Ajahn Sona Q & A Directory



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What Sutta's and books does Ajahn recommend for essential or further study on Jhāna's and breath meditation? ** Suttas - Vimuttimagga http://urbandharma.org/pdf1/Path_of_Freedom_Vimuttimagga.pdf - The Mystery of the Breath Nimitta - Ajahn Sona https://birken.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Ajahn-Sona-The-Mystery-of-the-Breath-Nimitta.pdf
https://youtu.be/3_FA0Ct7xWA?t=155s

In the past, Ajahn used the phrase "Unstimulated Silence". What does Ajahn mean by this phrase? is this the silence that arises with Jhāna?
https://youtu.be/3_FA0Ct7xWA?t=445s

I am wondering if one can hear sounds in the first Jhāna. Seems like there are different opinions on the matter.
https://youtu.be/3_FA0Ct7xWA?t=600s

After reaching sustained sukha for a time, then, sloth and torpor arise. Not aware it has entered. How not to fall in to sloth and torpor at this point?
https://youtu.be/3_FA0Ct7xWA?t=856s

Is it okay if I am not very interested in Jhāna and just want to work on becoming more peaceful? Why is there so much fuss about the Jhāna ?
https://youtu.be/3_FA0Ct7xWA?t=1080s

After strong joy, I lose connection to the breath. Going back to the breath feels like I am pushing my hand into a glass of water and the water pushes back. Direction, please _/\_
https://youtu.be/3_FA0Ct7xWA?t=1331s

Could Ajahn please discuss how to sustain and deepen Jhāna.
https://youtu.be/3_FA0Ct7xWA?t=1534s

This icon of the lines circling the moon. Reminded me of a talk of Luang Ta Maha Boowa where he talked about mindfulness circling objects out on alms round. Is it like this?
https://youtu.be/3_FA0Ct7xWA?t=1860s

Could Ajahn say a bit about Bhavanga?
https://youtu.be/3_FA0Ct7xWA?t=2088s

Anapanasati pre-requisite for to Right Mindfulness practice? Can Samādhi and Vipassana be practiced at the same time? Worldly activities give more conditions for Vipassana ?
https://youtu.be/3_FA0Ct7xWA?t=2220s

Can Ajahn give the name of the sutta you mentioned about Ananpanasati Samādhi? https://suttacentral.net/sn54
https://youtu.be/3_FA0Ct7xWA?t=2472s

What does Ajahn think about the Mahasi method as being designed to not get Samādhi.
https://youtu.be/3_FA0Ct7xWA?t=2706s

In Samādhi practice we try to develop pleasure that is not dependent on the senses. The sensation of the breath is within the
https://youtu.be/3_FA0Ct7xWA?t=3098s

Finding and buying the final monastery - serendipity and good fortune
https://youtu.be/rkMMXg58Nw4?t=0s

Building Birken III - constructing the monastery, developing community
https://youtu.be/rkMMXg58Nw4?t=585s

Reaching a new audience
https://youtu.be/rkMMXg58Nw4?t=1076s

Ajahn Sona, Abbot and teacher
https://youtu.be/rkMMXg58Nw4?t=1462s

Convergence and ripening
https://youtu.be/rkMMXg58Nw4?t=2078s

Do you have anxiety dreams, or is there a point where those cease?
https://youtu.be/zayx6ynfCHY?t=476s

Working with pain during meditation?
https://youtu.be/zayx6ynfCHY?t=795s

How should we die? I’m afraid we will suffer pain at death.
https://youtu.be/zayx6ynfCHY?t=1272s

What’s the Teravada Buddhist view of determinism, free will, and its relationship to dependent origination?
https://youtu.be/zayx6ynfCHY?t=1580s

Do samsara and Nirvana arise ultimately as one blissful experience?
https://youtu.be/zayx6ynfCHY?t=1906s

How does one practice the fourth foundation of mindfulness?
https://youtu.be/zayx6ynfCHY?t=2258s

Samvega - how to tell the difference between depression or disenchantment?
https://youtu.be/zayx6ynfCHY?t=2556s

What’s the difference in results between experiencing the breath throughout the body vs single pointed at the nose or is it advisable to choose just one technique?
https://youtu.be/zayx6ynfCHY?t=2786s

Would practicing morality and generosity as a layperson lead to a good rebirth?
https://youtu.be/zayx6ynfCHY?t=3101s

Did any suttas discuss the kasinas?
https://youtu.be/zayx6ynfCHY?t=3211s

Elaborate on the distinction between vipassana and samatha
https://youtu.be/zayx6ynfCHY?t=3389s

What does it mean to be a member of the Sangha during these times of social distancing?
https://youtu.be/zayx6ynfCHY?t=3625s

Can you talk about rebirth?
https://youtu.be/zayx6ynfCHY?t=3708s

Any tips on practicing right speech?
https://youtu.be/zayx6ynfCHY?t=4031s

Can you talk about doubt and fear in one’s ability to become a member of the Sangha
https://youtu.be/zayx6ynfCHY?t=4147s

"All in on the monk life" - arrival at Wat Pah Nanachat
https://youtu.be/1CWqCYZgDyY?t=242s

Practice, food, community and the demands and challenges of the forest monk
https://youtu.be/1CWqCYZgDyY?t=638s

"Something is not enough in the West" - dedicated young monks; supportive local community
https://youtu.be/1CWqCYZgDyY?t=1076s

Encounters with wildlife; cooperating with nature
https://youtu.be/1CWqCYZgDyY?t=1155s

"An invitation" - return to Canada and establishment of the first Ajahn Chah monastery in North America
https://youtu.be/1CWqCYZgDyY?t=1644s

A community blossoms; the monastery finds growing support in Canada
https://youtu.be/1CWqCYZgDyY?t=2230s

Moving on from the shack
https://youtu.be/Y0GnV0Crq0M?t=0s

Searching for a new place
https://youtu.be/Y0GnV0Crq0M?t=219s

Finding land, securing funds
https://youtu.be/Y0GnV0Crq0M?t=583s

The first disciple
https://youtu.be/Y0GnV0Crq0M?t=996s

Life in Princeton (Birken II)
https://youtu.be/Y0GnV0Crq0M?t=1060s

The search for Birken III
https://youtu.be/Y0GnV0Crq0M?t=1692s

Stories about humans
https://youtu.be/Y0GnV0Crq0M?t=2010s

Hello Ajahn, you point out that restraint of senses is the process to glimpse Samādhi. You suggest letting go of preoccupations including family and friends. How to skillfully relate?
https://youtu.be/VBmgrGFoiKQ?t=367s

Can one access Jhāna through loving kindness meditation? If so, can one also dwell in the Jhāna using loving kindness meditation? The Four Sublime States http://www.bps.lk/olib/wh/wh006_Nyanaponika_The-Four-Sublime-States.pdf
https://youtu.be/VBmgrGFoiKQ?t=704s

"concern for future self". I see rebirth as habit energy. Could Ajahn speak a bit beyond reaching Samādhi and how this concern influences rebirth in the next moment and the next lifetime?
https://youtu.be/VBmgrGFoiKQ?t=1148s

Would Ajahn recommend practicing positive thinking as a way to suppress the bad thoughts and negative moods?
https://youtu.be/VBmgrGFoiKQ?t=1514s

When you reach Jhāna, why would it end? Is it possible to stay in Jhāna state forever? I am new to Buddhism, so apologies if this is dumb question!
https://youtu.be/VBmgrGFoiKQ?t=1712s

Dhp. 372 says "there is no Jhāna for one with no discernment". Can Ajahn talk about the role of wisdom in getting into Jhāna?
https://youtu.be/VBmgrGFoiKQ?t=1974s

What is the key for moving from a lower to a higher Jhāna (eg from first to second). I have heard "reflection on drawbacks of the lower Jhāna" but any other tips, tricks, or mechanisms?
https://youtu.be/VBmgrGFoiKQ?t=2280s

Would Ajahn speak to right and left brain differences with regard to Jhāna states? The Master and His Emissary - Iain McGilchrist
https://youtu.be/VBmgrGFoiKQ?t=2750s

How does one learn to withdraw from Jhāna at will?
https://youtu.be/VBmgrGFoiKQ?t=3152s

I want to ask about entering Jhāna. Ajahn has mentioned that entering them with metta or loving kindness, I also understand that they are to be entered with single pointed concentration. In this case, would the point of concentration be metta etc. Would metta, an inducing sensation be the focus? How would this work? What about using the breath on the lip or stomach? Would this suffice as a single point to induce Jhāna?
https://youtu.be/gv_3ScNHd0A?t=216s

Ajahn Brahm tells about a man in Jhāna who was taken to the morgue by his family because they thought he was dead. Makes it sound like a pleasure to be feared. Could you comment?
https://youtu.be/gv_3ScNHd0A?t=1203s

Why are there Jhānas? What is the goal of attaining them? Should we strive to reach all of them? I had no idea that they even existed until a few months ago.
https://youtu.be/gv_3ScNHd0A?t=1278s

Ajahn, is it possible to enter Jhāna while practicing walking meditation?
https://youtu.be/gv_3ScNHd0A?t=1962s

Can Ajahn point to the sutta that say Samādhi is better in walking compared to sitting Samādhi? Walking Meditation (AN 5.29) https://suttacentral.net/an5.29/en/sujato "....and immersion gained while walking lasts long...."
https://youtu.be/gv_3ScNHd0A?t=2420s

Do children experience the Jhāna?
https://youtu.be/gv_3ScNHd0A?t=2490s

Ajahn, after Pīti subsides, there is a feeling of neutrality, not really a feeling of joy. Is there a misstep here?
https://youtu.be/gv_3ScNHd0A?t=2759s

The sleepiness totally gone away. I was filled with energy. happiness, and pleasure. The posture suddenly became very erect and straight without effort. It was like a switch has suddenly flipped. When the session ended after three hours, there were no aches or pressure point pains on the legs. Is this a Jhāna? If so, is it the 1st or 2nd?
https://youtu.be/gv_3ScNHd0A?t=3030s

Huberman said to learn / improve one needs to concentrate on a task and then sleep afterwards. Is Samādhi like doing both at once?
https://youtu.be/gv_3ScNHd0A?t=3602s

about the man that was taken to the morgue - because family thought he was dead...
https://youtu.be/gv_3ScNHd0A?t=3768s

Can Ajahn expand on the need for silence in the physical
https://youtu.be/gv_3ScNHd0A?t=4166s

Since equanimity is central in the 4th Jhāna, would it be correct to assume that focusing mostly on equanimity as a meditation subject may not be fruitful before that stage?
https://youtu.be/eCiVxcOCrtE?t=39s

After the first Jhāna talk, I meditated and went into Jhāna but I doubted it. Yesterday you said someone can go into Jhāna after hearing a talk, how amazing is that!
https://youtu.be/eCiVxcOCrtE?t=234s

Do you think the hindrances, selves etc, gang up to block you from Jhāna? (Ajahn talks about mara)
https://youtu.be/eCiVxcOCrtE?t=496s

I had a wave of panic come up right after experiencing the pleasure of concentration, is there something that can help with this?
https://youtu.be/eCiVxcOCrtE?t=716s

During Jhāna practice, how can one cultivate joy from memory but release sense attachment to memory, leaving just joy? And, what is the relationship of gratitude to joy?
https://youtu.be/eCiVxcOCrtE?t=812s

Do you speak more about the Samyojanas? Latent hindrances. These arise in Samādhi... more subtle..
https://youtu.be/eCiVxcOCrtE?t=1201s

Would Ajahn say a Jhāna is like "getting off the bus" temporarily?
https://youtu.be/eCiVxcOCrtE?t=1470s

I've been practicing the "kneading" bath powder / bread method and been finding it highly effective. Would Ajahn be able to offer additional encouragement / reflections about this practice?
https://youtu.be/eCiVxcOCrtE?t=1618s

Is there a way to use a past experience of Samādhi or Jhāna to help bring up that mode again?
https://youtu.be/eCiVxcOCrtE?t=1903s

Some teachers discourage Jhānas, saying there is no wisdom in them, and that they can be traps, going nowhere. Could Ajahn comment?
https://youtu.be/eCiVxcOCrtE?t=2081s

Are we discouraged from discussing Jhāna's effects with other people?
https://youtu.be/eCiVxcOCrtE?t=2450s

What is the relationship between Jhāna and impermanence?
https://youtu.be/eCiVxcOCrtE?t=2637s

Would you suggest withdrawing from society as an important prerequisite to attaining Jhāna?
https://youtu.be/eCiVxcOCrtE?t=2729s

I find that when lights appear in meditation it is much easier and more joyful to use visual image of the lights to concentrate rather than the breath. Is it okay to change the subject of concentration to the lights that appear?
https://youtu.be/eCiVxcOCrtE?t=2830s

Where would you point an absolute beginner with Jhāna who knows nothing about them
https://youtu.be/eCiVxcOCrtE?t=3065s

Dhamma Talk: Equanimity & Ecological/Social Activism
https://youtu.be/GyA1FkQDxhc?t=129s

How does one sit with painful feelings and not run away to unwholesome distractions all the time?
https://youtu.be/GyA1FkQDxhc?t=1337s

Does “patient endurance as the ultimate austerity” mean just accepting your boredom and dullness until it passes?
https://youtu.be/GyA1FkQDxhc?t=1626s

One of your older talks is called “Drop the Sense of Separation”. Can you say more of what that means?
https://youtu.be/GyA1FkQDxhc?t=1804s

Should we be using our minds to focus on a better world, or should be be emptying our minds?
https://youtu.be/GyA1FkQDxhc?t=2047s

What practices can we utilize to stay healthy among the sick?
https://youtu.be/GyA1FkQDxhc?t=2253s

How do you deal with the physical pain of stress and anxiety?
https://youtu.be/GyA1FkQDxhc?t=2414s

How can we have a full diet and still care for the planet?
https://youtu.be/GyA1FkQDxhc?t=2538s

How do we not get affected when we are in a toxic situation, dealing with bullies or taking care of sick loved ones?
https://youtu.be/GyA1FkQDxhc?t=2916s

In your video about Right View, you mentioned it is about a selection of views, not about waiting for evidence. How does this fit in with the Dhamma being ehipassiko?
https://youtu.be/GyA1FkQDxhc?t=3232s

I heard you talk about sankaras as “choices” and “emotions. How should I understand sankaras as each or both of things?
https://youtu.be/GyA1FkQDxhc?t=3373s

How does one uphold the Five Precepts when a large majority of friends repeatedly break them - such as drinking and smoking?
https://youtu.be/GyA1FkQDxhc?t=3493s

I’ve told my school friends I am homosexual, and I don’t have friends left. Does Buddhism accept homosexuals?
https://youtu.be/GyA1FkQDxhc?t=3562s

Can you elaborate on people creating stories about their lives? Are there any beneficial stories?
https://youtu.be/GyA1FkQDxhc?t=3722s

I have grief over the loss of species on the planet. It seems helpful to let these feelings flow through, cry, and let go. Is there a place for tears?
https://youtu.be/GyA1FkQDxhc?t=3909s

Would you say human beings are innately peaceful and loving? Is our basic nature rooted in compassion and we lose our way, occasionally?
https://youtu.be/GyA1FkQDxhc?t=4039s

In your talk “Buddhist vs Western Psychology”, you said “we don’t deal with childhood as such.” Couldn’t it be said that childhood issues are present kamma?
https://youtu.be/GyA1FkQDxhc?t=4148s

As I am having some trouble fully grasping this concept, would you shine some light on the subject of memory and its way of functioning? Is it a discrete faculty, or is it a synergy of multiple khandhas? Or is it simply sati? “Where” is it “stored” and how is it carried from one “life” to another and how can it be accessed from the subsequent “life,” as if it was a memory of yesterday?
https://youtu.be/PLrnAnS8IxY?t=25s

Today I tried to explain the difference between the fetters (samyojanas) and the outflows (asavas), but quickly realized I didn't really have a good grasp of it. Please enlighten me!
https://youtu.be/PLrnAnS8IxY?t=657s

If I become aware of thinking, and the thought is an opinion how do I know if I truly believe the opinion? Are only some thoughts true? How do we know what we really think and feel?
https://youtu.be/PLrnAnS8IxY?t=871s

You mentioned in a video on breath meditation that I should be taking no more than four breaths per minute. This concerned me greatly, as it seems impossible. My breaths tend to be shallow and frequent, even in deep meditation. How can I shorten my breaths?
https://youtu.be/PLrnAnS8IxY?t=1208s

I've been getting good pitti and sukka, and a very peaceful mind with few thoughts in my meditations. However, there remains a lingering frustration: I never go any deeper. Any tips?
https://youtu.be/PLrnAnS8IxY?t=1742s

Did the Buddha achieve enlightenment just from breath meditation? If so... How important is metta compared to breath meditation?
https://youtu.be/PLrnAnS8IxY?t=2061s

Why do devas always fight each other?
https://youtu.be/PLrnAnS8IxY?t=2473s

In the "Ariyapariyesana Sutta" who is Brahma Sahampati? What is the significance of him asking the Buddha to teach the Dhamma to the world?
https://youtu.be/PLrnAnS8IxY?t=2698s

Could you comment on Buddhist perspectives on anxiety disorders? What advice do you have for practitioners who suffer from such problems? Professional medical help-aside, which is certainly important, I wonder if Buddhist practice itself can play a supplementary role in healing such problems?
https://youtu.be/PLrnAnS8IxY?t=3141s

I have trouble understanding what the fourth application of satipatthana (phenomena) refers to and how to interact with it. Some pointers would be appreciated.
https://youtu.be/Hf0Z0ShvSVU?t=305s

I feel a slight cognitive dissonance about doing things such as playing piano or furthering my career. I've listened to your talks where you described feeling a disenchantment with music and other worldly things, which helped you commit entirely to the spiritual life. I feel like it would be "forcing it" to suddenly drop everything and try to live as a monk, and that instead I should focus on allowing my practice to grow until the renunciation comes willingly and naturally. What are your thoughts on this?
https://youtu.be/Hf0Z0ShvSVU?t=748s

I have a question about music replaying in my mind for days. Are there skillful ways to stop this from happening? When I'm in deep concentration it stops but when I stop meditating it returns almost immediately.
https://youtu.be/Hf0Z0ShvSVU?t=1050s

After passing on, do I have a choice to reincarnate in a Buddhist family since i wish to continue being a Buddhist in my next reincarnation?
https://youtu.be/Hf0Z0ShvSVU?t=1220s

Could Ajahn please speak to the apparent conflict between the concepts of karma and anatta? How can one inherit the results of one's actions when there is no abiding self or essence?
https://youtu.be/Hf0Z0ShvSVU?t=1429s

Some have the view that the 1st jhana is a state in which all sensory input is switched off, for example one cannot feel being touched or cannot even hear sounds. However, from what I've read the Buddha never mentioned this in regards to the 1st jhana and this possibly sounds like the formless jhanas. What are your thoughts on this? Is this right or wrong view?
https://youtu.be/Hf0Z0ShvSVU?t=1754s

I'm having surgery soon and will likely be dealing with a lot of pain and discomfort in the weeks afterward. Do you have any advice, Ajahn?
https://youtu.be/Hf0Z0ShvSVU?t=2148s

What can you do when experiencing emotions that seem to come naturally such as sexual desire? Do you in a way ignore it? It seems taboo but sexual desire can affect me as much if I were to experience fear.
https://youtu.be/Hf0Z0ShvSVU?t=2317s

Can you provide guidance on engaging in the practice of celibacy for lay people as part of the gradual training (beyond Uposatha days and while on retreat)? There seem to be many examples of married couples engaging in this practice, but it is rarely taught by modern teachers.
https://youtu.be/Hf0Z0ShvSVU?t=2510s

As a lay practitioner juggling between work and family on a daily basis, I have noticed that it is quite challenging to still the mind at the beginning of a meditation session. Is it alright to begin the sitting with mindfulness of breath to calm the body and mind before transitioning to metta? The challenge is, sometimes it could take 20-30 minutes to calm both body and mind with no time left to transition to a more formal metta meditation.
https://youtu.be/Hf0Z0ShvSVU?t=2794s

I am asked to look at Buddha's image when doing the 9 attributes of Buddha meditation. I can't think that is the Buddha's image. How can I do this meditation?
https://youtu.be/Hf0Z0ShvSVU?t=2961s

Could you please explain what Emptiness or Shunyata refers to? And how do we apply Shunyata in our daily lives?
https://youtu.be/Hf0Z0ShvSVU?t=3039s

There are times of deep sadness, deeply unmotivated mood, when we see no pleasure and contentment in life. What is the best way to face all these challenges?
https://youtu.be/Hf0Z0ShvSVU?t=3351s

Please explain how the five hindrances weaken wisdom and make delusion seem like the truth.
https://youtu.be/Hf0Z0ShvSVU?t=3580s

I was wondering how to work with a nimitta once it fully arises. Do we let it pass like normal phenomena, or investigate into its nature? Annica, dukka, anatta?
https://youtu.be/sRW7DcYnbE0?t=17s

In the Channasutta it is said that venerable Channa, after suffering with chronic pain, ended his life. Later in the sutta, it is revealed that Channa slit his wrists “blamelessly”, because he laid down this body without taking up another. Does this imply that Channa was an Arahant, and if so, why would he feel compelled to end his life in the midst of great physical pain?
https://youtu.be/sRW7DcYnbE0?t=458s

To what extent could dementia undo one’s hard-won progress on the path? It seems that Dhamma would be forgotten and delusion would proliferate, but surely one’s good kamma would remain intact?
https://youtu.be/sRW7DcYnbE0?t=943s

I find it easier and more enjoyable to focus on a mantra than the breath. In your opinion, is this still a good form of practice?
https://youtu.be/sRW7DcYnbE0?t=1141s

During my last metta session of the day, my mind was completely taken away by the great love generated. At its climax, I felt like soaring to the skies and beyond, completely drenched in piti. But this sensation stopped and I found myself in a vast room, full of equanimity. It was very difficult to get back to the metta, so I stayed there. It was an imperturbable state of balance that lasted for a few hours. Does this sound like the first, second & third Jhana? If so, should I continue striving with metta beyond that point of equanimity or simply try to deepen the calm?
https://youtu.be/sRW7DcYnbE0?t=1251s

Dear Ajahn Sona, it is often discussed if human beings are free in their decisions or if there is something like a "free will". How much freedom do we have according to Buddhism in our choices? What role does kamma play? And does the degree of freedom change as we develop on the path?
https://youtu.be/sRW7DcYnbE0?t=1542s

I am curious about the relationship between antidepressants and kamma. My understanding is that they can be beneficial but limited as they leave one's underlying tendencies untouched. Thoughts?
https://youtu.be/sRW7DcYnbE0?t=1885s

Ajahn Sona, how do I work with heart-felt romantic feelings I have for a friend and still remain friends? Is that possible? And is there a lot of ego or self in this dynamic?
https://youtu.be/sRW7DcYnbE0?t=2029s

Once someone implements a meditation routine, is it ever necessary to take a break to avoid meditating "too much," or do breaks defeat what we are trying to accomplish?
https://youtu.be/sRW7DcYnbE0?t=2162s

Dear Ajahn, I am wondering if you are familiar with the book "Focused and Fearless" by Shaila Catherine? If so, what is your sense of this book as a guide in developing samadhi practice?
https://youtu.be/sRW7DcYnbE0?t=2422s

Would you offer any advice or warnings to a long-time lay hermit, drunk on serenity and aloneness?
https://youtu.be/sRW7DcYnbE0?t=2957s


https://youtu.be/sRW7DcYnbE0?t=3126s

What advice would you give to someone who is attached to helping others and being needed? In my work I am expected to assist others and their emotional lives, yet sometimes a tiny flash of anger appears when I discover my help is not really needed. I’ve discovered that my ego seems tied up in how well I can help even though the situation is not about myself. Help?
https://youtu.be/IHfOakYVIfU?t=20s

Does the mind require a body for its survival and to attain Nibbana?
https://youtu.be/IHfOakYVIfU?t=287s

Dear Ajahn, some Dhamma teachers use the idea of feeding seeds for cultivating wholesome qualities and not feeding the unwholesome seeds. Are these seeds or wholesome qualities and unwholesome qualities in each of us? Is Buddha nature available within each of us? How do you recommend looking at this, please? I don't believe you align with the concept of store consciousness.
https://youtu.be/IHfOakYVIfU?t=527s

Could you comment about cetana, karma and volition. What is the difference between them?
https://youtu.be/IHfOakYVIfU?t=897s

I've felt stuck and weighted down for so long, and I can't help but live without thoughts or actions just so I don't think about the negativity that plagues me. Every time I do something different, I feel myself resisting change. I feel helpless. What exercises can I do to progress?
https://youtu.be/IHfOakYVIfU?t=1328s

What did the Buddha mean when he said the quality of dhamma will decay over time? What is your opinion on the quality of dhamma today? How about compared to 100, 500 or 1000 years ago?
https://youtu.be/IHfOakYVIfU?t=1635s

Where does empathy take place in the Buddhist tradition? Would sympathy be more adequate on the path?
https://youtu.be/IHfOakYVIfU?t=2284s

Would Ajahn please share some words on the 1st of the Seven Factors of Awakening? Especially about recollecting the teachings to steady the flow of consciousness and help focus awareness.
https://youtu.be/IHfOakYVIfU?t=2454s

Dearest Luang por, what advice would you give a 9-year-old boy with Autism who is being bullied on the bus and at school? How would you discuss equanimity in a way he will understand?
https://youtu.be/IHfOakYVIfU?t=2714s

Could you elaborate on the sound of silence in-between two thoughts, subjectivity, the knower, perceiver of the experience. What is aware and what is awareness?
https://youtu.be/IHfOakYVIfU?t=2949s

Dear Ajahn Sona, I have a question about the animal realm: why is it considered inferior to the human one? When I observe wild animals, particularly the birds, I see creatures who suffer ageing, illness, loss and death but who do not display greed, anger and delusion. What did the Buddha say about this?
https://youtu.be/IHfOakYVIfU?t=3170s

Would you elaborate on making amends? Is this something the Buddha suggests is of importance for lay people? Or simply to acknowledge my action and move on?
https://youtu.be/-_paE6BHpKA?t=22s

A quote from “The Noble Eightfold Path”: “An entire society may be predicated upon a confusion of correct moral values, and even though everyone within that society may applaud one particular kind of action as right and condemn another kind as wrong, this does not make them validly right and wrong.” When making decisions, how can one be confident that one's view is the right view of the Dhamma, the Buddha's teachings?
https://youtu.be/-_paE6BHpKA?t=334s

If I understand correctly, the Buddha taught there was no moment of original divine creation. Is there a way to talk about this with a 5 year old who asked me, "how did this all begin?"
https://youtu.be/-_paE6BHpKA?t=652s

Does consciousness perfectly free of any grasping, mind perfectly purified, equate to Nibbana i.e. Wisdom / Truth?
https://youtu.be/-_paE6BHpKA?t=1075s

Can you share some reflections on how a lay practitioner can best live: A Life Lived Well? Thank you.
https://youtu.be/-_paE6BHpKA?t=1244s

You have said that “death is not the problem. Killing is the problem.” What do you say about an old person, in pain, sick, and tired of life who refuses to eat with the clear intention of fasting to death? Is this just another form of suicide? Does one break sila to refuse medicine or food in such circumstances?
https://youtu.be/-_paE6BHpKA?t=1421s

Can you expound on the next steps once a practitioner reaches the stage beyond neither perception nor non perception, nirodha? Does one just practice returning to this stage as often as possible?
https://youtu.be/-_paE6BHpKA?t=1609s

Dear Ajahn, I have been trying to wrap my head around the basics (the very basics!) of dependent origination. A question that keeps coming up is from where did the ignorance that set the whole chain in motion arise in the first place? In an earlier livestream you were saying that the biblical 'devil' may be a metaphor for either ignorance itself or whatever gave rise to that original ignorance? Am I overthinking this?
https://youtu.be/-_paE6BHpKA?t=1705s

I've been working on moving between 1st & 2nd Jhana and recently had an energizing experience of entering into Jhana while dreaming. Is this expected to happen as a result of practice?
https://youtu.be/-_paE6BHpKA?t=1852s

I feel that I start to get a feeling for "anatta". At the same time, I feel that it is necessary to "create" a person so that others can relate to me, although to me it feels like lying. Any advice?
https://youtu.be/-_paE6BHpKA?t=2059s

In the samadhi sutta there's this unclear bit about attending to the perception of light. what does it mean to "attend to the perception of light"?
https://youtu.be/-_paE6BHpKA?t=2342s

Dear Ajahn Sona, recently in my country, two sisters got into a fight over a pair of pants. Then, one sister stabbed the other to death. She also stabbed her dog eight times. She streamed her actions on social media (just like this livestream) which I found very sickening. Reading about this makes me not want to live in this world anymore. It seems that society is getting sicker and sicker. Do you have any thoughts on this?
https://youtu.be/-_paE6BHpKA?t=2637s

In the anapanasati sutta, one of the instructions is to breathe in and out freeing the mind. Freeing it from what exactly?
https://youtu.be/-_paE6BHpKA?t=2894s

Dear Ajahn Sona, since death is universal and an inescapable condition to humans and all living things, I would like to ask you what is the Theravada attitude towards the body immediately after death? For example, does Theravada also avoid any unnecessary movement and disturbance of the body for 3 days like Tibetans do? Does Theravada recognize Bardo states or what kind of states can the newly departed expect?
https://youtu.be/-_paE6BHpKA?t=3093s

Is there such a thing as emotional debt? Such as when the Buddha said you wouldn't be able to repay your parents/caretakers from when you were little. Is it a form of karma?
https://youtu.be/C82LTgCtE4M?t=23s

Dear Ajahn, life is unsatisfactory or we can't make it satisfactory (aging, illness, death, loss, kamma and also dukkha). We can't escape these unsatisfactory conditions, but we can change our view to one of non-suffering over them through the Eightfold Path, right? Can we still live in an unsatisfactory world and its conditions, only without suffering over it?
https://youtu.be/C82LTgCtE4M?t=392s

Through very high tech means, there are constant breakthroughs of how scientists understand the mind, feelings, trauma, etc. When I hear these things, no matter how advanced, it seems that form, feeling, perception, volitional formation, and consciousness are at the bottom of it. Does this make sense?
https://youtu.be/C82LTgCtE4M?t=810s

Dear Ajahn, what drew you to Theravada Buddhism? Was there anything in particular that called you to Theravada over Mahayana or Vajrayana/Tibetan traditions?
https://youtu.be/C82LTgCtE4M?t=1045s

Jhana is usually the replacement for sense desires & entertainment. How does someone who is not yet skilled at jhana deal with sense desires & the craving for constant entertainment?
https://youtu.be/C82LTgCtE4M?t=1697s

I would like to know more about the Buddha's advice for laypeople or specific Suttas to read on the subject. Also, I do not get much time to meditate, though I am reflecting throughout the day. Could you talk about how to bring meditation to activity and how to bring more joy into life?
https://youtu.be/C82LTgCtE4M?t=2067s

It seems the wonderful "Ajahn Sona- Highest Blessings Retreat, Chanting" playlist has disappeared. May we have it back please?
https://youtu.be/C82LTgCtE4M?t=2395s

I come from a family of hunters. They argue that to hunt an animal that was free until the day it died is more humane than to kill an animal that lived in captivity its whole life. They also point to a better death for an animal intended for food - one that is sudden and unexpected, rather than one that follows a procession into a slaughterhouse. Should they not hunt even though their reasons for doing so have a moral aspect?
https://youtu.be/C82LTgCtE4M?t=2727s

I have heard ‘guarding the senses’ described as a practice in relaxing the “doing something" in regards to the senses - grasping/ pushing away. Would you agree, or elaborate on this practice?
https://youtu.be/C82LTgCtE4M?t=3180s

Does the Buddha say anything about the wisdom of laughter and playfulness? Even in times of illness and other difficult times. At any age.
https://youtu.be/2n16sy_6-ao?t=24s

Greetings Ajahn Sona and friends at Birken. I intend on pursuing ordination as an anagārika in the coming months. To what extent should I "tie up loose ends" with those from my past before moving into the monastic life? Is it recommended to right past wrongs, misdeeds of body/ speech/mind, past transgressions? Or is this unnecessarily digging up past karma?
https://youtu.be/2n16sy_6-ao?t=235s

Are all monks expected to become teacher/speaker figures? This seems like an impossible task for some. If not,how do these monks spend the latter part of their monastic life?
https://youtu.be/2n16sy_6-ao?t=517s

When I notice delight developing in my breath meditation, a fear and dread reflex tends to ruin it. It's hard for me to pinpoint exactly why. I have feared hurting myself through meditation, and I have feared that fear itself will forever taint my practice, but this is a senseless reflex. How to navigate past this? I am hoping that by repeatedly getting to the point where this happens, I will believe it less and find a way to move forward.
https://youtu.be/2n16sy_6-ao?t=784s

How do Buddhists deal with deep, almost overwhelming depression and a sense of hopelessness?
https://youtu.be/2n16sy_6-ao?t=982s

Dear Ajahn, my mind’s major hindrance seems to be restlessness. I can see how ridiculous it is. It is a persistent ‘why’. The why comes up first, and then it tries to find something to attach to, just to keep my mind churning. I get brief respite through serenity/samadhi meditation, but the why’s are just camped outside the castle gates, looking for any cracks in the walls. Will the invaders eventually go away if I keep practicing samadhi?
https://youtu.be/2n16sy_6-ao?t=1287s

I want to practice walking meditation, any suggestions for a beginner?
https://youtu.be/2n16sy_6-ao?t=1624s

I have a friend who asks me to drive him to the liquor store. I don't have a good answer, so I have been doing it. What do you recommend?
https://youtu.be/2n16sy_6-ao?t=2036s

The amount of time we can spend on practice and learning the Dhamma is limited in this life. (I have kids). I realize I need to make some choices with what I can integrate from the Dhamma and set some priorities. There are the four noble truths, the eightfold path, the five aggregates, the five hindrances, sila (5 precepts), Metta sutta, the seven aids to awakening. From all these topics, what would be the priority order and the "must keep"?
https://youtu.be/2n16sy_6-ao?t=2143s

Could you please explain if there is a difference between reincarnation and rebirth? There's a lot of confusion about this amongst my lay Buddhist peers.
https://youtu.be/2n16sy_6-ao?t=2408s

What advice would you give someone who had samadhi experiences early in their practice, but who is having a lot of difficulty getting them back?
https://youtu.be/2n16sy_6-ao?t=2760s

I am curious about the interplay between an alert sharp mind and a mind pervaded by metta. Can you comment on this?
https://youtu.be/2n16sy_6-ao?t=2950s

Can you elaborate on mundane right view? How far could go with it, and how different from the highest form of right view?
https://youtu.be/2n16sy_6-ao?t=3078s

When encountering aging and sickness, how does one skillfully ask others for help?
https://youtu.be/-LXJX8tbVNM?t=20s

What commentaries, books and monk biographies do you recommend to progress in and get inspired for the practice of mettā?
https://youtu.be/-LXJX8tbVNM?t=383s

What is rebirthed? I am having a hard time consolidating the teachings on rebirth and those of anatta or emptiness. What is born again 7 times for a sotapanna? What becomes a hungry ghost? Is that my essential nature? Does it continue?
https://youtu.be/-LXJX8tbVNM?t=571s

I hear you frequently express how becoming aware of phenomena from a point of nonreactivity is not enough, especially in regards to the hindrances. However, I have found, especially when concentration is good, that the mere ability to be aware and not react is enough for emotions like anxiety to dissipate. It seems that oftentimes mere recognition is enough. Would you agree?
https://youtu.be/-LXJX8tbVNM?t=1019s

Dear Ajahn, I have this tendency to be overwhelmed in crowded places. I’ve noticed that since COVID this tendency became stronger, and my fight-or-flight mode is triggered more rapidly. To reduce this, should I expose myself to crowds more often? Or should I meditate more (as you've mentioned this resolves restlessness?) Or perhaps both?
https://youtu.be/-LXJX8tbVNM?t=1617s

Is the notion that "everything is mind" a Mahayana view? Is belief in an underlying objective reality a useful distinction for practice, or is this one of those questions the Buddha might have thought better left unanswered?
https://youtu.be/-LXJX8tbVNM?t=1812s

What is a good goal to aspire to? I love to sing and hopefully make a career out of it. Many say I should go further for money and fame. What is the core goal I should aspire to in the aspect of the dhamma and in lay life?
https://youtu.be/-LXJX8tbVNM?t=2124s

Any advice for people with "ADHD"?
https://youtu.be/-LXJX8tbVNM?t=2359s

When dealing with chronic pain during meditation (or, in my case now, neuropathy -- a side effect of chemotherapy) -- how does one focus during meditation without becoming “absorbed" in pain?
https://youtu.be/-LXJX8tbVNM?t=2595s

How do I deepen my concentration? I have trouble staying still. I have virtually no concentration.
https://youtu.be/-LXJX8tbVNM?t=2923s

I understand that when the Buddha spoke about kamma, he meant not just any action, but volitional action. When it comes to mental kamma, do all our thoughts bear kamma?
https://youtu.be/-LXJX8tbVNM?t=3072s

How to deal with a loved one who's difficult throughout life and even more difficult and toxic as she declines with addictions, dementia, along with limited personal mobility but a lot of irritability Well.
https://youtu.be/-LXJX8tbVNM?t=3191s

Stream entry is described as an instantaneous realization of insight - do the successive achievements on the stream, (once returner, non returner, arahant) have a similar "moment" of realization?
https://youtu.be/BmVrIpFXfac?t=24s

Venerable Sir, Please, How am I to relate to the present individual and group protestations that I experience from the non-vaxers, anti-vaxers, freedom of rights and anarchists among us? And further, how to understand that thoughts and actions cause both individual and collective kamma?
https://youtu.be/BmVrIpFXfac?t=163s

Is there actually “good” or “bad” or are these just labels we give to objects dependent on our feelings? For example, we can eat an apple fruit, it nourishes us and tastes pleasant to us, therefore we call it “good” so planting an apple tree would lead to a “good” result. Similarly, planting a tree with poisonous fruits that results in our illness and suffering would be considered a negative action. But both are just trees and neither are inherently good or bad. Is this false labeling what ignorance is?
https://youtu.be/BmVrIpFXfac?t=808s

Can you expound on working with fear of future physical suffering- i.e. the specter of the pain associated with a physical ailment? Even if one is comfortable with the idea of death, there remains the challenge of dealing with the aversion to the possibility of a slow, painful death and all the myriad challenges for yourself and the loved one who might be caring for you or witnessing your passing.
https://youtu.be/BmVrIpFXfac?t=1159s

In the Chiggala Sutta, there is the metaphor of turtle and climate crisis vs gradual path and relax to the max. How to be gradual and cool knowing about the uniqueness of living in a Dhamma world and that there may not be much time left?
https://youtu.be/BmVrIpFXfac?t=1478s

Would Ajahn please share some words on creating art inspired by the Dhamma - with deep sincerity and much respect, but are these enough? How to go about it skilfully?
https://youtu.be/BmVrIpFXfac?t=2037s

Could you talk a little about Cittanupassana please? Can it be used as a formal practice or should it form part of your general awareness during meditation?
https://youtu.be/BmVrIpFXfac?t=2222s

Dear Ajahn Sona, a few years ago my 20+ years of marriage fell apart and my teenage children were alienated from me for reasons I am unable to comprehend. I tried in every possible way to get in touch with my kids but nothing worked. Now, they are adults and I am just accepting that this is the way they want it. But I still yearn for some word from them. Is it delusion? Am I not accepting reality?
https://youtu.be/BmVrIpFXfac?t=2454s

I hear the word “contemplation” on breath, on feeling, on thoughts, and so on. I’m having challenges to understand the true meaning. Please, do you have another word I can try?
https://youtu.be/BmVrIpFXfac?t=2722s

Can the mastery of Samatha and Jhanas overcome my doubts about Buddhism? If I only practice the 5 precepts and intensify my Samatha, where will I eventually reach?
https://youtu.be/BmVrIpFXfac?t=2854s

I am a manic depressive and have been so all of my life. Luckily for me I respond readily to medication and have heard much from the wise. This thing is 80% genetic…explained to me as "if you have the gene, but not the stimulus, you go nowhere. If you have the stimulus but not the gene, you go nowhere. But, if you have the stimulus and the gene??? We're off to the races !!!" What does the Buddha have to say about mental illness?
https://youtu.be/BmVrIpFXfac?t=3156s

I have been keeping the 5 precepts, and want to live as the Arahants do and take up the 8 precepts as written in the Aṅguttara Nikāya 8.41. Any guidance? Thank you.
https://youtu.be/SKqfQkl8_4o?t=24s

I am currently working to pay off student loans to eventually be eligible to become a bhikkhu. Involuntarily remaining a householder is a deep source of dhukkha for me, and is compounded by an intense hatred for existence itself. I feel incapable to address this mass of suffering because it is intricately interwoven with my samvega and motivation for living the holy life: vibhava-tanha is the primary fuel of my spiritual efforts. Any advice?
https://youtu.be/SKqfQkl8_4o?t=377s

When dealing with decisions of the future and applying right view and right effort, should one take a riskier path to see a better future? Or the safe path then end up regretting not risking it?
https://youtu.be/SKqfQkl8_4o?t=759s

To shift from Anāgāmi to Arahant, what needs to be refined in one's practice? Are the instructions the same? An identity can form even in the way one is discerning. Is it, in the end, a matter of synchronicity and inquiry as well as right effort and samadhi?
https://youtu.be/SKqfQkl8_4o?t=920s

I struggle with the concept of rebirth and Buddhist cosmology. Is there a way to better conceptualize them for a western audience? Or is understanding/belief necessary before embracing Buddhism?
https://youtu.be/SKqfQkl8_4o?t=1240s

There’s a quote in the manual of the Abhidhamma by Bhikkhu Bodhi which states “Great seers who are free from craving declare that Nibbana is an objective state which is deathless, absolutely endless […]”. Is Parinibbana therefore objective and felt? Why didn’t they articulate more like the Abhidhamma talks about the mind and mental analysis despite being very hard to put into words?
https://youtu.be/SKqfQkl8_4o?t=1726s

If one is fortunate to have 4 hours a day freed exclusively for the practice, and is no spring chicken, could Ajahn please share some advice on how to use this time skillfully, e.g. chanting, meditating, reading the Suttas, studying Pali, etc?
https://youtu.be/SKqfQkl8_4o?t=2184s

The body will be destroyed repeatedly. Will the destruction of other 4 khandas stop rebirths? If so, how to destroy the other khandas?
https://youtu.be/SKqfQkl8_4o?t=2299s

Why do I have aversion to being a Bodhisattva practitioner?
https://youtu.be/SKqfQkl8_4o?t=2464s

What's your advice for someone dealing with constant head pressure and headaches caused by practice?
https://youtu.be/SKqfQkl8_4o?t=2627s

My son has PTSD from his experience in the war in Afghanistan. Would you all pray for him at Birken? His name is Matt.
https://youtu.be/SKqfQkl8_4o?t=2799s

How to practice honesty with discretion, as sometimes being truthful and providing more details than needed can turn things against us in this world?
https://youtu.be/SKqfQkl8_4o?t=2930s

I often cry during breath meditation. It is not tears of joy of joy. Any advice to get past this? I also cry during loving kindness.
https://youtu.be/SKqfQkl8_4o?t=3017s

I am a mother to two young girls and I've noticed that my ability to maintain loving-kindness every day seems impossible. Do you have any suggestions for sustaining patience/kindness?
https://youtu.be/SKqfQkl8_4o?t=3296s

The term "mind" seems a bit vaguely defined. It seems to transcend the five aggregates. Is the purified, unconditioned mind the same as Nibbana?
https://youtu.be/AL-nmCUQ28s?t=44s

I've been practicing and studying for quite some and have seen significant positive changes in my "conscious" life. However, I seem to have dreams that are dark and even evil, completely unrelated to my everyday thoughts and current life. Perhaps past-life kamma or memories. How does one tackle something so deep-rooted since it still surfaces with everyday practice & sila?
https://youtu.be/AL-nmCUQ28s?t=683s

In a recent livestream, you described death as a transition when we are booted out of the body without anything. In this transition from body to body, what carries over (is it the unfinished habits, programmes & patterns...sankharas) ?
https://youtu.be/AL-nmCUQ28s?t=1135s

What do you think an optimum weekly meditation schedual would be for a single lay practitioner who after 20 years of practice has suddenly started to get some deep peace and a little bliss from meditation?
https://youtu.be/AL-nmCUQ28s?t=1479s

I'm reading “The Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah” and enjoy learning about vinaya. How has it been adapted to western monasteries? Are robes still made using jackfruit wood as dye?
https://youtu.be/AL-nmCUQ28s?t=1723s

What would be the Buddhist response to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia?
https://youtu.be/AL-nmCUQ28s?t=2024s

My husband and I have a 4 year old daughter. He is interested in having another kid; I feel less sure. I love my daughter, but worry about how another child will impact meditation practice. Over the past year I also have enjoyed celibacy as a practice. In a talk you once encouraged mothers to “Get into it!”, which I have found to be helpful. How can we make such a big decision in line with our Dhamma practice and current householder life?
https://youtu.be/AL-nmCUQ28s?t=2307s

In the sutta in which "the seeing is just seeing, hearing just hearing" etc, can you give details on the meaning of "the cognizing is just cognizing"? How does this differ from ordinary knowing?
https://youtu.be/AL-nmCUQ28s?t=2633s

It seems like every time I read the suttas feelings of anxiety and pressure arise in me, always feeling not good enough for the standard the Buddha sets. How can I approach them in a way that they lead to the development of metta?
https://youtu.be/AL-nmCUQ28s?t=2880s

What is your view on nirvana? Is it permanent or impermanent?
https://youtu.be/AL-nmCUQ28s?t=3083s

Can I drink a glass of wine per week and keep following the precepts and meditation? Why can some monks indulge in eating or smoking and lay people are not allowed one occasional drink?
https://youtu.be/AL-nmCUQ28s?t=3457s

Is the Shakespeare quote in your book Life is a Near Death Experience pointing to Right Effort? The quote is: "And by opposing end them."
https://youtu.be/BmoQAcC1Q4s?t=212s

I tend to get stuck in the highly energetic states of the early Jhanas. Can you offer any tips to making a smooth and steady transition toward equanimity?
https://youtu.be/BmoQAcC1Q4s?t=657s

After developing metta in morning meditation, I seem to lose it when I begin to engage with thinking about the day and checking the news online etc. Any tips on maintaining metta throughout the day?
https://youtu.be/BmoQAcC1Q4s?t=1148s

Are all habits cravings? If one obtains arahantship would all habits cease?
https://youtu.be/BmoQAcC1Q4s?t=1464s

Dear Ajahn: When I get depressed, I constantly compare myself (unfavorably) to others. This comparison would seem to stem from the eighth of the ten fetters, ego conceit, or “I am” conceit, which, I understand, does not fall away until Arahantship. How can I learn to stop comparing myself to others at an earlier stage on the path? Is there any hope of *some* relief well before the final goal?
https://youtu.be/BmoQAcC1Q4s?t=1645s

Monastic life seems far more conducive to reaching enlightenment. For one who cannot be a monk, what are the most important considerations?
https://youtu.be/BmoQAcC1Q4s?t=2044s

What is the purpose of life in Buddhism? Is it about developing insights so that we can live wisely? Is it about reducing sufferings and living a happy life?
https://youtu.be/BmoQAcC1Q4s?t=2407s

How might a Buddhist go about setting boundaries with people?
https://youtu.be/BmoQAcC1Q4s?t=2610s

Do we have the right to kill or be killed in self defense when there are no other options?
https://youtu.be/BmoQAcC1Q4s?t=2760s

How do I go about getting rid of anger skillfully?
https://youtu.be/BmoQAcC1Q4s?t=3026s

What do I have to do to reduce my suffering 50% in five years?
https://youtu.be/_xw6CTqeRz4?t=152s

You mention that the Buddha instructs us not to associate with "fools". What to do when the "fools" might be your parents?
https://youtu.be/_xw6CTqeRz4?t=680s

In your last Q&A you discussed equanimity + compassion. As a parent with a young child, how do I apply this to my day to day interactions?
https://youtu.be/_xw6CTqeRz4?t=1155s

In the Theravada tradition, are dreams important?
https://youtu.be/_xw6CTqeRz4?t=1625s

Why is Buddhism not engaged to a greater degree with society?
https://youtu.be/_xw6CTqeRz4?t=1987s

When I have the impression that my meditation is not progressing, how do I overcome this feeling of frustration?
https://youtu.be/_xw6CTqeRz4?t=2660s

When deciding who to vote for, how much weight should we give a candidate's position on moral issues like abortion or the death penalty?
https://youtu.be/_xw6CTqeRz4?t=2994s

What suggestions do you have for a layperson seeking to structure a routine for personal practice
https://youtu.be/_xw6CTqeRz4?t=3234s

I notice defilements have a chance to arise when I am exhausted and lack the energy to be mindful. Any advice on how to handle this situation wisely?
https://youtu.be/Rs-euj5Idyw?t=36s

Can you explain what Right View and Right Intention are?
https://youtu.be/Rs-euj5Idyw?t=321s

How do I deal with lust (as a hindrance) living in a society full of arousing stimuli?
https://youtu.be/Rs-euj5Idyw?t=742s

Are there specific and appropriate things on the Buddhist path that we can and should look forward to? Or is the concept an expression of self to be released?
https://youtu.be/Rs-euj5Idyw?t=1240s

How does one recognize the difference between samvega and depression?
https://youtu.be/Rs-euj5Idyw?t=1565s

What is the average daily frequency and length of breath meditation sessions you recommend to householders?
https://youtu.be/Rs-euj5Idyw?t=1799s

Is it beneficial to try the Jhana levels above the 4th Jhana?
https://youtu.be/Rs-euj5Idyw?t=2206s

Greed, hatred and delusion....can you please give examples of delusion?
https://youtu.be/Rs-euj5Idyw?t=2512s

Last week you spoke about about how to live a lay life inspired by monasticism and finding the necessary balance between the two. Can you give more specifics?
https://youtu.be/Rs-euj5Idyw?t=2787s

Is a belief in reincarnation a necessary prerequisite to following the Noble Eightfold Path?
https://youtu.be/Rs-euj5Idyw?t=3116s

I feel so busy a lot of the time and sense that doing less would serve me well, but I am not sure how to get there. Any guidance is welcome. Ajahn Sona Podcast: Apple - http://bit.ly/AppleAjSona Spotify - http://bit.ly/SpotifyAjSona Podbean - http://bit.ly/PodbeanAjSona
https://youtu.be/Rs-euj5Idyw?t=3338s

As a Christian I used to pray for help from heavenly beings when the kilesas were threatening to overwhelm me. As I understand it the Buddhist way is to induce strength by aspirational chanting and metta rather than asking other beings for help. But are there no beings we can call for help and protection when the defense is low? Or will I have to rely exclusively on establishing my own strength and resolve?
https://youtu.be/XG6m6XNsagQ?t=21s

I have so appreciated your teaching of karuna as simply a subset of metta, but wonder if you can elaborate. How does karuna feel different than metta? And how do we practice it differently?
https://youtu.be/XG6m6XNsagQ?t=471s

Dear Ajahn, I am feeling too much hurt and unable to deal with separation. It was a marriage of 33 years that needed to be ended. But I was hurting before and I am still hurting. I meditate daily and follow Dhamma. I am feeling so stuck and helpless at this point. Can I ever feel happiness?
https://youtu.be/XG6m6XNsagQ?t=793s

When a family member says something unskillful to me, my wish is to meet it skillfully, without aversion. But sometimes hurt and aversion arise quickly.
https://youtu.be/XG6m6XNsagQ?t=1121s

Is it helpful or non-helpful to set goals to attain jhana during meditation?
https://youtu.be/XG6m6XNsagQ?t=1338s

How do I deal with worrying thoughts during the middle of the night, keeping me from sleeping peacefully?
https://youtu.be/XG6m6XNsagQ?t=1645s

I’ve been having feelings of wanting out of the world. Not depressed or suicidal, I just don’t want to do this anymore - the endless, fruitless search for a romantic partner, the yearning to belong to social groups only to then worry about being excluded, the constant striving to advance professionally, etc. Is this a step forward on the path or just anxiety? What would be a skillful way of addressing these feelings of ‘Gahhh let me out!’?
https://youtu.be/XG6m6XNsagQ?t=1852s

In the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, there is a verse "This noble truth of the cessation of suffering is to be realized." Does "realized" mean reaching the goal of final liberation?
https://youtu.be/XG6m6XNsagQ?t=2094s

Early in my meditation practice, I took bodhisattva vows on many occasions, following the custom of a local Mahayana temple I was frequenting. Having since committed to Theravada Buddhism, is some disavowal of the bodhisattva vow needed? (The issue surfaces in Acariya Mun's biography, without details of his solution.)
https://youtu.be/XG6m6XNsagQ?t=2167s

What are the clearest such indicators we have attained true jhana and/or samadhi? Different respected teachers and suttas seem to have very different opinions on this!
https://youtu.be/XG6m6XNsagQ?t=2360s

While practicing meditation intensely, I've felt disconnected from my personality structure and experienced a significant disconnect or shift. However, I lose my practice and fall into the same harmful personality traits in my relationships when I have normal life interactions. I am wondering to what degree a person’s core traits can change, my wife is unimpressed with my experience of non-self when I still get angry over our finances. Help!
https://youtu.be/XG6m6XNsagQ?t=2631s

What are practical ways to let go of seeking happiness & comfort in the sense world so we can experience a greater happiness found in deeper states of meditation?
https://youtu.be/XG6m6XNsagQ?t=2855s

As I understand Mara is in one of the highest heavens which is a different from the Catholic Devil. What did Mara do well to be in heaven? And what did he do wrong to become Mara?
https://youtu.be/XG6m6XNsagQ?t=3089s

Sometimes I feel overly responsible for other people's feelings. For example, it is hard for me to say "no" and I often feel I have to respond immediately. Any advice on how to know the difference between lack of compassion or ill will and simply not knowing an appropriate response to the situation?
https://youtu.be/XG6m6XNsagQ?t=3375s

Is it ever ethically justified in Buddhism to disregard socially conventional norms or laws for the sake of relieving another being of mental or physical pain, or is a Buddhist follower meant to abide by these social conventions at all times? What would be the proper course of action and at what point does it become the Buddhist's responsibility to help another being?
https://youtu.be/NFs-2x9WfeQ?t=27s

I recently heard a teaching on the Dantabhūmi Sutta (MN 125). Could you please speak to taming the senses and 5 hindrances rather than controlling. Our culture is saturated with the idea of control.
https://youtu.be/NFs-2x9WfeQ?t=414s

I was diagnosed with kidney failure last year at 31 and I am on dialysis. I am really struggling with the pain. This level of suffering is intense and almost unbearable. May I ask Ajahn Sona for some advice based on the Dhamma to deal with this level of pain?
https://youtu.be/NFs-2x9WfeQ?t=841s

If Metta is the wish for the safety and well-being of beings, how does one navigate the sense of lack knowing that all beings will never be safe, similar to the sense of lack that arises from sensual desire?
https://youtu.be/NFs-2x9WfeQ?t=1191s

My 8-year-old nephew, who loves to meditate and hear about the Dhamma, is now facing violence at school. His parents are working on moving him to another school, but until that happens, I would like to offer him some advice on how to emotionally deal with the situation.
https://youtu.be/NFs-2x9WfeQ?t=1383s

I cannot understand how it is that the name of the next Buddha is already known, despite the fact that Buddhism rejects determinism. Only in a deterministic world would it be possible to accurately see into future events and describe them with impeccable precision, wouldn’t it?
https://youtu.be/NFs-2x9WfeQ?t=1607s

How does the understanding of Nibbana change from one path to another? In other words, what more is seen about the nature of things that allows those further fetters to drop off?
https://youtu.be/NFs-2x9WfeQ?t=2081s

What is the significance of the full moon (& other lunar days) in Buddhism and in spiritual practice in general. How do these days affect our meditation practice?
https://youtu.be/NFs-2x9WfeQ?t=2522s

Dear Ajahn, I was asked to give an interview on education and employment for youth for a local magazine in Russia, Republic of Tuva. One of the questions asked is "What is Happiness?" I want to use this opportunity to provide an answer for them from wise people at Birken Monastery. Could you please share an answer for thousands of lay people who will read this magazine, what is happiness and how they can gradually strive for it in a right way?
https://youtu.be/NFs-2x9WfeQ?t=2668s

I know that disciplines should be viewed as an aid. But I have trouble internalizing this perspective. How can I overcome this and naturally feel that disciplines are my aid?
https://youtu.be/NFs-2x9WfeQ?t=2985s

Ajahn Sona, how would one help a friend who has lost a child from a non-material perspective?
https://youtu.be/NFs-2x9WfeQ?t=3175s

How can you balance work that makes you learn in the process and benefits others? Meanwhile, not doing a job that is pointless work for low pay and takes a large majority of time. Is it greedy to think in that way for work?
https://youtu.be/GGSRBashbOQ?t=36s

Is matter just a product of the mind?
https://youtu.be/GGSRBashbOQ?t=388s

What, if any, are the differences between Zen meditation, zazen, and meditation practices in the Theravada tradition?
https://youtu.be/GGSRBashbOQ?t=582s

Is the stream entry and full enlightenment attained through Anapanasati samadhi practice the same as that which is attained through other practices, such as non-dual pointing, Mahasi noting, and Goenka body scanning etcetra?
https://youtu.be/GGSRBashbOQ?t=926s

Why are certain knowledges kept secret, e.g. ufos, heaven, psychic phenomena? Wouldn't it be better to have open conversations about them?
https://youtu.be/GGSRBashbOQ?t=1224s

Could you give concrete criteria for during meditation, when it is beneficial to let a subtle defilement, such as ill will, go and when it might be appropriate to investigate it?
https://youtu.be/GGSRBashbOQ?t=1418s

How do we interpret suttas that appear to contradict modern scientific understandings, such as when the Buddha states in the Samyutta Nikaya that rain gods cause rain?
https://youtu.be/GGSRBashbOQ?t=1822s

How does one overcome extreme aversion when trying to practice a skill or work when i sit down to study or craft things, usually art, relentless waves of sensations burn my body and obscure my mind as if it would rather be anywhere else. But here my focus dissipates, and i find myself wasting time on unproductive distractions. I do meditation almost daily, which seems to calm the feeling down, yet once I pick the practice up again, the calming effect doesn't carry over and the burning returns. I suspect that expectations of myself to perform at a high level beyond my ability play a large role in this. Do you have any advice for me?
https://youtu.be/GGSRBashbOQ?t=2193s

Can you please explain consciousness as the fifth aggregate?
https://youtu.be/GGSRBashbOQ?t=2520s

Are the four jhanas connected with the four brahma viharas, i.e metta - first jhana, compassion - second jhana, sympathetic joy - third jhana, equanimity - fourth jhana?
https://youtu.be/GGSRBashbOQ?t=2792s

Do we control our futures by what we think about today?
https://youtu.be/GGSRBashbOQ?t=2965s

I am fascinated with the Buddhist cosmology and feel strangely and almost passionately drawn to those beings. I have heard the venerable Bhante Gunaratana say that we should not forget the devas, and remember to invite them to listen to Dhamma. In his recorded talks i heard him chant the 'invitation to the devas' and started to do the same chant myself. Then i discovered the invitation includes nagas and yakkas and all kinds of devas and this made me a little anxious. Is it really wise for an ordinary person to summon these beings
https://youtu.be/GGSRBashbOQ?t=3193s

Just being in the present moment can sometimes be uncomfortable in terms of emotional feeling. What is the best way to deal with this?
https://youtu.be/yZX0B3yX28U?t=19s

What is meant by contemplation? What are the processes involved? How do I know that I am contemplating correctly?
https://youtu.be/yZX0B3yX28U?t=439s

Can every human learn Right View, gain the ability for self-reflection, and begin to improve themselves?
https://youtu.be/yZX0B3yX28U?t=812s

I've been trying to work with the reality of the 4th remembrance as an aid to renunciation. Any tips?
https://youtu.be/yZX0B3yX28U?t=1160s

Is enlightenment possible using breath meditation alone or is Vipassana practice needed?
https://youtu.be/yZX0B3yX28U?t=1602s

How can you help someone dying who is scared of death and has no religion, and realized his life is ending and is full of regrets?
https://youtu.be/yZX0B3yX28U?t=1940s

How would you describe dependent origination to a vibrant community of Rwandan refugees?
https://youtu.be/yZX0B3yX28U?t=2305s

Do you have any advice on what practices can be useful for people suffering from bipolar disorder?
https://youtu.be/yZX0B3yX28U?t=2462s

What is some advice or a book or text for beginners in Dhamma for someone who has been raised in traditional Christianity?
https://youtu.be/yZX0B3yX28U?t=2797s

Could you say something on the difference of Rene Descartes, "I think therefore I am" versus the Buddhist concept of self?
https://youtu.be/yZX0B3yX28U?t=2977s

It has been said that one needs a guru or teacher to go forward on the spiritual path. Can you speak to this
https://youtu.be/yZX0B3yX28U?t=3337s

When I'm in the first jhana and visualizing the Buddha, in my expression of deep gratitude and love for him my mind gets very bright and my heart literally races in my chest. I'm still sitting there in posture with a big smile and sometimes even tears of joy and gratitude but then my heart races so fast. Is this okay, is this piti overdrive and how does one handle it well?
https://youtu.be/BdPau8in0vw?t=27s

I had a question about overcoming the feelings of loss and separation. How would you contemplate that while the ones you are afraid of losing are still alive, for example a child being abandoned?
https://youtu.be/BdPau8in0vw?t=431s

What would be proper conduct when one is at the receiving end of frivolous speech?
https://youtu.be/BdPau8in0vw?t=693s

It seems to me that right mindfulness and right concentration are the opposite of one another. Right mindfulness requires awareness of one's feelings thoughts etc this requires a 'panoramic view' of one's mind. Right concentration requires one to be fully concentrated on a single meditation object, e.g. the breath. This requires a single minded focus how can one remain mindful if one is concentrated? This misunderstanding is causing a lot of agitation and doubt in my practice. Please advise.
https://youtu.be/BdPau8in0vw?t=946s

How to differentiate feelings, perceptions mental formations and consciousness? It's very difficult to differentiate them for me.
https://youtu.be/BdPau8in0vw?t=1362s

How does one practice resilience, especially if one wants to commit to the holy life? It seems like with my generation we lack the enduring capacities to go through hard times as we've had such easy lives compared to earlier generations.
https://youtu.be/BdPau8in0vw?t=1593s

How to stop saying things I regret to people I love?
https://youtu.be/BdPau8in0vw?t=1871s

How to remain calm under unpleasant situations, particularly ones that inhabit one's own home?
https://youtu.be/BdPau8in0vw?t=2075s

Is there such a thing as too much practice and study?
https://youtu.be/BdPau8in0vw?t=2260s

What do you make of the perennial philosophy the idea that many religious traditions are pointing to the same ultimate reality?
https://youtu.be/BdPau8in0vw?t=2438s

In the Dhammayut Thai forest tradition they speak of the citta as the knowing essence of the mind that lies beyond the five khandas. Does this not go against the Buddha's anatta?
https://youtu.be/BdPau8in0vw?t=2726s

Should a person decline drugs like morphine at the end of life?
https://youtu.be/BdPau8in0vw?t=2917s

I'm not able to manage overthinking something that happened in the past, and it is leading to anxiety. Whenever the anxiety hits the feeling of regret, guilt, shame fills my heart. How should i overcome this?
https://youtu.be/BdPau8in0vw?t=3200s

What are the karmic consequences of making inappropriate/unskillful/demeaning comments while participating in online forums or chats?
https://youtu.be/x8q0Ub0W390?t=33s

I find it easier to generate a feeling of goodwill then assign it afterward. May this feeling apply to all beings?
https://youtu.be/x8q0Ub0W390?t=425s

How does one know if they are ready to commit to being an Upasika?
https://youtu.be/x8q0Ub0W390?t=669s

Is it wiser to embrace, to embody Dhamma rather than attempt to define it precisely?
https://youtu.be/x8q0Ub0W390?t=957s

How often, and for how long should I meditate in order to achieve Samadhi?
https://youtu.be/x8q0Ub0W390?t=1252s

Have you considered making videos of commentaries to select suttas?
https://youtu.be/x8q0Ub0W390?t=1495s

It seems that lay people who progress to stream entry are uncommon. What are successful lay practitioners doing differently than the others?
https://youtu.be/x8q0Ub0W390?t=1708s

How much progress on the Path is practical for an individual to make in their lifetime? How can they know that progress is being made?
https://youtu.be/x8q0Ub0W390?t=2025s

Is sadness considered a hindrance? If so, which hindrance does it fall under? Or, is it considered an “unwholesome state” under Right Effort?
https://youtu.be/x8q0Ub0W390?t=2307s

What should one do if an animal is badly injured or so ill that a veterinarian recommends euthanasia to end its suffering? Would doing so violate the Precepts?
https://youtu.be/x8q0Ub0W390?t=2574s

Does your unique approach of feeling breath in nasal cavity have any historical background? What led you to this approach?
https://youtu.be/x8q0Ub0W390?t=2812s

Do you have any advice for someone who would like to live a monastic-like life but at this point cannot ordain
https://youtu.be/x8q0Ub0W390?t=3214s

How do animals accrue merit or good karma needed for rebirth in the human realm?
https://youtu.be/m-frUtdbbx0?t=44s

What is your view on paths that emphasize sudden realization and plunging straight into 'non-dual awareness' versus paths of gradual cultivation?
https://youtu.be/m-frUtdbbx0?t=352s

I am practicing being mindful from the moment. I lay in bed to the moment my body surrenders to sleep. I am not practicing mindfulness of breath, because I don't want to associate it with the wakefulness i cultivate in meditation. Still I worry that mindfulness is stimulating and keeping me awake. Do you have any alternatives you would suggest? How do you practice while falling asleep?
https://youtu.be/m-frUtdbbx0?t=739s

How does one achieve breakthrough to seeing dukkha, anicca, anatta? Is it okay to fake it until you make it, intellectually trying to see before actual realization?
https://youtu.be/m-frUtdbbx0?t=961s

An image the Buddha uses in the metta sutta 'even as a mother protects with her life her child, her only child' is problematic and a stumbling block for me in this beautiful reflection. I am aware of my attachment in my love as a mother. Why did the buddha use this image? Am i twisting his intention when i feel stuck reading this?
https://youtu.be/m-frUtdbbx0?t=1180s

Could i consider you my teacher, because the knowledge that i have accumulated has been solely learned from your youtube channel?
https://youtu.be/m-frUtdbbx0?t=1422s

How does one distinguish between repressing an unskillful action and skillfully abandoning and uprooting them for good?
https://youtu.be/m-frUtdbbx0?t=1477s

With actual proof that near-death experiences are real, how does Buddhism explain this experience?
https://youtu.be/m-frUtdbbx0?t=1784s

How does one cope with feeling unready for a monastic life but disenchanted with much of secular life and marginalized from it?
https://youtu.be/m-frUtdbbx0?t=2010s

Is it okay to believe in the heaven realms, or does buddhism drop that concept?
https://youtu.be/m-frUtdbbx0?t=2282s

Should we educate ourselves about the different types of Buddhism?
https://youtu.be/m-frUtdbbx0?t=2635s

How can one deal skillfully with people who are curious about Buddhism but disrespectful and insulting towards the Buddha and his disciples, i.e. as if possessed by mara?
https://youtu.be/m-frUtdbbx0?t=2760s

Does the Buddha have practices for building faith, such as repeating the 'three jewels'?
https://youtu.be/m-frUtdbbx0?t=2989s

In some meditation styles one goes very deep into jhana before exiting for vipassana, especially the nimitta styles. Does this fulfill 'sammata preceding vipassana' or is this miccha samadhi
https://youtu.be/m-frUtdbbx0?t=3196s

I read suttas from the Nikayas and often I stumble on a sutta that is very hard to believe, like the sutta on the 32 marks of a great man. I tend to try and register the feelings or intent behind the words instead of the literal meanings of the words. I realize this could lead me astray without proper insight. Is this a correct interpretation?
https://youtu.be/NmS7Iaicg8g?t=121s

I have heard of practitioners developing special powers such as walking through solid objects and such. Is this so? Does it matter?
https://youtu.be/NmS7Iaicg8g?t=570s

I underwent an intense meditation retreat, where I practiced samadhi for about 12 hours a day for three months. As I have come back to a normal setting I find that my mind is immensely attached to the breath without my putting in any effort. My mind stays there and it becomes almost impossible to shift my focus of attention. This makes operating in a normal life a difficult task, for example, i sometimes have trouble understanding people in conversation or i become absorbed into the breath when performing tasks that require very low concentration. If I do not feed my mind with objects of concentration, anxiety comes up. If I give in and become absorbed the anxiety immediately disappears but I become completely oblivious to everything around me. There seems to be no way out of this trap. In fact, after a few hours of samadhi practice it seems that the concentration generated can be used by the hindrances. Is this a normal effect of such intense practice? Should I expect it to wear off? What do you suggest I do to lead a normal life?
https://youtu.be/NmS7Iaicg8g?t=836s

It seems when I do a lot of breath meditation, especially after an online retreat, that I suffer more from the hindrances during non-meditation times. Often I will switch to metta as when I do that it doesn't happen so intensely. Why does this happen and is it common?
https://youtu.be/NmS7Iaicg8g?t=1367s

My question is regarding the second hindrance of ill will. Does it include all forms of aversion, or is it just a specific form of ill will?
https://youtu.be/NmS7Iaicg8g?t=1631s

My question is in regard to your book Bloom. In the chapter on abandoning the world you emphasize how motivations of anger or craving for worldly experiences shut the door to higher consciousness. Later you speak of positive voices and passing the threshold of consciousness. Can you comment further on crossing that threshold? What factors are essential to entering the higher states of mind?
https://youtu.be/NmS7Iaicg8g?t=1838s

Even though I experience great benefit from meditation on some days it seems I will do almost anything to avoid it. Any guidance on why I do this and how to overcome this hindrance?
https://youtu.be/NmS7Iaicg8g?t=2128s

We have very successfully used your advice 'don't think' when we go to bed. But during these times of isolation and reduced social interaction we feel the urge to escape just to get the focus of our attention to somewhere or something else, like coffee shop hangouts. How do we get out of that feeling? Mindfulness is being aware. Although we are very much aware of this feeling, we seldom can overcome it.
https://youtu.be/NmS7Iaicg8g?t=2387s

Pertaining to the four elements as so much of our lives are determined by testosterone, estrogen, serotonin and dopamine, can metta be used to balance them?
https://youtu.be/NmS7Iaicg8g?t=2767s

How should one approach the generation of metta when the body is not cooperating? I have Parkinson's disease, and when I experience periods when my medication is not working, it seems impossible to generate deeply felt friendliness. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
https://youtu.be/NmS7Iaicg8g?t=3164s

I am currently going through a breakup. We have children, so it's complicated and needing tact. I know I wish to practice metta with this and use this painful opportunity as fuel, but I am overcome by my emotions of sadness and anger sometimes, and memories of other losses. How can this situation be handled skillfully
https://youtu.be/NmS7Iaicg8g?t=3349s

I will be giving a dhamma talk on Yoniso Mansikara. Can you point me to some sutta references for this?
https://youtu.be/JJgNiZusL3U?t=30s

I've heard that the hindrances can be 'shaved down' but aren't uprooted necessarily. We just get better at shaving. Is it realistic to think the hindrances can actually be uprooted?
https://youtu.be/JJgNiZusL3U?t=192s

Is insight, or the realization of the nature of how things are, itself an object of mine, a sankhara that is to be abandoned? Or, is it an ultimate reality to be held on to while insight is not to be abandoned?
https://youtu.be/JJgNiZusL3U?t=404s

Is it unskillful to switch meditation objects during a sit? For instance, from the breath, death, to dissolving a pain then back to the breath, or from the breath to metta?
https://youtu.be/JJgNiZusL3U?t=658s

I find it beneficial to follow the seventh precept and mainly watch dhamma on youtube, but not action movies, sports, news, etcetra. Is it useful to also watch documentaries and other 'meaningful content' for variation, or is it better to stick to just dhamma and meditation?
https://youtu.be/JJgNiZusL3U?t=968s

How can you limit sensual pleasure when we are surrounded by it? I easily fall back into it. Can you replace it with something more beneficial? Due to this i become less aware and dull.
https://youtu.be/JJgNiZusL3U?t=1132s

The Buddha listed four types of arahant paths: 1. tranquility before insight, 2. insight before tranquility, 3. in tandem, 4. by destroying perplexity. Does number two, meaning insight before tranquility, mean deep jhana first and then insight?
https://youtu.be/JJgNiZusL3U?t=1507s

Can anyone meditate?
https://youtu.be/JJgNiZusL3U?t=1748s

Much gratitude for your teachings, particularly those on metta. Would you consider giving a series of talks on mudita? I haven't found a lot of talks on this brahmavihara, thank you.
https://youtu.be/JJgNiZusL3U?t=1883s

I want to memorize and study the Dhamma in depth, i.e. Pali texts, and concepts like the eightfold path. And, my first instinct is to take intense notes, and regularly review flashcards, like my University days. However, this strikes me as neurotic. What is a skillful way of studying, memorizing and internalizing the dhamma?
https://youtu.be/JJgNiZusL3U?t=2104s

A member of the Sangha has decided to disrobe. They have been like a Dhamma compass to me. I know it's not about me and i am being selfish, but why does it feel as if my own dhamma journey will lose its meaning?
https://youtu.be/JJgNiZusL3U?t=2284s

I feel at a loss for a sense of monastic supports and community since the pandemic. How can i create ideal circumstances to practice in light of this loss of sangha and community?
https://youtu.be/JJgNiZusL3U?t=2554s

Is existence itself not-self? Through the doctrine of not-self does buddhism challenge the very notion of 'being'?
https://youtu.be/JJgNiZusL3U?t=2747s

How to properly deal with ambition? Is it a defilement, or is there a right way to be ambitious in work or business?
https://youtu.be/JJgNiZusL3U?t=3029s

To make peace with a parent where there has been hatred on both sides, is it enough to begin wishing that parent well, or must one meet this parent
https://youtu.be/JJgNiZusL3U?t=3272s

The Buddha teaches the end of suffering but i do not understand what suffering actually is. Can you help in clarifying this?
https://youtu.be/neY9_tGhhHQ?t=187s

In raising the wholesome factors in right effort, how do we cultivate and hold the brahma viharas without turning it into grasping? What does a skillful response look like?
https://youtu.be/neY9_tGhhHQ?t=850s

You have said that a benefit of practicing metta is that your dreams will be sweeter. I have been experiencing this with super abundant wild or mild dreams every night, wonderfully absent of anxiety or threat, and have been writing down images and stories. Is there guidance in the dhamma or monastic practice on how to work with dreams?
https://youtu.be/neY9_tGhhHQ?t=1210s

I am caring for several elders who are declining in health. Because they don't have a spiritual practice they are very uncomfortable with illness and death. What could I do or say to help them?
https://youtu.be/neY9_tGhhHQ?t=1663s

During your Vesak talk you said to imitate the arahant. Is there any way you can tell which of the four stages of enlightenment a monk has attained? You don't have merit badges, wink. I know you have said that a monk may speak to a superior about his experience for guidance. My guess is that as a lay person i don't really have to know: Pick a monk, any monk, imitate?
https://youtu.be/neY9_tGhhHQ?t=1979s

How to differentiate between indifference and disenchantment? Sometimes i feel disenchanted with the world but wonder if it may be indifference.
https://youtu.be/neY9_tGhhHQ?t=2205s

If a being attains one of the four stages of enlightenment, what will happen to the people who helped this being either by showing the path or teaching? Will they get positive kamma?
https://youtu.be/neY9_tGhhHQ?t=2409s

How do we maintain strong faith and resolve in our practice of the Buddha's path without clinging to fixed views and without being in conflict with other's beliefs?
https://youtu.be/neY9_tGhhHQ?t=2631s

Could you please help a lay Buddhist understand how to navigate the precept of the non-taking of life as it relates to home ownership and insect control? What should one do if there is a home infestation of some sort of insect or animal?
https://youtu.be/neY9_tGhhHQ?t=2797s

I would like to be reborn as a human being and listen to the Buddha's teachings in person. What kind of merits should one do in order to be reborn as a human during the time of the next Buddha?
https://youtu.be/neY9_tGhhHQ?t=3035s

Metta is core to Buddhism which makes for a better way of living. The Dalai Lama has spoken too of 'stupid compassion'. I would be grateful if you could please explain how as a Buddhist these two should be
https://youtu.be/neY9_tGhhHQ?t=3181s

What does it mean to discuss and listen to the dhamma at the right time or on timely occasions as in the Mangala sutta?
https://youtu.be/bxzTjmmGzqY?t=145s

Which are the two unskillful qualities are more harmful avija, ignorance, or tanha, craving? Also what is the most effective antidote to tanha?
https://youtu.be/bxzTjmmGzqY?t=457s

What is the difference between equanimity as a balanced engaged response within daily life compared to equanimity as an exalted state, e.g the seventh factor of awakening, the fourth Brahmavihara, etcetera?
https://youtu.be/bxzTjmmGzqY?t=877s

Please advise me how to explain to a four-year-old why his beloved great-grandfather will not be coming back from the hospital to his usual chair?
https://youtu.be/bxzTjmmGzqY?t=1205s

I've heard it said that "you can't remove the saltiness from salt". What does this mean in relation to sensual pleasures?
https://youtu.be/bxzTjmmGzqY?t=1482s

There are decisions i have made in my life, which i had a strong intuition that i should be doing something different. One such decision was leaving a city i really loved to look for similar experiences elsewhere which i did not find. I sometimes find myself ruminating on whether my life may have been happier different if i had made different decisions. During our Metta retreat this winter you encouraged us to think of our past selves as "characters in a story" and more as dominoes knocking into each other then a little pinball moving through time. This has helped but i sometimes still catch myself in painful ruminating. Is there a specific meditation technique i should rely on during these times or any other advice or thoughts you may have on this?
https://youtu.be/bxzTjmmGzqY?t=1741s

May you please talk about the dangers of conceit in the buddhist spiritual practice and how to overcome it.
https://youtu.be/bxzTjmmGzqY?t=2059s

I find the chant "om mani padme hum" makes me stay mindful longer than watching the breath or listening to a sound. Is that as good as the chant for mindfulness?
https://youtu.be/bxzTjmmGzqY?t=2302s

My question is regarding renunciation. I live a semi-monastery life where i don't participate a lot in social gatherings, but try to study buddhism and do my practice instead. The hardest thing for me right now is the feeling of isolation. How was it for you in those years in the cottage to be alone for such a long time and how did you deal with feelings of loneliness and isolation if you had these?
https://youtu.be/bxzTjmmGzqY?t=2616s

Could you explain how we can live with anatta in mind in a culture that is so focused on actualizing the self?
https://youtu.be/bxzTjmmGzqY?t=2956s

I feel that the sense of competition that society instills at a very early
https://youtu.be/bxzTjmmGzqY?t=3245s

At times I am dissatisfied with my home. What is the proper balance of caring for/maintaining/updating a home versus being content with basic living conditions?
https://youtu.be/24F7-iqaVHU?t=29s

How can I say no to people asking me to do things without aversion arising? I notice aversion, let it go and then say yes to things I normally wouldn’t. Any advice?
https://youtu.be/24F7-iqaVHU?t=472s

How does one know that there is the cessation of consciousness if there is no knowing?
https://youtu.be/24F7-iqaVHU?t=713s

Ajahn Chah was well-cared for in his dying years. What is in place to care for aging monastics in the Forest Tradition?
https://youtu.be/24F7-iqaVHU?t=876s

How can I overcome the shock of trauma and extreme betrayal? I can see it has a purpose. Yes I grow. But the loneliness and grief is sometimes hard to deal with. I always felt different.
https://youtu.be/24F7-iqaVHU?t=1143s

Dear Ajahn, the biography of Ajahn Chah, “Stillness Flowing”, speaks of how asking for forgiveness was a ritual practiced in Ajahn Chah's monasteries. It is a way "... of erasing bad things from the mind." On page (282) there is a note referring to 'defunct' kamma. I am considering asking forgiveness from a brother for the harms I caused while he was very young. Whether he forgives isn't as important as self-forgiveness. Any advice?
https://youtu.be/24F7-iqaVHU?t=1540s

Should one practice mudita for those who are finding happiness in unskillful ways? When I try to share their happiness I feel as if I’m complicit or encouraging the unskillful actions. Is it advisable to instead feel compassion for the future suffering of these individuals?
https://youtu.be/24F7-iqaVHU?t=1763s

Can an arahant (with or without psychic abilities) tell if another monastic or lay person has obtained Arahantship or any of the other levels of enlightenment?
https://youtu.be/24F7-iqaVHU?t=1959s

What are the benefits of the communal duties lifestyle of Ajahn Chah's tradition compared to other traditions that emphasize that less? Why would one choose and benefit from that?
https://youtu.be/24F7-iqaVHU?t=2234s

Would Ajahn please speak about Buddha nature and about what Theravada believes?
https://youtu.be/24F7-iqaVHU?t=2587s

It's hard finding a good teacher in person and finding like-minded people. Would it be advised to go alone on the path? Or will this hinder my progress?
https://youtu.be/24F7-iqaVHU?t=2953s

Can you please tell us more regarding the forthcoming retreat you will be leading? Why are kasinas so rarely talked about, and what are the benefits of kasina meditation?
https://youtu.be/24F7-iqaVHU?t=3082s

Dear Ajahn Sona, it is my practice to sit and watch my different thoughts, etc. with mindfulness. Not following negative thoughts in any way, but not forcing them away and just sitting until my mind rests peacefully. Is this okay, or when a negative thought arises should I instantly replace it with a positive thought? Please help.
https://youtu.be/xej1Qkht9Ic?t=21s

Would Ajahn please offer some words on "anattā" - especially in view of an understanding that may be supportive in our day-to-day practice?
https://youtu.be/xej1Qkht9Ic?t=245s

Ajahn, my biggest problem when it comes to meditation isn't racing thoughts, but a sense of dullness that I can't break through with mindfulness, effort and concentration. What do you suggest?
https://youtu.be/xej1Qkht9Ic?t=541s

Whenever I do a lot of metta, and given that I have cultivated a strong samadhi foundation, the excitement often creates unwanted results. For example, sometimes after the session, my mind is still one pointed at the lips area, ignoring the surroundings. Other times it becomes hard to think, read or simply watch the landscape, for my mind returns to concentration. Is this normal? How can I develop a more panoramic sense of awareness?
https://youtu.be/xej1Qkht9Ic?t=728s

I have a cousin who says she often offends other people, yet my impression is that others don't see it that dramatically. I rather have the impression that she feels helpless in these situations and has probably been for years. What could she do to make herself feel better in these situations?
https://youtu.be/xej1Qkht9Ic?t=884s

Is there an Abhidhammic elaborate explanation on the reason our memories are “wiped” or rather forgotten after each rebirth? How does forgetting work in general?
https://youtu.be/xej1Qkht9Ic?t=1014s

Greetings Ajahn, what is voidness - emptiness (sunnata)?" And what is the Theravada response to the Heidegger et al question "why is there something rather than nothing?" Or does this come under imponderable and is best left alone?
https://youtu.be/xej1Qkht9Ic?t=1511s

That question here was referring to the Heidegger question, why is there something rather than nothing or does this come under the imponderables? It was a question about voidness, emptiness, and Sunata.
https://youtu.be/xej1Qkht9Ic?t=1694s

Has Ajahn Sona ever had an encounter with a Deva?
https://youtu.be/xej1Qkht9Ic?t=1874s

As all the residents of the monastery have taken the five precepts, why is meat bought and eaten? I understand that all food is accepted from the lay community outside the monastery.
https://youtu.be/xej1Qkht9Ic?t=2147s

I tend to withdraw from the external world but still participate in social life because I feel like disappointing friends and family. How to deal with this dilemma?
https://youtu.be/xej1Qkht9Ic?t=2536s

Venerable, could you differentiate between violence and skillful use of physical force? On a recent livestream someone asked about defending children and I'm not sure I understood your answer. I've never had children but suspect I would fight (dirty) if I had to defend one.
https://youtu.be/xej1Qkht9Ic?t=2711s

I stopped drinking or taking intoxicants about a year ago. However, I find it the hardest to say no when I am a guest at someone's house. Almost akin to being offered meat for dinner and saying "Oh sorry I am a vegetarian." Any advice?
https://youtu.be/xej1Qkht9Ic?t=3053s

In the anapanasati sutta we're advised to keep the awareness on the breath as the object of meditation from the beginning to the end. Does that mean that we stay in first jhana all the time?
https://youtu.be/xej1Qkht9Ic?t=3221s

What is the Buddha's view of life after death. What happens after death? Is violence justified to protect oneself and one's children from people who want to do bodily harm to you or your children?
https://youtu.be/3GELj4YkmEU?t=84s

How can I approach meditation with a positive mindset? Too often it's perceived and approached, as a chore obligation and checklist item to be completed as soon as possible, rather than as something to be looked forward to as refreshing, delightful and renewing.
https://youtu.be/3GELj4YkmEU?t=718s

At times in my meta practice i feel as if i go into ever deeper more beautiful caverns of metta, but it does not necessarily feel expansive. Is expansiveness important? How do I cultivate it?
https://youtu.be/3GELj4YkmEU?t=1001s

How can a stream enterer find a teacher to guide her when all the insights were gained on one's own without the benefit of a hands-on teacher or sangha? My main concern is that buddhist teachers seem to be flooded with students right now and may be skeptical about a student's claims.
https://youtu.be/3GELj4YkmEU?t=1282s

What is the difference between a beginner and an advanced practitioner? Should i simply always consider myself a beginner?
https://youtu.be/3GELj4YkmEU?t=1653s

How can you encourage someone who has good in their heart but is surrounded by bad influences such as their friends? How can one motivate their friends and the person, such as motivating them not to be used sexually by other people or encouraging them not to take intoxicating drugs? It makes things harder that I have moved away, a hard issue that has been bothering me lately.
https://youtu.be/3GELj4YkmEU?t=1823s

An old thai monk recommended to me to include a forgiveness statement in my daily practice in order to relieve problems resulting from past and present karma. Would you consider that helpful?
https://youtu.be/3GELj4YkmEU?t=2224s

Can you expound on working with fear of future physical suffering, i.e the specter of the pain associated with a physical ailment even if one is comfortable with the idea of death there remains the challenge of dealing with the aversion to the possibility of a slow painful death and all the myriad challenges for yourself and the loved one who might be caring for you or witnessing your passing?
https://youtu.be/3GELj4YkmEU?t=2368s

If two people from a positive or negative consciousness perform the same action is the objective impact on their body the exact same regardless of what their subjective mind is perceiving because of their different conditioning?
https://youtu.be/3GELj4YkmEU?t=2679s

I am not able to focus and am dealing with fear and anxiety.
https://youtu.be/3GELj4YkmEU?t=2984s

Does gratitude appear in any of the buddhist lists?
https://youtu.be/3GELj4YkmEU?t=3177s

What would you say is the difference between strong piti and first jhana
https://youtu.be/3GELj4YkmEU?t=3349s

How can you sustain a life with the Dhamma? Being only 18 i notice i can easily go back into either doing bad decisions or going back into fear easily. What should i do? Find others who are older?
https://youtu.be/LGFW89k03pM?t=117s

I have read in some Buddhist circles that psychedelics such as DMT and magic mushrooms are acceptable as a tool for spiritual development. What would you like to say about this topic?
https://youtu.be/LGFW89k03pM?t=501s

Could you please talk about vedana translated as sensations in the body during meditation equanimous observation of the arising and passing of body sensations are of great importance in the Goenka tradition. It would be wonderful to hear your take on this subject.
https://youtu.be/LGFW89k03pM?t=1020s

The Mangala suta that speaks to helping one's relatives and to be blameless in action. I get very tangled in this as the only living parent of adult children facing difficulties. It seems it may be that the current life of mine is to be in service to their needs and care. Am I misreading the message here?
https://youtu.be/LGFW89k03pM?t=1559s

Does nothingness lead to somethingness or else what is there after all?
https://youtu.be/LGFW89k03pM?t=1988s

I am an aspiring monk currently working with Tisarana monastery on the process of ordination. I currently live with my family and try to follow as much of the vinaya and complete monk precepts as is possible in my daily life. Is there any advice you could give me on how to go about my practice as i wait for this avenue to open up due to Covid delays. Anything that is particularly important or pitfalls i should especially watch out for? I practice formally on a regular basis using your methods.
https://youtu.be/LGFW89k03pM?t=2189s

How do you deal with a family member who turns aggressive and uses abusive language towards other family members such as parents due to their conflicts and differences?
https://youtu.be/LGFW89k03pM?t=2454s

Any tips on how to handle loneliness?
https://youtu.be/LGFW89k03pM?t=2768s

Is classical music, piano, detrimental for jhana practice and concentration, and how did you personally let go of your own musical skills
https://youtu.be/LGFW89k03pM?t=3131s

What are your thoughts around esoteric Buddhism such as the Yamabushi ascetic mountain monks of Japan? Do you think initiation/rituals are important for enlightenment?
https://youtu.be/tSyy6ExFWGI?t=41s

Is the 'sound of silence' referred to by Luang Por Sumedho what is commonly known as tinnitus or is it another sound?
https://youtu.be/tSyy6ExFWGI?t=325s

What are the signs when one has aroused metta in themselves and does the practice really go deep as i have doubts?
https://youtu.be/tSyy6ExFWGI?t=406s

How does one know for certain about one's stage of enlightenment? Could the absence of corresponding fetters and a glimpse of the deathless count as a reliable measure to ensure that there will no longer be taking any lower rebirth?
https://youtu.be/tSyy6ExFWGI?t=617s

Should all our meditation efforts be self-guided, or is it beneficial to also use guided meditations?
https://youtu.be/tSyy6ExFWGI?t=947s

In a previous talk you mentioned that music can help open the heart. I find this true but i'm weary of music being fundamentally a sense pleasure. What are your thoughts?
https://youtu.be/tSyy6ExFWGI?t=1119s

I am intent on becoming an ordained Buddhist monk in the near future but I don't know where to start. How should one go about becoming a Buddhist monk?
https://youtu.be/tSyy6ExFWGI?t=1321s

My question is about the startle reflex when hearing a loud sound during meditation. I can be watching my breath continuously and then a car backfires outside my window which jolts me out of my meditation. Any advice on how to dampen this reflex?
https://youtu.be/tSyy6ExFWGI?t=1512s

What is the mind and where does it come from? Does the Buddha explain?
https://youtu.be/tSyy6ExFWGI?t=1813s

In case I'm lucky and find myself conscious at time at the time of my death, which do you advise me to do: Enjoy the company of my loved ones or meditate mindfulness meditation?
https://youtu.be/tSyy6ExFWGI?t=2119s

Can you describe a day in the life of the community while the monastery is closed to visitors? Do you continue to meet as a group for morning and evening Pujas and or practice on your own? Are there any projects of note that are happening or being planned?
https://youtu.be/tSyy6ExFWGI?t=2228s

How does one's sila protect you? How does the dhamma protect you, especially if one hasn't developed enough emotional development yet, and still gets entangled in emotional upheaval?
https://youtu.be/tSyy6ExFWGI?t=2927s

How can we tell the difference between fools and wise people? Where are the wise found in the world today?
https://youtu.be/ddWVz0OKTIA?t=112s

When advised to associate with the wise, can one take advice from someone not wise emotionally, but in some other action? Or is wise in this context more being wise in Dhamma?
https://youtu.be/ddWVz0OKTIA?t=317s

It seems the Mangala Sutta is directed toward humans, although the question, "what is the highest blessing?" was asked by a deva. Are we to understand that the asker is a "lower" deva, still close to the material world? Or that the devas are being reminded that a lower rebirth is possible, and they need to work--despite their bliss--toward complete freedom from suffering?
https://youtu.be/ddWVz0OKTIA?t=458s

The wise and the foolish seem like two extremes. What about people in between -should I stay with or leave them?
https://youtu.be/ddWVz0OKTIA?t=687s

I feel a strong passion to help the foolish in whatever guise they take. Can we, and should we, "help" foolish people see the error of their ways, or is it better to only look at ourselves, so that we may become an example of an "unfoolish" way of living that brings much more happiness?
https://youtu.be/ddWVz0OKTIA?t=982s

How do we associate with those we have familial obligations to help - an elderly parent or an adult child - who may not be wise, yet we wish to offer some wisdom or Metta to them.
https://youtu.be/ddWVz0OKTIA?t=1212s

I have been lucky to have many wise teachers, but who have been "wise with an edge", meaning that they came with some not very wise vices. How do I think about this?
https://youtu.be/ddWVz0OKTIA?t=1412s

Some professionals need to spend their life caring for these "fools". What is your advice for youth workers, counselors, healers?
https://youtu.be/ddWVz0OKTIA?t=1670s

When one leaves the foolish, how does one deal with the aftermath of triggers with gratefulness and appreciation?
https://youtu.be/ddWVz0OKTIA?t=1968s

Could you speak a little on the difference between avoiding the foolish and aversion towards those who don't hold the same views?
https://youtu.be/ddWVz0OKTIA?t=2140s

What does the Buddha teach us about the notion of justice with regard to those who do us harm?
https://youtu.be/ddWVz0OKTIA?t=2300s

Do we have any duty to the foolish
https://youtu.be/ddWVz0OKTIA?t=2455s

When you encounter unwise behaviour at Birken how do you address this?
https://youtu.be/KogCTnpaHH0?t=98s

If a serious lay practitioner uses art or crafts for a non-utilitarian purpose, is this a distraction from their practice?
https://youtu.be/KogCTnpaHH0?t=527s

How can we train ourselves to not let others negatively affect us emotionally?
https://youtu.be/KogCTnpaHH0?t=702s

Can one Dhamma talk change your life?
https://youtu.be/KogCTnpaHH0?t=938s

Are negative emotions such as anger or resentment ever appropriate? Why do we have them?
https://youtu.be/KogCTnpaHH0?t=1030s

Sometimes I feel like my discipline can be motivated by harshness/an arrogant desire to succeed. How do we maintain right intention with our discipline?
https://youtu.be/KogCTnpaHH0?t=1180s

Regarding not associating with the foolish, how can a mother can maintain associating with a foolish son for the purpose of loving patient forbearance, or with a friend who is kind but tries to engage in gossip?
https://youtu.be/KogCTnpaHH0?t=1516s

How does a person know they are seeing the Dhamma?
https://youtu.be/KogCTnpaHH0?t=1709s

it was very fascinating when you talked about the highly disciplined life of a monastic in the forest tradition: why has a highly disciplined person so much energy? The practice and discipline may sometimes lead to frustration or discouragement, what can one do to overcome this?
https://youtu.be/KogCTnpaHH0?t=1817s

My understanding of foolish people in my life was enhanced by learning about modern psychological research into personality disorders. Do you have thoughts on this?
https://youtu.be/KogCTnpaHH0?t=2096s

Is the blessing of speech that is "true and pleasant to hear" the same as right speech?
https://youtu.be/KogCTnpaHH0?t=2325s

In regards to discipline, is there any particular guidance we can follow to help to organize the upcoming year
https://youtu.be/KogCTnpaHH0?t=2476s

How do meditators balance care for family vs care for self?
https://youtu.be/IyZboaQK5Wg?t=55s

How can I continue to have metta towards my sister, who takes my things when I am not around without asking me?
https://youtu.be/IyZboaQK5Wg?t=355s

Please expound on the relationship between blessings, making merit, and future kamma?
https://youtu.be/IyZboaQK5Wg?t=476s

As a psychotherapist, more of what I offer to my clients is rooted in Dhamma (without necessarily calling it that). I sometimes feel awkward about charging for my services. Is this a violation of Right Livelihood?
https://youtu.be/IyZboaQK5Wg?t=703s

How does one go about asking for a blessing chant from a monk? Is there a formal way to request this?
https://youtu.be/IyZboaQK5Wg?t=948s

How does one deal with a person who becomes increasingly difficult to reason with as one ages and loses the mental capacity to evaluate the situation properly?
https://youtu.be/IyZboaQK5Wg?t=1091s

With an adult child with disabilities and mental illness, the line of care is unclear. What are your comments?
https://youtu.be/IyZboaQK5Wg?t=1340s

What are the limitations of willpower?
https://youtu.be/IyZboaQK5Wg?t=1542s

I was not the most skilled parent with one of my children. While I care deeply for this now young adult, it is difficult to be with them, as they do not respect me and I find them exhausting to be around. What advice would you have?
https://youtu.be/IyZboaQK5Wg?t=1804s

Is it correct to think of the blessings you have talked about the doorway to Dhamma?
https://youtu.be/IyZboaQK5Wg?t=1947s

If the universe punishes wrong conduct, why does cruelty to children exist?
https://youtu.be/IyZboaQK5Wg?t=2088s

Do you have any suggestions for ways to share the Dhamma with family that are supportive of my practice, but not interested themselves?
https://youtu.be/IyZboaQK5Wg?t=2262s

I love to chant "Namo Tassa". Is it possible to receive great comfort from these words?
https://youtu.be/IyZboaQK5Wg?t=2379s

How to practice the Highest Blessings with parents and children who actively lie, steal, engage in alcoholism/addiction and abuse?
https://youtu.be/IyZboaQK5Wg?t=2501s

How do I pay my debt to both of my parents, who have passed away
https://youtu.be/IyZboaQK5Wg?t=2653s

Due to chronic illness I have to make considerable concessions with things contrary to what Buddhist discipline suggests, e.g. sleep. How can I deal with this so it's not an obstacle on the path?
https://youtu.be/vmPdMBEmmnY?t=39s

How can one be well-caring of one’s parents, if a close relationship is in some ways harmful to one’s own life? Does 'well caring' also refer to the inner relationship to one’s parents, i.e. wishing them well being and a happy life?
https://youtu.be/vmPdMBEmmnY?t=168s

The Buddha taught many highest blessings. Are we supposed to see each as always present, or as we learn Dhamma, does each come into being?
https://youtu.be/vmPdMBEmmnY?t=400s

Do we reincarnate with the same people over and over, or carry additional family or group kamma?
https://youtu.be/vmPdMBEmmnY?t=491s

How do you spot abusive or bulling people?
https://youtu.be/vmPdMBEmmnY?t=664s

I thank you for yesterday’s talk and Q&A, and, of course I know this is the Buddhist way but I keep wondering how well one can use this mindset in the face of people who really intentionally mean one real harm, or when in situations of horrific violence. Could you say more on the dire situations please?
https://youtu.be/vmPdMBEmmnY?t=879s

My question is about the concept and aim of 'retirement' from employment. When people can retire from their employment should they continue to find other ways to 'work' if they can? Is there any ethical problem with continuing to receive income from a pension or investments they have made?
https://youtu.be/vmPdMBEmmnY?t=1118s

I've been sitting with a lot of strong, persistent anxiety, which is not just vague, but a reaction to some very real issues. Do you have suggestions about how to work with anxiety?
https://youtu.be/vmPdMBEmmnY?t=1317s

How to strike a balance between being skilled in occupation and having a boring job, conducive to meditative practice?
https://youtu.be/vmPdMBEmmnY?t=1559s

You mentioned that a career in the arts can be an example of skillful behaviour because it can energize people's lives. Please elaborate on how this can be helpful and not frivolous? Can oil painting be part of a spiritual practice?
https://youtu.be/vmPdMBEmmnY?t=1696s

I have a question about intoxicants. I am prescribed a medication for a medical condition. Is taking this medication breaking the precepts?
https://youtu.be/vmPdMBEmmnY?t=1882s

You talked about the physics of generosity: does that also include a balance, i.e. if you get a lot, you have to give a lot? What is more important, the quantity or the quality of giving?
https://youtu.be/vmPdMBEmmnY?t=2064s

Can you please elaborate on the effect of thinking of the benefits of generosity while giving a gift. Does that reduce or taint the merit of giving? How can one test for the purity of one’s own motives in giving?
https://youtu.be/vmPdMBEmmnY?t=2400s

I have been through trauma and have difficulty sleeping. Is it OK to take sleep medication
https://youtu.be/vmPdMBEmmnY?t=2515s

Regarding keeping company with virtuous people, one 'friend' is a long-time meditator and 'Buddhist', yet can be quite insensitive/judgmental, and demanding of gifts greater than I gift myself. Is this someone that would be considered someone to avoid?
https://youtu.be/Ej1xUSCG6cg?t=50s

Is anxiety so prevalent on our society because modern life is low on these blessings?
https://youtu.be/Ej1xUSCG6cg?t=238s

I think I get caught up in ill-will towards the foolish, and so become foolish myself! How can I bypass this?
https://youtu.be/Ej1xUSCG6cg?t=580s

What guidance do you have for living in a suitable location in a city?
https://youtu.be/Ej1xUSCG6cg?t=768s

For the spiritual life, especially for monks and nuns, the Buddha advised to stay in the forest. Why is the forest so suitable?
https://youtu.be/Ej1xUSCG6cg?t=936s

For a lay practitioner, does living in a suitable location involve living close to a monastery?
https://youtu.be/Ej1xUSCG6cg?t=1302s

Does the Worthy One need to be living? Can it be a writer I admire, whom I wish to emulate?
https://youtu.be/Ej1xUSCG6cg?t=1540s

What if those close to us are unskillful or disruptive to the path? What is the greater obligation - friends/family, or the Dhamma?
https://youtu.be/Ej1xUSCG6cg?t=1654s

A friend who is very important to me as a spiritual teacher suddenly turned against me with anger. This has created a blockage for me in my Metta practice. How can I resolve this blockage and help me with my attitude towards future teachers?
https://youtu.be/Ej1xUSCG6cg?t=1894s

"In honouring those worthy of honour", some might insist that no humans are above them, but a code of high ethics alone is enough. Will you elaborate on this difference?
https://youtu.be/Ej1xUSCG6cg?t=2101s

How does one who is not from a Buddhist background move towards a meaningful Buddhist practice while minimizing the disruption to family and friends who act from a much different operating system (materialism, Christianity, etc...)?
https://youtu.be/Ej1xUSCG6cg?t=2240s

I feel like I've been contaminated by trying to help fools - how can I decontaminate and forgive myself?
https://youtu.be/Ej1xUSCG6cg?t=2452s

Regarding the precept of not killing, is it considered a violation if one has thoughts hoping for a loved one suffering a prolonged terminal illness to leave their body and no longer suffer
https://youtu.be/Ej1xUSCG6cg?t=2656s

Vesak Dhamma Talk
https://youtu.be/19PhNUBMLxs?t=13s

Q&A begins
https://youtu.be/19PhNUBMLxs?t=1447s

What makes the Buddha different as a religious figure; why are reflections on the Buddha's birth, Enlightenment and death helpful to us now?
https://youtu.be/19PhNUBMLxs?t=1457s

Many sculptures of the Buddha show him with a hand gesture of touching the earth. What is the significance of this?
https://youtu.be/19PhNUBMLxs?t=1910s

I have both positive and negative feelings around bowing. Why is it that it is appropriate in Asian culture, but seems strange in Western culture?
https://youtu.be/19PhNUBMLxs?t=2181s

My family does not connect to meditation, but would connect to the greater Buddhist message. What does it mean to celebrate the Buddha in our culture, in this time?
https://youtu.be/19PhNUBMLxs?t=2502s

Is there increased opportunity for one to grow in Dhamma practice as they age?
https://youtu.be/19PhNUBMLxs?t=2985s

Can you speak to the development of patience?
https://youtu.be/19PhNUBMLxs?t=3305s

If Buddhism is about happiness, why did the Buddha choose to frame his teaching around suffering?
https://youtu.be/19PhNUBMLxs?t=3517s

Are there skillful ways to face the possibilities of sickness, death and loss
https://youtu.be/19PhNUBMLxs?t=3710s

When using Metta to induce a sense of safety, images arise of the possibility of not being safe. How to best work with this?
https://youtu.be/ubCz7LdJHRg?t=41s

Of the Four Divine Abidings, is Metta the most important for our daily lives?
https://youtu.be/ubCz7LdJHRg?t=661s

How can one skillfully relate to remorse over harmful speech done in the past?
https://youtu.be/ubCz7LdJHRg?t=1383s

How does one get to an embodied experience of Metta wherever one is? How is Metta seen as a concentration practice?
https://youtu.be/ubCz7LdJHRg?t=1749s

What role does Loving-kindness play in death and dying?
https://youtu.be/ubCz7LdJHRg?t=2063s

How is the guided Metta session used to develop Loving-kindness?
https://youtu.be/ubCz7LdJHRg?t=2507s

How does one find their way into Metta while experiencing physical pain?
https://youtu.be/ubCz7LdJHRg?t=2697s

Should I contemplate the Dhamma talk during meditation, or keep the mind clear and contemplate after the sitting?
https://youtu.be/ubCz7LdJHRg?t=2908s

What kind of self-talk pattern is needed when I need to be kind to myself?
https://youtu.be/ubCz7LdJHRg?t=3067s

Should one practice body self-acceptance and then move on to loving oneself
https://youtu.be/ubCz7LdJHRg?t=3420s

Which requires greater effort - overcoming bodily or mental unpleasant feelings?
https://youtu.be/kbqmMUtSRj0?t=33s

How do we give meaning to Loving-kindness as kusala-kriya - skillfully moving towards the ultimate release of suffering?
https://youtu.be/kbqmMUtSRj0?t=633s

Could it be that the pandemic has brought good conditions for the development of Metta?
https://youtu.be/kbqmMUtSRj0?t=1385s

Can Metta lead to the Jhanas and Enlightenment?
https://youtu.be/kbqmMUtSRj0?t=1973s

How can I hold my contentment with simplicity and not question it when others ask “what did you do today”?
https://youtu.be/kbqmMUtSRj0?t=2235s

How much needs to be put into Metta practice to overcome our automatic emotional reactions?
https://youtu.be/kbqmMUtSRj0?t=2639s

What does ‘Vande’ mean - from the ‘Buddham Vande’ chant
https://youtu.be/kbqmMUtSRj0?t=2887s

Did the Buddha teach Metta in the same structured approach as taught by lay retreat teachers?
https://youtu.be/PHoFFBwGmXY?t=36s

Is a sweet feeling in the middle of the chest a natural response when cultivating Metta?
https://youtu.be/PHoFFBwGmXY?t=526s

How do you work with joy and energy when they get in the way of sleep?
https://youtu.be/PHoFFBwGmXY?t=990s

How does Metta transform perception?
https://youtu.be/PHoFFBwGmXY?t=1170s

Can the notion of a Bodhisattva be understood within the Theravada tradition?
https://youtu.be/PHoFFBwGmXY?t=1767s

How to overcome reacting with fear or anger to disagreeable events in the world?
https://youtu.be/PHoFFBwGmXY?t=2300s

Can you comment on the experience of being “in sync” as the practice of Metta deepens?
https://youtu.be/PHoFFBwGmXY?t=2629s

How does one sustain personal goals when outside of the realm of Loving-kindness?
https://youtu.be/PHoFFBwGmXY?t=2828s

How can I tell when I am generating Metta towards myself vs ego self protection
https://youtu.be/PHoFFBwGmXY?t=3047s

How does one get the right balance between breath meditation and Metta practice?
https://youtu.be/Y-h2M9wILTQ?t=20s

How does kamma relate to past actions? What releases us from negative past actions and corresponding results?
https://youtu.be/Y-h2M9wILTQ?t=455s

How does one balance retreating from the world when opportunities arise to make active contributions in the world?
https://youtu.be/Y-h2M9wILTQ?t=1140s

How do we expand small generations of Metta into longer lengths of experience?
https://youtu.be/Y-h2M9wILTQ?t=1442s

Is it possible to take a Metta speed boat all the way to sotapatti?
https://youtu.be/Y-h2M9wILTQ?t=1717s

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?
https://youtu.be/Y-h2M9wILTQ?t=1983s

When one sees killing in nature, say, a lizard catching a fly for its meal, does one intercede?
https://youtu.be/Y-h2M9wILTQ?t=2689s

Does anger arise for enlightened beings?
https://youtu.be/Y-h2M9wILTQ?t=2899s

How to recapture feelings of past Loving-kindness when experiencing present difficulties
https://youtu.be/Y-h2M9wILTQ?t=3187s

Does Metta include patiently bearing with the unpleasant?
https://youtu.be/Xn6ncAbOftM?t=23s

Can you speak of Metta towards objects or natural elements? Like, towards snow.
https://youtu.be/Xn6ncAbOftM?t=454s

What is the middle way in cultivating Metta powerfully without trying to force it?
https://youtu.be/Xn6ncAbOftM?t=978s

Do you need to be a Buddhist to recieve or radiate Metta? Does speaking Pali help?
https://youtu.be/Xn6ncAbOftM?t=1344s

Previously you said that one has a better chance with Metta knowing it is a component of the Eightfold Path. Can you say more?
https://youtu.be/Xn6ncAbOftM?t=1591s

I love being happy but don’t want to brush off my broken heart. What do you suggest?
https://youtu.be/Xn6ncAbOftM?t=1720s

Do you have an example of a misused application of metta which we should avoid?
https://youtu.be/Xn6ncAbOftM?t=1927s

Can you comment on spiritual conceit?
https://youtu.be/Xn6ncAbOftM?t=2118s

What is the need to lead a virtuous life and what does trying to do this give us?
https://youtu.be/Xn6ncAbOftM?t=2492s

Given all the horrors of the world, should we use our time and energy to make it a better place?
https://youtu.be/Xn6ncAbOftM?t=2910s

How does one become consistent in the recollection of one’s good actions
https://youtu.be/Xn6ncAbOftM?t=3133s

Beings in nature are inevitably food for other beings, so how does sending Loving-kindness fit in with the food chain?
https://youtu.be/wkldrLc5dHo?t=32s

What do monks do when they are having ongoing health problems?
https://youtu.be/wkldrLc5dHo?t=302s

How does Metta practice relate to the compilation of death?
https://youtu.be/wkldrLc5dHo?t=659s

Sometimes Metta fades and it’s tiring to keep generating it. Any suggestions?
https://youtu.be/wkldrLc5dHo?t=909s

Do people get benefits in chanting a sutta (say, in Pali) without knowing it’s meaning?
https://youtu.be/wkldrLc5dHo?t=1211s

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?
https://youtu.be/wkldrLc5dHo?t=1541s

Why is it that positive or negative emotions put into the universe come back amplified?
https://youtu.be/wkldrLc5dHo?t=1856s

Can chanting the Metta Sutta act as good kindling for getting Metta started?
https://youtu.be/wkldrLc5dHo?t=2295s

Having survived trauma, sometimes fear arises during meditation. Does one stop meditating or keep going?
https://youtu.be/wkldrLc5dHo?t=2453s

Can you clarify the difference between the physical sensation of pain and the concept of dukkha?
https://youtu.be/wkldrLc5dHo?t=2686s

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.
https://youtu.be/wkldrLc5dHo?t=2884s

Can you explain what to observe in our dreams to see how much Metta has penetrated
https://youtu.be/wkldrLc5dHo?t=3164s

How does one practice Loving-kindness when entangled with unskillful people?
https://youtu.be/N5742eWRlXQ?t=30s

In the past, I used to end my sittings with a smile and start to laugh. Is this “laughing-kindness” like “Loving-kindness”?
https://youtu.be/N5742eWRlXQ?t=552s

In a Jataka story, the Bodhisatta practices patience (Khanti). Isn’t it a practice of Loving-kindness as well?
https://youtu.be/N5742eWRlXQ?t=701s

What strategies can we undertake to keep from getting overwhelmed beyond one’s capacities for Loving-kindness?
https://youtu.be/N5742eWRlXQ?t=934s

As a psychotherapist, how can I express to patients, family, etc, that I am not available for periods of time?
https://youtu.be/N5742eWRlXQ?t=1253s

Please explain how something persisting through many lifetimes, carrying the kamma from many lifetimes, is separate and distinct from an idea of a self?
https://youtu.be/N5742eWRlXQ?t=1621s

What thoughts, feelings and wishes are appropriate when seeing a dead animal on the street?
https://youtu.be/N5742eWRlXQ?t=2114s

How does eating meat relate to Loving-kindness towards animals?
https://youtu.be/N5742eWRlXQ?t=2267s

When I am in a rush and time pressure, it is hard to sustain Metta. Any advice?
https://youtu.be/N5742eWRlXQ?t=2630s

Can you speak to balancing our own inner wisdom with that of outside voices (teachers, etc)?
https://youtu.be/N5742eWRlXQ?t=2914s

Any advice in keeping Metta that we’ve cultivated in daily life after the retreat
https://youtu.be/N5742eWRlXQ?t=3115s

Can Metta protect one from greed and sense desires?
https://youtu.be/R2K4SvUHLo8?t=28s

How can one be “a graceful receiver” in a relationship, rather than the giving end?
https://youtu.be/R2K4SvUHLo8?t=654s

Is there a way to cultivate Metta without words?
https://youtu.be/R2K4SvUHLo8?t=1264s

Does Loving-kindness require vulnerability and forgiveness for oneself and others?
https://youtu.be/R2K4SvUHLo8?t=1492s

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?
https://youtu.be/R2K4SvUHLo8?t=1653s

My mind is craving for Loving-kindness that isn’t present. Is that craving an impediment?
https://youtu.be/R2K4SvUHLo8?t=2329s

How does one not fail to achieve Nibanna through Loving-kindness? And, how does one achieve Jhana through Loving-kindness?
https://youtu.be/R2K4SvUHLo8?t=2540s

How can one cultivate relaxed safety when confronted with overwhelming bodily discomfort?
https://youtu.be/R2K4SvUHLo8?t=2737s

Can you talk about gratitude from a Buddhist prospective
https://youtu.be/R2K4SvUHLo8?t=3005s

What is the relationship between Metta and the Seven Factors of Enlightenment?
https://youtu.be/6GZol-6qF-c?t=117s

As Metta arises in the body, what sensations arise as a result?
https://youtu.be/6GZol-6qF-c?t=362s

Is the development of good ethics (Sila) the foundation for generating Metta?
https://youtu.be/6GZol-6qF-c?t=1095s

When on this Metta cruise on the canoe, is it OK if I want to be on a yacht as well?
https://youtu.be/6GZol-6qF-c?t=1580s

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?
https://youtu.be/6GZol-6qF-c?t=1933s

How do I make negative emotions be absent through the practice of Metta?
https://youtu.be/6GZol-6qF-c?t=2349s

In the 8th Precept, why do we refrain from lying on a high or luxurious sleeping place?
https://youtu.be/6GZol-6qF-c?t=2696s

Any advice for keeping and not forgetting the Metta feeling once you’ve found it?
https://youtu.be/6GZol-6qF-c?t=2935s

What is the relationship between Loving-kindness and the Four Noble Truths?
https://youtu.be/6GZol-6qF-c?t=3243s

Is there too much goodwill that would put one at risk, for example, from being scammed
https://youtu.be/6GZol-6qF-c?t=3370s

Dhamma Talk
https://youtu.be/wMkOTmJCkCA?t=0s

You spoke a few weeks ago about living in community and how the monastic code, among many other things, teaches how to think of others. I have also heard that the Metta Sutta teaches how to think of others. What are the differences in these teachings on thinking of others?
https://youtu.be/wMkOTmJCkCA?t=1523s

Dear Ajahn, I recently lost my aunt in a terrible road accident. She had a major role in bringing me up and shaping my value system. It has been a very hard couple of months dealing with the sheer pain of this loss which is a first of this kind for me. Is there any particular meditation approach that may help in the grieving process?
https://youtu.be/wMkOTmJCkCA?t=1818s

What is your advice for when one experiences hallucination and vibrations outside of meditation after intense meditation. Is it an indication of bad practice or an imbalance?
https://youtu.be/wMkOTmJCkCA?t=2096s

I've heard of a practice that can be taken up for a period of time where you undertake to give away something (food I think) each day. Could the giving also include what you observe is needed? What is this practice called and can you please talk a little about it?
https://youtu.be/wMkOTmJCkCA?t=2440s

I enjoyed your comments on objectless consciousness in a recent interview. Do you have advice for approaching teachings such as these in popular circles or with teachers?
https://youtu.be/wMkOTmJCkCA?t=2732s

When the illusion of the separate self is realised, what does the observer then observe?
https://youtu.be/wMkOTmJCkCA?t=3165s

How do I come to terms with my military job where I was indirectly responsible for hundreds of deaths and if history had been different it would have been hundreds of thousands
https://youtu.be/wMkOTmJCkCA?t=3410s

I sometimes struggle with YouTube binges when stressed at work or elsewhere. Working with the 7th precept I am trying to lessen this. Do you have any advice for addiction to entertainment?
https://youtu.be/Q912q7dtJRY?t=134s

How does one balance work and other responsibilities. Sometimes it seems that one either doesn't live fully, or one lets others down when unable to fulfill a responsibility.
https://youtu.be/Q912q7dtJRY?t=433s

How would one go about introducing the Dhamma to someone? I have a friend whose life I feel is dictated by modern ideas such as hustle culture and I have been unsuccessful in convincing him to look further into the dhamma. For most people I tend to introduce the idea of the Jhanas to show it's something supernormal and not in their current experience to pique interest.
https://youtu.be/Q912q7dtJRY?t=693s

In the 4 Establishments of Mindfulness the Buddha teaches how to contemplate the body. I have read and heard this as unattractiveness or loathsomeness of the body. Can you please explain a way to do this type of contemplation? Additionally, why is the development of a mind that views the body as unattractive or loathsome beneficial.
https://youtu.be/Q912q7dtJRY?t=905s

What is meant by neutral feelings? Are they important?
https://youtu.be/Q912q7dtJRY?t=1238s

I'm working on right mindfulness. Does sloth have certain thoughts accompanying it? Can you give examples please?
https://youtu.be/Q912q7dtJRY?t=1448s

I know monks refrain from playing music but with regards to Metta practice, I understand it's recommended to recall good memories of wholesome feeling. You once said, 'make a map'. Is mentally rehearsing the music the same as doing it aloud?
https://youtu.be/Q912q7dtJRY?t=1685s

Is inner sound included in one of the 5 aggregates? It never seems to begin or end, and when attention is paid, it's always there. I understood that all 5 aggregates are impermanent?
https://youtu.be/Q912q7dtJRY?t=1829s

I have found no trace of a self or soul. What could be meant by past and future births and deaths?
https://youtu.be/Q912q7dtJRY?t=2008s

What Buddhist practice can pacify thoughts of anger or resentment that surface repeatedly. Is complete elimination of these thoughts possible?
https://youtu.be/Q912q7dtJRY?t=2195s

I am struggling to overcome the hindrances, while just keeping the five precepts. Would it speed up my progress if I force myself to keep the eight precepts?
https://youtu.be/Q912q7dtJRY?t=2373s

In 2020-2021 I was happy living a simple life. I'm now finding myself caught up in craving for things and experiences that I really craved before Covid. How can I be happy with a simple life again?
https://youtu.be/Q912q7dtJRY?t=2549s

In light of the worst predictions for the effects of global warming, where it may come that the human species on earth becomes extinct in perhaps a few generations, what is the Buddhist view on this, considering Buddhist cosmology and that the human realm is optimal for arahantship?
https://youtu.be/Q912q7dtJRY?t=2730s

Lately my email inbox is flooded with announcements about conferences or series of talks on the future of American Buddhism with the focus on how Buddhism can be open to the wealth of diversity and still tap the need for spiritual depth. What are your thoughts on this heightened interest in the future of Buddhism, both from your personal perspective and that of Theravada Buddhism?
https://youtu.be/Q912q7dtJRY?t=3040s

I can't be a monastic due to disability, but am giving my life to practicing Dharma and metta. Can a lay buddhist have a dharma name to aspire towards?
https://youtu.be/Q912q7dtJRY?t=3352s

What are perceptions
https://youtu.be/Q912q7dtJRY?t=3408s

My brother & his family stay with my parents but they are spendthrift & that puts financial strain & stress on my parents. I support my parents financially but I feel exploited in this case that indirectly I'm supporting their luxury needs. If I don't support my parents financially, I feel guilty, however, supporting parents has always been a karmic boon for me. I am going through a dilemma in this case if I should send funds to my parents or not. Mangala sutta says to support parents. So, I get confused as I also don't want to be exploited. What to do in this situation?
https://youtu.be/rXjCdR-Xvok?t=23s

In your YouTube video on Right View, you discuss how it is important to have a conviction that existence continues after death. As a natural skeptic, my position on the question of what happens when I die is to reserve judgment for now. Is there a way for me to proceed with spiritual development along a Buddhist path while being a skeptic about rebirth?
https://youtu.be/rXjCdR-Xvok?t=259s

Reflecting on the qualities of the Buddha. Can you please explain how to reflect on araham (arahant) and how this relates to myself and my practice.
https://youtu.be/rXjCdR-Xvok?t=777s

Regarding your talk last week on hiri ottappa and its effects on societies, it was very familiar. Living in the US where moral decline is visible in regular active shootings, lying in public, greed and competitiveness, one wonders what to do. Besides cleaning one's own garden with meditation, sila, dana, and volunteering to improve life; what suggestions do you have for aiding the external world. Thank you for your teachings.
https://youtu.be/rXjCdR-Xvok?t=1146s

In all my meditations, I always have a diffused white nimmita, but for the first time ever today I had a distinct dark blue nimmita. What do you think this means, and is this common?
https://youtu.be/rXjCdR-Xvok?t=1441s

Are there similes or instructions on how to raise wholesome states of joy and gladness, especially when one is in the midst of sadness?
https://youtu.be/rXjCdR-Xvok?t=1618s

What are the best commentarial books available for a lay person to gain a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the Suttas?
https://youtu.be/rXjCdR-Xvok?t=1961s

Dear Ajahn. I am fortunate to have a good bit of time to practice and listen to talks at the moment. However, I don't have a teacher or access to a monastery so I wonder how to access my own progress. I am thinking my ego is either portraying it going better or worse than it actually is. I feel its important to see some progress to keep the motivation going. I do breath meditation and Tibetan Dorje (DOOR JAY) Sempa practice.
https://youtu.be/rXjCdR-Xvok?t=2152s

Can you please speak to how to let go of control? I find myself knowing times when I should let go of craving and the desire to control, but being unable to due to fear and anxiety.
https://youtu.be/rXjCdR-Xvok?t=2330s

My question is how do animals accrue the good karma necessary to have a rebirth into the human realm?
https://youtu.be/rXjCdR-Xvok?t=2506s

I am curious what you would tell someone who is feeling left out, hurt and angry by an relative that's come into money but does not wish to share.
https://youtu.be/rXjCdR-Xvok?t=2877s

In response to one question about meditation on elements you said, to stare the fire, to see the water, to feel the air, etc., but in Maharahulavada sutta, Buddha tells Rahula to see the earth element in hair, skin, bones, etc, similarly seeing the other elements inside the body...your answer gave me another perspective but I was wondering if Buddha has said it somewhere
https://youtu.be/rXjCdR-Xvok?t=2989s

Today I cut down all my entertainment, social media usage, sugar, and all sensual pleasures I could think of and I noticed that I was able to produce metta far more easily. I am currently trying a year-long retreat on metta.
https://youtu.be/R0A_qJcMfN8?t=101s

I am recovering from a serious physical injury. To avoid pain & re-injury, I am working with mindfulness of the body throughout the day in all postures. How do I elevate this practice from what seems like bare awareness of movement to what the Buddha taught in the Satipatthana Sutta? Many thanks for your wisdom; I hope to use this opportunity to deepen my practice.
https://youtu.be/R0A_qJcMfN8?t=455s

I remember hearing that people don't come to a monastery because they're too happy. Is suffering the main teacher of peace and can joy eventually teach the same?
https://youtu.be/R0A_qJcMfN8?t=821s

What metrics should one use to gauge the harmfulness or benefit of their actions? How can one develop their ability to assess the quality of their own actions?
https://youtu.be/R0A_qJcMfN8?t=1028s

Ever since I fumbled into a few jhanas 8 years ago, my interest in Dhamma has deepened, propelled by a need to understand and repeat those experiences. As a result, I relate less to the conventional world and my sense of self is vague. But I still have not given up ideas of career success and family. I also have student debt, which might prevent ordination. I truly feel out of place and I'm concerned I always will. How to move forward?
https://youtu.be/R0A_qJcMfN8?t=1395s

I am unsure how to actively cultivate equanimity. Is it done through contemplations such as the 32 parts of a man? Is there an active participation similar to metta? I'm not sure how to gauge how equanimous I am whereas with metta it is far easier, because metta feels more concrete while equanimity feels more abstract.
https://youtu.be/R0A_qJcMfN8?t=1802s

Is the Theravada goal of liberation different from annihilation? Is the ending of rebirth and attainment of nibbana something to be experienced? Or, is it an end? Could you point to the suttas as a reference?
https://youtu.be/R0A_qJcMfN8?t=2044s

When I am practicing breath meditation should I be focusing on my emotions, in the form of clearing away the hindrances and trying to cultivate piti and sukha, or should I ignore my emotions and focus on only on my breath, and then have piti and sukha arise as a result?
https://youtu.be/R0A_qJcMfN8?t=2423s

I have recently suffered a great loss. Do you have any advice for dealing with grief and guilt?
https://youtu.be/R0A_qJcMfN8?t=2748s

Many suttas speak about the path beginning with someone "leaving their circle of relatives." As a lay-person is there a teaching for us to take away from this?
https://youtu.be/R0A_qJcMfN8?t=3021s

If a married man had a year long affair, should he tell his pregnant wife
https://youtu.be/R0A_qJcMfN8?t=3312s

Dear Ajahn, I become very discouraged when I become hooked by powerful negative emotions. It seems like most of the time I'm "doing ok", having neutral, or slight positive or negative emotions but not being swept up by them. When I feel more doom and gloom I'm very disappointed that my practice isn't strong enough to ride through the emotional storm with more detachment and faith and makes me question if my practice is heading in the right direction. Any advice? Is there happiness free of suffering to be had in this life before reaching nibbana?
https://youtu.be/6Uk5mBuaX74?t=17s

Ajahn Sona, Is non-self nothing more than a lack of attachment to identity, since everything we are is by haphazard? What we are born into and conditioning and whatnot?
https://youtu.be/6Uk5mBuaX74?t=614s

It is said that a tadpole only understands properly what water is once it grows up to be a frog and experiences land.The same way, a person only properly understands sensuality once they frequently experience the jhanas. Can you elaborate on how one's outlook on sensuality changes experientially? How do they feel about sensuality, and in what way would they feel repulsed by it?
https://youtu.be/6Uk5mBuaX74?t=1257s

A question about the practice of music and miccha samadhi. As a hopeful meditator, is practicing music counter productive to attaining jhana? (I am a music teacher.)
https://youtu.be/6Uk5mBuaX74?t=1740s

Dear Ajahn Sona,what are the main distinctions between Ajahn Chah Thai Forest Tradition and some other Forest Traditions?
https://youtu.be/6Uk5mBuaX74?t=2180s

Can you comment on a Buddhist view on aliens? Do you think that the Buddha's description of devas can tell us something about the E.T.s?
https://youtu.be/6Uk5mBuaX74?t=2443s

Dear Ajahn Sona, Is there an explanation as to why some people acquire psychic abilities along with their spiritual development? Should they be used?
https://youtu.be/6Uk5mBuaX74?t=2844s

There are many different types of Buddhist meditations described in the suttas. As a lay follower, I don't know how to divide my practice time among these meditations. How can I overcome this problem
https://youtu.be/6Uk5mBuaX74?t=3221s

Dhamma Talk
https://youtu.be/hSWptQpAVls?t=0s

The Buddha says in MN 19, the Dvedhavitakkka Sutta, that he divided up his thinking into two sorts, but then there are subcategories related to intention. How to go about this type of labeling in a beneficial way?
https://youtu.be/hSWptQpAVls?t=1410s

Greetings and gratitude, dear Ajahn Sona... and blessings to all at Birken. Our meditation group would like to study the 5 aggregates as they relate to the 3 characteristics. Where should we begin in the Buddha's teachings?
https://youtu.be/hSWptQpAVls?t=1698s

Would a stream-enterer or once-returner intentionally get into a marriage? How would their attainment affect their marriage and relationships with normal householders?
https://youtu.be/hSWptQpAVls?t=2369s

How does one practice the renunciation of owning so much stuff? How does one let go quickly on a very large scale? I cling to and crave physical possessions and I need help!
https://youtu.be/hSWptQpAVls?t=2544s

My job requires that I track a lot of information and news daily, in a political environment, and it can be overwhelming. What advice do you have for balancing this?
https://youtu.be/hSWptQpAVls?t=2863s

My father is in hospice right now. I would have to cut short a vacation (1st in 8 years) to go 1000 miles to see him. I am mixed. I saw him 6 weeks ago and had a great visit. Advice?
https://youtu.be/hSWptQpAVls?t=3011s

The Abrahamics have ruined the terms "Right" and "Wrong" for me. But I find that "Skillful" and "Unskillful" resonate deeply. Is this an acceptable way of categorizing speech and behavior?
https://youtu.be/hSWptQpAVls?t=3175s

I've a tendency to chat in an excitable, rambling and discursive manner, easily flying off on tangents; should I rather try to keep my speech always tempered and measured so as to practice right speech
https://youtu.be/hSWptQpAVls?t=3384s

A term commonly used in the suttas is "dispassion". My previous experiences with this term felt closer to anhedonia (and even listlessness) rather than the equanimity which the Buddha promotes. Because of this, I deeply fear dispassion. I still consider myself a novice on the path, and am certain this aversion stems from my erroneous perception. How should I approach this issue going forward? Thank you.
https://youtu.be/IQeapHELoc8?t=23s

I love the monk lifestyle but am compelled toward household life. I'm planning a small mushroom farm business. Please advise how to design a daily routine so I can progress as far as possible.
https://youtu.be/IQeapHELoc8?t=545s

What should be a Buddhist attitude toward memories, which are usually related to emotional peaks and valleys?
https://youtu.be/IQeapHELoc8?t=626s

Is meditation on consciousness itself instead of the breath a valid subject of meditation? I am in doubt, and i keep switching meditation objects between the breath and being aware of being aware. Both have similar qualities as both are always available, both are low sensory. But, after 18 years of sincere practice i can still not come to Jhana, but i feel it is easier for me to stay with awareness than breath.
https://youtu.be/IQeapHELoc8?t=1189s

What advice would you give specifically to a Sakadagami on their path, aspiring to reach the next stage, the Anagami?
https://youtu.be/IQeapHELoc8?t=1721s

Ajahn, what is a terma? Have you run across any stories of terma in your life?
https://youtu.be/IQeapHELoc8?t=1973s

Is there any advice in suttas on how to raise children so that they follow the path of sila samadhi and panna?
https://youtu.be/IQeapHELoc8?t=2316s

Is it right action for me to accompany my adult son to his church services? I am his ride. He is finding that community helpful in dealing with chronic pain and addiction.
https://youtu.be/IQeapHELoc8?t=2472s

Is investigation and understanding of the dharma limited to insights already shared 2500 years ago? Or does it support expanding on these insights? How so?
https://youtu.be/IQeapHELoc8?t=2675s

It seems that no matter how peaceful my mind becomes, it's never enough to satisfy me. Can one ever attain enough peace to become truly satisfied while still living?
https://youtu.be/IQeapHELoc8?t=2957s

Music is a discipline that usually takes a lot of mindfulness - is there a way to practice a musical instrument in a meditative manner, outside ego
https://youtu.be/IQeapHELoc8?t=3160s

Can you talk a bit about combining vipassana with the first four jhanas?
https://youtu.be/lJ9wIrXpl7A?t=23s

I struggle with smoking marijuana and I haven't gone more than 7 days without smoking in 7 years. Any advice on dealing with withdrawals and ending the habit completely?
https://youtu.be/lJ9wIrXpl7A?t=399s

My question is regarding Advaita Vedanta or non-duality vs Buddhism. Are these teachings compatible?
https://youtu.be/lJ9wIrXpl7A?t=717s

Luang Por Sona, I am disheartened after hearing your talk on right view. I was not a feral child, but a child emotionally isolated and trained to behave properly. My grief after my mother died was that I had not had a mother. So without that family connection, I feel that I have no chance of progressing. In decades of meditating, I have never settled deeply. I can just keep on keeping on, but I am discouraged. Any advice?
https://youtu.be/lJ9wIrXpl7A?t=1348s

Can you please explain the hindrance of doubt. And is confidence in the triple gem different than faith in the triple gem?
https://youtu.be/lJ9wIrXpl7A?t=1959s

Dear Ajahn, I've recently developed an intense social anxiety that triggers attacks when I am with groups of people (family, colleagues), and they last 20-30 minutes. I am generally quite social and friendly, but these attacks make me want to just leave and be alone. I feel overwhelming fear and sadness and I don't know how to deal with it. I am trying to find the answer in Buddhism, but haven't succeeded yet. Do you have any guidance?
https://youtu.be/lJ9wIrXpl7A?t=2403s

Can you say something about how to practice investigation in meditation and in daily life.
https://youtu.be/lJ9wIrXpl7A?t=2618s

Dear Ajahn Sona, Does the third factor of enlightenment, 'energy' also mean 'determination,' i.e. as when one rouses energy to accomplish something, as in right effort?
https://youtu.be/lJ9wIrXpl7A?t=2735s

I want to work at a grocery store that sells meat. Is this a mistake?
https://youtu.be/lJ9wIrXpl7A?t=2826s

Doing the five subjects for frequent recollection, I sometimes skip over the reflection on separation. My intuition is that there is work to do here. How should I proceed
https://youtu.be/lJ9wIrXpl7A?t=3111s

When you lived as a lay hermit in the forest, what did a typical day look like for you?
https://youtu.be/W_pqaimr-7M?t=118s

Can you say something about mental illness, such as hallucination, delirium, deep mental instability ... And the link with states of consciousness "citta" and mental factors "cetasika". And how can meditation help people in crises?
https://youtu.be/W_pqaimr-7M?t=868s

How do I keep a positive attitude? I'm 66 and fighting depression, I can't keep a focus when meditating, and my mind focuses on the negative things happening in life.
https://youtu.be/W_pqaimr-7M?t=1359s

Is it necessary to be mindful of the body always or just being mindful of feelings is enough? Is there any detrimental impact of not being aware of the body?
https://youtu.be/W_pqaimr-7M?t=1710s

I am reading Ajahn Jayasaro's Stillness Flowing and he mentions gratitude and the unique relationship it has in Thai culture. Can you speak to this and to understanding and developing gratitude on the path?
https://youtu.be/W_pqaimr-7M?t=1914s

If you enter 4th jnana do you become an arahant? Does mastering jhana make you an arahant?
https://youtu.be/W_pqaimr-7M?t=2117s

Why is it that kindness counts as a stupidity in the western world? People can use you because of your kindness and how can you avoid that?
https://youtu.be/W_pqaimr-7M?t=2236s

I'm in very early recovery from a dangerous covid experience and have been crying. I feel gratitude, love of life, a deeper true desire to practice well, to cross the stream and leave the raft, as well as much awareness of the process of dying that I will eventually go through. What is your response: is this covetousness and grief to set aside?
https://youtu.be/W_pqaimr-7M?t=2341s

Do you have any advice on meditation techniques to help quit smoking or some other addiction? Any advice is much appreciated!
https://youtu.be/W_pqaimr-7M?t=2459s

Any advice on break ups? How to deal with one, or how to conduct one?
https://youtu.be/W_pqaimr-7M?t=2746s

I have recently been trying to discern the truth found in Theravada, Mahayana, and Advaita Vedanta. Who or what is the absolute of reality?
https://youtu.be/W_pqaimr-7M?t=2934s

Reading about the Stoics, I note they were some 200 years after the Buddha. The overlap in central views is profound. Do you feel this may indicate the influence of Buddhism in Greece?
https://youtu.be/W_pqaimr-7M?t=3105s

Please explain about characteristics other than the 3 characteristics (impermanence, suffering and not-self). End of Q&A.
https://youtu.be/W_pqaimr-7M?t=3362s

Dhamma Talk
https://youtu.be/7oFty1Fg6gM?t=0s

Is right understanding of liberation that the heart is being liberated from the 'I'? And that rather than my realising the Dhamma, it is the Dhamma realising me?
https://youtu.be/7oFty1Fg6gM?t=1558s

Would you talk a bit about some of the changes you've seen in stream enterers and how a lay person might continue the progression toward sakadagami.
https://youtu.be/7oFty1Fg6gM?t=1783s

How to be harmonious with irritable people? Ignore them? Avoid them? Try to understand that the 'failure' is always your own?
https://youtu.be/7oFty1Fg6gM?t=2107s

Inspired by your talk of the same name, I decided to devote myself to a "Year of Metta". 10 months in I haven't yet been able to find a source of metta within, a "heart" so to speak. I go through words and mechanical steps, try to smile and so forth, stare at a photo of a very sweet dog I had 50 years ago...it's probably helping in some ways, but I'm still looking for the source, the "heart". Any suggestions on how to push through this impasse?
https://youtu.be/7oFty1Fg6gM?t=2283s

My coworkers are more social than I. We work in harmony and I would like to keep it that way, so how do I handle idle chat from my coworkers?
https://youtu.be/7oFty1Fg6gM?t=2502s

I live alone and I often seek the "false company" of the media; this has gradually become almost an addiction; does Ajahn have any advice to wean off from these distractions?
https://youtu.be/7oFty1Fg6gM?t=2605s

Can you explain more about the relationship between right speech and right thought?
https://youtu.be/7oFty1Fg6gM?t=2805s

I've noticed that in meditation my mind is often very obsessed or paranoid with catching and eliminating hindrances which may or may not have arisen. This often gives rise to a lot of tension, rigidity, and discomfort. Do you have any advice?
https://youtu.be/7oFty1Fg6gM?t=2910s

I've withdrawn from society. I avoid people as much as I can. What consequences can this have in my spiritual path?
https://youtu.be/7oFty1Fg6gM?t=3094s

Many nonreligious people believe death is total nothingness. Is Nibbana without remainder something different or more subtle than nothingness
https://youtu.be/7oFty1Fg6gM?t=3195s

Dear Venerable, I now have comparatively less time to meditate and practice the dhamma due to different circumstances, what advice would you give in most effectively using my time for practice?
https://youtu.be/D95mn3t7z1c?t=15s

Dear Ajahn. I am from Northern Norway with a climate similar to Canada. I enjoy hiking and meditating in nature. Do you have any tips on outdoor Dhamma practice?
https://youtu.be/D95mn3t7z1c?t=331s

When a person disrobes, after having gone forth and given away all possessions, is there any type of financial assistance to help with transitioning?
https://youtu.be/D95mn3t7z1c?t=705s

When I read about Arahants like Ven. Sariputta and Ven. Mogallana, it is difficult to make sense of some Mahayana practitioner's claim that Theravada practitioners are selfish. There are Mahayana practitioners in my life, and I would like to better understand this friction.
https://youtu.be/D95mn3t7z1c?t=895s

Dear Ajahn, what does it mean to be "unburdened with duties" in the metta sutta? And, how does this apply to a householder?
https://youtu.be/D95mn3t7z1c?t=1474s

Is not-self the same as no soul?
https://youtu.be/D95mn3t7z1c?t=1719s

Dear Venerable, how can faith help to mitigate self-doubt and self-hatred?
https://youtu.be/D95mn3t7z1c?t=2277s

Dear Ajahn Sona,I hear practice non attachment & aspire to it. Please guide in ways to cultivate? I think I understand yet still struggle. Maybe it's the carnival talk. I don't have time to indulge in worldly path to darkness.
https://youtu.be/D95mn3t7z1c?t=2477s

Sometimes, I find my chronic pain unbearable. In those times, I am only left with anxiety and unable to think. What is your advice for such situations?
https://youtu.be/D95mn3t7z1c?t=2819s

Dear Venerable Ajahn, How do the Laws of Karma work
https://youtu.be/D95mn3t7z1c?t=2971s