Venue: Samadhi Vihara, Shah Alam
Check-in: Sat 30th July - 2 - 3 pm
Check-out: Sun 31st. July 6pm
Please inform us of your participation by email or sms.
Those who cannot stay overnight are welcome to come and practise in the meditation hall at anytime while we are there.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
AWARENESS OF THE PRESENT
Do not hark back to things that have passed,
And cherish not, fond hopes for the future;
The past has been left behind,
The future state has not yet come.
But one, with vision clear can see
The present which is here and now,
Such wise one should aspire to win
That which can never be lost nor shaken
And cherish not, fond hopes for the future;
The past has been left behind,
The future state has not yet come.
But one, with vision clear can see
The present which is here and now,
Such wise one should aspire to win
That which can never be lost nor shaken
MANAGING DIFFICULTIES IN DAILY PRACTICE
1. UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS - Many yogis begin this practice with enthusiasm, strong motivation and high expectations, but all too soon, after a few sessions, find themselves losing faith and feeling like a failure. This is most common amongst those who tend to be very “goal-oriented” in their worldly pursuits . By being patient, learning how to deal with expectations and having the right attitude, we can avoid this sense of failure which can dampen our effort to continue practising.
When we sit down on the cushion to practice, a variety of experiences can arise so at the outset we should never have any sort of expectation. We ought to be open to any experience. One of the most common expectation is, “ meditation is supposed to make one feel great.” So naturally when unpleasant experiences like pain arises, one will be averse to it and react by wishing to get rid of it, instead of just being aware of it. Similarly, one expects the mind to stay focused on the meditation object. But when unable to do so, one blames the outside sounds or thoughts that come up, taking them to be disturbances to the practice. Tell yourself when you sit down and close your eyes “May I observe whatever comes up and do nothing else”. Check yourself when you start to identify with a particular experience, adding a sense of “self” into it. More experienced yogis may sit, hoping that a past experience will come up again. They ought to acknowledge this attachment otherwise there will be no further progress.
2. THE WANDERING MIND – Beginner yogis tend to feel the need to overcome the wandering mind because they want to have a calm and concentrated mind. In this situation they are wanting to get rid of something and wanting something else to happen. Because of this underlying dissatisfaction of the present phenomena, they are not open to the reality occurring in the present moment – the wandering thoughts. They have missed the opportunity to develop mindfulness and the basic principle behind vipassana ie. to be extraordinarily attentive to whatever is happening.
3. THE THINKING MIND - Similarly, yogis have a strong tendency to feel disappointed and frustrated for having an endless train of thoughts. Instead of treating the thinking as just another mental activity to be noted, they try to repeatedly direct the mind to the primary object and to keep it there. Without being aware of it they are creating a lot of stress by putting in too much effort at directing the mind so neither calmness nor concentration will be achieved. If there is disappointment, simply observe and recognize that disappointment. Being mindful and clearly knowing the state of mind as disappointment is within the premise of Contemplation of Dhamma (Dhammanupassana) so this is in itself progress.
4. QUICK RESULTS – Yogis who have heard of results of the practice from others or have read about it, often make the mistake of hankering after these results. “The main exercises should be practiced for their own sake, as devices for strengthening mindfulness and concentration and not for quick results”. These “quick results” are at best, merely concepts in the yogis’ minds which are very subjective as one cannot really know insight knowledge before one has directly realized it. Whatever premature intellectual grasp one has of it will only serve to confuse the mind and thinking about it will interfere with the process of noting and attending to the meditation object. Once one is thoroughly familiar with the correct technique, through repeated practice, the results in terms of the stages of insight knowledges, will appear in due course, whether one wishes for it or not. When the insight knowledge is realized, one will be amazed to see the world of difference between the actual realization and the prior intellectual understanding of it. It is because of this, the actual experience of Insight Knowledges are usually never discussed openly or described by meditation teachers.
5. MAINTAINING REGULAR PRACTICE AFTER THE RETREAT – We can come up with all sorts of excuses not to meditate everyday because we may be lacking in right effort and right attitude. We can also be easily influenced by the people around us and our environment. It is imperative that yogis continue their practice in daily life no matter how short the time is, at their disposal. Progress will be slower than in retreat, depending on the persistence and sharpness of faculties of the individual. Please do not think that because the time is too short there will be no progress so it is of no use. In 5 minutes the mind can perceive a lot and mindfulness can be developed. Let us say there is one moment of mindfulness in one second..in 5 minutes you would have had 5 x 60 moments of mindfulness. That is 300 moments of mindfulness. In reality, there are much more as one second can comprise thousands of moments of mindfulness. Therefore, remember that no effort, however small will be wasted. There is sure to be mental development and accumulation of perfection (parami) which will be conducive for further progress. Practice is also possible during working hours. For example, while engaged in working at something, whenever the opportunity allows, one can direct one’s attention to the postures or to the breathing or abodominal movements, even if it is for a few seconds or minutes. No matter how busy your daily life is, you can still practice general mindfulness while going about with your daily activities even while talking. As long as you have time to breathe you have time to be mindful. The more we practice the more confident we are in the technique of vipassana and the effort we make is linked to this confidence as well as the right understanding/view of the practice.
6. SITTING FOR A LONG TIME – Some experienced yogis like to sit for longer than the prescribed one hour. This is usually not recommended except when the teacher approves of it or directs the yogi to do so. There are certain stages in the development of the practice when it is beneficial to sit longer than normal so the yogi is instructed to “sit as long as he likes” without any concern for the time. Normally, at these stages, the yogi is unaware of the time that has lapsed as he feels his posture is very very comfortable despite the long sitting or he may not even sense his bodily form at all. They can sit for two or three hours on a stretch without moving at all. Other yogis at other stages, may have a tendency to stretch their sitting to a further quarter or half hour when they are engrossed in observing painful sensations. This is a matter of individual preference and it is usually harmless. However, if the yogi is experiencing strong calmness or drowsiness, long sittings should be avoided as there is the obvious need to balance the mental faculties by getting up to do walking meditation. Energy is slacking so it has to corrected.
7. INABILITY TO SIT FOR ONE HOUR – When painful sensations arise it is advisable to direct one’s awareness to it and to observe it closely instead of reacting by changing one’s posture. Shifting of weight, wriggling the toes or legs and lifting the foot etc are considered changing of posture so these movements no matter how small should be avoided in the beginning. One should try to see the changes in the nature of the painful experience, in terms of intensity, type of sensation (eg stabbing pain / throbbing/ sharp/aching pain). Only when there is very excruciating pain which cannot be tolerated any longer, one can slowly and mindfully move one’s posture by noting first, the intention to do so followed by each and every movement made before sitting still again. The eyes should remain close during the changing of posture. Insight can arise by closely observing the nature of our experience in an objective way without any interference or additions. This means there should be no sense of self/personality involved in observing the painful sensations and no thinking about it too. At some stages the yogi is not able to continue sitting even before the hour is up, because of strong restlessness in the mind. There is the inclination to change one’s posture for no obvious reason (not because of discomfort) and after the change of posture is done, if the inclination arises again, it should be noted promptly as ‘restlessness’.
When we sit down on the cushion to practice, a variety of experiences can arise so at the outset we should never have any sort of expectation. We ought to be open to any experience. One of the most common expectation is, “ meditation is supposed to make one feel great.” So naturally when unpleasant experiences like pain arises, one will be averse to it and react by wishing to get rid of it, instead of just being aware of it. Similarly, one expects the mind to stay focused on the meditation object. But when unable to do so, one blames the outside sounds or thoughts that come up, taking them to be disturbances to the practice. Tell yourself when you sit down and close your eyes “May I observe whatever comes up and do nothing else”. Check yourself when you start to identify with a particular experience, adding a sense of “self” into it. More experienced yogis may sit, hoping that a past experience will come up again. They ought to acknowledge this attachment otherwise there will be no further progress.
2. THE WANDERING MIND – Beginner yogis tend to feel the need to overcome the wandering mind because they want to have a calm and concentrated mind. In this situation they are wanting to get rid of something and wanting something else to happen. Because of this underlying dissatisfaction of the present phenomena, they are not open to the reality occurring in the present moment – the wandering thoughts. They have missed the opportunity to develop mindfulness and the basic principle behind vipassana ie. to be extraordinarily attentive to whatever is happening.
3. THE THINKING MIND - Similarly, yogis have a strong tendency to feel disappointed and frustrated for having an endless train of thoughts. Instead of treating the thinking as just another mental activity to be noted, they try to repeatedly direct the mind to the primary object and to keep it there. Without being aware of it they are creating a lot of stress by putting in too much effort at directing the mind so neither calmness nor concentration will be achieved. If there is disappointment, simply observe and recognize that disappointment. Being mindful and clearly knowing the state of mind as disappointment is within the premise of Contemplation of Dhamma (Dhammanupassana) so this is in itself progress.
4. QUICK RESULTS – Yogis who have heard of results of the practice from others or have read about it, often make the mistake of hankering after these results. “The main exercises should be practiced for their own sake, as devices for strengthening mindfulness and concentration and not for quick results”. These “quick results” are at best, merely concepts in the yogis’ minds which are very subjective as one cannot really know insight knowledge before one has directly realized it. Whatever premature intellectual grasp one has of it will only serve to confuse the mind and thinking about it will interfere with the process of noting and attending to the meditation object. Once one is thoroughly familiar with the correct technique, through repeated practice, the results in terms of the stages of insight knowledges, will appear in due course, whether one wishes for it or not. When the insight knowledge is realized, one will be amazed to see the world of difference between the actual realization and the prior intellectual understanding of it. It is because of this, the actual experience of Insight Knowledges are usually never discussed openly or described by meditation teachers.
5. MAINTAINING REGULAR PRACTICE AFTER THE RETREAT – We can come up with all sorts of excuses not to meditate everyday because we may be lacking in right effort and right attitude. We can also be easily influenced by the people around us and our environment. It is imperative that yogis continue their practice in daily life no matter how short the time is, at their disposal. Progress will be slower than in retreat, depending on the persistence and sharpness of faculties of the individual. Please do not think that because the time is too short there will be no progress so it is of no use. In 5 minutes the mind can perceive a lot and mindfulness can be developed. Let us say there is one moment of mindfulness in one second..in 5 minutes you would have had 5 x 60 moments of mindfulness. That is 300 moments of mindfulness. In reality, there are much more as one second can comprise thousands of moments of mindfulness. Therefore, remember that no effort, however small will be wasted. There is sure to be mental development and accumulation of perfection (parami) which will be conducive for further progress. Practice is also possible during working hours. For example, while engaged in working at something, whenever the opportunity allows, one can direct one’s attention to the postures or to the breathing or abodominal movements, even if it is for a few seconds or minutes. No matter how busy your daily life is, you can still practice general mindfulness while going about with your daily activities even while talking. As long as you have time to breathe you have time to be mindful. The more we practice the more confident we are in the technique of vipassana and the effort we make is linked to this confidence as well as the right understanding/view of the practice.
6. SITTING FOR A LONG TIME – Some experienced yogis like to sit for longer than the prescribed one hour. This is usually not recommended except when the teacher approves of it or directs the yogi to do so. There are certain stages in the development of the practice when it is beneficial to sit longer than normal so the yogi is instructed to “sit as long as he likes” without any concern for the time. Normally, at these stages, the yogi is unaware of the time that has lapsed as he feels his posture is very very comfortable despite the long sitting or he may not even sense his bodily form at all. They can sit for two or three hours on a stretch without moving at all. Other yogis at other stages, may have a tendency to stretch their sitting to a further quarter or half hour when they are engrossed in observing painful sensations. This is a matter of individual preference and it is usually harmless. However, if the yogi is experiencing strong calmness or drowsiness, long sittings should be avoided as there is the obvious need to balance the mental faculties by getting up to do walking meditation. Energy is slacking so it has to corrected.
7. INABILITY TO SIT FOR ONE HOUR – When painful sensations arise it is advisable to direct one’s awareness to it and to observe it closely instead of reacting by changing one’s posture. Shifting of weight, wriggling the toes or legs and lifting the foot etc are considered changing of posture so these movements no matter how small should be avoided in the beginning. One should try to see the changes in the nature of the painful experience, in terms of intensity, type of sensation (eg stabbing pain / throbbing/ sharp/aching pain). Only when there is very excruciating pain which cannot be tolerated any longer, one can slowly and mindfully move one’s posture by noting first, the intention to do so followed by each and every movement made before sitting still again. The eyes should remain close during the changing of posture. Insight can arise by closely observing the nature of our experience in an objective way without any interference or additions. This means there should be no sense of self/personality involved in observing the painful sensations and no thinking about it too. At some stages the yogi is not able to continue sitting even before the hour is up, because of strong restlessness in the mind. There is the inclination to change one’s posture for no obvious reason (not because of discomfort) and after the change of posture is done, if the inclination arises again, it should be noted promptly as ‘restlessness’.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
INTERMEDIATE VIPASSANA COURSE
Venue: TIRATANA BUDDHIST SOCIETY, NBC Biz Centre, Klang
Time: 8.30pm to 10.00pm Every Wednesday 20/7 to 24/8
Open to all those who have attended the Beginners Course.
Contact: 016 - 2787962 (Sis Foo) or 03-33414897 (Office)
Time: 8.30pm to 10.00pm Every Wednesday 20/7 to 24/8
Open to all those who have attended the Beginners Course.
Contact: 016 - 2787962 (Sis Foo) or 03-33414897 (Office)
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
This Coming Weekend Retreat (16 & 17 July 2011)
Venue: Buddha Dhamma Centre, No: 6 Level 1, USJ 21/6 (Refer to Map of Setenang posted 3 few weeks ago)
Time: 2 pm to 10 pm ( Sat/16 July) & 7 am to 6 pm (Sun/17 July)
Option: Stay overnight
Open to all yogis/students in past/current meditation courses. Limited to the first 6 people who respond as the place is not big enough to accomodate more.
Please email or sms me to inform me of your participation as we need to cater for Sunday's lunch and notify the owner if we are staying overnight.
Time: 2 pm to 10 pm ( Sat/16 July) & 7 am to 6 pm (Sun/17 July)
Option: Stay overnight
Open to all yogis/students in past/current meditation courses. Limited to the first 6 people who respond as the place is not big enough to accomodate more.
Please email or sms me to inform me of your participation as we need to cater for Sunday's lunch and notify the owner if we are staying overnight.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Comments/Advice on Sis.Libby's Experience
"In my busy life, I do all my activities very fast ...I tried not to look around as I know that if my eyes see things on account of that seeing, some thoughts will come......"
Even in daily life whenever there is no need to rush, it would be good to slow down a bit so we can be more mindful of our activities. It is good not to look around in a retreat, as it helps to cut down the distractions but in daily life one needs to learn also to be mindful of looking around when it happens. For monks they have to go for almsround daily so this is a very important skill. They cannot walk for alms without looking at all.
"I experienced the rising falling like a very big wave going up and down.. I could not handle it because that was very fast...."
The primary object you are watching becomes clearer/stronger as your mindfulness and concentration improves but because your mind is not yet calm enough it appears as if you cannot follow. Later on when calmness develops, your notings become more precise ie.noting mind lands accurately on the object so the object and penetrates it so it seems to have become more subtle and finally disappears. This is because your noting mind follows it even more closely such that you no longer see a starting and ending point. So to you, R and F is no longer discernible. This is a good experience as it is a sign of progress.
"Another clear experience was the momentary itchiness on my head. It came suddenly .. As soon as I noted it disappeared....This went on for a few times. The itchiness always disappear whenever i noted it and I felt like it was challenging me.I just know I noted it when it came and it disappeared promptly....."
If the objects disappear quickly the moment you direct your mind towards it to note it, and you know clearly that it has vanished it means your noting mind is very strong and swift. The object also disappears on the same spot it arose.
"I noted my lungs/chest going outward and inward, and my diaphragm moving up and down when I breathe in and breathe out.."
This is ok if you aware and the noticing of the movements happened automatically. Sometimes when we are very calm these movements seem to be very strong. After a few moments of noting it or just as you are aware, it disappears and other objects will come up in the mind.
"Lastly I had a very strange experience. I saw my head (float) .... Strangely I was aware all the time that I was still sitting there watching all this happening...."
This is a strong mental vision which can happen when the mind is calm and concentrated but mindfulness is weak. It came up and stayed for a while because of unwise attention (ayoniso manasikara). Some yogis have this vision of seeing a ‘double’ too or perceiving oneself as outside the body.
Did you notice that the mind is actually quite calm when this happened? There was no feeling of alarm/fear right? Was there some interest on seeing this vision? It seems to be strange to you as it is not logical and to others it may sound eerie or frightening. Some will think it is just your imagination running wild. It is not a result of the thinking process. Most of the visions that appear when we practise vipassana are creations/projections of the mind which could be stirred up by our latent defilements (anusaya).To put it simply, it is a product of our subconscious mind that means it was not created consciously.It is important not to identify with this vision or to try to figure out the significance of it. The correct attitude is to just to note it as “seeing” to establish mindfulness again and it will fade away. If it still persists then ignore it and resume noting the primary object.
I read somewhere about a monk who had a similar but even more bizarre experience. He saw his head roll off from his body and landed in front of him. He was still sitting there looking at it. He continued staring at it and it decomposed right in front of him until there was only the skull left with the teeth still intact.
However we cannot dismiss all visions as products of imagination. Some visions are signs of attainment of concentration as in Samatha Meditation. It can also be a real life scene for one who develops the psychic power (abhina) of clairvoyance. I will not deal with this here.
Yes, you are right. according to the Buddha, other things like our material possessions which we call our property can be taken away by the 5 enemies but merits/parami from our practice follow us all the time while we sojourn in Samsara. That is why we call it our real property.
Even in daily life whenever there is no need to rush, it would be good to slow down a bit so we can be more mindful of our activities. It is good not to look around in a retreat, as it helps to cut down the distractions but in daily life one needs to learn also to be mindful of looking around when it happens. For monks they have to go for almsround daily so this is a very important skill. They cannot walk for alms without looking at all.
"I experienced the rising falling like a very big wave going up and down.. I could not handle it because that was very fast...."
The primary object you are watching becomes clearer/stronger as your mindfulness and concentration improves but because your mind is not yet calm enough it appears as if you cannot follow. Later on when calmness develops, your notings become more precise ie.noting mind lands accurately on the object so the object and penetrates it so it seems to have become more subtle and finally disappears. This is because your noting mind follows it even more closely such that you no longer see a starting and ending point. So to you, R and F is no longer discernible. This is a good experience as it is a sign of progress.
"Another clear experience was the momentary itchiness on my head. It came suddenly .. As soon as I noted it disappeared....This went on for a few times. The itchiness always disappear whenever i noted it and I felt like it was challenging me.I just know I noted it when it came and it disappeared promptly....."
If the objects disappear quickly the moment you direct your mind towards it to note it, and you know clearly that it has vanished it means your noting mind is very strong and swift. The object also disappears on the same spot it arose.
"I noted my lungs/chest going outward and inward, and my diaphragm moving up and down when I breathe in and breathe out.."
This is ok if you aware and the noticing of the movements happened automatically. Sometimes when we are very calm these movements seem to be very strong. After a few moments of noting it or just as you are aware, it disappears and other objects will come up in the mind.
"Lastly I had a very strange experience. I saw my head (float) .... Strangely I was aware all the time that I was still sitting there watching all this happening...."
This is a strong mental vision which can happen when the mind is calm and concentrated but mindfulness is weak. It came up and stayed for a while because of unwise attention (ayoniso manasikara). Some yogis have this vision of seeing a ‘double’ too or perceiving oneself as outside the body.
Did you notice that the mind is actually quite calm when this happened? There was no feeling of alarm/fear right? Was there some interest on seeing this vision? It seems to be strange to you as it is not logical and to others it may sound eerie or frightening. Some will think it is just your imagination running wild. It is not a result of the thinking process. Most of the visions that appear when we practise vipassana are creations/projections of the mind which could be stirred up by our latent defilements (anusaya).To put it simply, it is a product of our subconscious mind that means it was not created consciously.It is important not to identify with this vision or to try to figure out the significance of it. The correct attitude is to just to note it as “seeing” to establish mindfulness again and it will fade away. If it still persists then ignore it and resume noting the primary object.
I read somewhere about a monk who had a similar but even more bizarre experience. He saw his head roll off from his body and landed in front of him. He was still sitting there looking at it. He continued staring at it and it decomposed right in front of him until there was only the skull left with the teeth still intact.
However we cannot dismiss all visions as products of imagination. Some visions are signs of attainment of concentration as in Samatha Meditation. It can also be a real life scene for one who develops the psychic power (abhina) of clairvoyance. I will not deal with this here.
Yes, you are right. according to the Buddha, other things like our material possessions which we call our property can be taken away by the 5 enemies but merits/parami from our practice follow us all the time while we sojourn in Samsara. That is why we call it our real property.
Report from Sis. TK Gan
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Hope i m not too late... I want to share an amazing moment i experienced during the retreat. it was one of those torturous sitting meditation sessions. For the first 30 minutes, i was drifting off. Suddenly this thought struck my mind - 'hei, your mind is not alert'. As soon as this thought arose, my mind became very clear and soon, a very bright light appeared. Sis Gin explained that it was actually a case of the mindfulness finally having the upper hand over the drowsiness at that moment. This is the result of exerting effort at being mindful despite the sleepy state. Wow! Just that brief moment and it brought me so much joy. now i can truly relate to the expression - 'clarity of mind' . So brothers and sister, strive HARD n may u attain the ultimate peace.....
To all the brothers and sisters at the retreat n Sis Gin who helped me on my journey, a million thanks to you all.
Sadhu 3x.
May u be well and happy ALWAYS.....
Lots of Metta,
Sis Gan
Hope i m not too late... I want to share an amazing moment i experienced during the retreat. it was one of those torturous sitting meditation sessions. For the first 30 minutes, i was drifting off. Suddenly this thought struck my mind - 'hei, your mind is not alert'. As soon as this thought arose, my mind became very clear and soon, a very bright light appeared. Sis Gin explained that it was actually a case of the mindfulness finally having the upper hand over the drowsiness at that moment. This is the result of exerting effort at being mindful despite the sleepy state. Wow! Just that brief moment and it brought me so much joy. now i can truly relate to the expression - 'clarity of mind' . So brothers and sister, strive HARD n may u attain the ultimate peace.....
To all the brothers and sisters at the retreat n Sis Gin who helped me on my journey, a million thanks to you all.
Sadhu 3x.
May u be well and happy ALWAYS.....
Lots of Metta,
Sis Gan
THE NEXT MEDITATION COURSE ( AT 6, USJ 21/6 )
INSIGHT MEDITATION COURSE (FOR BEGINNERS)
With SISTER GAVESINI GIN
3rd July – 4th September 2011
Every Sunday (8pm – 10 pm)
This meditation course is tailored for busy people who want to learn up the basic technique of Insight Meditation (Vipassana Bhavana) in a systematic way within a short period of time.
Interested participants are encouraged to attend the whole course which comprises 8 weekly lessons, spread out over a period of two months and ending with a 2 day weekend retreat. Each lesson will last about 2 hours; 30 mins of group interview and one hour’s Dhamma Talk followed by 20 mins of Q & A session. Instructions together with handouts will be given at every lesson by the Instructor.
To gain the maximum benefit from this course, participants will be required to practice at home on a daily basis and be prepared to give a report of their experience during the weekly interview sessions.
Lesson 1: What is Meditation: Samatha & Vipassana, An Overview of Vipassana, Preliminaries
Lesson 2: Sitting Meditation: Posture & Basic Principles, Primary & Secondary Objects
Lesson 3: Walking & Standing Meditation: Basic Instructions & Benefits
Lesson 4: How To Report At Interviews: Purpose, Do’s and Don’ts
Lesson 5: Mindfulness of Feelings/ Sensations: Types of Feelings, Awareness of Pain, 5 Types of Joy in Meditation
Lesson 6: Sitting & Touching: Awareness of Sitting, Touch points, Primary object
Lesson 7: Mindfulness of Consciousness: Definition of Mind, Latent Tendencies, Choiceless Awareness
Lesson 8: Mindfulness of Dhamma: The Five Hindrances & How to overcome them
RETREAT: 3rd & 4th Sept, 2011; Check in: 2nd Sept. (Fri)
Attire & What To Bring Along
Please come in loose clothing like T-shirt, track bottoms, slacks, sarong or long skirts. Bring along your meditation cushion (zafu), an old towel/blanket or cushion, notebook and pen.
With SISTER GAVESINI GIN
3rd July – 4th September 2011
Every Sunday (8pm – 10 pm)
This meditation course is tailored for busy people who want to learn up the basic technique of Insight Meditation (Vipassana Bhavana) in a systematic way within a short period of time.
Interested participants are encouraged to attend the whole course which comprises 8 weekly lessons, spread out over a period of two months and ending with a 2 day weekend retreat. Each lesson will last about 2 hours; 30 mins of group interview and one hour’s Dhamma Talk followed by 20 mins of Q & A session. Instructions together with handouts will be given at every lesson by the Instructor.
To gain the maximum benefit from this course, participants will be required to practice at home on a daily basis and be prepared to give a report of their experience during the weekly interview sessions.
Lesson 1: What is Meditation: Samatha & Vipassana, An Overview of Vipassana, Preliminaries
Lesson 2: Sitting Meditation: Posture & Basic Principles, Primary & Secondary Objects
Lesson 3: Walking & Standing Meditation: Basic Instructions & Benefits
Lesson 4: How To Report At Interviews: Purpose, Do’s and Don’ts
Lesson 5: Mindfulness of Feelings/ Sensations: Types of Feelings, Awareness of Pain, 5 Types of Joy in Meditation
Lesson 6: Sitting & Touching: Awareness of Sitting, Touch points, Primary object
Lesson 7: Mindfulness of Consciousness: Definition of Mind, Latent Tendencies, Choiceless Awareness
Lesson 8: Mindfulness of Dhamma: The Five Hindrances & How to overcome them
RETREAT: 3rd & 4th Sept, 2011; Check in: 2nd Sept. (Fri)
Attire & What To Bring Along
Please come in loose clothing like T-shirt, track bottoms, slacks, sarong or long skirts. Bring along your meditation cushion (zafu), an old towel/blanket or cushion, notebook and pen.
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