Guided Meditation

0:04 Okay, so today I'm trying to talk about one of the quite common mistakes people used to do. Sometimes at times your mind a little bit being disturbed or, you know, you find it annoying and very difficult to meditate. And some people like, you know, they try to, okay, now I'm not peaceful, I feel annoying. And then maybe I have to go back and meditate and then force themselves to focus on the breath. Report an error in the passage at 0:04 Highlight the passage at 0:04

0:31 I can tell you, sometimes can be counterproductive because you cannot force your mind. Sometimes you have to allow the mind, you know. I remember that when I was in Thailand and someone really agitated, this person really irritated me. I was so annoyed. And I went back, I really can't, I cannot, most of the time I can easily just sit down and then very easily, I just focus on my breath and very easily meditate. Report an error in the passage at 0:31 Highlight the passage at 0:31

0:56 But that day, I really cannot meditate at all because, I was so agitated, you know, and feel so annoyed. It's so annoying, you know, and then it's difficult to calm down. So then sometimes if I use willpower to force myself to focus on my breath, actually become counterproductive. Actually, we reinforce our underlying tendency. Our underlying tendency, you will, and actually we increase, you know, reinforce our underlying tendency. Report an error in the passage at 0:56 Highlight the passage at 0:56

1:27 You will become more angry, isn't it? More agitated, the more you force, you know. Sometimes you have to allow, you know, a little bit of time. So normally what I do when I was really in that, you know, my mind in that state of mind that I feel so agitated, I normally, I sit down. I say, okay. Three deep breaths, calming myself down, okay. Then after that, I try to relax my body. So I do body contemplation. Report an error in the passage at 1:27 Highlight the passage at 1:27

1:55 Actually, it's help. Because when you focus on your body, any emotion, like for example, the agitations, the ill will, the anger, you know, actually, your body reacts to the emotion. So when you focus on your body, I can feel my body, like my whole body, like... I try to relax my body. I spend time relaxing my body. Just relax and relax. Because by relaxing your body, actually it helps to calm your mind down. Report an error in the passage at 1:55 Highlight the passage at 1:55

2:35 So when you relax, you feel peaceful, isn't it? You feel calm. So I try to do that until when I'm settled. Breath is a more subtle object compared to body feelings and sensations. So we start with the causal object that is through the body contemplation, aware of your body, aware of your body feelings, sensations. Report an error in the passage at 2:35 Highlight the passage at 2:35

3:05 Feel how your body feels like in this moment. Just stay with the body and just try to relax your body as much as you can until when you feel a little bit more peaceful. And one of the things that the Buddha also mentioned, like to help to develop your mindfulness, to strengthen your mindfulness, actually reflections or contemplation itself is really help. Report an error in the passage at 3:05 Highlight the passage at 3:05

3:29 Because sometimes we cannot let it go. But when we do reflections, we cannot just, you know, when we are in that state of mind that we have so much anger or we feel agitated, and that's not the time you cannot contemplate. You cannot reflect. Your mind has to be relatively peaceful enough to be able to do that. Because when we are in that state of mind that, you know, our mind is very, when we are very emotional, and we try to, Reflect on things, you know, reflect on, okay, you know, that, okay, maybe this person, you know, reflect on non-self, you know, or maybe this person, just being all happy, is conditioning, and maybe this person is not really, you know, I mean. Report an error in the passage at 3:29 Highlight the passage at 3:29

4:21 Do it deliberately, you know. And then when you do that, actually, when you're in the state of mind that you have, you've been very agitated, actually, it's not reflection. It's become thinking. You know, we have someone, this person, whenever she, she told me whenever she was very angry, and she angry at this person, and then she always remind herself, you know, what Ajahn Ram said. Report an error in the passage at 4:21 Highlight the passage at 4:21

4:49 Don't water the weeds, water the plant. Then she sit down, she sit there. Don't water the weeds, water the plant. Then she feel better. But then, actually she didn't know that actually she reinforcing her anger. She didn't know, she been doing it for a while. Until one day, she was really quite, she really flare up that. Report an error in the passage at 4:49 Highlight the passage at 4:49

5:14 She found it very shocking that she did that because she really shouted at the person over things that is really very trivial. It's not something that is serious. But she was so shocked that how come she cannot control her emotion and she cannot control her anger that she shouted at that person over things that is just very minor thing. Report an error in the passage at 5:14 Highlight the passage at 5:14

5:38 And then she realized that how come actually her anger increasing. You know, really not decreasing. So because she's using this as a way to suppress her emotion, rather than to allow the mind, the emotion to calm down and then observe it, aware, and then to release the emotion. In a skillful way, but not by suppressing. Because by suppressing itself, actually you are reinforcing it. Actually it becomes stronger. Report an error in the passage at 5:38 Highlight the passage at 5:38

6:17 And that's why she didn't know. It's not the method is wrong. It's not the method is wrong. How the way she used it is wrong. The way she used it, how she applied it. So actually you have to, first of all, You have to calm your body, you know, using body contemplation, calming yourself down, and then to feel your body until that subsides. Report an error in the passage at 6:17 Highlight the passage at 6:17

6:40 But of course, sometimes even with that, you still not completely let go, but at least you are more peaceful, you know, you feel more peaceful, and then it's more settled, you feel okay, relaxed, etc. Then you can start to do, you know. Reflection, contemplation. So that time I was contemplating non-self, like, you know, this person being conditioned. Report an error in the passage at 6:40 Highlight the passage at 6:40

7:06 And also I reflect on, I also reflect on karma. And then because I reflect that, you know, this person actually also ultimately that person also suffer because the person, you know, But also responsible for her own action, whatever she do, you know, because she's a bit crazy. She's a bit crazy. So then when I reflect on that, then I started to really let go more. Report an error in the passage at 7:06 Highlight the passage at 7:06

7:42 And I started to have more kindness and compassion towards that person, seeing that person itself also is being conditioned. The person is also responsible for their own action. Ultimately, the person also suffers from what the person has done. Because if we are harming someone, actually we are also harming ourselves, isn't it? So we also suffer. So when I reflect on that, actually I let go much better, easier, quicker. Report an error in the passage at 7:42 Highlight the passage at 7:42

8:12 Then actually I feel much better. Then after that... Very easily I go back to the breath, I can continue to meditate. They say sometimes don't use willpower, don't force yourself. Because some people have the idea of, you know, I go and meditate, so meditate to make myself peaceful. You can't make your mind peaceful, you know, because meditation is a natural process. Report an error in the passage at 8:12 Highlight the passage at 8:12

8:37 You have to put in the causes and conditions, then things happen. You cannot use willpower and force yourself to become peaceful. You cannot make yourself peaceful. You cannot make it happen. But then you have to allow the mind, you know. First of all, allow the mindset, you know. Allow the mind, you know, start from a causal object, you know, with the bodily sensation feelings. And then after that, you know, you start to do reflection, contemplate, you know. Report an error in the passage at 8:37 Highlight the passage at 8:37

9:06 Because why I want to punish myself because of someone's doing stupid things, you know. Report an error in the passage at 9:06 Highlight the passage at 9:06

9:36 Because the next day you see that person again, and the person do the same thing again, and then again it's triggered off, you know. That actually I have to almost every day, almost take me almost 10 days, you know, that each time I go back, I have to do that again and again, like, you know, to relax, you know, and go over much. Report an error in the passage at 9:36 Highlight the passage at 9:36

9:56 Through body contemplations until I feel better, then I reflect, you know, do reflection. Then after when I'm able to really feel much better, then only I start to meditate on my breath. But at the end, I think about 10 days, then actually when I see her, actually... It doesn't not easily trigger me anymore. Before that, when I see it, it's been triggered. Again, it's triggered again, you know. But then after that, because I've been keep, you know, keep doing it, you know, keep, you know, reflecting, you know, relax my body. Report an error in the passage at 9:56 Highlight the passage at 9:56

10:35 Because the letting go don't happen overnight. It takes time to let go. You know, sometimes even though, even though, yes, it's just like, even though I don't react. Report an error in the passage at 10:35 Highlight the passage at 10:35

10:53 So until that, you know, I have to keep, you know, it's just like the ball, it will keep spinning if you continue kicking the ball. But then the ball will eventually stop if you stop kicking. But when you stop kicking, it still spins, isn't it? So until you... Continue, you take some time, you know, if you continue not giving new energy, the boy eventually will stop by itself. And this is how, this is a more skillful way to deal with our emotion. Report an error in the passage at 10:53 Highlight the passage at 10:53

11:27 It's a skillful way to release, you know, our emotion, to deal with emotion. Because sometimes when we try to use willpower to force ourselves, Actually, it can be counterproductive. We are reinforcing our underlying tendency. So it takes a while, you know. Yes, even though we don't react to our anger, we don't react to our emotion, but it won't go away immediately. Report an error in the passage at 11:27 Highlight the passage at 11:27

11:50 It's still there because the energy is still there. So if it's continuing, you know, over a period of time, we're not reacting. Eventually, the ball, you know, getting slower, slower because we stop kicking the ball. You know, we stop kicking, and then eventually it spins, spins, stop by itself. This is how it works, you know. We cannot use willpower to try to force ourselves, you know, to let go, you know, to let go of, you know, being annoyed and to try to make ourselves peaceful. Report an error in the passage at 11:50 Highlight the passage at 11:50

12:23 We can't, you know. That's why we have to put in the causes and conditions. We cannot use willpower and force ourselves to. To focus on the breath. Until we feel really peaceful, calm, then only we start to go to our breath. Because breath is a more subtle object. And then that will work. But never ever try to force yourself to try to make yourself peaceful because I'm not peaceful now. Report an error in the passage at 12:23 Highlight the passage at 12:23

12:56 I'm angry now. I'm agitated now. So I have to make myself peaceful. I can tell you it will be counterproductive. Instead of you reduce your defilements, reduce your anger, become weaker, actually become stronger, because you are reinforcing that underlying tendency. So this is for today, and we can start meditating. Report an error in the passage at 12:56 Highlight the passage at 12:56

13:22 So just a reminder, the introduction to meditation class, they mentioned that they meditate until 4.15. If those leaving at 4, make sure you don't make any phone call in front of the room, the shrine next to it, because they say sometimes people stand right in front and making phone call. So this is just a friendly reminder. Okay, we can start meditating. Report an error in the passage at 13:22 Highlight the passage at 13:22

14:06 Just sit comfortably and make yourself as comfortable as you can. Just Report an error in the passage at 14:06 Highlight the passage at 14:06

14:18 relax your body. Just Report an error in the passage at 14:18 Highlight the passage at 14:18

14:27 simply aware of your body posture, your bodily feelings, sensations. Just be aware how you feel in this moment. Report an error in the passage at 14:27 Highlight the passage at 14:27

15:04 Observing and acknowledging with awareness what is happening. Report an error in the passage at 15:04 Highlight the passage at 15:04

15:19 In this moment, just Report an error in the passage at 15:19 Highlight the passage at 15:19

15:48 being aware, is there any particular part of your body you feel there is any tension or there is any tightness? Just try to relax. Just Report an error in the passage at 15:48 Highlight the passage at 15:48

16:31 relax your body. So Report an error in the passage at 16:31 Highlight the passage at 16:31

16:50 mind be able to really settle in. Whenever Report an error in the passage at 16:50 Highlight the passage at 16:50

17:04 you are ready and Report an error in the passage at 17:04 Highlight the passage at 17:04

17:10 you feel really peace and calm, you feel the calmness, In your body and mind, and Report an error in the passage at 17:10 Highlight the passage at 17:10

17:24 you can feel the peace within yourself, when you're ready, you can start to observe Report an error in the passage at 17:24 Highlight the passage at 17:24

17:37 your breath, your in and out breath, not Report an error in the passage at 17:37 Highlight the passage at 17:37

17:49 to rush into observing your breath until when you're ready, when you're peaceful enough, when Report an error in the passage at 17:49 Highlight the passage at 17:49

18:13 your mind becomes peaceful, it's very easy to observe the breath. And it's very obvious. And you don't have to look for the breath. It's always there. Report an error in the passage at 18:13 Highlight the passage at 18:13

18:49 Observing your breath, just being aware of Report an error in the passage at 18:49 Highlight the passage at 18:49

18:59 your in-breath and out-breath. If Report an error in the passage at 18:59 Highlight the passage at 18:59

19:09 you notice that your mind being carried away, thinking about the future, worrying about what is going to happen, entertain Report an error in the passage at 19:09 Highlight the passage at 19:09

19:26 those thoughts, just simply observing and acknowledging. And let it be. And continue observing your breath. Questions Report an error in the passage at 19:26 Highlight the passage at 19:26

· · · silence, 40 minutes

59:37 or comments? Report an error in the passage at 59:37 Highlight the passage at 59:37

· · · silence, 1 minute

1:00:11 Dear Ajahn, what are some ways to achieve better and stronger mindfulness during meditation and also day-to-day life? And also how do we stay with restlessness in meditation? Report an error in the passage at 1:00:11 Highlight the passage at 1:00:11

1:00:28 So first of all, to strengthen our mindfulness, During meditation, day-to-day life is also important because a lot of people think that I meditate, then oh, I need to do that. Then they neglect how you live is important. That's why it's important to try to apply present moment awareness in your daily life. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:28 Highlight the passage at 1:00:28

1:00:55 Whatever you do, try to be, you know, a lot of people misunderstand what is present moment awareness. I know someone. They said, oh, I only live in present moment, so I don't care. I'm not working, and I have no savings, and nothing, because I only live in present moment. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:55 Highlight the passage at 1:00:55

1:01:17 Actually, what we mean present moment, actually, wherever you, and then people think, oh, if I live in present moment, I can't plan, I can't work. You can work. You can be fully here whatever you do. That is present moment. Whatever you do, you are fully here. It sounds like very easy. It's not easy, isn't it? Most people, while they're doing dishes, the mind go all over the place. The mind thinking of something else. This is how you train your mind to be more focused. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:17 Highlight the passage at 1:01:17

1:01:49 Be with what you are doing. You need training every day. Whatever you do, actually throughout the whole day is a practice. Even whatever you're doing, whatever job you're doing, you're just fully here, focused on what you're doing. And that, you know, strengthen your mindfulness. It helps. Because the reason why we cannot focus because of our... Report an error in the passage at 1:01:49 Highlight the passage at 1:01:49

1:02:13 Your present moment awareness is not fully established. That's why in this Ānāpānasati the Buddha mentioned, you know, before you sit down and meditate, you do the breath meditation, so your present moment awareness has to be fully established because you can't fully, you can't really if you don't have your present moment awareness and then it's very difficult you'll be able to stay with the breath. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:13 Highlight the passage at 1:02:13

1:02:40 Your mind will always wander off. That's why you have to Day-to-day life, you train yourself, whatever you do, it's okay. Sometimes even when you're doing something, your mind wanders off. All you need to do is just be aware that your mind wanders off, and you just continue to come back. Over a period of time, little by little, you'll be able to stay with your object, be able to focus much longer, and then your mind won't wander off so easily. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:40 Highlight the passage at 1:02:40

1:03:09 And it will not happen overnight. You need training. And they said, and how do we stay with restlessness in meditation? One of the reasons that we are being restless because of we are not happy, we are not content, we want something else. The mind constantly looking for something else. They said something is important in our daily life. They said it's all, you know, it's not before. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:09 Highlight the passage at 1:03:09

1:03:37 How we live our life before we sit on the meditation, that is really important. You know, develop gratitude. You know, always grateful. Then when you're content, you know, when you sit down, sometimes remind yourself it's good enough. Because sometimes you always, you know, one of the common asked questions, frequent asked questions. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:37 Highlight the passage at 1:03:37

1:03:58 When someone asks me, when I start to feel, when I start to my mind become more peaceful, more settled in, then how can I make my mind, what is my next step? How can I make my mind more peaceful? I say, no, next. Because the moment you think of, you know, what's the next? Actually, you're no longer present. Your mind already not with... Report an error in the passage at 1:03:58 Highlight the passage at 1:03:58

1:04:26 Your breath anymore, you know, you just stay, stay with your, you know, and then because the reason why very difficult to stay with our meditation object because of our present moment awareness is not fully established. That's why it's important that in daily life, if you're whatever you do, you know, you practice present moment awareness, try to be really whatever you do, you be with what you're doing. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:26 Highlight the passage at 1:04:26

1:04:53 And then when you come to sit in meditation, it's much easier because this is also a way to help you to strengthen your mindfulness. And another way to strengthen mindfulness is also being someone virtuous, keeping precepts. Because when we keep precepts, we are someone being virtuous, we practice not harming. So then we become more aware of our... Report an error in the passage at 1:04:53 Highlight the passage at 1:04:53

1:05:23 Bodily action, what we do, my behavior or my action, what I say, what I do, is it going to cause suffering to others? Is it going to affect others? Then you become more aware, isn't it, of our own behavior. And this also helps to strengthen our mindfulness. And they said not underestimate. You know, keeping preset is actually help you to develop your mindfulness because you become more aware of how our behavior, whatever we do, is it going to cause any suffering to others? Report an error in the passage at 1:05:23 Highlight the passage at 1:05:23

1:05:59 Is this going to harm others? You become more aware and this also help to strengthen your mindfulness. They say it's important to live a good life, being a virtuous person. And it also help to strengthen your mindfulness and also practice present moment awareness throughout. Whatever we do, you're fully here. You can plan. Whatever you do, you plan fully here. Because it's very difficult to be really fully present, isn't it? Report an error in the passage at 1:05:59 Highlight the passage at 1:05:59

1:06:29 Sometimes, even though we are here doing our job and then there dreaming, we're thinking about, you know, sometimes our hand is doing the dishes, but our mind is not here. And it seems like easy, it's not easy, isn't it? You need to train. And if you're able to do that throughout, then when you sit in meditation, it's very easy. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:29 Highlight the passage at 1:06:29

1:06:51 And with the restlessness, actually you develop more gratitude because it's not content. So then when you sit, it's good enough. Peaceful, it's good. Because sometimes because we are not... So we want something more. And also the mind is not happy. They say sometimes it's important. Sometimes some reflection actually is helped. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:51 Highlight the passage at 1:06:51

1:07:18 Sometimes reflect on our own goodness. If we have done something good, and that's also help. Because when we feel happy, and we arouse the confidence, the faith in ourself, we feel good. And that's also help. It's also that we have more energy. When we have more energy, our mindfulness is stronger. It's help. You see, when we have energy, we are more alert, isn't it? Report an error in the passage at 1:07:18 Highlight the passage at 1:07:18

1:07:44 When we have no energy, the mind is really down. This is also help. They say it's very important how you live your life. It contributes to us, you know. This is what he said that you have to make, you know, good karma, good meditation karma. This is how you live your life. Because if it's, you know, for example, if you have done anything that, like, we know that it's not really quite right. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:44 Highlight the passage at 1:07:44

1:08:14 It's like disturb our mind, isn't it? It's very difficult to settle. But I said when you, you know, that this also help. You feel good, you know, when you do something good. And that give you so much energy, so much joy. And that your mind is more alert. And then when you're happy, you're content, you no longer want to, you know, everything is good enough. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:14 Highlight the passage at 1:08:14

1:08:36 So grateful when we meditate, we are so develop the gratitude that the fact that we have, you know, We have the opportunity to sit down and meditate itself. We're already very grateful that we're able to do that. Some people, they can't even imagine. We reflect. You see, in some places, they can't even earn enough to live, let alone to practice meditation, isn't it? Report an error in the passage at 1:08:36 Highlight the passage at 1:08:36

1:09:03 Then we just reflect. Actually, how fortunate we are. We don't have to go through war. We don't have to go through... you know, that some country they don't have enough food to eat, you know. We don't have this problem. Sometimes when we are not content and we don't have the gratitude, even when we are in the best situation, it's still not good enough. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:03 Highlight the passage at 1:09:03

1:09:30 Sometimes it just means how lucky we are. We have enough to eat and then we don't have to go through the wall. And then the fact that, oh, I'm not sick today. I'm so happy, you know. This is how you develop every day. First thing you wake up in the morning. Wow, I'm still alive. It's a blessing that I'm alive. I'm really grateful that I'm still alive. Being alive itself is a blessing. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:30 Highlight the passage at 1:09:30

1:10:00 You really fully appreciate that gratitude. So if I don't learn a lot, at least I learn a little. If I don't learn a little, at least I don't get sick. Even if I get sick, at least I'm still alive. Then actually, if you have that gratitude, then everything is... If you don't have the gratitude, it's constantly the mind looking for something else. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:00 Highlight the passage at 1:10:00

1:10:26 Because it's not good enough. They said develop that when you have this quality. They said it's important. Meditation is not only you force yourself to sit and focus on the breath. You need to have other qualities. Support your meditation because meditation itself is a natural process. You cannot make it happen. You cannot try to make your mind peaceful. It happens by itself. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:26 Highlight the passage at 1:10:26

1:10:49 You know, when you have all those, you develop those qualities, you know, how you live your life, you strengthen your mindfulness, you know, through... And it's important because sometimes we are being, you know, not only being mindful, but also we have to be kind to ourselves. Sometimes it's so harsh, you know, sometimes you get upset with yourself if you cannot focus. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:49 Highlight the passage at 1:10:49

1:11:15 Again, you make this mistake, it's terrible, you know. And then we got upset with ourselves. It's okay. Sometimes, you know, sometimes our mind wanders off. It's fine. You have to be kind to our mind. It's okay, fine. I still love you. Okay, you wander off. It's okay. You gently remind yourself, okay, come back. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:15 Highlight the passage at 1:11:15

1:11:37 You know, we have to be kind to ourselves. But sometimes when we're not kind to ourselves, they say it's not only being mindful. And also to have kindness towards ourselves. Because it's the same, the mind, you know, it's just like when you train the dog, you know, you also have to be kind to the dog, isn't it? Report an error in the passage at 1:11:37 Highlight the passage at 1:11:37

1:11:54 You have to give some treats, you know, and they're happy, they will follow. You know, you don't force it, you ask them to sit, sit, sit, they won't sit. The same thing you tell the mind, sit. You force your mind to sit, the mind won't, the mind have that resentment, isn't it? If you force yourself to sit, naturally the mind have that resentment. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:54 Highlight the passage at 1:11:54

1:12:12 You know, they don't want to sit, isn't it? But you just calm your mind, it's okay, you know, you have kindness towards your mind, then your mind will, your mind, you'll be happier, you're more, I mean, willing to stay, you know. That's why sometimes it's important, that's why, actually it's not only sitting on the cushion throughout how you live your life that contributes towards your peaceful mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:12 Highlight the passage at 1:12:12

1:12:41 Sometimes people think that, oh, this is the practice, it's only when I'm sitting on the cushion, and I'm meditating, when I'm reading dharma books, and I listen to the dharma, this is practice. But then, from morning till the whole day, the mind all over the place, and someone not being kind, not compassionate, and then, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:41 Highlight the passage at 1:12:41

1:13:09 That is important how you live your life, live a good life, being a virtuous person. And then naturally your mind become peaceful. It's just like the Buddha said, things happen, that is a sequence. So if you are someone virtuous, you naturally, you don't have to wish, may I have no remorse. It's naturally you have no remorse. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:09 Highlight the passage at 1:13:09

1:13:33 It happens naturally because you are virtuous. So when you have no remorse, it's naturally you have the gladness. It happens by itself because you have to put in the causes. This is a cause and effect. It happens by itself. You cannot make it happen. So when you have the gladness, you feel you have the joy. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:33 Highlight the passage at 1:13:33

1:13:54 You have the joy. You feel good. And then when you have the joy, when you have the happiness, you have the energy. So when you have the energy, your mind becomes, you know, peaceful easily. They say sometimes the energy, the joy itself, this kind of happiness leads you to peace and calm. It's not the happiness that getting something with, you know, with your sensual pressure, you want to, you know, all your desires, the more you want, you know, that drain on. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:54 Highlight the passage at 1:13:54

1:14:23 You know, yeah, you have the happiness, but it's very fleeting. The moment you get it, that's it. And after that it drains your mental energy. And then you have more clarity when you're happy. Because the happiness itself, you know, is the energy. Actually the energy supports the alertness. That is the mindfulness. Then your mindfulness is strong. Naturally, it comes naturally. You cannot manipulate. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:23 Highlight the passage at 1:14:23

1:14:53 You cannot make it happen. So they said it's important how we live our life. We have to put in the causes and conditions and then it will happen by itself. So there is no spec, there is no any secret recipe. So you have to practice, you have to practice. You have to follow the path. There is always again and again throughout in many... Report an error in the passage at 1:14:53 Highlight the passage at 1:14:53

1:15:20 Many of the Buddha's sutras, the Buddha's mentioned again and again, is not before path. You have to, you know, that is the whole path. You have to take up the whole path, you know. That is the morality, cultivation of the mind, and the wisdom. So any more questions or comments? Report an error in the passage at 1:15:20 Highlight the passage at 1:15:20

1:15:42 Yes. Thank you, Ajahn, for the last night's talk and today's guidance. I was just wondering, just a two-part question. So one I was feeling when I was meditating was at the initial stage I was feeling sleepy, but then gradually I became more alert. This is like just letting myself to wander off to my sleep and then becoming aware, a part of, Like gradually coming into meditation? Does it naturally happen? Yeah, because sometimes, because you're aware that, you know, sometimes when you feel sleepy because of, sometimes when your mind starts to calm down and then breath naturally become more subtle. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:42 Highlight the passage at 1:15:42

1:16:32 And your breath become more subtle and sometimes your mindfulness is not that strong. So then you're a bit like, because the mindfulness, the breath is more subtle than your mindfulness. Then you drift a little bit. But then sometimes when you're aware of that, then actually that is more like the awakening because you're aware of that. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:32 Highlight the passage at 1:16:32

1:16:58 Then your mindfulness comes back and then you go back to breath again. There is no worry, it's okay. It also sometimes happens. Sometimes when you're tired, that will happen. Sometimes when you lack of sleep, sometimes you're tired, sometimes you're too busy. And that also happens. For example, for us, we have to wake up especially early. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:58 Highlight the passage at 1:16:58

1:17:28 We wake up at 3 o 'clock, we meditate. And sometimes... Quite sleepy in the morning, you know, when we sit and meditate, and quite sleepy. And then sometimes the more we fight, sometimes can be worse. And then normally I just allow that, okay, I just allow myself. And then sometimes I just sit there, feel so sleepy, and I just keep nothing, nothing. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:28 Highlight the passage at 1:17:28

1:17:52 And then because whatever arises, it will go past. And when they pass, I become really alert. Then I can, I'll be able to meditate because I don't try to fight. I allow myself. I allow myself. I just let it be. I just let it be. Because sometimes the more you fight, actually you drain more mental energy. Because sometimes it's just, sometimes morning, maybe, you know, you're just sleepy, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:52 Highlight the passage at 1:17:52

1:18:17 So I loved it. Then after that, I'd be able to really meditate and very peaceful, very nice, when unfortunately I have to stop meditating. You know, I'm really, when I start to enjoy my meditation, so peaceful and happy, then my alarm goes off. I have to go. I have to go for breakfast. I have to go and do morning chores and breakfast, you know. It's okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:17 Highlight the passage at 1:18:17

1:18:45 I know one of my friends that fights so much when she's sleepy, she forces herself so much that she tends to walk on those stones to keep her awake. Or sometimes she walks to the end, she goes to the wall, she knocks her head so that she keeps herself awake. But then she's very controlling. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:45 Highlight the passage at 1:18:45

1:19:09 She was very controlling. She tried very hard to meditate. And then to some point, because she tried very hard, and she got quite sick. She got very bad headache. We call it samādhi headache, you know. People try too hard. One of the ladies, I met her in Thailand, and she told me that she went for a retreat. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:09 Highlight the passage at 1:19:09

1:19:38 And then every day, the meditation teacher will announce, today how many percent people got limita? 80%. But 80%, but I'm not one of them. But maybe I don't try hard enough. So she tried and sit and meditate, meditate. She tried very hard to focus. And then she had started to have chest pain. Chest so painful. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:38 Highlight the passage at 1:19:38

1:20:07 Still no nimitta, okay. Then she tried even harder until she cannot breathe. Too tight. And sometimes you cannot, sometimes you just have to learn to just, you know, let go, allow your body, allow your mind be, you know. Sometimes, you know, then this is how I just let it be. And then after that I was okay, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:07 Highlight the passage at 1:20:07

1:20:33 And it's fine. If after that you'll be able to go back, you know, you feel sleepy and you come back, you could be able to continue to meditate, it's okay. Thank you, Ajahn. Because you're being kind to yourself. You're not being so harsh on yourself. She's really... I mean, I remember at some stage she was so sick that she cannot meditate. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:33 Highlight the passage at 1:20:33

1:21:02 She tried so hard. At some stage, her meditation go quite good. Because at some stage, her meditation go quite good, and then she be able to recollect her past life. And then she said, oh, I want to get enlightened this life path. She wants to get enlightened. So then, of course, she wants it, you won't get it. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:02 Highlight the passage at 1:21:02

1:21:31 And she didn't see that this is, You don't want to be, actually, it's one thing not, she's still one thing, one thing not to be. And they said that it's craving. The more you crave, the more you don't get it. Because when you crave, your mind moves. You know, your mind moves because you want something else. Your mind moves, you know. And your mind is very difficult to settle with because of the craving, the desire is undermined. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:31 Highlight the passage at 1:21:31

1:21:58 The peace, the mind cannot become still. That is undermined, the peace of mind. yeah besides yeah Sometimes we have to be kind to ourselves. You let it be. It happens. I let it be. I just not sit there. That is also in one of the suttas also, when the Buddha girl pass and see this guy, very controlling and very in a perfect posture, sit like this. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:58 Highlight the passage at 1:21:58

1:22:24 I know some people when they control their body posture, some people ended up got very bad pain. And then they really injured their back. And that, you know, I know someone, they still, for the physio said, takes about nine months to recover. Because it control the body, try to sit like this. And then actually she injured her body through sitting in meditation. Because it control the body. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:24 Highlight the passage at 1:22:24

1:22:56 And then the Buddha passed, the Buddha said, oh, this one, no, no, no. You know, his meditation is no good, not doing well. And then initially, you know, when Ajahn Brahmali, we talked about this sutras, initially I thought he was joking, you know. Actually, it's truly we have this in the sutras, you know. And then the Buddha went past the other monks, you know, sit there. He's sitting like this. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:56 Highlight the passage at 1:22:56

1:23:24 Like he says nothing, you know, the nothing man, you know, nothing. Then the Buddha said, oh, he's good because he relaxed, he let go. He said his meditation is good. This is how we tend to judge, isn't it? You don't have to have perfect posture as long as you're comfortable enough. It's okay, you know, you feel comfortable. Because imagine you have constantly tried to control your body posture. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:24 Highlight the passage at 1:23:24

1:23:51 You're not focusing on your breath, isn't it? Constantly your mind is with your body, control your body, so you're not really focusing on your breath. And then perfect posture, so don't have to have perfect posture. I even know some meditation teacher, they want the student to see full lotus. Full lotus and meditation is better. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:51 Highlight the passage at 1:23:51

1:23:55 you can't... Report an error in the passage at 1:23:55 Highlight the passage at 1:23:55

1:24:17 I know someone, even in her 60s, she was able to sit full lotus. I said, you have to sit full lotus, then only you can meditate. Your meditation is only good when you're full lotus. Then I was thinking, what happens if people can't sit full lotus, they cannot meditate. I don't know, people have all sorts of very strange ideas. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:17 Highlight the passage at 1:24:17

1:24:39 The Buddha never said that you have to sit in full lotus, only you can meditate. The Buddha never said that. As long as you're comfortable enough, relax, you know, just relax your body, and make yourself comfortable. So don't control your body. Usually we have someone, she control her body, when she sit, she make her body really, you know, the posture really perfect posture. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:39 Highlight the passage at 1:24:39

1:25:08 Then she ended up, she injured her back, and takes long time. quite a few months already, she's still not fully recovered. And have to go to the chiropractor, go to the physio, try to fix her back. So don't control. Just be kind to your body. Be kind to yourself. Okay, just relax. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:08 Highlight the passage at 1:25:08

1:25:33 Oh, okay. Sorry, okay. Ajahn Hasapanna, I'm going to ask you something which is quite deep, you know. Share with you, okay? I think about meditation and our life. Actually, Ajahn Hasapanna, our life, if you look at it, because we don't live forever, we have to die one day too. If you really look at it, all these things, it should be more peaceful. But we are not, because our mind deviates. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:33 Highlight the passage at 1:25:33

1:26:11 We think that of problems, all this. So meditation comes in to, you know, we deviate to bring it back, you know. You bring back to one point, you know, to the normal thing, okay? To be peaceful, okay? And then as we become more peaceful, and how do you say, bliss empty, when we meditate deeper, also this bliss arise in us too, isn't it? Report an error in the passage at 1:26:11 Highlight the passage at 1:26:11

1:26:39 Do you see what I mean, not? How to explain? Because when we are, it's just put it in a simple way. When someone is peaceful and calm, so whatever things happen, you're not so easily get affected, not so easily overcome by, you know. And you see, if someone's mentally stable, if they're very peaceful and calm, okay, things happen, okay, first thing you think of, How am I going to deal with this situation? If people mentally not stable, the end of the world. They got affected and they got very emotional and they become really overwhelming. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:39 Highlight the passage at 1:26:39

1:27:20 But you can see someone mentally stable and peaceful and calm. It's really the peace and calm. You'll be able to hold yourself. You'll be able to okay. Because the peace and calm that give you the clarity. When you have the clarity, okay, that is a wisdom. You look at the situation, what shall I do? How to deal with the situation? Report an error in the passage at 1:27:20 Highlight the passage at 1:27:20

1:27:45 So when your mind is peaceful, actually that is the wisdom born of stillness. When your mind is still, then you have more clarity. The clarity is the wisdom. So when someone is wise, someone has wisdom, so whatever things happen, they'll be able to say, okay, Peaceful, calm, and deal with it. That is the result of the peaceful mind. Yeah, and also there's the result of the meditation. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:45 Highlight the passage at 1:27:45

1:28:12 You train yourself in meditation, isn't it? To calm yourself down, this thing. I understand what you mean. It's very deep. Thank you very much. Okay. Any more questions or comments? No, then we're going to end. Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:12 Highlight the passage at 1:28:12