Thailand Meditation Retreat News

Kalama Sutta

The people of Kalama asked the Buddha who to believe out of all the ascetics, sages, venerables, and holy ones who, like himself, passed through their town. They complained that they were confused by the many contradictions they discovered in what they heard. The Kalama Sutta is the Buddha’s reply.

Do not believe anything on mere hearsay.

Do not believe in traditions merely because they are old and have been handed down for many generations and in many places.

Do not believe anything on account of rumors or because people talk a a great deal about it.

Do not believe anything because you are shown the written testimony of some ancient sage.

Do not believe in what you have fancied, thinking that, because it is extraordinary, it must have been inspired by a god or other wonderful being.

Do not believe anything merely because presumption is in its favor, or because the custom of many years inclines you to take it as true.

Do not believe anything merely on the authority of your teachers and priests.

But, whatever, after thorough investigation and reflection, you find to agree with reason and experience, as conducive to the good and benefit of one and all and of the world at large, accept only that as true, and shape your life in accordance with it.

The same text, said the Buddha, must be applied to his own teachings.

not accept any doctrine from reverence, but first try it as gold is tried by fire.

When embarking on a spiritual path, I have found great benefit in having a clear intention about why I am doing what I am doing. Without this, my meditation practice can become kind of another support for the play of ego.

We are full of deeply conditioned ways of meeting our world and reacting to the events of our lives. Often, we are running on auto-pilot, in an almost robotic manner operating on the program that we have. Patterns of thinking create our speech and actions and there can be little in the way of real, self-directed choice in how we are, how we live, and where we find ourselves.

We justify outcomes through our stories, in which we are the central actor, usually the good guy…regardless of available evidence. Forgetting the infinite inter-connectedness of all things, we pull threads of evidence, selectively remember events, cast characters as good and bad, and create justifications for our lives, our behavior and why things are the way they are.

We often take credit for all the wonderful goodness and the amazing achievements of our lives and seek to cast blame on those around us for all of our problems. This could be described as the play of ego - our neurotic script writing and story reporting about the life we find ourselves living.

This may be especially true when embarking on a spiritual path, in which the idea of spirituality, of being involved in something we see as wholesome or pure, becomes a justification for the same old programmatic way of existence. The same old habits and behaviors are in full play, even when we are “on the path.” This happens even when we are sincerely touched and inspired by our teachers, their example and their incredible kindness.

This is why we study Buddhist philosophy, practice meditation, reflect on our experience and learn to develop a sincere motivation and intention for our lives. We try to shift ourselves towards a more engaged, a more present, a more enlightened manner of being and away from a pre-programmed, unthinking manner of existence. We are learning to wake up to our lives, to intentionally be present.

This is a great aspiration, but can be challenging because as we are often asleep or unconscious, operating on the program of karma. We think we know what waking up means, but our view is still thickly veiled. We take a Buddhist phrase or quote like “being present” and bandy it around – operating from the intellectual world of ideas – never truly present, but unknowingly pretending that this is so.

Then comes an elephant.

Of course, we know about elephants. Intellectually. Take a moment and consider the word “elephant.” A flood of thoughts, ideas and feelings will come.

Floppy ears, trunks, umbrella stands, Far Side cartoons, mice, peanuts, Dumbo, blind men telling their stories, Ringling Brothers, Tarzan, India, tusks, mahouts, trekking, jungles, chains…. We might even boot up the computer, surf over to Wikipedia and read about elephants then on to youTube for some elephant video. And all of this is unconscious and unintentional – it is the program.

And then, you find yourself face to face with an elephant, as I did recently in Phuket.

As a bit of meditation training “being present” kicks in, I remember to breathe, to try to remain present, to watch thoughts come and go and to observe reactions. I see myself want to posses, to pigeonhole, to fit this crazy thing, this amazing creature, into the script of my mind – to find a way of relating this moment to all my experience… and the intellect cannot hold the experience. The bare-naked experience of the elephant is too much.

So, I cannot report the experience of the elephant, and offer only this: elephants are amazing.

Come practice some “being present,” and then go see one. It might be a flower, some spicy food, a dip in the ocean, a yoga pose, a kind smile from a stranger… amazing experiences - elephants - are everywhere. To encounter one, with as much presence as you can muster, is something you must do for yourself.

Set the intention to begin to wake up and be present. Start your journey, or take another step on your path. Find out for yourself what being present really means. We have just the place for you at Karuna in Phuket, Thailand.

Join us at your earliest convenience, set an intention to wake up to your life, and find the elephant in every present moment of your world.

See you soon!

“I’ve recently returned from a week at Karuna, and if I didn’t have to work, I’d probably still be there.  My purpose in going was to give my practice a booster shot, so to speak.

Coming from a background in Zen, I chose Karuna because they welcome people from all Buddhist traditions.  I found that the Dharma teachings provided melded seamlessly with my “zenny” understanding of such things, and the meditation method taught there, though a little different in focus to what I had been doing, is very user-friendly and will, in fact, be a great companion as I continue my solitary way here in a country where there are no Buddhist centers at all.

The teachers at Karuna know their stuff and present it thoughtfully, clearly and with great passion and dedication.  I also noticed that they went out of their ways to aim personalized teachings at both visitors and residents alike, which I appreciated.  I was truly impressed with how much care and effort everyone put into their various jobs at Karuna - the yoga teacher is great too!

So, all that said, I would recommend a stay at Karuna to anyone at any level of experience and from any background.  Being there is time well spent.

Please tell Laura and Phillip (meditation teachers) that I was sorry I didn’t get to say goodby and thank you in my rush to leave.  Tell them I appreciate them for things they probably are unaware of.  And you too - thanks again,

Cory M”

Prajna is Sanskrit for wisdom.  There are three aspects of wisdom for a Buddhist point of view…

The first is the wisdom of learning. This is the idea of studying the teachings of the Dharma in book form or in listening to the teachings as propounded by an experienced practitioner - a member of Sangha. At Karuna, we offer this in the form of daily meditation teachings, given in English in an easy-to-understand manner. We also have a Dharma library where you can read more about your meditation practice or about Dharma in general. Additionally, we have a library of MP3 teachings given by teachers in the past.

The second Prajna is the wisdom of contemplation. The Buddha admonished all of his students to not take his word on any matter. Rather, he suggested it is better to treat his advice in a manner similar to a goldsmith who is checking the authenticity of a lump of yellow metal. Cut it, polish it, melt it… whatever it takes to prove that the metal is truly gold.

The Buddha’s idea was that we, as practitioners not merely take the teachings as a form of dogma, a set of religious beliefs that are inscrutable or not subject to inquiry or investigation.  Conversely, the teachings should be very practical and easy to understand by any one who earnestly follows the methods of liberation as propounded by the Buddha. This is the idea of contemplation.

A serious practitioner must spend some time analyzing the teachings - breaking them down into their component parts. Looking at the nuts and bolts of what the Buddha taught. Then re-assembling the teaching into a coherent whole and inquiring - “Is this my experience?” and “Does my life experience line up with these ideas?” In short - one must be a ’street smart’ student of Dharma.

You will have ample time, space and tranquility at Karuna to go deeper into the teachings and verify their authenticity - acting in the manner of a goldsmith - and working with the second prajna.

From this point, from this position of contemplation, one can begin the inner journey - the third prajna - that of meditation. People who meditate are known in Tibetan as “nang-was” - translated as “inside people.” Not agoraphobes or hermit-like shut-ins, instead people who find the journey of introspection fascinating and revealing about their position in life and the world - their existence. Those who delight in the introspective life. As Professor Robert Thurman calls them - psychonauts - explorers of the inside space.

At Karuna, you will have ample opportunity to investigate the inner experience. We have multiple meditation sessions scheduled each day and these provide the space and time to look more deeply within. In essence, practicing the third wisdom and harvesting the resultant insight that develops from the total process of wisdom cultivation, invloving all three prajnas.

We welcome you to Karuna and encourage you to discover the path to wisdom and resultant compassion available to us all. Contact us to arrange your meditation retreat.

We all know there is something missing, that there is a peace and calm that is available in each moment of our existences. People sense that the mind is workable and they can change their lives for the better.

With the best of intentions, we sign up for a meditation course at a retreat center. Maybe this is found from on-line research, maybe from word of mouth, maybe from something we have read. We are excited, nervous, and mostly thirsty for some relief - maybe this will finally be “it.” We travel across the world, arriving at our chosen destination, thankful we made it in one piece with our bags, full of hope and with an open mind. We are eager to work with challenges or obstacles, nothing will stop us from trying our best, and we want to heal.

The first challenge we encounter is language. Understanding the Dharma requires a profound shift in world view. Some teaching is indispensable. We can’t just sit there and hope something magical will happen. We need instruction and guidance from someone who knows the territory and can relate to us. Teachings in Asia are generally given in a foreign language or by a non-native speaker of English. This makes the beautiful and simple teachings of the Buddha, that medicine which we so desperately seek, incomprehensible and foreign. This is an unnecessary barrier to our journey. Life is fleeting and we may or may not be able to master a new language in time to begin to understand the practice of Dharma. This is an unnecessary endeavor when crystal-clear instruction is available in English.

Buddhism is amazing in its ability to adapt to the culture to which it spreads. We find that meditation centers are often steeped in the rich and beautiful ritualistic practices of a culture and these can be enchanting and mystifying.  At the same time, infatuation with external forms is not true Dharma. These forms may be a gateway to Dharma and each of the variety of religious practices can have profound effects on one’s being - if understood and performed with correct intention and a heart-felt understanding.

Without this understanding, these activities become little more than mindless memorization and recitation. We are blessed with powerful abilities and we should make full use of our gifts and intelligence, to do otherwise is to miss our own amazing potential. Your practice should be grounded in the core liberation & wisdom teachings of the Buddha and all else should come from that base, not in blindly following along with the others because “that’s what we do here.”

Another challenge is the external environment. We come from the western world of sanitation, comfortable beds and air conditioning. In Asia, we encounter food which may not be suited to our taste, completely incompatible with our digestive system, or simply unsafe. We find straw mats or lumpy beds - when our backs are already tired from sitting practice. There is no chance to stretch or exercise - only walking meditation is permitted. We meet oppressive heat, sitting in puddles of sweat in the steamy tropics. We instinctively swat mosquitoes and then feel guilty for having harmed life at a Buddhist place of peace.

What could be a beautiful experience of opening up to our being becomes something more akin to a military boot-camp. We stick it out and report to others something like: “it was tough, but I made it through,” forgetting the reason we went in the first place.

Then, there is the sense of militancy that can be prevalent at Dharma Centers or monasteries. Perhaps unintentional, there can be a feeling of “this is the schedule, these are the vows, you should not move or you’re doing it wrong…” of course, as humans, we bring our tendencies of comparison and competition with us. Nothing is checked at the door. This is the path, this is the journey. We know there is something to work on. To allow judgment, a sense of being trapped in rules or hidebound by incomprehensible ritual is contrary to the actualization of Dharma.

Loosening up, relief of tension, relaxing the mind, clarity of thought, freedom from suffering, happiness and even smiling are the hallmarks of meditation done well with understanding and perseverance.

The meditation teachers at Karuna have a wide range of experience in different meditation venues across Asia. We have participated in retreats in Tibet, Sikkim, India, Burma, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Thailand. We have lived in monastaries, visited Dharma Centers, slept in meditation caves and done pilgrimage to the remotest places imaginable.  What we continually encounter in our spiritual travels is others like ourselves, who are earnestly interested in learning to meditate, but overwhelmed by the foreignness and challenges of the whole experience.

That is why we created Karuna: spot-on, crystal-clear instruction form the heart of the Buddha’s teaching delivered in a clear and comprehensible manner - practices with immediately tangible benefits - no need for faith in ritual and hope. We want you to have the most enlightening experience possible while you are here and have paved the way for you.

Be assured, the Dharma is freely available to anyone who comes to Karuna, regardless of ability to pay. At the same time, we live in a world that requires maintenance of conventional appearances, so we have a low fee for our rooms. This is inclusive of almost everything: yoga, good beds, air conditioning, delicious & safe food, a swimming pool, the forest, quiet beach, airport pick-up… we have removed the unnecessary obstacles - we want you to get what you came for.

Whatever the cost of your retreat, wherever you go, make your time well-spent. You will sacrifice a lot to be able to pursue the inner journey.

We hope you will reserve your space and join us soon for something beautiful - created with you in mind.

In Metta – Thomas

Meditating in Thailand is a wonderful experience at Karuna Meditation Center in Phuket, Thailand.

We are into the third month of our summer rains retreat. Some 30 different westerners have shared in parts of the experience with about 10 attending the entire 90-day retreat. The teachings have never been more succinct and focused towards the pacification of our own harmful emotions. With these emotional states becoming more pacified, there is a fertile space for concentration and the dawning of our own natural wisdom. The result is a flourishing of happiness, joy and contentment among the retreatants – just as taught by the Buddha.

We feel a little like the monks of the Buddha’s time – shining countenances beaming with joy, happy in contentment, deeply peaceful, magnetized & energized – and dedicated to the investigation of our individual being. It is said that meditation should be the best part of your day – when you are confident in the straightforward, logical path to complete happiness & peace and are actively practicing the path. We all have ups and downs, but the swings seem to be less prominent - less prevalent in the foreground of experience, being subsumed by a deeper sense of peace and relief and the resultant quiet joy.

The energy of the meditation hall seems infectious. We have numerous daily drop-in guests as well as meditators who stay for a few nights. Of this latter group, almost everybody ends up spending an extra day or two with us. “It is so peaceful, here…” was the comment of one of our guests just today. He, too, has elected to extend his stay for a couple of days.

In a sense, our retreat never ends, as we continue focusing on the calming aspects of shamatha/calm abiding or concentration meditation in union with investigation of the four bases of mindfulness: body, feelings, mind and mental objects. We work with only one of these bases each month and this allows for deeper understanding of the base as well as fosters a deeper concentrative ability.

All of this is transpiring under the roof of our new retreat center. We have purchased a house in Nakatani Village, just south of Kamala, at the base of the big Kamala hill. The center is inspiring, as it is modern & spacious yet cozy & tranquil. We offer daily yoga instruction, swimming in the pool, walks on a private beach, meandering through the hilltop forest, all opportunities for becoming centered and still – even while in movement. Plus, KMC center guests enjoy full aircon throughout the facility.

We have extra cushions, space to sit, private and shared options for overnight stays and delicious vegetarian food twice a day with a snack in the evening. Join us for a coffee, some meditation, our teachings, a yoga class, or a stroll in the woods. We offer something for all who are interested in the inner wealth that is available to each of us in every moment.

Join us at your earliest convenience.