Ajahn Sona

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Dhamma talks given by Venerable Ajahn Sona, the Abbot of Birken Forest Buddhist Monastery, Canada.
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Published 2021-05-09

Virtual Metta Retreat: Teatime (9) with Ajahn Sona

56 min
Open

Teatime at Birken (9 of 9) streamed live as part of the Virtual Metta Retreat (December 23-31, 2020).

Index of questions: 
00:00 - Welcome
00:30 - How does one practice Loving-kindness when entangled with unskillful people?
09:12 - In the past, I used to end my sittings with a smile and start to laugh. Is this “laughing-kindness” like “Loving-kindness”?
11:41 - In a Jataka story, the Bodhisatta practices patience (Khanti). Isn’t it a practice of Loving-kindness as well?
15:34 - What strategies can we undertake to keep from getting overwhelmed beyond one’s capacities for Loving-kindness?
20:53 - As a psychotherapist, how can I express to patients, family, etc, that I am not available for periods of time?
27:01 - Please explain how something persisting through many lifetimes, carrying the kamma from many lifetimes, is separate and distinct from an idea of a self?
35:14 - What thoughts, feelings and wishes are appropriate when seeing a dead animal on the street?
37:47 - How does eating meat relate to Loving-kindness towards animals?
43:50 - When I am in a rush and time pressure,  it is hard to sustain Metta. Any advice?
48:34 - Can you speak to balancing our own inner wisdom with that of outside voices (teachers, etc)?
51:55 - Any advice in keeping Metta that we’ve cultivated  in daily life after the retreat?

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Published 2021-05-08

Virtual Metta Retreat: Teatime (8) with Ajahn Sona

58 min
Open

Teatime at Birken (8 of 9) streamed live as part of the Virtual Metta Retreat (December 23-31, 2020).

Index of questions: 
00:00 - Welcome
00:32 - Beings in nature are inevitably food for other beings, so how does sending Loving-kindness fit in with the food chain?
05:02 - What do monks do when they are having ongoing health problems?
10:59 - How does Metta practice relate to the compilation of death?
15:09 - Sometimes Metta fades and it’s tiring to keep generating it. Any suggestions?
20:11 - Do people get benefits in chanting a sutta (say, in Pali) without knowing it’s meaning?
25:41 - When in an urban environment I try to take negative thoughts that arise from sights and sounds and turn them into positive ones. Am I fooling myself?
30:56 - Why is it that positive or negative emotions put into the universe come back amplified?
38:15 - Can chanting the Metta Sutta act as good kindling for getting Metta started?
40:53 - Having survived trauma, sometimes fear arises during meditation. Does one stop meditating or keep going?
44:46 - Can you clarify the difference between the physical sensation of pain and the concept of dukkha?
48:04 - I have an end of life directive. What would the Buddha say? I don’t want family to be left with bad kamma resulting from that.
52:44 - Can you explain what to observe in our dreams to see how much Metta has penetrated?

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Published 2021-05-07

Virtual Metta Retreat: Teatime (7) with Ajahn Sona

56 min
Open

Teatime at Birken (7 of 9) streamed live as part of the Virtual Metta Retreat (December 23-31, 2020).

Index of questions:
00:00 - Welcome
00:20 - How does one get the right balance between breath meditation and Metta practice?
07:35 - How does kamma relate to past actions? What releases us from negative past actions and corresponding results?
19:00 - How does one balance retreating from the world when opportunities arise to make active contributions in the world?
24:02 - How do we expand small generations of Metta into longer lengths of experience?
28:37 - Is it possible to take a Metta speed boat all the way to sotapatti?
33:03 - The suggestion to euthanize a sick pet is in conflict with our Buddhist upbringing. Is it a lack of, or abundance of Loving-kindness when a vet gives such advice in a cool manner?
44:49 - When one sees killing in nature, say, a lizard catching a fly for its meal, does one intercede?
48:19 - Does anger arise for enlightened beings?
53:07 - How to recapture feelings of past Loving-kindness when experiencing present difficulties?

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Published 2021-05-06

Virtual Metta Retreat: Teatime (6) with Ajahn Sona

56 min
Open

Teatime at Birken (6 of 9) streamed live as part of the Virtual Metta Retreat (December 23-31, 2020).

Index of questions:
00:00 - Welcome
00:28 - Can Metta protect one from greed and sense desires?
10:54 - How can one be “a graceful receiver” in a relationship, rather than the giving end?
21:04 - Is there a way to cultivate Metta without words?
24:52 - Does Loving-kindness require vulnerability and forgiveness for oneself and others?  
27:33 - You’ve said that one should not be guilty for past unskillful actions because one is no longer that person. If one takes this stance but continues to do the same unskillful actions after vowing to do better, is that failed right effort?
38:49 - My mind is craving for Loving-kindness that isn’t present. Is that craving an impediment?
42:20 - How does one not fail to achieve Nibanna through Loving-kindness? And, how does one achieve Jhana through Loving-kindness?
45:37 - How can one cultivate relaxed safety when confronted with overwhelming bodily discomfort?
50:05 - Can you talk about gratitude from a Buddhist prospective?

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Published 2021-05-05

Virtual Metta Retreat: Teatime (5) with Ajahn Sona

56 min
Open

Teatime at Birken (5 of 9) streamed live as part of the Virtual Metta Retreat (December 23-31, 2020).

Index of questions:
00:00 - Welcome
00:23 - Does Metta include patiently bearing with the unpleasant?
07:34 - Can you speak of Metta towards objects or natural elements? Like, towards snow.
16:18 - What is the middle way in cultivating Metta powerfully without trying to force it?
22:24 - Do you need to be a Buddhist to recieve or radiate Metta? Does speaking Pali help?  
26:31 - Previously you said that one has a better chance with Metta knowing it is a component of the Eightfold Path. Can you say more?
28:40 - I love being happy but don’t want to brush off my broken heart. What do you suggest?
32:07 - Do you have an example of a misused application of metta which we should avoid?  
35:18 - Can you comment on spiritual conceit?
41:32 - What is the need to lead a virtuous life and what does trying to do this give us?
48:30 - Given all the horrors of the world, should we use our time and energy to make it a better place?
52:13 - How does one become consistent in the recollection of one’s good actions?

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Published 2021-05-04

Virtual Metta Retreat: Teatime (4) with Ajahn Sona

51 min
Open

Teatime at Birken (4 of 9) streamed live as part of the Virtual Metta Retreat (December 23-31, 2020).

Index of questions: 
00:00 - Welcome
00:33 - Which requires greater effort - overcoming bodily or mental unpleasant feelings?
10:33 - How do we give meaning to Loving-kindness as kusala-kriya - skillfully moving towards the ultimate release of suffering?
23:05 - Could it be that the pandemic has brought good conditions for the development of Metta?
32:53 - Can Metta lead to the Jhanas and Enlightenment?
37:15 - How can I hold my contentment with simplicity and not question it when others ask “what did you do today”?
43:59 - How much needs to be put into Metta practice to overcome our automatic emotional reactions?
48:07 - What does ‘Vande’ mean - from the ‘Buddham Vande’ chant?

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Published 2021-05-03

Virtual Metta Retreat: Teatime (3) with Ajahn Sona

52 min
Open

Teatime at Birken (3 of 9) streamed live as part of the Virtual Metta Retreat (December 23-31, 2020).

Index of questions: 
00:00 - Welcome
00:36 - Did the Buddha teach Metta in the same structured approach as taught by lay retreat teachers?
08:46 - Is a sweet feeling in the middle of the chest a natural response when cultivating Metta?
16:30 - How do you work with joy and energy when they get in the way of sleep?  
19:30 - How does Metta transform perception?
29:27 - Can the notion of a Bodhisattva be understood within the Theravada tradition?
38:20 - How to overcome reacting with fear or anger to disagreeable events in the world?  
43:49 -  Can you comment on the experience of being “in sync” as the practice of Metta deepens?
47:08 - How does one sustain personal goals when outside of the realm of Loving-kindness?
50:47 - How can I tell when I am generating Metta towards myself vs ego self protection?

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Published 2021-05-02

Virtual Metta Retreat: Teatime (2) with Ajahn Sona

60 min
Open

Teatime at Birken (2 of 9) streamed live as part of the Virtual Metta Retreat (December 23-31, 2020).

Index of questions: 
00:00 - Welcome
00:41 - When using Metta to induce a sense of safety, images arise of the possibility of not being safe. How to best work with this?
11:01 - Of the Four Divine Abidings, is Metta the most important for our daily lives?
23:03 - How can one skillfully relate to remorse over harmful speech done in the past?
29:09 - How does one get to an embodied experience of Metta wherever one is? How is Metta seen as a concentration practice?
34:23 - What role does Loving-kindness play in death and dying? 41:47 - How is the guided Metta session used to develop Loving-kindness?
44:57 - How does one find their way into Metta while experiencing physical pain?
48:28 - Should I contemplate the Dhamma talk during meditation, or keep the mind clear and contemplate after the sitting?
51:07 - What kind of self-talk pattern is needed when I need to be kind to myself?
57:00 - Should one practice body self-acceptance and then move on to loving oneself? Can one love themselves too much?

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Published 2021-05-01

Virtual Metta Retreat: Teatime (1) with Ajahn Sona

58 min
Open

Edited HD version of Teatime at Birken (1 of 9) streamed live as part of the Virtual Metta Retreat (December 23-31, 2020).

Index of questions:
00:00 - Welcome
01:57 -  What is the relationship between Metta and the Seven Factors of Enlightenment?
06:02 - As Metta arises in the body, what sensations arise as a result?
18:15 - Is the development of good ethics (Sila) the foundation for generating Metta?
26:20 - When on this Metta cruise on the canoe, is it OK if I want to be on a yacht as well?
32:13 - The mind resists going into Metta and it got worse when kids came along. How can I work to become a more loving and kind person to my children?
39:09 - How do I make negative emotions be absent through the practice of Metta?
44:56 - In the 8th Precept, why do we refrain from lying on a high or luxurious sleeping place?  
48:55 - Any advice for keeping and not forgetting the Metta feeling once you’ve found it?
54:03 - What is the relationship between Loving-kindness and the Four Noble Truths?
56:10 - Is there too much goodwill that would put one at risk, for example, from being scammed?

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Published 2020-06-23

Equanimity in the Time of the Pandemic

47 min
Open

Dhamma talk and Q&A offered by Ajahn Sona during a live stream event by invitation of the Council of Thai Bhikkhus in the USA.  Streamed June 20, 2020.

Questions asked during the Q&A:

1) How do we find equanimity during this time when we are seeing so much injustice, inequity and inequality?
2) How can we carry any calm and stillness that we have developed during the pandemic, once the pandemic is over?
3) How do we build our bank account of unconditional love, lovingkindness, Metta, and Karuna?
4) How do we remain mindful and equanimous when we are bombarded with so much negative news that causes anxiety and depression?

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Published 2018-10-29

Jataka Stories (3) - The Acrobats

28 min
Open
This is an ongoing series with Jataka stories told by Margo McLoughlin. Jatakas are native to India and belong to the first Buddhist literature concerning the previous births of the Buddha in both human and animal form. The Acrobats (Citta-Sambhuta-Jataka) is Jataka no. 498 in the six-volume series of translations edited by E. B. Cowell. Margo translated and adapted this story. Margo McLoughlin is a storyteller, writer and teacher, based in Victoria, on the west coast of Canada. While on staff at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, Margo began studying Pali, the language of the earliest Buddhist teachings. For the past twenty years she has been translating, adapting and performing the Jataka tales and other stories from the Buddhist tradition. For more about Margo, please visit: margostoryteller.net.
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Published 2018-10-15

Buddhist Legends: The Weaver's Daughter

25 min
Open
This is an ongoing series with Jataka stories and Buddhist legends told by Margo McLoughlin. The Jataka tales relate the previous births of the Buddha in both human and animal form. The Buddhist Legends recount miraculous events from the life of the Buddha following his enlightenment. Each story includes a verse from the Dhammapada, a popular collection of sayings of the Buddha. The legends are considered part of the commentarial literature. At the beginning of "The Legend of the Weaver's Daughter," the Buddha gives a teaching on the importance of practicing mindfulness of death. A young woman hears the Buddha's instructions and takes them to heart, practicing diligently for three years. Margo has translated and expanded this story. Margo McLoughlin is a storyteller, writer and teacher, based in Victoria, on the west coast of Canada. While on staff at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, Margo began studying Pali, the language of the earliest Buddhist teachings. For the past twenty years she has been translating, adapting and performing the Jataka tales and other stories from the Buddhist tradition. For more about Margo, please visit: margostoryteller.net.
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Published 2018-09-25

Jataka Stories: The Antelope Birth

14 min
Open
This is an ongoing series with Jataka stories told by Margo McLoughlin. Jatakas are native to India and belong to the first Buddhist literature concerning the previous births of the Buddha in both human and animal form. The second story in the series is The Antelope Birth (Kurunga Miga Jātaka), which is Jataka No. 206 in the six-volume series of English translations edited by E. B. Cowell. Margo translated this story from Pali and retells it with a few Pali words included. Her version is published in The Giving Heart: Folktales for Exploring Generosity, available through her website, margostoryteller.net.
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Published 2018-09-06

Jataka Stories: The Crow Birth

12 min
Open
This is an ongoing series with Jataka stories told by Margo McLoughlin. Jatakas are native to India and belong to the first Buddhist literature concerning the previous births of the Buddha in both human and animal form. The first story in our series, The Crow Birth (Kāka-Jātaka) is Jataka no. 140 in the seven-volume series of translations, edited by E. B. Cowell. Margo translated and adapted this story. Her version is published in The Giving Heart: Folktales for Exploring Generosity, available through margostoryteller.net. Margo McLoughlin is a storyteller, writer and teacher, based in Victoria, on the west coast of Canada. While on staff at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, Margo began studying Pali, the language of the earliest Buddhist teachings. For the past twenty years she has been translating, adapting and performing the Jataka tales and other stories from the Buddhist tradition. For more about Margo, please visit: margostoryteller.net.
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Published 2018-09-06

My Life, My Practice - Margo McLoughlin

31 min
Open
My Life, My Practice is a continuing series of interviews with Ajahn Sona and longtime Buddhist practitioners, both monastics and laypeople, to discover what brought them to and keeps them on the Buddhist path. In this interview, meet Margo McLoughlin, the Jataka story teller. |*| Jataka Stories: https://youtu.be/AWtzr8Qa8wI
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