20 - 26 May 2018 Vesak Retreat

 

Weekend Meditation Retreat: Like a drop of water on the lotus leaf.

 

Dear Everyone,

Venerable Phra Mana, LuongPo Sawat, Peter and all the volunteers would like to thank you for your diligent participation in this weekend’s meditation retreat.

We are all very grateful for your help in the working hour, and for keeping the monastery tidy for our 60 Thai students tomorrow.

 “Like a drop of water on the lotus leaf”.

We train the mind to be free from attachment to the world and free from all unhappiness.  

Nirvana is the summit of all Buddhist blessings, which will happen only we have cultivated a lot of virtues as described in Mangala Sutra.

Mindful breathing offers us two major benefits: relax and wisdom. Breathe to relax, breathe to be free.

As 4 legs support a table, consider to use a combination of techniques to establish calmness of mind.  

For example, loving-kindness meditation is the combination of:

1.Visualization of smiling faces of people who love us 2. Delightful happiness 3. Saying ‘Happy in, happy out’. 4. Mindful breathing.

However we may also apply other combinations to remove different kinds of the five hindrances.

When the mind is calm, learn to practise Vipassana meditation, observing whatsoever comes into the mindful breathing first, till the mind can ‘see’ change of that object.

Narrow the window of consciousness to focus on one object at a time, so the message of impermanence will be clear.

Repeat observing with mindful breathing until Á ha’moment comes.

The letting go of attachment will be done by the Awakened consciousness itself.

Be aware that we can lose mental skill easily, so make time to maintain our practise.

Dilute the colourful water with mindfulness, calmness and wisdom each day, eventually the mind will be clear.

The mind is like a guest house so all thoughts, memories and feelings are just guests.

Please email me if you would like any further explanation or clarification.

I can also email copies of the whole chanting book, or just Mangala Sutra, if you wish to study further.

If you would like to continue coming to our retreats, Mangala Sutta is an excellent chant to memorize and learn the meaning.

More photos will be on website shortly.

 Kim