Meditation Opportunities

0:00 Our usual MC is just at home working, working from home today. I'm Ajahn Jhanarato, usually called JR. I'm from the monastery down on Stocker Road. Anyone who's not familiar with this. Is anyone here for the first time tonight? Report an error in the passage at 0:00 Highlight the passage at 0:00

0:19 Yep, one at the back. Okay, cool. Okay, well it's a fairly relaxed place here. I'm sure you'll be able to follow along. We'll start with just a few introductory comments that I would normally say. Report an error in the passage at 0:19 Highlight the passage at 0:19

0:42 I've introduced myself. Everyone's registered. What else have I missed? If you can, please switch off any devices that might make noise during the Gatha meditation. So, um, shit. Report an error in the passage at 0:42 Highlight the passage at 0:42

0:57 Yeah, so I'm one of the monks down at Stocker Road, 48 Stocker Road. We have a little hermitage there, 26 acres. And tonight, as usual, we're recording this. Report an error in the passage at 0:57 Highlight the passage at 0:57

1:13 There'll be a little talk on meditation and then a guided meditation for half an hour. psychos, um, Report an error in the passage at 1:13 Highlight the passage at 1:13

1:22 And after that, if anyone wants to ask any questions, you're most welcome to. We always encourage people to ask questions. And if you don't want your question recorded, you can always wait until afterwards and come up and see me and just have a chat. So that's all good. Anything else I've forgotten? No, that's all good. Looks like the footy's rained out next door. Report an error in the passage at 1:22 Highlight the passage at 1:22

1:48 Oh well, sorry to the footy fans, oh well. They can come to the meditation group now. They're not losing it, they're not going to miss out. So yeah, so this is, I'm a student of Ajahn Brahm, so Ajahn Brahm's the abbot down at Bodhinyana Monastery in Serpentine, which is about 40 minutes down the southwest highway, if you want to have a look. Report an error in the passage at 1:48 Highlight the passage at 1:48

2:12 And yeah, I... I generally follow his teachings when I talk about meditation. I try to keep it in line with the way he teaches. So I had a couple of things. There was one thing I wanted to talk about and then Thomas asked about another thing. So I was wondering if I could talk about both tonight. So the first thing I was going to talk about was just this idea of being gentle in the practice. Report an error in the passage at 2:12 Highlight the passage at 2:12

2:45 Someone was asking me last week about just another meditation group and I didn't know too much about it but it's a very sort of intensive, I think, what do they do, like 11 hours a day of meditation and a very focused, very... Report an error in the passage at 2:45 Highlight the passage at 2:45

3:11 Very hardcore sort of practice. That's all good. But I think Ajahn Brahm is very strong on being gentle in your practice. So whether that's being gentle with your body, being gentle with your mind. So we have the retreat center down at Jhāna Grove. I thought I might just sort of mention that. Report an error in the passage at 3:11 Highlight the passage at 3:11

4:02 popular these retreats are now. Um, these are especially the ones with Ajahn Brahm himself. Uh, there's also some, uh, other teachers there. There's Ajahn Brahmali, uh, who's, uh, has a more scholarly bent and he likes to introduce, uh, like the, the, um, uh, Buddhist texts as well and sort of does some readings and stuff as part of his retreats. Report an error in the passage at 4:02 Highlight the passage at 4:02

4:23 We've got, uh, Ayahasapanya, who's the, uh, abbot of Dhammasara, uh, nun's monastery in Gidjigana. So she's giving a retreat soon. So I just had a look through the, uh, events today see what's going on but they're also doing five-day retreats now i haven't done a five i haven't they weren't doing five five-day retreats when i was staying there and also weekend retreats um and also uh yeah you know you might be familiar with the half-day retreats that we have down in uh at uh our own monastery which are uh very very simple sort of uh uh retreats i think we're still uh taking bookings there Report an error in the passage at 4:23 Highlight the passage at 4:23

5:00 is now picking out some of the people who haven't been before to join first. So if you haven't heard from us, just wait. I know we can get them on the list. So, yeah, I mean, I'll just talk about the Nanda retreats because that's what I'm familiar with, the format there. Report an error in the passage at 5:00 Highlight the passage at 5:00

5:22 So I did my first Nanda, I did my only Nanda retreat back in 2000. Report an error in the passage at 5:22 Highlight the passage at 5:22

5:29 Grover's built and Yeah, it's a very, very simple setup really. There's very little schedule. Ajahn Brahm likes to make a play on noble silence. Report an error in the passage at 5:29 Highlight the passage at 5:29

5:47 Noble silence in the sense that you generally don't talk during the nine days, unless you need to, and also no bell. there's... I'm not Report an error in the passage at 5:47 Highlight the passage at 5:47

5:58 No bell rings in the morning to get you up. So if you need the sleep, you'll, you know, if you need your sleep, especially at the beginning of the trip, you know, if you want to sleep, that's fine. If you want to miss lunch, you can miss lunch. If you want to meditate in your room, you can meditate in your room. If you want to practice this way or practice that way. Report an error in the passage at 5:58 Highlight the passage at 5:58

6:18 And all it is is really just broken up with a couple of talks and question and answers each day. um the breakfast lunch and uh like a light uh light um snack in the evening usually cheese or chocolate or something like that so it's uh it's very relaxing Report an error in the passage at 6:18 Highlight the passage at 6:18

6:38 all that time, you can, uh, you can spend as much time as you want, but it's very, it's unscheduled, so that's up to you, and, uh, yeah, you know, that's the, um, the attitude that he has, he's, uh, um. Report an error in the passage at 6:38 Highlight the passage at 6:38

6:52 And yeah, that's how we meditate here. We just practice gently. The other thing that Thomas was talking about is how do you let go as well? Report an error in the passage at 6:52 Highlight the passage at 6:52

7:06 Meditators, that's our job. We let go of the past and future. And how do we do that? I guess you do it gently. It's like, oh, the mind's wandered off. because, you know, there's this, you know, meditation. Report an error in the passage at 7:06 Highlight the passage at 7:06

7:18 It might actually take you quite some time before you notice that it's wandered off, and it's just spent half an hour just wondering what the footy score is. Report an error in the passage at 7:18 Highlight the passage at 7:18

7:30 That's okay. You don't have to be hard on yourself. It's just this mindfulness, really. You just notice. It might take you half an hour to notice, but you've noticed, okay, what's the most important thing? Just the present moment. sorry. Whatever. Sorry. Report an error in the passage at 7:30 Highlight the passage at 7:30

7:48 We come back to the present moment. And that's all we do really. When we're sitting here for the next half hour meditating and I'll be guiding the meditation so we'll do the usual walk through the just the various parts of the body. We have kindness to it. We're gentle with it. Report an error in the passage at 7:48 Highlight the passage at 7:48

8:11 you know we've got a nice posture we can sit in chairs we can sit on the floor we can some people like to lie down i mean i don't really mind that's okay and and uh yeah you know whatever's comfortable for you and also um you know make sure you're uh you're warm enough you've got some warm clothes if you've got a beanie you can put your beanie on if you've got some warm socks you can put them on if you've got too much clothing on and it's nice and warm in here you can take some off take off your jumper if you need to so uh yeah you know it's just it's I just like to encourage people just to be very gentle in their practice. Very gentle with yourself. Report an error in the passage at 8:11 Highlight the passage at 8:11

8:55 Alright, so does anyone have any questions? I don't have Bob here today to come up with something. He's very good, Bob. Bob's been doing this for decades now. He always likes to throw in a question. So if anyone has any question at all, otherwise we can settle in for half an hour of meditation. So please do make yourself comfortable and just enjoy a nice half an hour. I mean it's a nice quiet night tonight and it's certainly quite comfortable in here. Report an error in the passage at 8:55 Highlight the passage at 8:55

9:33 Quiet, comfortable, don't need anything else. So yeah, I'll just shuck my shoes. It's not too cold tonight. I brought some socks with me though. And yeah, we can sit down and as usual I like to do a body sweeping meditation. So first thing to do is to close your eyes. And Report an error in the passage at 9:33 Highlight the passage at 9:33

10:12 just take a minute or so just to check in with the body and see what it's telling you. What's your body telling you? Is it telling you you need to scratch your nose or wiggle your hips or whatever it is? Get comfortable in your posture. Report an error in the passage at 10:12 Highlight the passage at 10:12

10:40 And yeah, we're just relaxing the body. We work our way from the one extremity to the other extremity. Usually I like to go from the feet up to the head, starting with one leg and then another. Report an error in the passage at 10:40 Highlight the passage at 10:40

11:05 And we just have kindness to this physical part of us. And just let it relax. And just starting with the toes on the left foot. We Report an error in the passage at 11:05 Highlight the passage at 11:05

11:30 just start by just noticing that part of the body. Having a bit of mindfulness there. Just directing it to that part of the body. And just relaxing that part of the body. Having kindness to it. And Report an error in the passage at 11:30 Highlight the passage at 11:30

11:58 very gradually allow that sense of relaxation to spread through the sole of the foot there on the left hand side. Report an error in the passage at 11:58 Highlight the passage at 11:58

12:07 I just feel that sense of relaxation spreading from the toes and along the ball of your foot and the arch there and all the way back to the heel of the foot there. Just relaxing that part of the body and having kindness towards it. Feel Report an error in the passage at 12:07 Highlight the passage at 12:07

12:51 that sense of relaxation to creep up from the sole of the left foot. Slowly going out the instep there at the top of your foot and Report an error in the passage at 12:51 Highlight the passage at 12:51

13:06 Creeping up the back of the heel there, the Achilles heel, and up through the ankle. And just letting that sense of relaxation spread through that part of the body. And Report an error in the passage at 13:06 Highlight the passage at 13:06

13:47 very gently allow that sense of relaxation spreading up through the ankle and up through the back of the leg there on the left hand side. Report an error in the passage at 13:47 Highlight the passage at 13:47

14:01 Up from the Achilles heel and slowly rising up through the calf muscle there. And just relaxing that part of the body. That Report an error in the passage at 14:01 Highlight the passage at 14:01

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14:46 sense of relaxation. Of gentle kindness. Just spreading through the rest of the lower leg there. Just passing through the shin bone there. And rising up to the knee joint there. And just take a few moments just to notice how the knee feels. Report an error in the passage at 14:46 Highlight the passage at 14:46

15:17 And just have kindness to that part of the body. Just allowing it to rest and be at ease. Report an error in the passage at 15:17 Highlight the passage at 15:17

15:53 And now allow that sense of relaxation just to spread up through the upper part of the thigh there on the left hand side, those quadricep muscles. Report an error in the passage at 15:53 Highlight the passage at 15:53

16:05 And just notice as it relaxes from the knee spreading upwards. And Report an error in the passage at 16:05 Highlight the passage at 16:05

16:17 up through the muscles there, the upper part of the thigh, just all the way up to the hip. And just relax that part of the body a little bit. And Report an error in the passage at 16:17 Highlight the passage at 16:17

16:48 with those Quadricep muscles, nice and relaxed. Just notice that feeling of relaxation sinks down through the leg, down through the thigh to the back of the leg there. Just relax the muscles there as well. Again, creeping up from the knee joint and up Report an error in the passage at 16:48 Highlight the passage at 16:48

17:15 to where the leg meets your body. And just relax that part of the body. And Report an error in the passage at 17:15 Highlight the passage at 17:15

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17:52 again, gently just turn your attention now. Ajahn To the toes on your right foot. Report an error in the passage at 17:52 Highlight the passage at 17:52

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18:40 He just notices that sense of relaxation spreads through the sole of the foot there on the right-hand side the again the Report an error in the passage at 18:40 Highlight the passage at 18:40

18:51 The ball of the foot there and through the arch and through to the heel of the foot there on the right hand side. And Report an error in the passage at 18:51 Highlight the passage at 18:51

19:06 we just relax that part of the body and have kindness towards it. And Report an error in the passage at 19:06 Highlight the passage at 19:06

19:32 then notice how that sense of relaxation spreads through the foot all the way up through the instep, the upper part of the foot and up through the back of the heel there. Report an error in the passage at 19:32 Highlight the passage at 19:32

19:50 Gently rising up. And just Report an error in the passage at 19:50 Highlight the passage at 19:50

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20:30 notice how that sense of relaxation slowly creeps up. You Report an error in the passage at 20:30 Highlight the passage at 20:30

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21:11 just notice how that sense of relaxation spreads up through the back of the leg there on the right hand side. Just creeping up from your ankle there up through the back of the calf muscle there. A lot of that part of the body. Report an error in the passage at 21:11 Highlight the passage at 21:11

21:35 Very gently to relax. Just enjoying the sensation of that relaxation here in the present moment. And Report an error in the passage at 21:35 Highlight the passage at 21:35

22:05 let that feeling of gentle relaxation spread through the rest of the lower leg there on the right hand side. Report an error in the passage at 22:05 Highlight the passage at 22:05

22:19 Spreading all the way through the shin bone there. And gradually creeping up through the knee joint there. Report an error in the passage at 22:19 Highlight the passage at 22:19

22:33 just having kindness to that part of the body allowing it to relax and Report an error in the passage at 22:33 Highlight the passage at 22:33

23:06 again we'll let that sense of relaxation again spread through the upper part of the the right thigh the quadriceps there and again just notice that sense of relaxation that spreads from the from the knee and all the way up to the hip there and allow that part of the body just to be at ease and Report an error in the passage at 23:06 Highlight the passage at 23:06

23:51 allow that relaxation just to sink through the leg The quadriceps down all the way through to the back of the leg there on the right hand side. Report an error in the passage at 23:51 Highlight the passage at 23:51

24:06 Feel that sense of gentle warm relaxation spreading out from the back of the knee all the way up the back of the thigh there. Just allow those muscles there just to relax and be at ease. Report an error in the passage at 24:06 Highlight the passage at 24:06

24:43 Just notice the sense of gravity as the body presses down onto the seat, onto the chair and just allow the body to rest there. Report an error in the passage at 24:43 Highlight the passage at 24:43

25:00 Enjoy this time of quiet stillness. Report an error in the passage at 25:00 Highlight the passage at 25:00

25:11 And little by little allow that sense of relaxation just to flow up through the lower back there, up through the hips. And just allow that part of the body to be at ease. And Report an error in the passage at 25:11 Highlight the passage at 25:11

25:52 little by little allow that sensation to flow up through the back from the lowest vertebrae to slowly rising up the lower back and spreading out. the lower back there and all the way up to the smaller Report an error in the passage at 25:52 Highlight the passage at 25:52

26:18 of the back the innermost curve there and allow the muscles around that area to become loose and Report an error in the passage at 26:18 Highlight the passage at 26:18

26:37 spreading right out to the edges of your back allow that part of the body to be at ease and kind to that part of the body and Report an error in the passage at 26:37 Highlight the passage at 26:37

27:05 allow that relaxation to flow from your back All the way through to your belly, to Report an error in the passage at 27:05 Highlight the passage at 27:05

27:17 the abdomen there, the muscles. And again, just let that part of the body be loose. And Report an error in the passage at 27:17 Highlight the passage at 27:17

27:51 little by little, let that feeling of kind relaxation spread up from the belly. And up to the centre of the body, that part Report an error in the passage at 27:51 Highlight the passage at 27:51

28:06 of the body just below your ribs there. Report an error in the passage at 28:06 Highlight the passage at 28:06

28:13 Reach it around your heart and let Report an error in the passage at 28:13 Highlight the passage at 28:13

28:20 it rise up into your chest. And just take a deep breath in. Report an error in the passage at 28:20 Highlight the passage at 28:20

28:29 And out. Just noticing that part of the body relax as well. And Report an error in the passage at 28:29 Highlight the passage at 28:29

28:56 notice how that sense of warm relaxation just creeps up your upper back now. Report an error in the passage at 28:56 Highlight the passage at 28:56

29:07 Relax that part of the body and just notice how that spreads up to the shoulder blades there. Just allow them to hang loose. Report an error in the passage at 29:07 Highlight the passage at 29:07

29:47 Again gently we turn our attention now to the fingers on your left hand. Starting with the fingertips and Report an error in the passage at 29:47 Highlight the passage at 29:47

30:04 let that feeling of relaxation just creep up through the hand. Starting at the fingertips, it just matters how it spreads very slowly through the knuckles on the hand and Report an error in the passage at 30:04 Highlight the passage at 30:04

30:25 up through the palm there, the back of the hand and also up through the wrist there on the left hand side and Report an error in the passage at 30:25 Highlight the passage at 30:25

31:00 then let that sensation. Slowly creep up the outside of the forearm there from Report an error in the passage at 31:00 Highlight the passage at 31:00

31:13 the wrist and just notice the muscles relax little by little creeping all the way up to the point of your elbow there and Report an error in the passage at 31:13 Highlight the passage at 31:13

31:32 also spreading up on the inside as well. The inside of the wrist and up through the muscles there and Report an error in the passage at 31:32 Highlight the passage at 31:32

31:44 all the way to the crook of the arm. Report an error in the passage at 31:44 Highlight the passage at 31:44

32:05 Now notice as it spreads up through the sense of gentle kindness, this relaxation. Just notice as it spreads up from the elbow joint and just spreads up through the bicep there on the left hand side. Report an error in the passage at 32:05 Highlight the passage at 32:05

32:26 Noticing as it creeps up from the elbow joint and up through the muscle, allowing that part of the body to relax. Report an error in the passage at 32:26 Highlight the passage at 32:26

32:42 Right up through into the armpit there. Just that whole part of the body. Allow that part of the body to relax. And Report an error in the passage at 32:42 Highlight the passage at 32:42

32:57 also creeping up from the elbow again up through the outside of the arm. Report an error in the passage at 32:57 Highlight the passage at 32:57

33:06 All the way up to the shoulder joint there. And the smaller muscles there. And just let your left arm there just hang at ease. Report an error in the passage at 33:06 Highlight the passage at 33:06

· · · silence, 1 minute

33:56 And now again very gently just turn your attention to the fingertips on the right hand side. On your hand, on the right hand side. Report an error in the passage at 33:56 Highlight the passage at 33:56

34:09 Again, cultivating this sense of kindness, sense of gentleness. All that feeling spread through the fingers there, up through the knuckles. And just little by little up through the palm of the hand. Report an error in the passage at 34:09 Highlight the passage at 34:09

34:33 Even spreading out into the thumb and up through the back of the hand there on the right hand side. And Report an error in the passage at 34:33 Highlight the passage at 34:33

34:45 very slowly, just creeping up through the wrist. And again just relaxing the muscles there. Letting that part of the body be at ease. And Report an error in the passage at 34:45 Highlight the passage at 34:45

35:14 just notice how that feeling spreads up through the forearm there. First creeping up through the outside of the arm. And the back of the wrist. Report an error in the passage at 35:14 Highlight the passage at 35:14

35:33 Just creeping, creeping. All the way up to the elbow there. The point of the elbow. And Report an error in the passage at 35:33 Highlight the passage at 35:33

35:59 also up through the inner part of the forearm there. Again from the inner part of the wrist. Very slowly creeping up to the crook of the elbow there. Report an error in the passage at 35:59 Highlight the passage at 35:59

36:16 And just allowing that part of the body to be at ease. Report an error in the passage at 36:16 Highlight the passage at 36:16

36:38 Now notice how this sense of gentle relaxation starts to spread up from the elbow. Again coming up through the inside of the arm first. Up through the bicep there. Allowing that muscle to relax as well. And Report an error in the passage at 36:38 Highlight the passage at 36:38

37:00 all the way up to where that part of the body. Ajahn Report an error in the passage at 37:00 Highlight the passage at 37:00

37:24 Ajahn Jhanarato. outside of the right arm, the upper part of the right arm. Again from the elbow all the way up to the muscles of the shoulder there. Report an error in the passage at 37:24 Highlight the passage at 37:24

37:44 And now just relax the shoulders all together. Report an error in the passage at 37:44 Highlight the passage at 37:44

37:52 from the ball joints there all the way across the back of the neck Report an error in the passage at 37:52 Highlight the passage at 37:52

38:00 And allowing that upper part of the body just to relax, to just hang there at ease. And Report an error in the passage at 38:00 Highlight the passage at 38:00

38:26 little by little, let that feeling of relaxation, that kindness, that gentleness, to flow up through the neck, up the back of the neck, and also just rising up the throat there, all the way up to the jaw. And just letting that part of the body be loose and at ease. And Report an error in the passage at 38:26 Highlight the passage at 38:26

39:01 allow the chin to droop. Report an error in the passage at 39:01 Highlight the passage at 39:01

39:22 And just notice that sense of calm and relaxation spread up through the lower part of the face, up from the jaw, and up through the mouth, and smile. Report an error in the passage at 39:22 Highlight the passage at 39:22

39:41 And little by little allow that feeling to creep up through your cheeks, through your cheekbones, and Report an error in the passage at 39:41 Highlight the passage at 39:41

40:07 gradually rising up through the upper part of the face there, past Report an error in the passage at 40:07 Highlight the passage at 40:07

40:17 your nose. and especially all those little muscles around the eyes and up to the brow and Report an error in the passage at 40:17 Highlight the passage at 40:17

40:50 allow that warm relaxation to spread up the back of the head and let it creep all the way up to the crown the very top of your head just Report an error in the passage at 40:50 Highlight the passage at 40:50

41:15 take a moment now just to enjoy the sense of relaxation that spreads from your toes all the way up through your legs through your body Report an error in the passage at 41:15 Highlight the passage at 41:15

41:30 Your hands, your arms, your shoulders, the neck, the Report an error in the passage at 41:30 Highlight the passage at 41:30

41:40 face, the head. And just notice the whole body as it is. Hope it's a little bit more calm, a little bit more relaxed. So Report an error in the passage at 41:40 Highlight the passage at 41:40

42:05 I'll ring the gong three times. And at the end of the third gong, you can come out for the meditation. Did Report an error in the passage at 42:05 Highlight the passage at 42:05

· · · silence, 1 minute

42:45 I sit this evening? I know I did. That was very pleasant. I needed it today. I had all sorts of computer troubles today. I didn't get around to having an afternoon sit, so it's very nice to have the evening just to relax the body, relax the mind. Report an error in the passage at 42:45 Highlight the passage at 42:45

43:03 Yeah, so please, wiggle your bottom, wiggle your toes. Sorry if you missed out, we had a short talk on the meditation beforehand. Yeah, we'll probably expand that soon. Report an error in the passage at 43:03 Highlight the passage at 43:03