If we were to measure our thoughts in terms of their quantity, we’d have to say that we’re really good at thinking. In terms of their quality, it’s another matter. Very rarely do we pay much attention to quality; it’s more a matter of being interested in whatever the mind churns up. Some people are better at directing their thoughts for particular purposes, and other people just follow wherever th…

Sitting ten hours of meditation for one day is not so difficult. Doing it for ten days, then another ten, and yet another ten back-to-back is more of a challenge. It requires determination, stamina, patience, surrender, and a deep commitment to put forth energy even when you’re exhausted. At some point illness will be a part of the equation, too, and we must practice with and through it. What does…

As we settle into the retreat and keep bringing our attention and intention inwards, using the breath as an anchor, remember that our meditation is something we have to engage with. Just the physical act of sitting in one posture is not necessarily going to make the mind peaceful. Ajahn Chah used to say that he’s seen chickens sit on their nest for a long time and doesn’t see them get either wise…

In his first discourse, the Buddha explained to the group of five monks that suffering was the act of clinging to any of the five aggregates of form, feeling, perception, fabrication, or consciousness. As a result of that discourse, one member of the group gained his first glimpse of awakening. In the succeeding days, the Buddha gave instructions to the remaining members of the group until all fiv…

This is also a useful insight in terms of our inner practice: to recognize that there are times when we actually have a choice to not allow the mind to go in a certain direction. Once I was very angry and there was a strong sense of wanting to punish someone. Fortunately, I was also very clear about the harmfulness of acting on such a negative impulse, so I could just stop it, cut it. Not because…

A friend of the monastery warned me…that currently many people equate the pursuit of contentment with being irresponsible: since the world is in such a precarious state, contentment is the last thing we should be thinking about – everyone ought to be striving to find ways to fix this terrible mess. In that talk I spoke about awareness as a multidimensional reality, not a singular thing: just as th…

Faith is one of the five faculties (indriya) that the Buddha advised us to develop in order to free our hearts. These faculties are faith (saddhā), energy (viriya), mindfulness (sati), collectedness (samādhi) and wisdom (pañña). The list is presented throughout the Buddha’s discourses (suttas) in different ways. One way is progressive: you start out with faith. You need faith to get going, and thi…

There are two ways in which diseases can arise in our bodies: Physical causes (dhātu-samuṭṭhāna). Kammic causes (kamma-samuṭṭhāna). Physical causes: Physically caused diseases are those that come about through disorders in the five physical properties (dhātu)— a. Earth: the solid parts of the body, such as bones, muscles, skin, etc. b. Water: the liquid parts, such as saliva, mucus, blood, etc. c.…

Learning to settle the mind can be very difficult. It’s not always easy to find a way of stopping the mind from chasing things or to shake off a grudge or obsession. How can we calm down and feel a sense of balanced well-being in ourselves? Can we make the mind attend to itself and be fit for wise reflection and realization? Are we capable of contemplating what is happening to us, what our weaknes…

On at least two occasions, the Buddha said that all he taught was dukkha and the ending of dukkha (MN 22 (Alagaddūpama Sutta, The Water-Snake Simile); SN 22:86 (Anurādha Sutta, To Anurādha)). This means that if you want to understand his teachings, dukkha is a good word to know. Its primary meaning is simple enough—pain—but it covers all levels of pain, from acute physical suffering and mental ang…