One Day Retreat

by Ubasika Lynne

The meditators at the Temples monthly meditation retreat of Saturday 15^th July were happy to welcome Professor Geoffrey Hunt and the eleven members of Modern Buddha Way meditation group from Guilford Surrey. They arrived at nine thirty and joined the regular members in the basement, where it offered a refreshingly cool and calm atmosphere in which to meditate.

A Venererable monk joined them in their meditation. They broke at midday and strolled through the gardens that lead down to the house, for lunch. Over a casual lunch they met and conversed with many of the Temples community.

At two pm we all went to the house where an informal meeting took place. Phramaha Sangthong Dhammacaro and Mrs Edna Lake sat at the head of the table, while the rest of us filled the room around them.
Edna gave a short talk on The Five agregates. She is a very informed and experienced member of the LBA and has been involved with the Temple since its beginning.

Phramaha Sangthong then explained some Dharma teachings. Questions and answers now followed. The first was about reincarnation and its manner. The explanation from Edna was that we believe in rebirth and that is different from reincarnation in that there is no permanent self to be reborn. It is Kamma that takes us from birth to birth, this can be wholesome or unwholesome. It is this factor that determines future states of being.
The next question was put to Phramaha Sangthong, it was about the difficulties of practice e.g. It can sometimes be hard to practice. The Venerable monks answer was that if you change your mind then you can do it. If you think continually that you cannot do something then invariably you cannot. By changing one’s mind positively we can make it possible and easier and then we can do it.
After more questions and answers the meeting came to a close. Geoffrey thanked Phramaha Sangthong on behalf of his group and he said how much they had all appreciated the benefits the day had given to them.

A donation was given to the Temple which was accepted by the Venerable monk.
The all gave Metta to each other before returning to the meditation hall.