LION OF WISDOM

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May 18th,  Reflection on, The Eight Great Thoughts and guided meditation: https://youtu.be/xX7R15Fs3Dk

May 11th, Dhamma talk on Internal Rebirth/guided meditation: https://youtu.be/Gv08k0kjMV8

May 4th, Q and A on Dependent Origination/External Rebirth and guided meditation: https://youtu.be/F32loFBQzDg

Special video, Dhamma talk on a Himalayan trek: The Raft Sails Upstream https://youtu.be/J8Y-reqSsZY

April 27th, Review of the Anapanasati Sutta and guided meditation: https://youtu.be/sWH7nLOkQKo

April 20th, Review of the Insight Knowledges and guided meditation: https://youtu.be/pCi-JYDdtuI

April 13th, Review of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness and guided meditation: https://youtu.be/5vKTOCEWQUk

April 6th, Q and A on Rathavinita Sutta, Relay of Chariots ; guided meditation:https://youtu.be/9SD2Mytuhqo

March 31st, Q and A on, A Single Excellent Night: https://youtu.be/5ul9NBFBs18

March 16th, Q and A on Mindfulness, Concentration, Wisdom, Five Hinderances: https://youtu.be/xyphPD6o6iw

March 9th, Q & A on Mindfulness of the Body: https://youtu.be/C25ScrKEv9k

March 2nd, Q & A on Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta: https://youtu.be/m8clXQ5h8oI

February 2nd, Q and A on the Mahacattari Sutta, The Great Forty: https://youtu.be/xbsJmdGKBFI

January 26th, Q and A with Sammaditthi sutta on Right View: https://youtu.be/oBmQ8ZE1TGU

January 19th, Q and A on Sabbasava Sutta, Overcoming suffering; https://youtu.be/pSgV7kQE698

January 12th, Q and A, stages of mastering perception: https://youtu.be/HLg6oXHUZEw

January 5th, Q and Q, Equanimity and Perception/guided meditation: https://youtu.be/YGD4dkpO7Ug

The following link has all six talks/meditations from the recent Year End retreat: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLo-6C1NfEEn1HrXY8wCrKwhMJ1tUON0kC

December 15th, Questions/answers followed by yoga/guided meditation:https://youtu.be/xhzwBU5qxkg

December 1st, ;Purification by Knowledge and Vision with guided meditation. https://youtu.be/L_4fXXZ-rus 

Nov. 25th, Living and Dying with Awareness retreat; 9 videos https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLo-6C1NfEEn0Ogi5wybdxYk4RvO8s98k2

November 10th, Insight leading to Emergence with guided meditation:  https://youtu.be/vBM2ZxVqldU

November 3rd, Insight knowledges continued with guided meditation:https://youtu.be/ej9QN9QLAgA

October 20th, The Insight Knowledges, Knowledge of Rise and Fall: https://youtu.be/Xhpqo2cS4vQ

October 18th, Talk on the Five Aggregates and guided meditation:https://youtu.be/DKLIYrzZyQ0

October 16th, Talk on Metta/Brahmaviharas, Part 2 with guided meditation: https://youtu.be/8DbyV8s2Vzo

October 16th, Background and development of Metta, Part 1 with guided meditation: https://youtu.be/iCCRxPuhwLg

October 13th, Rathavinita Sutta, Relay of Chariots, M.24: https://youtu.be/rMj0cz4yOmY

October 6th, Mahapunnama Sutta Part 2, about No-Self: https://youtu.be/JORwWIbgrBE

Sept. 29th, Mahapunnama Sutta, M.N. 109; Discourse on the Five Aggregates Part1: https://youtu.be/jR447zNGHmw 

Sept. 22nd, Samanaphala Sutta, Fruits of the Monastic Way of Life, D.N. 2: https://youtu.be/7cvSpP6qvco

Sept. 15th,  Paticcasamuppada Part 2, Internal Rebirth: https://youtu.be/KKzSr694LKE

Sept. 8Th, Talk on Paticcasamuppada Part 1, External Rebirth: https://youtu.be/BAV6rsfu0fQ

Sept. 5th Talk from retreat on Craving, Grasping, Becoming:https://youtu.be/r7NxWM-Xwhg

September 1st, Sabbasava sutta part 2:https://youtu.be/hzMZRF8myJk

August 25th, Sabbasava, All the Defilements: https://youtu.be/8bycvYHc79U

August 18th, Mulapariyaya Sutta, M.N. 1, The Root of all things: https://youtu.be/a1V1VNskSLs

August 11th, Bahiya Sutta; “in the seeing there is only the seeing”: https://youtu.be/6l5NQNKoan0

August 7th, Dhamma talk, Different aspects of insight meditation practice: https://youtu.be/4JqOXMZNHJY

August 1st, Dhamma talk, Awareness of the Present Moment: https://youtu.be/M6BfL0x5pQk

July 28th, Sutta Study. Sutta on the Noble Search, Ariyapariyesana Sutta, M.N. 26: https://youtu.be/Q0S2WFe6ksE

July 21st, Sutta Study, Conclusion of Mahasatipatthana Sutta with the Noble Eightfold Path, and the Buddha’s Guarantee: https://youtu.be/SuqK-RHFF5s

July 14th, Sutta Study, The Cessation of Craving/Suffering with guided meditation: https://youtu.be/YVYlE1WTqJk

July 7th, Sutta Study, The Origins of Craving/Suffering with guided meditation:https://youtu.be/hPLreu_C4sc

July 1st, The Buddha’s first sermon, Dhammacakkappavattana sutta: https://youtu.be/FVfGUr-AcFA

June 30th,  Contemplation of Dhamma, Four Noble Truths with guided meditation: https://youtu.be/zHp-rHAV0lE

June 23rd, Seven Factors of Enlightenment with guided meditation: https://youtu.be/OqIFoZPiHOo

June 20th, Anicca, Dukkha,Anatta with guided meditation: https://youtu.be/m5QV2SlA3PM

June 16th, Consciousness and the six sense bases with guided meditation:https://youtu.be/eDTv1R-0auQ

June 13th, Talk on Poson Poya, Beginning of Buddhism in Sri Lanka:https://youtu.be/-yEa2xAB6Wc

June 9th, Mahasatipatthana Sutta, Contemplation of Dhamma; guided meditation:https://youtu.be/cWEfXAdTg8M

June 5th, Dhp verses on The Path and guided meditation:https://youtu.be/IPoHs10d0r4

June 2nd, Talk on the meaning of Vesak: https://youtu.be/4Xuh9EDH0RI

May 19th, Feelings, birthplace of the world: https://youtu.be/wcfHE_wKQWs

May 12th, Mahasatipatthana, section on Death and Decomposition of the body: https://youtu.be/wvVtXvCoPa8

May 9th, Dhammapada verses and guided meditation: https://youtu.be/kYqB-SatRHI

Description of our Meditation programs

Beginner’s Meditation Class

This Class is intended for those fairly new to meditation or those who do not meditate regularly. It will include a short talk, a short session of yoga stretches, a 30 minute guided sitting meditation followed by standing and walking awareness, and ending with a short Q&A session.

  Afternoon Intensives will be held for more experienced meditators on a Saturday or Sunday (except during weekend retreats). The A.I.’s are geared for experienced meditators who do not need any instructions or guidance. People can sit or walk as long as they like with no bells. Tea is available and interviews with Bhante Rahula may be available. 

Days of Mindfulness (DOM). 

These typically are held on one Saturday or Sunday per month. They begin at 9 am and finish at 4.00 pm; they are geared towards relative beginners with some light yoga stretches, instruction/guided meditation and a Dhamma talk. More experienced meditators are also welcome. 

The days and times of these classes may change, so be sure to check the website for an updated schedule.  Please let us know by e-mail at info@lionwisdom.org if you wish to join the Beginner’s class or DOM.

Meditation Instructions for beginners

Here are four video talks and guided meditations for people new to meditation to get started, before coming to a retreat.

Two or three day retreats.

These will usually begin on a Friday night with a DOM on Saturday and continue until 4pm the next day or an additional day. People must register for staying overnight as dorm type sleeping accommodation is limited. People living nearby have option to go home in evening and come back next morning;  breakfast and lunch will be provided. People are expected to observe the monastic rule of not eating solid food afternoon; No evening meals will be served. However, persons with medical need can bring there own snack supplement. No cooking is allowed but a microwave may be available to warm up soup etc.

People should inform us of this need. 

Things to bring with you: Sleeping bag or bed sheets, pillow case, personal towel, yoga mat if you have one, house slippers and refillable water bottle.

There is no charge for any of these programs but donations are gratefully accepted, as this center exists solely on donations to support this service.

Self Retreats

We now offer a space for doing a Self -retreat for experienced meditators to come for between two-seven days outside of organized retreats, here at our center. A meditator recently did so and offers her experience here for those who might be needing some time for oneself in a conducive environment. 

“This summer I spent a few days on a “self-retreat” at Lion of Wisdom. The mechanics of it went like this. I slept out in a tent under the trees and stars. Every day I got up at 5:00, drank a cup of tea, and did morning yoga with Bhante Rahula. Then we sat for an hour, then ate breakfast, and then I spent the rest of the day meditating on my own time and in my own way. I would sit in the meditation hall, or do walking meditation inside or out, or sit outside in a little mosquito netting meditation tent. I’d drink more tea here and there. We ate lunch in the middle of the day. Then in the evening Bhante would lead me in another yoga session, followed by another hour of sitting together, and then it was time for bed. 

On a formal retreat, your days tend to be pretty structured, and you’re given instructions in what to do. Formal retreats are invaluable. But it’s a really cool and interesting practice to try to structure your own day of meditation, which is what you have to do on a self-retreat. You realize you need to pay close attention to your instincts, so you know what feels like the right thing to do in each moment, and then commit to doing that thing. This can require a more subtle awareness of what’s going on in your mind than when you are simply following someone else’s instructions. It’s a really cool thing to watch and act on, and I think it probably helps your awareness develop beyond the days you are on retreat. 

I am really grateful for these days of self-retreat at Lion of Wisdom. Especially now, when so many meditation centers are closed down because of coronavirus, it was so great to be able to go sit somewhere that was not my apartment, and to be in a space dedicated to meditation, designed to helping me fully dedicate myself to meditation. If you have a couple days to spare, I highly recommend it. 

Amanda Huron

A Self Retreat at the Lion of Wisdom Meditation Center

A self-meditation retreat here can be from two days to a week or more depending on variable factors.  This is a mindfulness meditation center and one’s practice should center around the practice of Mindfulness meditation. A prospective self-retreatant should describe their personal practice and what they expect from their retreat. A person should inform us of any medical conditions/medications that may affect their stay here.

A bed in a single room or a dorm room in our house or a single room in our separate retreat building could be available. Though a few of the retreat building rooms are still under construction until mid-late summer.

The resident monk/teacher, Bhante Rahula has an hours long group meditation in the meditation hall at 6 am and 7 pm each day that guests are expected to join. He would also be available for personal interview or guidance on their meditation practice. They can also participate in our other regular meditation/Dhamma teaching sessions in house or over Zoom.

Breakfast and lunch are provided; no meal is served in the evening. A person can bring some nutritional drink or the equivalent for the late afternoon evening if needed.

Self-retreatants would be expected to help for an hour or so with meal prep, house cleaning chores or outdoor work.

The rest of one’s time should be spent in more individual practice.

To maintain a supportive and harmonious atmosphere here at the center

the following guidelines should be followed while here on self- retreat.

Refrain from killing any living creature

Refrain from taking what is not given

Refrain from any sexual activity

Refrain from false speech or loud boisterous talking

Refrain from consuming any intoxicating drinks or drugs

Refrain from wearing skimpy revealing clothing or perfumed cosmetics

If you would like to come for a self-retreat of between 2-7 days (perhaps longer) send an e-mail request to Bhante Rahula at: info@lionwisdom.org

The recordings from the Thanksgiving retreat are available at these links: