MENAI COMMUNITY CENTRE classes have now moved to:
CARINGBAH SENIOR CITIZENS HALL,
Port Hacking Road, Caringbah (next door to the Caringbah Library)
Adults and Teenagers from the age of 16
TUESDAYS: 7 to 8 pm
For all enquiries regarding this class, please contact Aleta Coroneo on 0410 441 942
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CRONULLA CENTRAL COMMUNITY CENTRE
38-60 Croydon Street (opp. Bowling Club) Lift to Level 3 to Meeting Rooms 1 and 2. Pedestrian entrance on the Mall opposite Parlos Cafe. If travelling by car, use the multi-storey Car Park, drive up to Levels 4 or 5 which have 4 hour parking. On these Levels there is a lift. Take the lift down to Level 3. On leaving the lift turn immediately right and right again. The Meeting Rooms are opposite the Library and there is a sign outside the door.
Adults and Teenagers from the age of 16
THURSDAYS: 10 am to 11 am
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SUTHERLAND UNITED SERVICES CLUB
Older Women's Network: United Services Club, East Parade, Sutherland
Older Women: (eg. over 50)
MONDAYS: 10.45 to 11.45 am
This group is run by the Older Womens Network but led by Venerable Yangchen
Meditations are run in accordance with "Meditation in the Shire" Meditations
- Coffee at 10 am in the Club Coffee Shop (optional)
- Cost $40 per term payable first visit but enables you to participate in all the week's activities free such as Tai Chi, Strengthening Exercise Class, Feldenkrais Class, International Dancing, Gentle Exercise Class, Performance Group and Monthly Luncheons with a Guest Speaker
- Elegibility, "any lady who thinks they are old enough to join" (eg over 50)
- Chairs available. If you wish to sit on the floor, you need to bring your own mat and cushion
- No removal of shoes necessary
- Air conditioned and carpeted
- Water and glasses supplied
- Wear comfortable clothing
This is another class available for the 'older' ladies who may not be able to make it each week to the classes run by Meditation in the Shire.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION FOR JOINING "OWN" OR ATTENDING THIS MEDITATION CLASS, PLEASE CONTACT NOREEN ON 9545 3489
AS WITH ALL CLASSES, LATE ENTRY IS PERMITTED QUIETLY AND MINDFULLY
FEE FOR A MEDITATION IN THE SHIRE CLASSES ONLY IS A SUGGESTED DONATION OF $10 OR WHATEVER ONE CAN AFFORD .......
- All classes are on a "drop-in" basis, not a course
- Chairs are provided in all Centres. If you wish to sit on the floor, a limited number of cushions and mats are provided
- You will be asked to remove your shoes so please wear socks in Winter
- Please wear something comfortable. NB: The body temperature drops during meditation, so it is advisable to bring a shawl or jumper
- It is advisable to bring a bottle of water
MEDITATION CLASSES ARE NOT HELD ON PUBLIC HOLIDAYS NOR DURING SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
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Why should we meditate? And why is it good for us?
by Venerable Yangchen
The reason one does not learn to meditate is suspicion – ignorance and fear of the unknown. They think it will “change” the way one thinks, what one believes in and it is some sort of “religious cult”. Except for changing the way we think, meditation is not religious nor is it a cult.
The word “meditation” is Latin. “Medicate” is Latin for “Medicine for the body”; “Meditate” is “medicine for the mind” originally thinking that the mind is in the head – medicine for the head. Meditation is thousands and thousands of years old. The very first evidence of people meditating was found on the walls of the Egyptians buildings but I am sure even the cave man meditated without knowing it!
In the medieval days, Abbeys and Churches were built with enclaves in the walls where Priests or Monks sat and meditated and one can still find these in some old Churches today. What would a Priest meditate on? God? Most probably.
However, most people think meditation is some sort of new age weird thing which started about the ‘60’s. The reason why is that hundreds of backpackers roamed the Eastern countries looking for something spiritual and different. Most of them found that in the Ashrams with the Yogis where, amongst other rituals, meditation
was practiced. Others wandered into Nepal and Tibet where Buddhism was practised. The famous Kopan Monastery in India advertised that free bed and board was given, with very cheap meals as long as one listened to the Buddhist Teachings and meditated. This was in the ‘60’s remember, when most of these backpackers were “stoned” and did not have much money. The lure of free bed and board was enticing and so what if they had to meditate. The Monks were delighted to have so many visitors and so taught them Buddhism and meditation. A few (NOT STONED) remained in Kopan to become Monks but the others returned home as “hippies” and introduced meditation to the West. The addiction, at that time, was LSD and some people have a picture of “meditators” as a long-haired stoned hippie sitting cross-legged, hands out to the sides and constantly chanting “OM” and this
was the picture which was given and is remembered by most of us today.
However, we are not in the’60’s now! And a lot of research has gone into the practice and the benefits of meditation. Today one can sit, stand, lie or walk as one meditates as long as one does not fall asleep. Some people sit on a cushion on the floor but most people sit on a chair or stool. The key word is comfort! Whichever position is best for you!
The reason why meditation is a must is that it does change your mind. It does change the way one thinks and ultimately behave. But first let me explain. One is born with a negative mind. One is not born with a pure mind which becomes tainted by the life, people and world around us. Our minds are born deluded, with a great sense of craving and desire. The negativities cause us great suffering which is cyclic and can compound into great misery such as depression and suicide. The Western life is a great example of this! All the wealth, high living conditions, power and mod-cons do not eradicate our suffering! It, in fact, they make it worse! The poorer and undeveloped countries have no wealth, poor living conditions, no medicine, no doctors, no welfare system and certainly no mod-cons but despite this they have a very, very low depression and suicide rate compared to the West. Overall, they are much happier people.
In order for us to live a better life free from cyclic suffering, we can either move to the East and live in simplicity or we can “think” about it. Think! Another word for meditation – that’s all!
And think we must, if we are to change the way live! If we are happy living in this cyclic suffering, existing with anger, jealousy, hatred, selfishness, arguments, wars and intolerance for one another, then continue as you are! Continue your life as suffering which will be of no benefit to you whatsoever. You will crave for what you cannot have, desire the unattainable and lead a life of anger and hatred.
However, if you would like to change the way you think and your attitude to life, one must change their mind. One must become “positive”, happy, kind, loving, compassionate, unselfish, and your attitude to life will become better and this will rub off onto your family members and family and they will be happy for you.
Why do we prefer to remain negative? Because it’s easy! Because we just do it without even thinking about it. Every thought and comment we make about someone or something usually comes out “negative”. “That person jumped the queue: abuse them!”. “That was broken deliberately in order to annoy me”, etc. Very easy! It just flows into our minds and out of our mouths! Suffering and making those around us suffer.
To be positive is harder! And we don’t like ‘hard’ things. Westerners equate difficulties with “bondage”. But in fact, it is the opposite! Yes, we have to think about being positive; we have to think about being kind; we have to think about those loving words, the hugs and the kind gestures. They don’t come naturally but they should. They should not be in our second nature but our first nature. And they give us freedom! Happiness and love make us feel free. But is easier for us to be negative which requires no effort.
So in order to act and speak positively we have to be positive. This means that we have to work on it; “it” meaning the “mind”. We have to think positive. We have to delve into our mind and think about what we are thinking about, think about what we are saying and doing. The only way to do this is by “meditation” which is no more than “thinking” but thinking about the right things – not just anything.
A good place to start is a Meditation Group to learn the skills and the expertise. A group once a week is better than nothing but in order to gain any benefit from meditation, one should meditate each day. Some of us say, “I haven’t got time to meditate!” and therefore take the easy way out and don’t meditate at all because we don’t want to find time. However, if we start slowly we find we enjoy it and keep on at it. We see the benefits and therefore we cannot do without it.
The affects of meditation, however, are not quick and very subtle. One may have to meditate daily for quite a few months before one feels the benefits and this is why not many people bother to persevere to meditate. They want a “quick fix”; they want to “take a pill” and their problems will go away. So meditation requires PATIENCE. Some of my students have been meditating daily for 6, 7 and 8 years and cannot image life without it. They find they have fewer problems in life. Why? Because it is no longer a “problem”; it is an incident which they can deal with. Their life is happier, more content because they no longer argue, get angry; they like others; are more compassionate, kinder and gentle to all sentient beings. Then others around them are noticing and it is starting to rub off. Or their friends, work colleagues and family are questioning the change in attitude. And the thing is that no-one can pinpoint the change – it just happens slowly and subtly. If we were to mention it’s because we meditate people don’t believe us or laugh at us.
So there are three words you need to be familiar with in order to meditate successfully. MOTIVATION. Do you want to change the way you think? DISCIPLINE. You must set up a self-disciplined regime and stick to it and of course, PATIENCE. Don’t expect a change overnight.
The most difficult thing about meditation is actually making the effort to do it. Meditation itself is not difficult but like everything else, it takes time to learn to do it properly but the longer you meditate, the easier it becomes and you will find yourself wanting to do it more and more.
EXPECTATION IS THE FOUNDATION OF FAILURE! Have no expectations about the actual meditation session or its results and you will succeed!
Of course, there are hundreds of books on meditation but reading about it is not the same as doing it. It is not easy to read and meditate at the same time but you can learn how to do it from books and gets some examples of meditations but it is easier to join a group. They are meditation groups everywhere now and the benefits of meditation are widely written about and advocated by doctors,etc. but it still takes that first step. DO IT!
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