Open only to those who have attended my courses and retreats..from past to present..in Pg, Auckland and Klang Valley as I will not give instuctions when on self retreat. A brief interview is possible but only on request.
If your friends who have practised at other places, are interested but have not attended the above pls get them to call me first.
If you decide to join me later just sms me..or call my handphone 0123482703 at 8am, 11.30am or 8pm...hope line is okay up there, try your luck. At other times I prefer not to be disturbed.
A good time to come for visiting will be this Sat. 14th Jan. as my penang yogis are coming up.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Anyone for retreat at Penang Hill?
Please understand that there were no postings up on this blog for a long time, as I was very busy and away on Pilgrimage to India and Nepal. On returning I had to rest to recover from the dreadful Indian flu. I have yet to get back my voice and my throat is still sore. It could be an "unknown virus" that I caught but for now..I am not going to consult anymore doctors. I have a lot more faith in healing myself through vipassana by developing the Bojjhangas, so I have been looking for a suitable place to do my self retreat. Visited Nandaka Forest Centre yesterday, beautiful place and ideal environment in Cerok Tokun, BM but women not welcome! what a letdown..seems they are not ready to accept female yogis. Despite the fact that in all Buddhist countries, females always outnumber males in terms of service and meditation practice, anytime at any centre, some centres still choose to ignore this glaring statistics in their "grand master plan".
Finally I managed to call my friend and will be off to his Pg Hill Forest Centre starting from tomorrow 12th Jan2012, for an indefinite period depending on the situation as I am not allowed to stay alone for personal security reasons....it is in the middle of nowhere up the hill. I will stay on probably until after CNY. If you are really serious about coming to join me during CNY or any other time, you will need to call me asap or by tomorrow 1 pm to let me know yr plans. My friend the owner of this centre comes up daily and can offer you a ride up in his jeep if you let me know when you are coming. You can also do a day visit and return with him. You can also hike up and down..if you prefer to exercise. It is about 15 mins walk from Brothers Bungalow. If you plan to stay overnight you need to be prepared as it is quite cold at night so a sleeping bag would be a good idea. There are many individual kutis with attached bathroom and netting like in Air Tawar and Panditarama and there is also a meditation hall. One meal a day is ideal but if you cant then breakfast should be simple like cereal BYO and DIY and I will cater for one meal(lunch)only at 11am. Of course all have to observe 8 precepts.
Finally I managed to call my friend and will be off to his Pg Hill Forest Centre starting from tomorrow 12th Jan2012, for an indefinite period depending on the situation as I am not allowed to stay alone for personal security reasons....it is in the middle of nowhere up the hill. I will stay on probably until after CNY. If you are really serious about coming to join me during CNY or any other time, you will need to call me asap or by tomorrow 1 pm to let me know yr plans. My friend the owner of this centre comes up daily and can offer you a ride up in his jeep if you let me know when you are coming. You can also do a day visit and return with him. You can also hike up and down..if you prefer to exercise. It is about 15 mins walk from Brothers Bungalow. If you plan to stay overnight you need to be prepared as it is quite cold at night so a sleeping bag would be a good idea. There are many individual kutis with attached bathroom and netting like in Air Tawar and Panditarama and there is also a meditation hall. One meal a day is ideal but if you cant then breakfast should be simple like cereal BYO and DIY and I will cater for one meal(lunch)only at 11am. Of course all have to observe 8 precepts.
Monday, November 21, 2011
HOW TO GET TO MUDITA 1 CENTRE?
Easiest Way is to go by Komuter.
Go to any KTM station and from the ticketing machine, choose “Klang” to go to the main Klang station. When you reach, exit the station and walk right across the road toward the row of shoplots on your left. Walk along the shoplots and you will pass OCBC Bank. Walk until the end of the block until you come to 'Station Hotel'. Mudita is right next to Station Hotel. You can also look for our unit # 25B. It is only about 1 min walk from the komuter station.
There is limited space for parking your car so it is best you get dropped off or take the komuter.
Go to any KTM station and from the ticketing machine, choose “Klang” to go to the main Klang station. When you reach, exit the station and walk right across the road toward the row of shoplots on your left. Walk along the shoplots and you will pass OCBC Bank. Walk until the end of the block until you come to 'Station Hotel'. Mudita is right next to Station Hotel. You can also look for our unit # 25B. It is only about 1 min walk from the komuter station.
There is limited space for parking your car so it is best you get dropped off or take the komuter.
REGISTRATION FOR RETREAT AT MUDITA 1
Sukhi Hotu.
Mudita Buddhist Society is glad to announce that SIS.GIN will be conducting a Vippasana Meditation Retreat from 25 December 2011 till 02 January 2012 in Mudita I.
This retreat is limited to 20 yogis only and the closing date for registration is 30 November 2011.
For any enquiries & registration, please contact the following Secretariat personnel:-
Sis Cheoh Siew Cheng - 012-3186580
SIs Helen Too - 012-2135602
Sis Tan Fong Lan - 012-3351590
With Metta
Mudita Moderator...
Mudita Buddhist Society is glad to announce that SIS.GIN will be conducting a Vippasana Meditation Retreat from 25 December 2011 till 02 January 2012 in Mudita I.
This retreat is limited to 20 yogis only and the closing date for registration is 30 November 2011.
For any enquiries & registration, please contact the following Secretariat personnel:-
Sis Cheoh Siew Cheng - 012-3186580
SIs Helen Too - 012-2135602
Sis Tan Fong Lan - 012-3351590
With Metta
Mudita Moderator...
Friday, November 18, 2011
RETREAT AT NIRODHARAMA CENTRE, AIR TAWAR, (4th -13th Nov 2011)
REPORT FROM SIS. LOKE SIEW FONG
My first contact with vipassana meditation was around 19 years ago after some basic exposure and learning of the technique from Sis. Gin’s classes at the original SJBA centre. I had also attended one weekend retreat at that time but my commitment to the practice lasted for about only 2 years. I became fully engaged with work commitments and eventually left to work overseas for almost 12 years. While abroad I did not get the opportunity to even attend any Buddhist talk so you can say I had completely abandoned the practice of meditation.
I had always thought that whatever meditation skills I had learnt in the past would have been forgotten after more than a decade and I would need to start all over again. However, to my surprise, I discovered otherwise when I finally went back to Vipassana practice by attending a retreat, 11 months ago. Not only that, but whatever skills and mindfulness developed in the past came back in full force and I was even able to further sharpen my concentration. This was truly amazing to me and so similarly, I reasoned that, it must be true that the insight knowledges that one gains through vipassana can be carried over to our future existences.
So it was with a strong sense of urgency for the practice that I was able to make time for this recent 10-day retreat with Sis Gin and others at Nirodharama Meditation Center in Ayer Tawar. It was a very interesting retreat as I had new and very clear experiences almost everyday of the retreat until the 8th day.
This time I noticed that my concentration had improved further and the objects became very clear. I was able to pick up more subtle mind and bodily “happenings” which I was not able to notice previously. Somehow, it gave me the impression that everything occuring at any moment is just consisting of a rapid flux of aggregates, and how much one can accurately realise their occurrence would depend on how accurately one can note... or rather how concurrently. It is like we are trying to keep up in being aware of whatever is happening at progressively shorter and shorter moments of the time frame which we refer to, as the ‘present’.
Another thing I found fascinating was that whilst I was noting the many degrees of intensity of painful sensations, or even in the very noting of hearing or touching consciousness, I experienced several waves of rapture (piti) and even bliss (sukha). I felt so “charged up” with energy even late at night. At other times, I went through different degrees of domanassa which were new to me and I began to learn how to watch them as a mental phenomena so different from the physical sensations which I had already become accustomed to. I supposed my mind was not yet able to note with more equanimity. All the time, I realised faith and effort had to be aroused in big doses as they were found to be much needed after every “difficult” experience, and I was glad for the inspiring guidance from Sis Gin. Sometimes the experiences were really so strong that I felt mentally and physically drained of energy. She supported my practice by giving me the confidence and courage I needed to meet face-to-face with whatever stressful and dreadful experiences I encountered.
On the 8th day of my retreat, I accidentally sprained my left ankle but that was not to be the end of my retreat yet. I was surprised that I was not affected by this turn of events and could instead easily make use of those various intense physical pain in my injured ankle as my meditation object. At one point I just sat there on the chair and the mind was doing all the work of watching the sensations happening on their own accord. The close observation of those painful sensations also generated lots of piti and I was able to even see how the occurrence of piti caused some miraculous soothing experiences in my foot. Wow! With those experiences, I have to admit that I am fully convinced now about claims made by others, who have healed themselves from bodily illnesses through vipassana meditation. Mine was a clear-cut case of piti-produced materiality taking over. Having gone through all these life transforming experiences, I take this opportunity to encourage others to take up meditation seriously especially by going for retreats, for their own benefit.
Lastly, I would say Nirodharama Meditation Center is definitely a conducive meditation center in Malaysia as it is secluded, conducive and well-maintained with sufficient supporting facilities. Located at the dead-end of a road, amidst rubber trees and surrounded by an oil palm plantation, you hardly hear a vehicle pass by for the whole day. The peaceful surroundings make for very good concentration on a stretch. Moreover there was no talking among the yogis and they kept strictly to the retreat programme. Since I was easy-going and not on any sort of diet regime or restriction, I was contented with the simple meals served during my retreat period. Of course, if there is any special food or packet drink of a particular brand that one needs, it is advisable that one just brings it along as it is inconvenient to send someone to go and buy it for you.
If you bring no expectations with you whatsoever, but just to practise for practice sake and be prepared to do nothing else but practise to no end then I am sure goodness and wellness will be nearer to you!
-----------------------------------------------------------
My first contact with vipassana meditation was around 19 years ago after some basic exposure and learning of the technique from Sis. Gin’s classes at the original SJBA centre. I had also attended one weekend retreat at that time but my commitment to the practice lasted for about only 2 years. I became fully engaged with work commitments and eventually left to work overseas for almost 12 years. While abroad I did not get the opportunity to even attend any Buddhist talk so you can say I had completely abandoned the practice of meditation.
I had always thought that whatever meditation skills I had learnt in the past would have been forgotten after more than a decade and I would need to start all over again. However, to my surprise, I discovered otherwise when I finally went back to Vipassana practice by attending a retreat, 11 months ago. Not only that, but whatever skills and mindfulness developed in the past came back in full force and I was even able to further sharpen my concentration. This was truly amazing to me and so similarly, I reasoned that, it must be true that the insight knowledges that one gains through vipassana can be carried over to our future existences.
So it was with a strong sense of urgency for the practice that I was able to make time for this recent 10-day retreat with Sis Gin and others at Nirodharama Meditation Center in Ayer Tawar. It was a very interesting retreat as I had new and very clear experiences almost everyday of the retreat until the 8th day.
This time I noticed that my concentration had improved further and the objects became very clear. I was able to pick up more subtle mind and bodily “happenings” which I was not able to notice previously. Somehow, it gave me the impression that everything occuring at any moment is just consisting of a rapid flux of aggregates, and how much one can accurately realise their occurrence would depend on how accurately one can note... or rather how concurrently. It is like we are trying to keep up in being aware of whatever is happening at progressively shorter and shorter moments of the time frame which we refer to, as the ‘present’.
Another thing I found fascinating was that whilst I was noting the many degrees of intensity of painful sensations, or even in the very noting of hearing or touching consciousness, I experienced several waves of rapture (piti) and even bliss (sukha). I felt so “charged up” with energy even late at night. At other times, I went through different degrees of domanassa which were new to me and I began to learn how to watch them as a mental phenomena so different from the physical sensations which I had already become accustomed to. I supposed my mind was not yet able to note with more equanimity. All the time, I realised faith and effort had to be aroused in big doses as they were found to be much needed after every “difficult” experience, and I was glad for the inspiring guidance from Sis Gin. Sometimes the experiences were really so strong that I felt mentally and physically drained of energy. She supported my practice by giving me the confidence and courage I needed to meet face-to-face with whatever stressful and dreadful experiences I encountered.
On the 8th day of my retreat, I accidentally sprained my left ankle but that was not to be the end of my retreat yet. I was surprised that I was not affected by this turn of events and could instead easily make use of those various intense physical pain in my injured ankle as my meditation object. At one point I just sat there on the chair and the mind was doing all the work of watching the sensations happening on their own accord. The close observation of those painful sensations also generated lots of piti and I was able to even see how the occurrence of piti caused some miraculous soothing experiences in my foot. Wow! With those experiences, I have to admit that I am fully convinced now about claims made by others, who have healed themselves from bodily illnesses through vipassana meditation. Mine was a clear-cut case of piti-produced materiality taking over. Having gone through all these life transforming experiences, I take this opportunity to encourage others to take up meditation seriously especially by going for retreats, for their own benefit.
Lastly, I would say Nirodharama Meditation Center is definitely a conducive meditation center in Malaysia as it is secluded, conducive and well-maintained with sufficient supporting facilities. Located at the dead-end of a road, amidst rubber trees and surrounded by an oil palm plantation, you hardly hear a vehicle pass by for the whole day. The peaceful surroundings make for very good concentration on a stretch. Moreover there was no talking among the yogis and they kept strictly to the retreat programme. Since I was easy-going and not on any sort of diet regime or restriction, I was contented with the simple meals served during my retreat period. Of course, if there is any special food or packet drink of a particular brand that one needs, it is advisable that one just brings it along as it is inconvenient to send someone to go and buy it for you.
If you bring no expectations with you whatsoever, but just to practise for practice sake and be prepared to do nothing else but practise to no end then I am sure goodness and wellness will be nearer to you!
-----------------------------------------------------------
Monday, October 31, 2011
RETREAT AT NIRODHARAMA CENTRE, AIR TAWAR, PERAK
NOV 4TH TO NOV 7TH
(You may extend your retreat until 18th Nov)
If you are interested in joining us for this retreat please write to me for more details. ginny570@hotmail.com
(You may extend your retreat until 18th Nov)
If you are interested in joining us for this retreat please write to me for more details. ginny570@hotmail.com
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