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How to Sit Longer in Meditation
Aug 20, 2025
Introduction Many people are interested in learning how they can increase their sitting time. They ask:
Bhante, what kind of exercises can I do? What stretches can I do in order to sit longer?
Actually, the main reason you can’t sit for long periods is not because of the body. Instead, it’s because you don’t have concentration.
The problem is not the posture — the problem is the mind.
You need to focus on the quality of concentration, rather than how long you can sit. This is the most important thing. When you have concentration, you will naturally be able to sit longer and longer. To prove the point, how long can you sit in a chair meditating compared to how long you can sit in a chair watching a movie or doing your desk work? You can probably sit longer at a desk because you are focusing your mind.
read moreChoosing Your Awareness With Selective Attention
Feb 14, 2025
Training the Mind to not notice things: It seems strange that mindfulness would be used to not notice things. However, there’s a famous psychological experiment—one that’s only 1 minute and 21 seconds long—that has surprised people for years. I won’t spoil it for you, but if you haven’t seen it yet, watch it first and let me know how many times the ball was passed by the players wearing the white shirts:
read morePa-Auk Forest Monastery and Pa-Auk Sayadaw Shared Names
Jan 28, 2021
Pa-Auk Main Gate (cc-by-sa)
Pa-Auk Forest Monastery and Pa-Auk Sayadaw share the same names. Why is that?
Some people might question why Pa-Auk Forest Monastery and Venerable Pa-Auk Sayadaw have the same names. Did the Pa-Auk Sayadaw name his monastery after himself to immortalize his name? Is this an ego trip? What is the who, what, were, when, why, and how of this story?
Who? Venerable Pa-Auk Sayadawgyi (cc-by-sa)
Venerable Pa-Auk Sayadaw’s real name is Sayadaw U Āciṇṇa. It means “habitual kamma” in the Pāḷi Language. If you ever meet him and know how he acts, you will see that he lives up to his name. He is very predictable because he does everything systematically according to the dhamma on a habitual basis. It is not polite to call a sayadaw by his Pāḷi name if he is given such a title. Likewise, when speaking to him, you would just simply address him as Sayadawgyi (big sayadaw). In my days, we just called him “Sayadaw.” However, after some time, many teachers became of age and also became “sayadaws” too. That was when he became known as “Sayadawagyi.”
read moreAjahn Brahm's Dark Jhāna
Nov 19, 2020
Does Ajahn Brahm Jhāna Have a Nimitta? Ajahn Brahm (“Ajahn Brahmavamso”) teaches about a samādhi nimitta. However, during jhāna, he says that there is no perception of light. He says that “The nimitta is the gateway to jhāna, but not the object of jhāna itself. Pīti or sukha are the objects of jhāna”.
If you follow Ajahn Brahm, this article will help you follow his teachings better. If you follow another method, this article will help you distinguish the difference. Ajahn Brahm’s method does not follow the commentary texts of classical Buddhism, and Ajahn Brahm is quite open about his non-belief in such texts. If there is anything wrongly said about his method, please have the monastery of Ajahn Brahm contact me, or provide source references from recordings or books. Update: Nothing has been said since first published on November 19th, 2020.
read moreThe Mantra of Loving-Kindness
Apr 20, 2020
This video is an instruction on how to practice loving-kindness meditation. The simplest way is to repeat the Loving-Kindness phrases (mantras). The discussion goes into the details. I hope you enjoy this.
May you be happy!
May you be happy!
May you be happy!
https://youtu.be/GLDYNRdDKCE
Repeat “May I be happy” over and over again (in your mind) until the timer goes off.
Repeat “May you be happy” over and over again (in your mind) until the timer goes off.
read moreWalking Meditation Inside The Home
Mar 23, 2020
There are many people who are inside their homes, so I thought it would be good to make a small 10 minute video on how to do basic walking meditation inside the home. Here it is.
https://youtu.be/e1MCuTxcf7A
read moreInterview: Monk Meditates for 24 Hours
Aug 4, 2019
Downloaded from https://www.needpix.com
Interview 1 of 2 Note: Some edits have been made afterwards to make things clear or to protect the anonymity of people.
I am sitting here now with one anonymous monk. He has sat for more than 24 hours in 4th jhāna and I wanted to interview him anonymously to inspire others. So we are here with Bhante (Note: All monks can be called “Bhante”).
I want to ask a few questions. First is…. You are quite senior and I don’t think you were successful before in meditation. So what did you do in your early years? Did you study? Did you do try meditation, and what type of meditation did you do before to prepare for this? Are you fluent in Pāḷi? Can you elaborate on this?
read moreMeditation or Religious Visas
Jul 23, 2019
New Update and Summary: Myanmar Visas in the USA now only take 4 business days (It used to be of 3 Months). See Religious Visa application for USA Embassy: http://www.mewashingtondc.org/sites/default/files/pdf/visa/Religious-Visa-Forms.pdf Visa cost is $50 valid for 3 months (arrive before 3 months) and stay permit of 70 days Sponsor letter, Payment, application form, work history, and passport are needed. Verify all of this at the Myanmar Embassy in DC at +1 202-238-9332 http://www.mewashingtondc.org/content/visa-and-permanent-residency What Is a Meditation Visa? Many people are not aware that there is a thing called a Meditation or Religious visa. This visa is renewable and allows one to stay for longer than the 30 days a tourist visa allows. Tourist visas are not renewable. If you would like to meditate for more than 30 days, a meditation visa is the way to go. Otherwise, a tourist e-visa is more appropriate. Follow the link here for a tourist e-visa and don’t go to any other place. The rest are third party sites trying to make money off of your ignorance. If you Google Myanmar Visa, you will get lost by all of the advertisement that pay Google to pop up first. If you forget the link or this post, remember to Google Myanmar Embassy. Google will hopefully automatically know your location and pick the right one for you.
read moreFingernail Meditation
Jan 1, 2019
 as a subject of meditation. Although this has probably never been taught before by anyone as a standalone meditation subject, it is a subsection of a meditation instruction that all monks are given on their ordination day. That is called, “The First Five Body Parts,” Yes, it is that well known, but rarely ever or even never taught. However, you might think, “Only a subsection, why not practice the whole thing?”
read moreFree 10-Day Meditation Course
Nov 15, 2018
I often recommend a free 10-day vipassana meditation course found at https://dhamma.org . Is it possible that there would be a 10-day meditation retreat that gives you food and lodging for free? Not only that, but would they refuse to accept money prior to taking such a 10-day meditation course? Is that possible? Of course it is possible! You see, they refuse to accept payments before you attend the course but allow you to donate for the next group after you finish. You may donate any amount or nothing at all and still come back for another visit next time. In this way, you are attending the course supported from the gifts of others, and you are helping the next group of students. You never pay for yourself and that is what is so beautiful about this system. S.N Goenka says that when someone pays for you, you only have gratitude. This is why you never pay for yourself.
read moreMP3 of Princeville Dhamma Talk September 2, 2018
Sep 3, 2018
mp3 Dhamma Talk September 2, 2018 Another mp3 recording of a happy Guided meditation and discussion at Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii. Expect about 35 minutes discussion, 40 minutes of guided meditation. Topics included discussion on samadhi, chanting of the loving-kindness sutta, anapana guided meditation, loving-kindness guided meditation.
For those who missed it and want to hear, here it is. It is best to use head/ear-phones to improve clarity. 128 kb/s
You may download the MP3 here
read moreDhamma Talk Princeville August 19 2018
Aug 20, 2018
Image not found.
With only 5 minutes left before we were supposed to start, the security guard told us that someone else had the room booked and we would need to move to a smaller amd inferior room. It was a mistake on their part, and while I did ask to see the schedule book, I opted out because we were running out of time and needed to setup the room again. It was disturbing and noisy, but we had to make the best of it. During the process of being notified and moving our setup I said a few times, “I am a monk and we need to be passive……We are Buddhists and need to be passive.” I ended up speaking on a topic related to such an event. In the end we were right and the other group that took the room apologized to me. However, we did the right thing and represented The Buddha the correct way. Before we meditated, I coached them on how to meditate when noises are in the room. Had we refused to move there would be “no enjoyment” of our gains. The next time something happens to you like this, remember how a monk should act. We lost the room but in the end, the purpose was to lean about peace.
read moreThe Concept in Breath Meditation
Jun 10, 2018
The Concept in Breath Meditation The concept of the breath as it is used in meditation is not well understood. We will discuss this matter in this small article. There are many methods concerned with the breath, but The Ancient Theravāda Commentaries say that one should focus at one area above the upper lip and at the exit of the nostrils. However, if one just limited himself to that one single method, things can still get complicated.
read moreA Tale of Love and Samādhi Explained: A'capella Inertia
Feb 10, 2018
A Tale of Love and Samādhi Explained: A’capella Inertia A little Valentines story for all of you. The topside title is just a description of what the story is generally about. However, the real title of the story is called, “A’capella Inertia.” This is not a short one, but I think you will like this one very much. It has received high marks and it will take about 30 minutes to read. Those who have successfully subscribed to the blog should already have this formatted story in their email inbox for offline reading. Written in my verbose yet lucid story telling style with a few usual side tracks in between, it tells the story of the first time I fell in love while the end of the story explains why I have decided to write it down as a monk for the general public. In short, there are similar meditation experiences that one can have like the one mentioned in this story. However, this particular “meditative” experience does not happen often no matter how hard you try. You just sort of “fall” into it. Meditation is recommended instead because it is more reliable, sustainable, repeatable, and perhaps, easier to live with. So, here is the story.
read moreMaymo Pa-Auk (Pyin Oo Lwin)
May 24, 2017
Drone View. A Brief Return to Pa-Auk Maymyo (pyin oo lwin).
In 2012 I had left my home at Nauyana, Sri Lanka to reconnect with my teacher Pa-Auk Saydawgyi in his spank’in new meditation center. It was built by a Myanmar Billionaire, and was still being finished as we were coming to the grand opening retreat.
The climate was nice and cool and the food was exceptional. However one of the faults was that it was really close to a major road, in a spot where the truck shift gears and accelerate. They can be very loud and the sounds bounce off of the walls of the village lined kuties (monk houses). When I saw Sayadawgyi he asked me what I thought of the new place. I said that every monastery has its faults but it is overall really good. Then I told him, “If anyone ever offers you more land, buy the land on this side of your kuti.” His kuti was quite far from the road, and “this side” was further away from the road. He said, “Who will be the donor?” and I didn’t know, but I continued.. “If anybody offers more land, tell them this side.”
read moreMake The Best Free Meditation Seat: The Samadhi-Sausage
Aug 26, 2016
Download Free A4 format PDF
Download Free A5 format PDF
Tutorial on How to Sit Many times I have given advice to yogis on how to sit properly and I have received raving success. In fact, I asked one fellow student to model for the pictures you will see in this article and he was absolutely amazed at how comfortable he was as soon as he sat down. He spoke loudly with joy and excitement as soon as he was seated in the Samādhi-Sausage, which prompted other people to peek inside the room to see what all of the commotion was about. This document is long. The short answer is to roll up a blanket and curve it around your body as shown below. However, the rest of the document gives a full explanation on how it works so you are able to make the perfect seat, sit in it properly, and modify it for your own needs. (Note: The shirt was raised up and tied to reveal his posture and it is not normal for him to be like that!)
read moreLicense to Spill (Myanmar Thingyan, New Year)
Apr 13, 2016
In the eight plus years that I have lived in Myanmar, I have never seen the Thingyan Water Festival festivities happening in the street. I normally spend my time in the monastery and normally, if I went on alms, it would be early in the morning. However, our Kyownpine monastery goes out on alms round a little later so we can collect real food to actually eat a little bit easier (so the donors have time to cook). Because of this, I was able to see the “License to Spill” in action for first time.
read moreBagan Slideshow
Mar 18, 2016
Here is a video slideshow of my Bagan trip. We had scheduled 8 full days to travel around, and mostly on foot. We had a limited budget and it was a real joy. Basically, the less transportation you have, the more you can take in. However, you need time to do that. Ven Pannyagavesaka went with me. He likes to take pictures and I like to wander around. It was a good match. Many thanks for Sandeep who sponsored the bus tickets and anything else we needed and Snow and Sai wunna for providing transport fees. We did use some taxis, but it was limited according to our wish and travel style.
read moreBack in Myanmar Headed to Pa-Auk Meditation Center
Dec 11, 2015
From the pamc lookout. I am back in Myanmar from Kauai, Hawaii. I will begin the Bus trip to Pa-Auk Meditation Center this morning. What a long transit back that was. Here is a picture taken from Pa-Auk Lookout point that friends and I had fun taking a while back. I will begin the Bus trip to Pa-Auk Meditation Center this morning.
read moreThe Blue Room Session and Update
Dec 4, 2015
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Last week we encountered a disturbing event while we were going for Alms in village in Kauai. There was a lady on a bicycle who approached us and asked us what we were doing. Her tone of voice was not so happy, but we enjoy telling people what we are doing because it does not happen so often and that is one of our goals when we stand in front of each house. So I replied with my canned response, mentally noting the cross around her neck by saying, “We are Buddhist monks, and we do not touch money. We are doing many things and one of those things we do is to collect food for our daily meal.” I usually then start to tell them about how we are wishing loving kindness to each house to keep our minds’ pure while we are waiting for people to figure the food thing out. However, this lady started to butt in with negative comments, like ,“Why don’t you get a job?” When I told her “spiritual practice” was our job. She sarcastically replied, “Oh, now isn’t that convenient?”
read moreIt's Only Half The Story
Nov 14, 2015
Yesterday, I had spoken about how someone took our pictures and who said something like, “I just wanted to tell you (her hand was now over her heart) how much …what you do means to me. I really want to thank you for what you are doing!”
She drove off in her electric car that sounded like a vacuum cleaner. A few moments later, the same vacuum cleaner showed up again, and then she asked if she could take our picture. We said, “No problem.” And then she did not hear us correctly, so we needed to repeat that it was OK. We posed for her, but she asked us to turn around so she could snap a picture of us in action. So, we turned around and started wishing loving kindness to the same house again. Loving kindness has no limits.
read moreNew Dhamma Talk November 28
Nov 12, 2015
This might be the last Dhamma Talk for Kauai.???? [ to YouTube, thanks to a wonderful Bhante who helped me upload it from the DVD Version. All other versions are made from the Vcd except for a failed upload from a friend of a donor. Help give this one the rankings over the others because 1) It is better quality 2) there are no ads
read moreA Useful Quote from "Free Spirit"
Oct 15, 2015
[ made this flyer for our new location. There was a request to move to Kapaa which is more central. Golden Lotus seems like a nice place and they have cushions and chairs available.
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The talk will be a series on the Sutta. This talk covered the introductory verses.
The files are unedited and the breaks are recorded. Feel free to edit and resend them to me.
read moreUnedited Kauai talk August
Sep 21, 2015
Here is an unedited file from the dhamma talk I gave. The first section on Loving kindness is missing. Soon I will add the first talk which has a similar first section.
The two hours consists of:
Chanting and loving kindness meditation
5 minute break
An introduction and general overview of the Sabbasava Sutta.
5 minute break
A brief meditation session, followed by Q/A and sharing of merit.
The talk can be downloaded Here.
read moreInclination for Meditation
Aug 17, 2015
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