. So the goal of this kind of like meditation and the goal being Buddhist, really our goal is the path, the path which leads to the end of suffering. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:16 Highlight the passage at 1:04:16

1:04:46 So that it becomes, and that's why it's very key. We use this meditation as a practice which helps in a certain way, but Meditation itself is not enough. Mindfulness alone is not enough to end all of these things. So you need to cultivate other things. And what we've been going through here now during the Christmas time, we're going through the Eightfold Path, started this morning, is that in order for you to have the right view, the right understanding, what's the point of this? Report an error in the passage at 1:04:46 Highlight the passage at 1:04:46

1:05:21 Buddhism and what are the point of these practices is just sort of like you grow into these kind of good qualities, which would be generosity, compassion, good speech. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:21 Highlight the passage at 1:05:21

1:05:32 That's where you start developing. And that sort of goal now, I can feel that I'm growing in good qualities and I'm leaving the bad qualities behind. I'm not so feel like I need to go and... say bad things to others or punish others you can see that negative bad qualities are getting less and less and I'm becoming a kinder person who allows the world to be what it is Thank you. And with my clarification on role, how can we as laymen support each other in that role? Report an error in the passage at 1:05:32 Highlight the passage at 1:05:32

1:06:14 By coming to Buddhist society. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:14 Highlight the passage at 1:06:14

1:06:19 We always need volunteers and all of this is run by volunteers. We have people who run the AV team and there's people who clean the hall and there's all kind of cool things and it's honestly the best practitioners we see who are really committed is to come here all the time and they do all kind of little things even if it's like I said you are part of the AV team or you are Help to, I don't know, there's people who drive the monks all the time. They just get a lot of happiness out of that. So in that, the role, and it doesn't have to be Buddhist society. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:19 Highlight the passage at 1:06:19

1:06:55 It could be something where you feel that you can contribute to the world, that it's not just, the world is not just a money-making place where we grab all the opportunities to make yourself a bigger person, so to speak. So wherever you can help, that just diminishes that big ego, it's good. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:55 Highlight the passage at 1:06:55

1:07:16 Thank you for the question. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:16 Highlight the passage at 1:07:16

1:07:21 Anything else? Yes, please. I Report an error in the passage at 1:07:21 Highlight the passage at 1:07:21

1:07:30 get a lot of back pain while I sit and meditate. I'm just wondering in terms of, do you have any advice on the best way to deal with that? Yeah. I mean, posture would be a big thing. I don't get back pain, but I get... Oh, no, actually I do. I just realized I do. I have a slipped disc as well, so I get back pain. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:30 Highlight the passage at 1:07:30

1:07:53 Sit in a comfortable chair, so figure out at home what would be the most comfortable way of sitting. So that is a big thing. What else? You remember that there are different postures of meditating. So even lying down is a valid posture. Walking meditation works. So even if you walk, for example, the same route every day, you park your car here and then you walk five minutes to your work. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:53 Highlight the passage at 1:07:53

1:08:23 Take that as an opportunity to, instead of just thinking, thinking, thinking, I'm going to do walking meditation now from here to there. And that walking meditation in that instance means that you are just paying attention to the feet. What does it feel to walk? And then you have this kind of like really, they're quite nice because it feels like freedom. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:23 Highlight the passage at 1:08:23

1:08:46 There's this tiny little times of liberation. liberation. So Back pains, knee pains, pain in the ankle, pain in the bum, all kind of things, yeah, they tend to be. So a lot of that is posture. But if you get into the habit always like I'm going to sit down and it's going to be really painful, I know it's going to be painful, then it hinders you. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:46 Highlight the passage at 1:08:46

1:09:14 So try to see that as like, oh, it's a bit dangerous because I'm going to just be worried about the pain all the time. posture but it's Report an error in the passage at 1:09:14 Highlight the passage at 1:09:14

1:09:21 But the interesting thing is that once in a while you are very happy and then you look at your body and it's like there should be pain and there is no pain. So it is interesting to see those kind of like what did I do differently? What is it? And honestly it's just once in a while you just have mind is happy and then the pains either don't bother you or they completely cease to exist. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:21 Highlight the passage at 1:09:21

1:09:48 Yeah, sure, sure. I mean fighting is worse. I was definitely to accept it. It's my body. My body is because my back is problematic. Whatever the reason is for you, just accept it. It's not the body's fault. I don't need to fight it. You can never have a perfectly painless body. We all have problems. Everybody. All the time. You just don't notice. If you're at home and you... Report an error in the passage at 1:09:48 Highlight the passage at 1:09:48

1:10:18 you know on your desk and you're watching youtube videos you're all the time you're moving you just don't pay attention to that because you're so engaged with that those uh youtube videos so um but that's what happens you you sit down you meditate and because we have sort of like So try to get comfortable, you know, comfortable enough, but then do accept that these things do happen. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:18 Highlight the passage at 1:10:18

1:10:49 Yes. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:49 Highlight the passage at 1:10:49

1:10:58 Okay, good. Nothing else? Great. Thank you for coming and we see you tomorrow morning for Word of the Buddha class, hopefully some of you. And then that's the end of this Christmas week and so it's been wonderful to teach you and please keep coming. Next year is just behind the door and Ajahn Brahm will be here on New Year's Eve. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:58 Highlight the passage at 1:10:58

1:11:22 Very good. Thank you so much. We can pay respect to the Buddha Dhamma and Saṅgha if you wish. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:22 Highlight the passage at 1:11:22