Ajahn Brahm's Meditation Group in Toronto: February 2013

Sunday, February 24, 2013

March meditation sitting on Sunday, the 17th of March, 2013 at 3 PM

Dear Group Members,

We will be having our March meditation sitting on Sunday, the 17th of March, 2013 at 3 PM. Please make an attempt to arrive at 2:45 PM. If you need transport (from the West end of Toronto) please let me know. I have sent an email to all the members with place of the meeting and the agenda. Hope you can make it.

We will be sending the donations we have raised as a group so far after the March meeting to Sati Saraniya Buddhist Hermitage (see the picture above and visit the web site too if you like). We have raised $ 820 (from November to February). Much merit to all of you in the Hi Five group for your generous donations.

May you be well, happy and peaceful.

With Mega Metta.

Monday, February 18, 2013

"The Beautiful Breath"- 16 Steps of Anapana-sati Meditation

(Please click on the picture to enlarge)

Yesterday we had the February sitting of the Hi-Five meditation group at the Mississauga Buddhist temple. This time we had 28 participants. After taking the five precepts and meditating for one hour we discussed the seventh chapter of the Ajahn Brahm's guidebook for meditation, "Mindfulness, bliss and beyond". Then we shared some of our personal experiences so far on meditation. We also briefly discussed the summary of previous chapters that we have covered. We spent some time discussing the five hindrances and how it can be the nutriment for ignorance. We also discussed a question raised by one of the members on "outer-body experience" as described in Near Death Experience (NDE). The book by Pim van Lommel on "Consciousness beyond life" and his research was mentioned at the discussion. This work indirectly supports rebirth. According to him consciousness which is non-local (no specific location of the brain) can survive death.

However the main focus of the discussion was the 16 steps of breath Meditation and the handout that was given is posted above. We all agreed that this should be the focus of our practice which is conducive to ultimate freedom from suffering, the Nibbana. We all agreed to keep up with the daily practice as much as we can at home in spite of our daily duties with families and work schedules. The once a month gathering is just to inspire us to keep us focused on the path and to discuss experiences to clear doubts among the "Kayana Mittas" (best translated as true friends in Dhamma). The path to ultimate happiness as Buddha said all begins with a "Kayana Mitta."

We hope to meet again in March. The location and the time will be posted here and will be sent by email to individual members. (Please click on the hyperlinked words or phrases if you like to read further).

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What is Ajahn Brahm's Meditation Group in Toronto (ABMGT)

This meditation group was inspired by Ajahn Brahm's visit to Toronto in November, 2012. The format of the group is to sit for meditation as a group once a month to encourage our daily practice at home. We will be following Ajahn Brahm's "Mindfulness, bliss and Beyond" book (please see the post below) as a study guide to help our practice. The purpose of this group is to further develop our mindfulness practice as a group. Our goal one day is to achieve complete freedom from suffering.

If you are in Toronto and like to join this group please sign up by usng this linkTo join the group please click on the following link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1o2jdLfPUKD3JzxKiD0wFFkRpRi-PFebe860B617q6zw/viewform

The general format of the meeting.

The following format is suggested:

1. We will get together one Sunday a month in the Mississauga temple.

2. The group will first meditate for one hour.

3. Watch an video by Ajahn Brahm on meditation instructions

4. Two Chapters of the book, "Mindfulness bliss and beyond" will be discussed (Please read before the sitting at home.

5. The group will then share and discuss the difficulties in the book chapters and individual problems during meditation.

6. We will then plan for the next sitting.

7. An email will be sent to the group once a month with the agenda for the up coming meeting.

Please click here for a pdf copy of the first 5 chapters of the book:"Mindfulness bliss and beyond"

Comments on the first meditation session...

“Thank you Indi and Piyal for starting this wonderful meditation sessions. It's very rewarding to be part of such a meritorious act.

Much merit”

“Many thanks for having us over...

...As for meditation, I was happy with myself...I do like the idea of a monthly sit for meditation. It gives me an opportunity of sitting with others, which I have not done since 3 years ago...”

“The evening was so serene and peaceful. An Evening well spent.

Thank you for making the move....May the blessings of the Noble Triple Gem be with you always”

“Congrats on having the first hi-five meditation group meeting... one step at a time! all the best for the future ones!”

I will try to do more in the near future to strengthen the foundation

Thanks”

“this is the way to go.....

this is how kalyana mittas get together to complete the unfinshed business and to lay down that heavy baggage.

with metta “

" I really had a wonderful sitting. I usually take some time

to settle down ( not been practicing meditation in my past lives) but at

your place it came so easily. May be we are taking a different path which

Ajhan Brahm taught. The tape was wonderful since when I heard his voice I

felt though he was sitting in front of us and we are fresh with his voice,

it gave me so much of joy. So much merit to both of you. May be in our past

lives we all would have met and would have had sittings like this.

Let us keep on practicing this wonderful teachings of the Buddha to lay down

the burdens that we have been carrying on for so many eons for no reason but

due to greed, hatred and delusion."

“thank for having me guidance in dahma truly appreciate it…”

Comments on Ajahn Brahm's Retreat and public talks, November 2012

It was quite a success, we had close to 300 people and at least 60 of my students were there, many of them shared with me how impressed they were with the talk. Thanks for arranging it.

Tony Toneatto, PhD., CPsych.
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry
Director, Buddhism, Psychology and Mental Health Minor Program
New College, University of Toronto

I thoroughly enjoyed the November 8th talk.

Ajahn Brahm is a gift, no doubt about it.

He really is theMonk with Spunk!

Thank you Piyal and Indie for organizing such a

wonderful event. :-)

Linda Cousins

Dear Piyal,

We would like to express our appreciation to you and all of the volunteer who had helped to make the retreat a successful.

We had benefited so much from the retreat. Van could not attend but she had made herself a mini retreat at home and now could listen to all the talk you recorded.

Again thank you very much, may all the merit you have acquired will lead you to the true happiness.

With much metta

Dung & Van

Dear Piyal and Indi,
It is no secret that all who attended the retreat thanked both of you and also gave their blessings. It would not be fitting if we did not. Thus my wife and I wish to take this opportunity to say MUCH MERIT TO YOU for getting down this wonderful teacher. Once I completed the retreat I felt though a huge crane lifted me out of the mud which I was in. I learnt very much about the present moment silent keeping aside the steps of Ana Pana sathi. I believe the beginning is there.
I always was dreaming of getting him down for a good meditation session and as he said he laid the foundation. Above all the pleasant smile of his shows how happy he is.
Finally, much merit to both of you for that wonderful meditation session that you organised. I am sure the merits are huge and cannot be quantified.
Thank you very much for taking that photo and sending it to me.
With metta,
N and R
SABBA DANAM DHAMMA DANAM JINATHI

Dear Piyal,
First of all let me take this opportunity to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the hard work you put into organizing this retreat, amidst your hectic life, fulfilling duties as a doctor and a householder.
I have been meditating for many years on and off trying many methods. There have been good times and bad times.
On many occasions I am so anxious to get up from the lotus position due to pain and discomfort in my body.
When I sat with Ajahn Brahm on the 6th of November and when he taught us to be kind and compassionate to ourselves first for the first time in my life I experienced the beautiful breath and wanted to be with my breath, not even wanting to get up for lunch.
Since Ajahn left I have been practicing what I learnt and is enjoying my journey with the beautiful breath, happily, calmly and compassionately.
My immense gratitude to Ajahn Brahm from the bottom of my heart for visiting us in Toronto and to you Piyal for taking the time and trouble to organize this retreat making sure you find a place for everyone, without disappointing anybody. May you have the strength to walk the path towards Nirvana in this very life for all the immense good karma you accumulated by organizing this retreat where so many benefitted.
May the blessings of the Noble Triple Gem always be with you and your family

...

Dear Organizing Committe

I am greatly appreciative of the professionalism of the organizing committee and thank you all very much for the email notifications in this regard. Unfortunately I couldn’t attend to the meditation retreat because I became ill and didn’t want to disturb the stillness all other devotees or participants.

However I attended and enjoyed to his talk at Mahavihara in Scarborough. This was my second opportunity to listen to him thanks to Dr. Walpola. He was very practical, jovial and adorable person.

Thank you very much

Anand Kumar

Dear Piyal, Indie & team,

Its with much gratitude that I write this e-mail to thank you for organizing the retreat with Ajahn Brahm. It was such a blessing to have a Ajahn over here in Toronto and to have his guidance.

May the good kamma that you and your team accumulated by organizing this event help you in your own search of Truth !

Metta

Indi and Piyal

my deepest gratitude for

all the planning and hard work for the 3 day meditation

retreat in

Toronto.

I travelled from New York City

to attend. It was the experience

of a lifetime.

I learned so much about life and have many new tools to use in my meditation practice. The temple in Mississauga is beautiful and everyone there is so kind.

I wish that I lived closer so I could visit more often. Thank you to everyone who helped in organizing

this life

changing retreat.

Amanda

1:29pm Nov 12

Indi and Piyal,

you are amazing Sangha builders. (We say this in Thich Nhat Hanh's community - we sometimes use Sangha to

refer to the whole family of

monastics and laypeople,

because we are building

together- we can only build

together!) Really wonderful

and when it is so well done, it becomes

infectious and we just want to

help you and participate

Ajahn Brahm's Meditation Group in Toronto

Sunday, February 24, 2013

March meditation sitting on Sunday, the 17th of March, 2013 at 3 PM

Monday, February 18, 2013

"The Beautiful Breath"- 16 Steps of Anapana-sati Meditation

Ajahn Brahm in Toronto – Guided meditation November 8, 2012

You can listen to them here in a new window (play in a new window). However if you want to download please visit this site: http://www.westendbuddhistmedia.ca/category/ajahn-brahm-in-toronto-2012/

Ajahn Brahm in Toronto – Instruction on meditation November 8, 2012

Ajahn Brahm in Toronto – Guided meditation November 7, 2012

Ajahn Brahm in Toronto – Instruction on meditation November 7, 2012

Ajahn Brahm in Toronto – Public Talk at the University of Toronto: Buddhism and Science November 7, 2012

Ajahn Brahm in Toronto – Samatha and Vipassana meditation November 6, 2012

Ajahn Brahm in Toronto – Instructions on meditation November 6, 2012