Where

Currently the Armadale Meditation Group conducts sessions via Zoom, with the monks live-streamed from Bodhinyana Monastery in Serpentine.

Our group usually meets every Tuesday evening in the After Hours GP Clinic building at the Armadale Health Campus. However, due to COVID-19 there is a limit of only 15 attendees in this room and so our meetings have gone online. As soon as the restrictions are lifted, we will resume in person and a note will be announced.

Our weekly sessions are recorded and made available on the BSWA’s teaching’s page here.

All are welcome to attend. Please email Marlene (armadale@bswa.org) for the Zoom details, or if you would simply like more information.

When

Tuesday evenings. Starts at 7.00 pm. Finishes at 8.30/8.40 pm.

Level of experience

The group is for people who have never meditated before and for experienced meditators. We get brand new meditators most nights, so you can join us any time. If you have never meditated before you will be taught what to do. Experienced meditators are also welcome and a small group of us have meditated with the group for years.

Background of the participants

The group is run by the Buddhist Society of Western Australia and the evenings have a distinct Buddhist flavour. However, many people who come aren’t Buddhists and come from other religious backgrounds or have no interest in religion – they just want to learn to meditate. People from any background are welcome. A minority are long time Buddhists.

Teachers

We have the benefit of having several different, excellent and highly experienced teachers at the group. We are honoured to have senior monks from Bodhinyana Buddhist monastery in Serpentine as our teachers for 9 months of the year. The senior monk and Abbot of the monastery, Ajahn Brahm, teaches regularly at the group, approximately once a month. When the monks all go on retreat for three months, (approximately between mid-July to mid-October), senior members of the group and the Buddhist Society of WA, and other visiting teachers, continue with the talks and teaching.

Meditation

You will practice different forms of Buddhist meditation. Meditation on the breath is commonly taught as is loving kindness meditation (Metta), body scan meditation and mantra meditation. There are no physical exercises such as stretching or yoga involved.

The programme is approximately as follows:

  • 7.00pm: Introduction
  • 7.05pm Chanting in English, (you are given the words and may join in or just listen, as you wish).
  • 7.10pm- 7.30: Introductory talk on meditation, e.g. what meditation is, how to meditate, and the benefits of meditation
  • 7.30 – 8.00: Guided meditation – we are told what to do during the meditation.
  • 8.00 – 8.30: A short talk, plus questions and answers
  • 8.30/8.40pm: Notices and close.