Ariya B. Baumann (formerly Ven. Ariya Nani) was a Buddhist nun for 21 years, ordained in Burma by Sayadaw U Janaka. For many years she had been guiding foreign meditators at the Chanmyay Myaing Meditation Center. She now lives in Switzerland and teaches mettā and vipassanā retreats worldwide. For further detail see Ariya’s blog. This is an eight precept retreat – no meals taken after midday
2018-08-03 (29 days)
Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre
The world (loka) and beyond the world (lokuttara) are distinguished by only one thing: loka is what is constantly disintegrating and disappearing whereas in lokuttara there is peace with no arising and passing away.
Instead of being at the mercy of desire and attachment we need to understand the sticky nature of every form of desire – and then to weaken and abandon it. Besides using mindfulness there are a number of approaches to skilfully deal with desire.
Thoughts are a natural manifestation of the mind. We need to understand the nature of thoughts and then use them wisely and skillfully in our meditation practice and life.
Confidence is crucial for any undertaking, also for our spiritual journey. Our confidence in the teaching, the actual practice, and in our ability to do the practice grow and deepen as we move along the way.
The practice of the Dhamma is a powerful protection that comes about by wholeheartedly applying mindfulness, the four protective meditations, restraint, virtue, going for refuge, patience, or the parittas.
