Happy New Year 2024 – Message from John B.
New Year 2024
Contentment is the greatest wealth,
A trustworthy friend is the best of kin,
Unconditional freedom is the highest bliss.
The Buddha: Dhammapada V.204
Happy New Year 2024!
I trust that you had a pleasant Christmas and New Year period with some time for rest, relaxation and reflection.
Many people feel that the New Year doesn’t quite get underway until after Australia Day – the Friday 26th January, now passed.
The beginning of the New Year can be an opportunity to establish some healthy habits and pro-active practices for looking after ourselves and living with meaning and joy.
Certainly as we use the ending of the year for reflecting on the lessons and learnings of the year that has been, assessing what the ‘take home message’ for the following year is; we can also set some goals and aspirations, intentions and motivations for the New Year that we are now in.
If we appreciate that much of our health, happiness, purpose and potential is enabled when we have less or no stress in our lives; the goal of living mindfully and wisely to reduce the potential of stress becomes important.
Many of you already appreciate the importance of Meditation as a regular practice and way of life, for maintaining our psycho-physical well-being.
A daily practice of Meditation is most helpful together with a weekly Meditation Group to be part of for ongoing support.
Our ‘SAMMA-SAMADHI MEDITAITON GROUP’ began back for the year on Thursday 25th January 2024 (6.30 – 7.30pm), it was wonderful to reconnect with so many of you, having had our break for a month.
If you have not attended our Meditation Group before, please feel free to make contact to attend, best to email or text me first on 0400 022 048.
If you have not attended for some time it would be great to see you again especially as we begin this year.
If you have been attending regularly, great to see you for continuing the Mindful momentum into our new year.
Apart from our weekly drop in Meditation Group, I will be offering a number of Sunday Meditation Retreat Days these are listed below, with the first one for the year on Sunday the 25th of February from 9.30am to 3.30pm at ‘Ratanagiri’ – Farrant’s Hill.
Our first Retreat Day for the year is now only 2 weeks away on Sunday 25th February led by John B.
The theme for this retreat is: Meditations & Reflections on Buddhist Morality and Ethics (SILA)
Please confirm your attendance by emailing us on: info@wellawareness.com.au
SUNDAY MEDITATION RETREAT DAYS FOR 2024
- Sunday 25th February
- Sunday 5th May
- Sunday 16th June
- Sunday 21st July – Vassa Retreat Day 1.
- Sunday 18th August – Vassa Retreat Day 2.
- Sunday 15th Sept – Vassa Retreat Day 3.
- Sunday 20th October – Vassa Retreat Day 4.
- Sunday 1st December
SPECIAL GUEST AT RATANAGIRI
Venerable Mettaji is a Buddhist Monk, originally from England who has been a resident at Bodhinyana Monestery in Perth WA. He visited us last year and offered teachings on Metta – Loving Kindness which was very well received.
Venerable Mettaji will be visiting Ratanagiri from Thursday 14th – Sunday 17th March and will offer a teachings at our Thursday Night Meditation Group and also a Sunday Meditation Day on 17th March.
This Retreat Day is titled:
Meditations and Reflections on Virtue and Composure
Virtue is a central feature of Buddhism and being accomplished in Virtue produces Composure.
Good levels of Composure throughout the day allow a practitioner to experience blameless joy and happiness internally.
Venerable Mettaji will give some insights on Virtue to strengthen practice.
Please let us know if you would like to register for Venerable Mettaji’s Retreat Day by emailing: info@wellawareness.com.au
https://dhammakatha.org/
I do wish you all, no matter where you are located – living overseas, living interstate, living in Sydney or here on the Byron – Tweed – Gold Coast area, a wonderful year 2024. May we continue to find meaning and joy in our life and make good progress in our Meditation and Spiritual Practice.
May the quote from the Buddha in the collection of teachings called the Dhammapada noted above give you inspiration and motivation into our new year 2024 and my verse below help us to set up our Right View and Intention for our year.
I hope to see you soon.
Metta Regards,
John B.
THE NEW YEAR HAS BEGUN
The New Year has begun without delay,
Moving us forward with each and every day.
The old year now past with what was thought, heard and seen;
All those experiences now count as has been!
Many things can be left behind,
Yet, lessons and learnings we do remind.
Focus the mind with right intent,
Let go of all negative content.
Let’s bring joy into our day,
For Peace and Wisdom are the Way.
When the mind is awake, aware and bright,
Life is aligned and things become right.
So look to this day and let go the old,
Be receptive and attentive, this moment behold!
