Ajahn Brahmavamso makes us feel he prefers we use this shortened name – Ajahn Brahm, so that’s the name I use in this article. The abbreviated second name is extra meaningful since the five letters in it are the first letters of the major religions of the world – Buddhism, Roman Catholicism and A for Anglican, Hinduism and Muslim. (I hope I am right).

Ajahn Brahm is now in Sri Lanka to give of himself to a crowded agenda planned by the Ajahn Brahm Society of Sri Lanka, given leadership by Ven Metthavihari Thera. This is a short visit but Ajahn Brahm will be going through a rigorous program of helping people mentally and emotionally, which help promotes physical well-being too.

Ajahn Brahm (British) and one of his pupils – Ajahn Brahmali (Norwegian) who reside in Bodhinyana Monastery in Serpentine, Perth, have been on several teaching visits to our country. The monastery was built by Ajahn Jagaro and Ajahn Brahm after they left Thailand and decided to live in Australia, invited to do so by the Buddhist Society of Western Australia. The monastery was completed in 1983 and named Bodhinyana in remembrance and to honour Ajahn Cha whose monastic title was Phra Bodhinana Thera.

An aside is that all building of extensions and renovations to the monastery are undertaken by the resident monks themselves. Thus an anecdote related by Ajahn Brahm is relevant here. He was all dusty and dirty from building when a well dressed Lankan woman came to the monastery and asked him whether she could meet Ajahn Brahm. He directed her to a waiting room and said that Ajahn Brahm would be with her in 15 minutes. Bathed and in a fresh set of robes he came and spoke with her. At the end of the interview she conspiratorially asked him as Head Abbot to control the monks better as she met a very untidy, very dirty monk when she entered the monastery. Bad image, she said.

Ajahn Brahm, a Theoretical Physics graduate from Cambridge University after one year of teaching went to Thailand to meditate and was a forest monk with teacher Ajahn Cha, considered the best Theravada meditation teacher in the last century. Ajahn Brahmali, after earning degrees in engineering and finance, left Norway in his 20s for Western Australia to be ordained a Buddhist monk under Ajahn Brahm. They both travel globally, spreading the Dhamma and conducting meditation sessions.

The crowded Agenda Public addresses:

The main addresses will be today, Sunday May 18, 2025, from 7:00 am to 11:00 am, at the BMICH Main and Sirimavo Halls; Ajahn Brahm moving from one hall to another so the entire audience sees him. Each hall will be equipped with audio and video presentation. The first address: Copying with life transitions and emotional challenges, is designed for all, age notwithstanding, offering wisdom and practical insights for a fulfilling life. The last time he spoke to the public 5000 plus people were comfortably accommodated at the BMICH.

The second address: The art of meaningful life, is a special session for teens and young adults, addressing key challenges faced by them in today’s fast-paced, competitive world. This will be translated from English to Sinhala by Ven Damita Thera.

Exclusive Forums

On Saturday, May 17, 2025, two exclusive forums were held at the BMICH Committee Room, Jasmine Hall. The first session had eighty invited Sri Lankan academics and scientists engaged in research on meditation at the Centre for Meditation Research of the University of Colombo. This was followed in the evening by an interactive session for a hundred invited senior professionals and business leaders, featuring a talk on leadership followed by a Q&A session.

Meditation Retreat

The most significant item on Ajahn Brahm’s programme will be a week-long meditation retreat at the Barberyn Waves Ayurveda Resort in Weligama from 18 to 24 May. Focus is on members of the Sangha. A limited number of experienced lay meditators will also have the opportunity to participate. And then Ven Ajahn Brahm will leave this country which I have heard him refer to in his videoed tapes as a country that warmly welcomes him.

Basic suggestions for meditation

Almost every night I listen to a video tape with either Ajahn Brahm or Ajahn Brahmali speaking about various aspects of the Dhamma; suttas, and practical ways to greater spirituality and of course making meditation less arduous and readily attainable. Ven Mettavihari sent me a text of a talk by Ajahn Brahm some time ago. I pick up some salient facts/hints/suggestions and include them in this article. One thing insisted on is that if one is attempting meditation to better one’s living and success in life, or to enhance concentration and so one’s job, or to avoid depression or raise one’s spirits. it is a sharp NO from both bhikkhus. Meditation should be undertaken as an essential adjunct in following the Path expounded by the Buddha to end samsaric existences.

Strongly advocated is mindfulness. “At the beginning that awareness of your body is just very superficial. When it gets strong enough by itself, you actually start to perceive tensions and tight spots in your body. You learn to relax those spots. It’s like looking at your speed gauge when driving. This gauge of mindfulness will indicate to you whether you are tensing more or getting relaxed. With the feedback given, you relax more and more until you feel really relaxed. You then start to experience what I call delight in relaxation.” And added is one of Ajahn Brahm’s typical examples –tongue in cheek perhaps, but sharply apt. “People spend thousands of dollars going to Bali to sit on a chair near the ocean and get relaxed. But you achieve this with no hassle of airports, flight delays, losing baggage and great spending – in meditation.”

“Experiencing delight the mind wants more, so you relax to the max until your body feels continuous delight. The duration of your delight varies, depending on situation, time of year, day, your well-being. So no fixed rules; you adapt. That’s what mindfulness does; gives you feedback and you relax.”

He then deals with obstacles like an unfortunate incident that morning, or someone being nasty to you. “You find it difficult to get the ache out of your body, just saying ‘get out’ will not help. You have to deal with this, tend it, care for your mind and with kindness, induce relaxation. The body will relax, the mind will follow. Awareness is not enough, we need to add these other wonderful qualities: compassion, kindness, softness.

“When you are kind to something, you find there is a softening. If it is a memory of the past, kindness will soften your mind and the hurt or pain or resentment will vanish. In the same way you may be worried about the future. Maybe your biopsy result will be given you the next day or your kid is facing a tough exam which affects his future. You cannot force the thought out of your mind nor not take notice. Accept it and like an ache in the body, loosen it. Be kind to your mind dwelling on the future, soften it and the pain too will disappear.”

We who try to meditate know how thoughts come to the mind and upset our relaxation and one-pointedness. Ajahn Brahm advices getting away from past and present by relaxing and dwelling in the present moment. “As I say, be a friend to the present moment. Don’t be an owner, controller, boss. Don’t be a mind control freak. Be a friend, have a relationship of friendliness with your mental world, you’ve lived with it your whole life.”

He then touches on the Buddhist concept of rebirth and suggests we have gone through many lives with this same mind. So we are stuck with our minds. Thus we’d better learn to be kind to it, no escape from the mind. This was a concept that came to me worded simply by Ajahn Brahmali who says when we die we take our minds with us to the next birth. We’ve been told we take the chuthi sitha, which Sampath the three wheeler driver who spins me around explains as – chuthi means leaves. Using the term ‘mind departing’ explains rebirth in a friendlier manner.

Ajahn Brahm is considerate too about our human frailties. He advises: “If you want to adjust your body, wiggle your bottom, have a scratch, a nose blow, please do it out of respect for your bodily peace. Once that coarse relaxation of the body through bodily movement is complete, now relax the body even further. If you feel any tension or irritation, be fully aware of it. Do not try to get rid of it. Like a barking dog if you try to chase it, it will come at you and bite! By watching the dial of mindfulness, you’ll find it is kindness, love, acceptance, embracing, caring which relaxes your body deeper and deeper. Just as a mother comforts her child when it is sick and takes away the pain, be aware of the delight of relaxation.”

“All the problems of the past or the future, be kind to them, soften them. See if you can do the same with your mental world, relaxing it until all that is left is this moment called now. Look at it as your best friend. Don’t try to hold this moment with force, don’t use will power, use kindness.”

I am sure you reader will agree it all sounds very easy while meditation is not easy. The crux of Ajahn Brahm’s advice is to make it as easy and pleasurable as possible and the key is relaxation of both body and mind. Also metta (loving kindness) and karuna (compassion). All is not suffering. Meditation brings joy; finally release from unsatisfactoriness and end of samsaric rebirths.

So far, in Sri Lanka at least, Buddhists have been concentrating more on rites and rituals; worship in temples and relics. Enough of this ‘old Buddhism.’ Here in the preaching of Ajahn Brahm and our own monks, is what we really need to do: follow the Buddha’s teaching and get on the Path he showed all humanity, which leads ultimately to deliverance from suffering.