Ajahn Viradhammo describes the path of practice to participants of the Ottawa Buddhist Society’s Day of Mindfulness, pointing out how our experience is better understood through verbs rather than nouns. He follows with a guided loving-kindness meditation. (Dhamma talk and guided meditation recorded at Tu-An Pagoda on 20 April 2019. Duration 1:11:11)… Read the rest
Tan Khemako uses the simile of training a horse as a way to explain the training of the mind to be skillful, step by step. He explains how to find pleasure in doing things that give long-term benefits. (Talk recorded at Tisarana on 2 November 2018. Duration 1:02:33)… Read the rest
Ajahn Viradhammo explains how to come to the Awakend Mind by establishing the appropriate supports, illustrating how our behavior and thinking patterns condition our minds. He goes on to describe the nature of clinging and what happens when we free ourselves from it. His Dhamma talk is followed by questions and answers. (Dhamma talk and Q&A recorded at Tu-An Pagoda on 20 April 2019. Duration 59:50)… Read the rest
Tan Khemako answers a question about how do deal with obsessive thoughts and confusion, through mindfulness and investigation. He discusses how the training brings intentions to the surface, so that we can consciously set good intentions leading to desirable results. (Q&A at Tisarana on 2 December, 2018. Duration 1:22:17)… Read the rest
Ajahn Viradhammo discusses how the methods or practices of Buddhism such as metta practice or morality often get taken up as goals in and of themselves. Although these practices can be reflective tools for deep peace, having a goal-oriented mindset to the practices (i.e., I should do that) is bound by wordly conditions and self identity. He describes how the Buddha pointed to a peace that is beyond the conditions of the mind. (Dhamma talk recorded at Tisarana Monastery on 15 August 2019. Duration 34:50 minutes)… Read the rest
On Thanksgiving weekend, Ajahn Viradhammo reflects on the cultural formats that support monastic practice. He reflects that beauty of the harvest moon can make the mind stop and experience deep peace. With an emphasis on composed awareness rather than control, we can investigate suffering and be at peace with difficult situations and mind states. (Dhamma talk recorded at Tisarana Monstery on 13 October 2019. Duration: 40:29 minutes)… Read the rest
Venerable Khemako offers reflections on the Vinaya, the Buddha’s prescribed code of conduct for monastics, and how it relates to the Dhamma and ultimate liberation. He points out how sensual and sexual restraint are the very foundation for true success in the monastic discipline. (Talk recorded at Tisarana on 4 February 2019. Duration 30:17)… Read the rest
Tan Khemako explains that everything that we can experience happens in the present moment, whereas the past and the future are merely mental representations. He shows how investigating the mind in the present moment is the way out of dukkha. (Dhamma talk recorded at Tisarana Monastery on December 7, 2019. Duration: 50:46)… Read the rest
At a Saturday afternoon public meditation session, Ajahn Khemasiri explains the purposes and benefits of meditation. He notes that cultivating an understanding of how our minds work can be very helpful in providing a sense of calm and peace. However, he suggests that there can be purposes of meditation beyond the benefits of grounding and investigation – purposes such as cultivating a place of pure awareness and awakening the heart to purity. (Dhamma talk recorded at Tisarana Monastery 10 August 2019. Duration: 38:15).… Read the rest
For the Lunar Observance evening talk, Tan Khemako reflects on our habit of thinking that we know what is going to happen next. He tells a story showing how unexpected events help us wake up to the uncertainty of life. He also explains how training and developing wholesome thoughts and actions aid us in reacting to unexpected events in skillful ways. (Dhamma talk recorded at Tisarana Monastery on September 6, 2019. Duration: 33:39)… Read the rest
