Buddhism teaches us to let go of desires and cravings and expectations, for a happy life. It is not so much the wanting itself that causes us suffering, but it is our attachment to what we want.

“Contentment is the antidote to fault-finding mind.” - Ajahn Brahm

Many meditation teachers recommend a daily practice. How to do that in our busy lives? And why should we do it at all?

Mindfulness is a buzzword these days. Where does it come from? How does it fit into Buddha’s Noble 8-fold Path? How can it help us in everyday life?

The four divine mindstates that we humans can be in are Loving Kindness (Metta), Compassion (Karuna), Altruistic Joy (Mudita), and Equanimity (Upekkha). While the first three are somewhat easy to grasp, the final one is a little obscure. In this session, Cristof brings light into the darkness.

In this session, we (Cristof and Sophia) talk about Karma and understanding how it affects our lives. We also share several ways of purifying past karma that we have learnt from listening to Venerable Robina Courtin. Video links in the blog post for more info on her teachings.

Suffering happens when our thoughts are not in alignment with reality, says Venerable Robina Courtin. Ajahn Brahm puts it like this: Accepting the present moment and giving it loving kindness leads to peace.

Transitions in life are omnipresent. One of our major transitions is to go into retirement. Today, Sophia is presenting what opportunity lies in it, especially for women: we need them as wise elders.

Cristof is telling stories today: one about a brown mouse having babies in his glove compartment; and two more short ones about synchronicities recently experienced by him. How does all that relate to meditation? One of our fellow meditators helps him tie it all together…

Life can throw us curve balls any minute. Like the milk rice burning on the stove or a stressful moment in a relationship or a neighbor giving us trouble for no apparent reason. Understanding karma helps us understand and deal with such situations in unconventional, yet surprisingly effective ways.

Cristof tells his experience with Vipassana meditation, first as taught by S.N. Goenka, then how Ajahn Brahm added pieces to the mosaic, and finally how Bhante Vimalaramsi rounded off the picture.

It’s always good to keep the basics in mind. Karma is a foundational principle of life, a natural law. Everything that we think, say, or do leaves an imprint in our mind. Like that, we create our future.

Entering the first Jhana is simply the result of letting go. Letting go of what? Letting go of sensual pleasures like seeing, hearing or tasting, as well as of unwholesome thoughts. When body and mind are thus aligned, our meditation experience can reach new depths.

Metta, loving kindness, to other beings is a great practice to lighten up the mind. But it’s also possible to inanimate phenomena, like situations or our past.

Humility is one of the 8 Pillars of Joy as taught by H.H. The Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Humility is one of the 12 Steps of AA’s program to stay and live in sobriety. But what exactly does it mean?

Wholesomeness is integral to the Buddhist path. The Noble 8-fold Path includes Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood. “Right” because wholesome words and deeds harm neither ourselves nor others.

Inspired by Gay Hendricks’ book The Big Leap, we’re talking about a new aspect of integrity - one that has nothing to do with moral as in right or wrong, but from the viewpoint of wholeness within ourselves.

As we restart our group meditation sessions after the summer break, we remind ourselves of the basics. Why do we meditate? How do we meditate? What meditation is not? How do you know whether you had a good meditation?

Back to the basics: this week we revisit the Anapanasati Sutta to simplify the meditation technique that the Buddha taught: mindfulness of breathing.

This week we learn from Ajahn Brahm, what important role joy plays to prepare for meditation. How do we arouse joy on demand? Besides Ajahn Brahm’s instructions, we let His Holiness The Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu inspire us.