Audio talks & guided meditation

Day Retreat – 9 November 2024 – On the Eve of Kathina – Ajahn Asoko (Facilitated by Randula Haththotuwa)

Apologies for the occasional slight distortions on playback due to connection issues, and a brief break in the recordings in parts 3 and 4.

Part 1 : Ajahn Asoko leads us in the chanting of The Dedication of Offerings, refuges and precepts.  Reflections on the precepts and on awareness.  Short silent meditation. (43 mins)

Part 2 : Randula offers a short reflection, followed by a silent meditation (40 mins), concluding with a reflection. (62 mins)

Part 3 : Ajahn Asoko offers a reflection on the benefits of bringing attention to silence and to space, and speaks about The Sound of Silence. (57 mins)

Part 4 : Q&A with Ajahn Asoko.  Ends with chanting of The Verses of Sharing and Aspiration and Closing Homage. (65 mins)

Day Retreat – 12 October 2024 – Celebrating 30 years of ALBA – led by Ajahn Amaro (facilitated by Martin Evans)

Part 1 : Ajahn Amaro leads us in the chanting of The Dedication of offerings, refuges and precepts. Reflections on the meaning of taking refuge and precepts. Recollections of the history of ALBA, Q&A. (62 mins)

Part 2 : Martin offers some reflections on the origins of ALBA. Nick shares some memories.  More reflections from others. (30 mins)

Part 3 : Ajahn offers a Dhamma talk on the theme of community, how Ajahn Chah focused on community, how community serves our practice. (57 mins)

Part 4 : Q&A and Discussion.  Chanting of the Mangala Sutta and ending with The Closing Chant. (78 mins)

Weekend retreat- 14 & 15 September – Randula & Martin -Cultivating Metta (living kindness) and Panna (Wisdom)

Part 1 : Introduction to the theme. Chanting of Dedication of offerings.  Refugees and precepts.  Meditation. (52 mins)

Part 2 : Reflections. (28 mins)

Part 3 : Reflections, bringing wisdom and kindness to our practice. Occupying our minds with chants and mantras. Chanting of The Suffusion of Divine Abidings in English and in Pali. Meditation. (44 mins)

Part 4 : Q&A and Discussion (32 mins)

Part 5 : (Evening Session)  Chanting of Dedication of offerings.  Chanting of the Metta Sutta in English and Pali. Reflections on experiences of Metta.  Chanting of The Verses of Sharing and Aspiration and The Closing Homage. (56 mins)

Sunday (Final session only)

Part 1 : Sharing and discussion after small group discussions. Chanting of The Verses of The Highest Blessings and Closing Homage. (39 mins)

Day Retreat – 10 August 2024 – Martin Evans – Now-ing – Waking up to the Here & Now

Part 1 : Chanting of Dedication of Offerings.  Refuges and precepts. Meditation.  Reflection on letting go of control. (58 mins)

Part 2 : Readings from Ajahn Sumedho’s book “It’s Like This : Ninety Reflections to honour Luang Por Sumedho in his ninetieth year”. Reflections on mindfulness. Q&A. (36 mins)

Part 3 : Further readings from Ajahn Sumedho’s book. Reflections, Q&A. (30 mins)

Part 4 : Further group discussion.  Closing Homage. (25 mins)

Day Retreat – 22 June 2024 – Martin Evans – Entering The Stream

Recordings are from the afternoon session only

Part 1 : Reflections – The benefits of letting go, the taste of liberation.  The factors for stream entry and the ten fetters. (48 mins)

Part 2 : Discussion after small group discussions.  Q&A and reflections.  Chanting of the Metta Sutta and Closing Homage. (42 mins)

Day Retreat – 20 July 2024 – Randula Haththotuwa – Compassionate Dying – Letting Go Into The Deathless

Part 1 : Introduction. Chanting of Dedication of offerings. Refuges and precepts. Meditation. Reflections. (76  mins)

Part 2 : Lying down meditation. Reflections on death contemplation. (35  mins)

Part 3 : Recitation of verses of the Buddha’s teachings related to the theme with reflections and discussion. (39  mins)

Part 4 : Discussion and Q&A. Ending with chanting of The Verses of Sharing and Aspiration and Closing Homage. (47 mins)

Weekend Retreat – 23 & 24 March 2024 – Martin Evans & Randula Haththotuwa – Putting Dhamma Into Practice

Saturday

Part 1 : Introduction.  Randula introduces us to the Ajivatthamaka 8 precepts, followed by an extended discussion about precepts. Chanting of Dedication of offerings.  Refugees and precepts. Meditation (20 mins of silence).  Short reflection. (65 mins)

Part 2 : Meditation – not creating an inner noise, even as the world is noisy around us (30 mins of silence).  Reflection – Looking back, reflecting on what we’ve been doing, and on the joys of seeing past the illusion of reality. (48 mins)

Part 3 : Reflections and discussion. (62 mins)

Part 4 : Dedication of offerings. Evening Puja chanting. Reflections.  Chanting of the Metta Sutta and Closing Homage. (56 mins)

Sunday

Part 1 : Discussion on the precepts and determination. Chanting of Dedication of offerings.  Refugees and precepts. Meditation (28 mins of silence). (70 mins)

Part 2 : Q&A and Discussion. (29 mins)

Part 3 : Randula summarises Ajahn Sumedho’s talk which we attended in the temple (“Not Getting What One Wants Is Suffering”, available on Youtube).  Reflections on Ajahn’s talk.  Further reflections and discussion. Closing Homage. (54 mins)

Day Retreat – 27 April 2024 – This Moment – Led by Nick Carroll

Day Retreat – 25 May 2024 – The life of the Buddha – Led by Ajahn Candasiri

Part 1 : Introduction. Chanting of the dedication of offerings. Refuges and precepts.  Meditation.  An explanation of walking meditation. (58 mins)

Part 2 : Ajahn reads from The Life of The Buddha by Bhikkhu Ñanamoli, starting with the birth of The Buddha, and offers reflections.  In meditation we contemplate our breathing. Pre-lunch reflection. (38 mins)

Part 3 : Ajahn continues the reading and reflections, turning to the enlightenment of The Buddha.  We are led in a visualisation meditation. (43 mins)

Part 4 : Ajahn offers readings on the Parinibbana of The Buddha. Q&A.  Meditation on sharing blessings, ending with chanting of The Verses of Sharing and Aspiration and Closing Homage. (95 mins)

Day Retreat – 9 December 2023 – I know you Mara – Led by Martin Evans

PART 1 : Introduction to Mara. Dedication of Offerings, refuges and precepts. Guided meditation – ‘are you sure?’. Reflection – trust in mindfulness to reveal the truth. (44 mins)

PART 2 : Reflection – the greatest trick of Mara is the delusion of the sense of self.  We create our own suffering, our own limitations.  By knowing Mara, Mara is defeated. (26 mins)

PART 3 : Reflection – Mara is like a clever salesman, he finds our weaknesses and makes us believe so we sign up! (35 mins)

PART 4 : After small group discussions, we come back into the larger group for further discussion, Q&A and reflections, ending with chanting of The Verses of Sharing and Aspiration and Closing Homage. (36 mins)

Day Retreat – 10 February 2024 – Brothers & Sisters in Birth, Ageing, Sickness & Death – Led by Randula Haththotuwa

PART 1 : Introduction – Why a Buddha arises in this world?  Refuges and precepts. Meditation – faith in Dhamma, virtue and brahma viahara to strengthen the heart to face sickness. Meditation – With heart based on Metta and virtue we are led back to re-experience our birth. Short reflection for further meditation on ageing. (68 mins)

PART 2 : Meditation – The parts of the body, on illness and on death.  Short reflection. (70 mins)

PART 3 : After a short reflection Randula introduces us to the Parittas, then leads us in chanting the Bojjhaṅga Paritta. Randula offers reflections on how the Buddha’s teachings and Dhamma practice can help us cope with ageing, sickness and death. (54 mins)

PART 4 : After small group discussions, we come back into the larger group for further discussion, Q&A and reflections, ending with chanting of The Metta Sutta and Closing Homage. (36 mins)

Day Retreat – 25 November 2023- Ajahn Asoko

Part 1 :Introduction by Nick Carroll. Ajahn shares a reflection on the blessings of Sila (virtue) and of Dana (generosity).  How through acts of Dana we can turn suffering into happiness through taking joy in service. (22 mins)

Part 2 : Ajahn gives us a talk on the Five Faculties, with a particular focus on the Faith Faculty.  (33 mins)

Part 3 : Q&A (The first question appears to be missing from the recording) and chanting of the Metta Sutta.  (61 mins)

Day Retreat – 5 August 2023 – Being Still In Nature – Teachings From The Forest – Led by Randula Haththotuwa

Part 1 : Guided meditation ‘don’t interfere, let nature look after itself’ (includes 20 mins of silence). (27 mins)

Part 2 : Guided meditation ‘being still in nature’ (includes 20 mins of silence). Reflecting on poo teaches us how intertwined with nature we are.  Randula also offers us a pre-lunch food contemplation. (30 mins)

Part 3 : Randula explains the meaning behind a Pali mantra, she chants it for us and we join in, followed by a short meditation. (14 mins)

Part 4 : Randula begins with advice on how to listen wisely, then shares some reflections on the lessons learnt from being amongst nature in Sri Lanka and in the UK. After small group discussions, we come back into the larger group for further discussion and reflections, ending with chanting of The Verses Of Sharing and Aspiration and the Closing Homage. (85 mins)

Day Retreat – 1 July 2023 – The Obsessive mind – led by Martin Evans

Day Retreat – 3 June 2023 – Exploring the five hindrances – Led by Ajahn Khemaka

Day Retreat – 18 February 2023 – The Wisdom of being in doing – Led by Nick Carroll

Day Retreat – 14 January 2023 – Being Dhamma – Just step aside – Led by Randula Haththotuwa

Day Retreat – 3 December 2022 Keeping it Simple – Led by Martin Evans

Day Retreat – 5 November 2022 – To bow or not to bow – the relevance of rites and rituals in lay practice – Led by Ajahn Amaro, introduced by Nick Carroll

Day Retreat – September 2022 -Don’t take you Self too seriously – Led by Nick Carroll

Day of Practice – 13 August 2022 – Timeless Remedy – Age-old Contagion – Led by Randula Haththotuwa

Day of Practice – April 2022 – Happiness is… – Led by Martin Evans

Day of Practice – 19 March 2022 – The Dhamma in your toes – Led by Randula Haththotuwa

Weekend retreat – 4 – 6 March 2022 – Led by Randula Haththotuwa and Martin Evans

Day of Practice – 19 February 2022 – Mirror of the Dhamma – Led by Martin Evans

Day of Practice – 15 January 2022 – Unfinished Business and The End of Time – Led by Nick Carroll

Day of Practice – 11 December 2021- Seeking a shore – Led by Randula Haththotuwa

Day of Practice- Beyond Liking and Disliking – (13 November 2021) led by Ajahn Amaro (facilitated by Nick Carroll)

Day of Practice – Peace of Mind and Heart – (9 October 2021) led by Nick Carroll

Day of Practice – Are you sure? – (21 July 2021) led by Martin Evans

Day of Practice – Shall we go on a holiday – (24 June 2021) led by Randula Haththotuwa

Day of Practice – Path to the Present – (24 April 2021) led by Nick Carroll

Day of Practice – Lessons from Lockdown – (29 May 2021) led by Ajahn Candasiri

Retreat – A handful of leaves – (2-4 April 2021) led by Randula Haththotuwa and Martin Evans

Day 1 – opening – guided meditation

Day 2 –

Day 3

Day of Practice – The simplicity of acceptance – (20 March 2021) led by Nick Carroll

Morning Three refuges and Five Precepts, Guided meditation

Meditation and reflections

Afternoon reflections

Day of Practice – A handful of leaves – (20 February 2021) led by Martin Evans

Day of Practice – Bringing light to the world (16 January 2021) led by Randula Haththotuwa

Day of Practice – Here and Now (19 December 2020) led by Nick Carroll

Day of Practice – True freedom – Beyond happiness and sadness – (21 November 2020) led by Martin Evans and Randula Haththotuwa

Day of Practice – Generosity and Gratitude (24 October 2020) – Led by Ajahn Amaro

Day of Practice – Letting go – (26 September 2020) led By Martin Evans

Day of Practice – The Great Exploration – (8 August 2020) Led by Randula Haththotuwa

ALBA’s 25th Anniversary (9 November 2019) – Led by Ajahn Amaro and facilitated by Nick Carroll