Posters, Flyers and signs caught the eyes of several people in the Wooloowin Area, attracting people  to  indulge in their curiosity and find something new.

Many locals arrived at the meditation centre on the corner of Lodge and Shaw Road, Saturday 30^th July.

Many people had previously passed the centre many times before but had never acted on their interest or turned up to explore what goes on at the centre.

Smiling ‘Border Monk’, Phra Ahjarn Satit who travelled from afar to run the temple Wat Buddhavongsayaram in Albury on the New South Wales and Victoria border, guided the activities of the day as the teaching monk.

The group ranged from newcomers and beginners to well experienced meditators.

The Monk focused on the sharing of the meditation knowledge wthat has been passed down to him and took the group through the methods and techniques (the ‘Middle-Way’ Technique) taught by Wat Phra Dhammakaya, an organisation that is very well-known  worldwide.

People were personally guided by the monk and were able to converse freely with him. Phra Ahjarn Satit was able to ask each person about their needs, wants and difficulties. Because of this, he was able to analyse each problem or query in order to help each individual in adjusting small issues, helping them long-term rather than short-term.

People complemented  Phra Ahjarn Satit on the way he shared the middle-way meditation knowledge and technique.

“Not one person did not smile throughout the whole day, he helped everyone to relax, doing so almost effortlessly”, said Jenny Binks.

Alan Tilley, an experienced meditator for over 30 years and also a long time neighbour of the meditation centre, joined in the one day course.

For a long time Alan has been sharing the same fence with the meditation centre and was well aware of its existence. Although knowing about it, it was not until now that Mr Tilley had found enough interest to go and explore.

“I know what happens over there and I felt it was time for me to experience it for myself”, said Mr Tilley.

Alan also invited his wife to join him on the course because he had already been practicing meditation for so long and felt that it was time to let his wife be a part of that aspect of his life as well.

As could easily be witnessed by all, the cheerful attitude of all the participants had an effect on their good meditation outcomes. Some people arrived with unknown or limited expectations, but in the end they admitted that the course had exceeded their expectations.

Ultimately, there is only so much anyone could learn from a one day course, considering the time limitations, but the knowledge shared was most definitely valued by all.

Reporter: Namwan Boyce

Photographer: Sudham (Gao)

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