EAST CORK
MEDITATION
My story of my first ever 3 day meditaion retreat at Aramavati Monastery
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Who we are?
We are a small meditation community that follow the Thai Forest tradition although everyone who wishes to participate in meditation are welcome. Meditation classes are held every Monday night at Aghada community centre, Aghada, Co. Cork. Sessions begin at 7.30pm and are of 1 hour duration approx.
Paddy Boyle
Paddy Boyle has been a practicing Buddhist for over 35 years. In Belfast he was Co founder of Asanga Institute for Advanced Buddhist Studies, a name given by Lamba Yesche, a Tibetan Master back in the late nineteen seventies, and not one that he felt comfortable with as he was just setting out on this path himself. His introduction to Buddhism came through the Tibetan tradition, but he found the emphasis on visualisation during meditation difficult to master. A few years later he was drawn to the Zen Tradition and a world renowned Zen Master. He loved her teachings and corresponded with her for over a year. When he asked to attend her summer school she refused him, saying it was full and suggested he attend a 10 day retreat lead by a Theravada Monk. He was disappointed that he had been refused by this great Zen Teacher and reluctantly he accepted his teacher’s advice and attended the retreat. That was his first and most difficult meditation retreat, having jumped in at the deep end and having no Idea what challenges it would present. It brought him to a point of desperation and suffering that he had never experienced before and he decided to run away that very night. Had he done so his life would have turned in a very different direction? As a result of staying and facing his difficulties he had found his path and direction in life. It is said that we do not find Buddhism. It is Buddhism that finds us! From those early days Paddy attended many long Meditation Retreats and Self Retreats, where he practiced alone. He has organised retreats here, in Ireland and led weekend retreats as well. He considers himself blessed to have had the privilege to have been under the care and guidance of many rewound meditation masters and is happy to pass on his experience on to others.
Geraldine Boyle
Gerardine Boyle’s search for Buddhisim
Gerardine has 23 years of formal Buddhist mindfulness and meditation practices. She spent 7 years in the Soto Zen tradition, taught by Alan Liebmann a monk and disciple of the Japanese master Deshimaru. Gerardine learned to practice with single pointed focus, sitting in a strong posture, like a mountain, cutting thoughts with razor sharp attention and bringing the focus back to the breath. This was effective in developing Samadhi, the calming of the mind, allowing the mind to become peaceful and free of thoughts.
Concurrently she spent 14 years studying the work of A.H. Almaas, an approach that combines spirituality and psychotherapy. Here she learnt to investigate the mind using the felt sense in the body. Her teacher was Susannah Grover.
Following her mother’s sudden death she did her first 10 day silent Vipassana retreat. Her teacher Fritz Koster, was ordained as a Buddhist monk in Burma and Thailand for 6 years. He taught his students to look at what was arising in the mind using the Mahasi approach of mentally noting thought and sensations. Gerardine found that the fruits of this practice became evident very quickly as on each retreat she noticed that her mind was kinder than on the previous retreat. She found using the mental noting of thought emotions and sensations to be a good antidote for a familiar sense of vague and persistent dissociation.
Very grateful for all her practice had given her and aware that she would be blessed by her own sincere efforts in the practice she joined her husband on his retreats in Amaravati Buddhist monastery in the UK. These retreats are given by disciples of Ajahn Chah, a renowned master in the Thai Forest tradition (Theravada tradition). Since 2008 together they attended one or two 10 day silent retreats per year. The teachings come from monks who practised meditation and moment by moment mindfulness, taking care of each moment with great integrity and dedication. For Gerardine the more she received in teachings from the monks, the more her heart and mind aligned with the teachings of the Buddha. The monks who having freely received the Buddha's teaching: freely, joyfully and carefully hand on the wisdom of their practice. To name some of the monks Luang Por Sumedho, Luang Por Tiradhammo, Ajahn Amaro, Ajahn Sucitto, Ajahn Dhammanando, Ajahn Vajaro and Ajahn Nanarato. The first five monks mentioned have all given retreats in Ireland. Their teaching are available through www.amarvati.org and on you tube.
Colm Herlihy
I have bean developing meditation pratice for about 1 year. The benifits of meditation are huge and I encourage everyone to give it a try. All it takes is 10 minutes of your time per day.