Ajhan Brahm's Dhamma Talks

meh_

I was listening to some of his talks after a link to one was posted in a thread of mine, and I am hooked!
Some things he touched on in his talk on the four ways of letting go was throwing away the things that we don't need in life, wanting to be in the present moment - wherever it is (contentment) and not allowing things to stick to your mind. Also, he mentioned doing things for others - expecting nothing in return, but surely you want them to be happy or suffer less if you do something for them?

These teachings are great and all - but I am so lost as to how to put the first three into practice.
Does anyone have anything to suggest? How to actually throw away the things we don't need in our minds, how to want to just be, and how to have - as Ajhan Brahm refers to it - a 'teflon mind'?

Epicurus

These are good questions and it happens way to often with me, when it comes to Buddhism. I hear it, it makes sense....but sometimes it seems there is no simple way to go about stuff.

I still don't think I know exactly how one LETS GO of anything in life.

Sabre

How to actually throw away the things we don't need in our minds, how to want to just be, and how to have - as Ajhan Brahm refers to it - a 'teflon mind'?

Meditate, of course!

meh_

I must be doing it wrong - because when I meditate, I'm just meditating - doing meditation, observing my breath/surroundings/hectic thoughts - nothing ever comes to me, never do I realise anything that I am confused about...

zenff

The Teflon layer is not identifying.
Imo.
Thoughts and emotions; when they are simply thoughts and emotions; never really are the problem.

Sabre

I must be doing it wrong - because when I meditate, I'm just meditating - doing meditation, observing my breath/surroundings/hectic thoughts - nothing ever comes to me, never do I realise anything that I am confused about...

You are doing fine. But meditation is about doing nothing. You don't do anything, you are silent. Just observe.

If you like Ajahn Brahm I would suggest a guided medition by him. A lot can be found here:
http://www.dhammaloka.org.au/downloads/itemlist/category/24-guided-meditation.html

Both 30 minutes and 45 minutes meditations.


Have fun!
Sabre

GuyC

hi meh,

These teachings are great and all - but I am so lost as to how to put the first three into practice.
Does anyone have anything to suggest? How to actually throw away the things we don't need in our minds, how to want to just be, and how to have - as Ajhan Brahm refers to it - a 'teflon mind'?

Yes, as Sabre has pointed out, meditation seems to be the answer to all of these...these "ways of letting go" are especially related to the "Right Effort" factor of the Noble Eightfold Path. I find that mantras can be very useful to use in the first 5 or 10 minutes of a meditation session (or even when we are not practicing a formal session of sitting meditation) for pointing the mind in a specific direction. Once the mind is well established in the direction the mantra was pointing to, then the mantra can be dropped.

1) Both in and out of formal meditation, if your mind is caught up in thinking, you could use the mantra "shut..up...shut.....up........shut................up.......................shut....................................up"...seriously...it has worked for me sometimes. With this method you can gradually allow the spaces between the thoughts to expand (as illustrated above). Pay particular attention to the spaces between the thoughts. This is one way of "throwing things away".

Other times, if the mind keeps churning over a particular theme and it doesn't seem to go away, just pause from the meditation and give yourself a minute or two to try to take the thoughts to some satisfying conclusion...if you are unable to do this, then make the decision that AFTER the meditation session you will pick up a pen and paper (or type on your computer) and get all your thoughts down...but...in the meantime, make the determination that you will not pick up the topic again until AFTER the meditation....then return to your meditation object.

2) For contentment I like the simple mantra "this is good enough". Try it, see if it works for you.

3) The teflon mind is a natural by-product of developing mindfulness and sense restraint. When we are aware of the arising of mental phenomena, we don't cling to them. It is the clinging (upadana) which is the opposite of the teflon mind.

At least, this is my understanding of these things (the mantras I have mentioned are Ajahn Brahm's)...I can ask Ajahn Brahm for his recommendations about how to strengthen these ways of letting go if you like.

Metta,

Guy

buddhajunkie

These teachings are great and all - but I am so lost as to how to put the first three into practice.

Funny you mention that because I was just reflecting on Ajahn Brahm after getting into him recently. I've decided he's more of an inspirational teacher: A "why to" teacher, rather than a "how to" teacher.

I encourage you to branch out and listen to talks by other Theravadan teachers on the "how to" topics.

GuyC

Hi Buddhajunkie,

Funny you mention that because I was just reflecting on Ajahn Brahm after getting into him recently. I've decided he's more of an inspirational teacher: A "why to" teacher, rather than a "how to" teacher.

He does teach the "how to" side of things. Some of the techniques I have shared here are from Ajahn Brahm. But you are right, his primary focus is inspiring people to practice. The technical stuff can be found in the Suttas.

But if you are interested in Ajahn Brahm's particular meditation techniques, I recommend checking out his meditation retreat audio...it has quite a different tone to it than his Friday night talks you see on YouTube.

Meditation retreat audio: http://dhammaloka.org.au/downloads/itemlist/category/28-retreats.html

Metta,

Guy

meh_

Either way, thanks for the replies!!
Guy, surely the whole mantra thing isnt letting go - but imposing other thoughts on top of the old ones?

GuyC

Hi Meh,

Either way, thanks for the replies!!
Guy, surely the whole mantra thing isnt letting go - but imposing other thoughts on top of the old ones?

You are right, the mantras in-and-of-themselves are not "letting go". The mantras are just tools. They are used to point the mind in the right direction (of letting go).

Don't think "is it time to drop the mantra yet? are these mantras working?" just use the mantra, see if it leads to an increase of wholesome states and a decrease of unwholesome states - if so - then it is working. There is a time to drop them, when you reach this point you will know - if you aren't sure then just keep using the mantra until it has served its purpose.

Just go with the flow of the meditation, don't over-analyze it.

Metta,

Guy

ThailandTom

I first got into his talks about a year ago and ever since I first viewed that talk, I was able to look at the world around me and apply some of what he said. I was able to understand some things and realise others. I cannot really say a bad word about this monk, there are a fair few corrupt and 'bad' monks out there, but I am pretty sure he is one of the good ones. He was taught by Ajahn Chah after all. He can reach out to people who have a very very basic understanding of buddhism, and even those who have none what so ever, he puts the teachings into an easily to understand manners, recites stories or metaphor's that stick in your mind and stay with you each day and is genuinely a very compassionate guy.
I loved one thing he said that intrigued me and drove me further into this religion. he said that he had gone through the UK school system age 4-16, then attended college and then finished with a degree at university in physics. So that would equate to around 20-21 years in education. he went on to say that when he met and got to know his teacher Ajahn Chah, it was clear this man was a lot wiser and knew things that were vastly more beneficial to ones life, yet he had received 4 years of education.