My experience at WBD
January 14, 2011
‘It is not that you shouldn’t be attached to places or teachers.
What matters is that you be that which observes the attachments.’
Luang Por Sumedho
Wat Buddha Dhamma is a gorgeous place to visit. A tranquil bush track winds its way up to the exquisitely beautiful meditation hall. Amongst the many qualities of this isolated forest monastery is the amazing kitchen – every cook’s dream – perfect design and so well equipped, even without electricity. There’s a rare-to-find specialist library of dhamma books and visitors get to stay in quaint little homes many built during the 1980s by the then resident lay community.
For the last 10 years I’ve been an infrequent visitor to the Wat and am always soothed by the calm and peaceful environment. This year I was able to spend 3 months there and feel blessed to have been in the company of kind, gentle and compassionate monks and lay people whose dedication to the path deeply inspired my own practice.
As it says on the Wat’s website, meditating at a Monastery may not be for everyone. For me, the monastic environment, with its daily routine of work, chanting & meditation (and the not infrequent afternoon nap), alongside the keeping of the 8 precepts felt solid and trustworthy. Paradoxically, it also fostered a tremendous sense of freedom and spaciousness that I don’t feel now that I’m back to being a ‘householder’ going to the office each working day. Fortunately, the Wat’s not too far away for weekend visits.
Marie
