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Well-Aware-Ness Psychology

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Farrants Hill, NSW
Well-Aware-Ness Psychology

‘WELL-AWARE-NESS’ is one of the Tweed Coasts premier Psychology practices where we work from a Mindfulness and Buddhist-Wisdom approach to promote well-being.

‘WELL-AWARE-NESS’ is one of the Tweed Coasts premier Psychology practices where we work from a Mindfulness and Buddhist - Wisdom based approach in the treatment of various issues and illnesses, to relieve stress, stimulate healing and create well-being. Our Psychologist - JOHN BARTER (BA. (Psych) ((Uni.Syd), Grad. Dip. Sci. (Psych) (Uni Syd), M. Coun., MAPS) is a Buddhist Psychologist and Mindfulness Meditation teacher, with nearly 40 years of continuous study and practice in Mindfulness and Meditative disciplines. John Barter offers a unique approach to health, healing and conscious living, providing ‘practical wisdom' for living with the choices and challenges of our contemporary life. Led by our Clinical Director John Barter, we offer a unique approach to health, healing and conscious living, by 'Creating and Supporting Wellness through Awareness'. John was for over a decade a Buddhist Monk of the Theravada Forest Tradition, and is now a Nationally Registered Psychologist and senior Meditation Teacher. At WELL-AWARE-NESS Psychology, we use the medical-science knowledge and understandings of Mind-Body-Medicine, balanced with the wisdom insights, perspectives and mindfulness practices of traditional Buddhism. We appreciate that apart from Life itself, one of our most valuable assets is our health and wellness, and that this includes the whole of our psycho-physical, emotional, and spiritual well being. With regards to health and healing, there is much that the individual can do within themselves, through practices, perspectives and conscious living to engage and enhance the quality of their health, wellness and life potential. At WELL-AWARE-NESS, we help to create and support this possibility.

09/09/2025

Buddha head handmade by John B. in school aged 15 years old.

Dear Friends,

Welcome to Spring 2025.

The season of Spring brings such a contrast from the cold days and long nights of Winter.

It is little wonder why most people and creatures do appreciate and celebrate the arrival of this wonderful season!

Whilst Spring is in many ways a call to our sensors to experience the world outside – especially through the changes in Nature both flora and fauna; it still remains important to be inwardly aware both psychologically and spiritually.

Both through WELL-AWARE-NESS Psychology and Ratanagiri Retreat Garden, mindfulness and meditation continue to be the way to centre the mind and open the heart to the present moment; as I often say to both clients and meditators ‘live now – not next!’.

The Vassa Retreat – the three month period from the Full Moon of July to the Full Moon of October, continues with our monthly Sunday Retreat Sessions and ongoing weekly Thursday Night Meditation Group.

This Sunday just passed we had the third of our Sunday Retreat Sessions, which was well attended with 20 Meditation participants. Through this three month (12 week) period we are looking into the Ten Spiritual Virtues (Paramita) which the Buddha recommended to develop as we engage and interface the various issues and challenges of our life. The Vassa Retreat being also an important time to deepen and develop our Meditation Practice.

Our last Vassa Retreat during the three month period will occur on Sunday 5th October 2025 where we will look into, reflect and contemplate the last two of the Spiritual Virtues (Paramita) being Kindness and Equanimity. These are very important qualities to interface both all experience as well as INTRA and INTER-personal relationships.

Even if you have not been able to attend the last three Vassa Retreat Sessions, you are still most welcome to join us for this upcoming Retreat Session.

Please contact us by email to register your place for this Sunday Meditation Retreat Session: info@wellawareness.com.au

The last Retreat Day for the year at Ratanagiri Retreat Garden – Farrants Hill will be on Sunday 7th December 2025 and will also serve as a special occasion to connect especially if you have not been so frequent during the year at the Retreat Days or Thursday Night Meditation Group. This can provide a sense of connection and community around the appreciation and practice of Meditation and Buddhist Wisdom.

We continue to video record the Thursday night Meditation and Sunday Retreat Days whilst also providing LIVE Streaming. If you live at a distance or unable to attend you are welcome to join us. If you send us an email to notify us that you would like to attend online we can add you to the LIVE Streaming ZOOM list and send you the ZOOM link.

So as the warmth of Spring continues please stay mindful and kind-ful towards others and also to oneself!

Spend time in Nature to celebrate the joy that Spring can bring and also reminding us of the possibility of an Awakening of our Spiritual Spring, as I mention in my verse below.

I do hope to see you soon.

Metta Regards

John B.

SPRING BLOOMS
Spring blooms,
And never too soon.

Buds and blossoms,
Birds and butterflies.

Flora and fauna,
A collage of colours.

The sweet scent,
Of fragrant flowers.

The sonorous sounds
Of Nature calling to herself.

Longer days,
And shorter nights.

Ideas and options,
Possibilities and potentials.

May we all realise our Spiritual Spring,
As a Mind-Heart Awakening within!

02/09/2025

Hope to see you at our upcoming Meditation Retreat this Sunday the 7th of September. Day 3 of Vassa.

Starts at 9.30am - Finishes at 12.30.

Please email info@wellawareness.com.au to register.

More details at wellawareness.com.au

Thankyou.

29/07/2025

Dear Friends,
Our next Meditation Retreat Half Day is on the 10th of August, Day 2 of the VASSA Period for 2025.
info at wellawareness.com.au
Hope to see you there.

28/05/2025

Dear Friends,
Our next Meditation Retreat is on the 13th July, Day 1 of the VASSA Period for 2025.
info at wellawareness.com.au
Photos of our Easter Retreat with special visitor Venerable Ajahn Bhuripanyo.

16/04/2025

Just a gentle reminder that our Meditation Retreat is on this Sunday the 20th of April (Easter) - please email info@wellawareness.com.au if you would like to join us.

We have a very special visitor Venerable Ajahn Bhuripanyo. He will also be joining us for the Meditation group tomorrow night. Thursday the 17th April.

All details on our website https://www.wellawareness.com.au/courses-retreats/meditation-retreats/

19/03/2025

Dear Friends,

Welcome to Autumn 2025.

Certainly we may be used to Autumn being a season of calm cool weather, pleasant days and cool nights and the occasional windy days, but certainly not Tropical Cyclones in an area that is not the Tropics!
However here on the Far North Coast of NSW, we did have a Tropical Cyclone – Alfred, which fortunately was downgraded at the last minute before it made land fall from the ocean.

We were also fortunate to have many days to prepare for what could have been a major weather disaster, preparing the space to receive high winds, stocking up on food, water, candles and torches, while also cancelling major events.

As you would be aware, sadly I needed to cancel our major special event of Ajahn Tiradhammo, one of the world’s most senior Western Buddhist Monks, especially in the Theravada Forest Tradition.
Ajahn Tiradhammo was due to fly in to Coolangatta on Wednesday afternoon 5th March, give the Teachings on the Thursday Night Meditation Group and give a Sunday Meditation Day Retreat – all here at Ratanagiri – Farrants Hill, then depart on Monday 10th in the afternoon.
However due to the severe weather predictions of a major weather event – a Cyclone, we needed to cancel / postpone this visit.

Here on the Far North Coast of NSW we did have very severe – cyclonic winds and torrential rain. There was a Power Grid outage for 6 days, as well as no internet and intermittent phone coverage. There were many trees down in this forested area, across road and tracks, as well as powerlines down, roads flooded and much mess of branches and foliage – strewn around.

During the several days of bad weather it provided a time to live simply and reflect on how reliant we have become on both electricity and the internet!
When such weather events occur they also provide an opportunity for learning about ourselves and how we tend to cope in these situations and what we can do to improve our coping strategies.
Further to this the learning about being careful in organising events close to the Summer rains and possible Cyclones that might occur again in this part of Australia.

Whilst we await Ajahn Tiradhammo to work out when he can visit us based upon other obligations he has in the year; we do have Ajahn Bhuripanyo visiting next month.
Ajahn Bhuripanyo is an Australian Buddhist Monk who will be with us from Thursday 17th April until Monday 21st April. During this time he will offer Teachings at the Thursday Night Meditation Group and also give a Sunday - Easter – Meditation Retreat Day.
It will be special to have a Buddhist Monk here at Ratanagiri – for the special, spiritual day of Easter.

Please do let us know if you can attend the Easter Sunday Retreat Day with Ajahn Bhuripanyo, email us on: info@wellawareness.com.au

Do have a look at the flyer for details.

We will also live stream this Retreat Day by ZOOM so those that can not attend in person can still attend the Retreat online.

In many ways the wind and rain of Cyclone Alfred, may be seen as a way nature both blows away and washes away much of the debris from the last season summer, while also clearing out some of the overgrowth and undergrowth of the forested areas that has occurred with the heat and rain of Summer.

I do hope that those of you that went through the severe weather event, were not affected badly and that the clean up is happening quickly.
At such times connecting with family, friends and your Spiritual Community is most important.

I do hope to see you at our weekly Thursday Night Meditation Group and our next Sunday Retreat Day.
Please regard my verse below.

Kind Regards with Metta
John B.

Autumn Arrives

Autumn arrived with an amazing storm,
A Topical Cyclone,
Not our weather’s norm!

Blustering wind and torrential rain,
Leaves, bark and debris,
Against the window pane.

Power outage – the days all grey,
Concern for flooding,
If the rain does stay.

In time the storm did pass,
Reminding us all,
That nothing will last !

Now there is a paler pastel sky,
The days become cooler,
As the weeks go by.

Autumn, a quiet and pleasant time,
More easeful for the body,
More peaceful for the mind.

Different birds come to this place,
While some have left,
For a warmer space.

So stop and sit and breath and be,
Become calm within,
To deeply feel and really see!

29/01/2025

Arōgyā paramā lābhā
santuṭṭhi paramaṁ dhanaṁ
vissāsa paramā ñāthi
Nibbānaṁ paramaṁ sukhaṁ

A healthy mind is the greatest gain,
Contentment is the greatest wealth,
A trustworthy friend is the best of kin,
Unconditional Freedom is the highest bliss.
(The Buddha: Dhammapada verse 204)

Dear Friends,
Happy New Year – 2025!

Welcome to another year in our life where we have the opportunity to develop our Mindfulness, depth of Meditation and clarity of Insight, Wisdom and Compassion.

To be sure, the more mindful that we are, the more we have the ability to choose how we spend our precious time and energy.
The beginning of the New Year is a great time to pause and ponder on What is the Focus, Form and Function of our Life, especially over the period of the year?

What are we hoping to fulfill with our life this year? ‘What is a year well lived and what is the result of a life well lived?

Indeed, what is it that we aspire to or make the meaning, worthwhile gain or goal of our life in general and this year in particular?

Given that we all are alive; that we have life, it can be most important to consider these questions above and then check in and see if we are indeed leading our life in accordance with the result that we are wanting or expecting.

While the appreciation of the results of a life well lived may vary from person to person, I personally find great inspiration and encouragement in the Buddha’s words in the Verse above from a collection of Verses called the Dhammapada. This is one of my favourite quotes from the Buddha as it offers a wonderful statement of what may be considered worthwhile and important for us as human beings.

This Verse expresses a perennial wisdom in that it transcends time, place, customs, culture, gender and age.
The Verse states what is important in four main areas of our life – Health, Wealth, Relationships and Happiness.
We note that much of our current culture would see other things as important in those four domains. These might include: Physical Health and Beauty; Financial Success; Lots of fun-loving Friends; Sensory Pleasure as Happiness.

What the Buddha has stated in his Verse are in the domain of Psychological and Spiritual things rather than the ways and values of ‘the world’ or ‘worldliness’. This takes into consideration that whilst physical and material things are important and can bring some degree of pleasure and happiness, they are subject to change and demise. They are conditioned and conditional and thus not a sure, safe refuge or a reliable investment of our precious time and energy. The verse expresses what we may know, we just need to take it to heart and actualise it.

Take some time in being Mindful and Meditative to feel into each of the four statements of the Buddha.

Ask yourself:
What does this statement mean for me?
If the statement does align with my values, then how am I bringing this to fruition in my life?
If something is hindering fulfilling the value the statement expresses, what can I do about this?
Anything else I would like to feel or note about the statements or the Buddha’s Verse as a whole?

Certainly, much of what the Buddha’s verse above expresses can find fulfillment through our ongoing practice of Meditation – SAMADHI. Apart from having your own daily Meditation practice it is wonderful to connect with other Meditators – SANGHA, through a regular Meditation Group and also Meditation Retreat Days.

At Ratanagiri – Farrants Hill NSW, we have this opportunity in attending the weekly Thursday Evening Meditation Group: 6.30 – 7.30pm (NSW time) and also the monthly Sunday Meditation Retreat Days.

Whilst I have been practicing Meditation and the Buddha’s Teachings – DHAMMA, for over 40 years, I continue to find being part of a regular weekly Meditation Group and monthly Meditation Retreat Days, most helpful and supportive for my practice. I do encourage you to connect or continue to attend these sessions and be part of our SANGHA through 2025.

May we all have a wonderful year and be an inspiration to both our selves and others in what our world so desperately needs – Peace, Patience, Wisdom and Compassion.

Kind Regards – METTA
John B.

RATANAGIRI MEDITATION GROUP

Our group runs every Thursday evening 6:30 – 7:30pm (NSW Time) at Ratanagiri – 11 Double View Road, Farrants Hill, NSW 2484.
If you are coming for the first time please email us at info@wellawareness.com.au.
We have a new name for our group in 2025
'Ratanagiri Meditation Sangha'.

New YouTube Link - https://www.youtube.com/

RATANGIRI MEDITATION RETREAT DAY

Theme: Meditation & Reflections on Beginnings & Endings
(Our December Retreat with this theme was cancelled due to a weather event).
Date : Sunday 16th February 2025
Time: Arrive at 9.20am for a 9.30am start – 3.00pm finish. (NSW daylight saving time)
8.30am start - 2.00pm finish (QLD time)
Venue: Ratanagiri at 11 Double View Road, Farrants Hill NSW 2484
Led By: John Barter
Practice: Samma Samadhi
Cost: Dana – your expression of Generosity for the Teachings and Guidance
Bring: Your own lunch, notepad and pen, water bottle, cool clothes, rain gear if needed, shoes for walking meditation outside, your own Meditation Cushion if you wish (Chairs and Meditation Cushions are available here).

Registration: Please email us to register your interest in attending this retreat.
Contact Christie at WELL-AWARE-NESS -info@wellawareness.com.au.

ZOOM LINK –
Retreat Days can be attended online on request if you cannot physically attend.
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82020665739...

RETREATS in 2025
16th February 2025
9th March 2025 with Ajahn Tiradhammo
20th April 2025 (Easter) with Ajahn Bhuripanyo
11th May 2025
15th June 2025
13th July 2025 -Start of VASSA Day 1
10th August 2025 -VASSA Day 2
7th September 2025 -VASSA Day 3
5th October 2025 -End of VASSA Day 4
7th December 2025
https://www.wellawareness.com.au/cou.../meditation-retreats/

Photo of sunrise on the 1st day of this year here at Ratanagiri Garden Retreat.

29/01/2025

Just a gentle reminder that our next Sunday Meditation Retreat Day is on the 16th February 2025. Please register your interest ASAP at: info@wellawareness.com.au

More information on our website -

10/12/2024

Dear Friends,

Welcome to Summer!
The Season of Summer is special around the world.
For those in the Northern Hemisphere, Summer brings a Mid-Year welcome relief from the grey clouded sky and stark cold that is Autumn and Winter.
Here in the Southern Hemisphere, Summer is the Season that connects the Old Year to the New Year. It is the reward of having got through the year and then venturing forth into the New Year with warmth and light.

As usual, I like to remind people that the ending of the year can be a special and significant time to slow down and relax into some holiday time. This can be a great opportunity to pause and ponder in Mindful Reflection on the year that had been!

We might ask ourselves:
What has this year been for me?
What have I learned through this year?
What would I like to learn from this year?
What do I need – to learn from this year?
What insights and understandings can I carry forth into the New Year?

Our life is simply the two factors of Time and Energy – both most precious resources that should not be wasted. The worth and wealth of our life is the Wisdom gleaned through Conscious Consideration or Reflective Investigation. This can often be done following experiences through remembering and reflecting.

This year that is coming to an end 2024 - has been another significant year for us all. A year not without its particular challenges and concerns, especially due to ongoing world issues, conflicts and politics that affect us all as we connect in this ‘Global Community’ that becomes increasingly connected and close due to the speed of communication.
Such significant issues remind us of the importance even imperativeness of practicing Peace. Peace begins within our own mind- heart, and is then expressed in words, behaviours and our way of being in the world. Real Peace is the result of a Calm and Wise Mind cultivated through Samadhi – Meditation and Insightful – Wisdom.

Much of my work and way of life here at WELL-AWARE-NESS Psychology and Ratanagiri – Retreat is helping people find and bring to mind Calm and Clarity, Wisdom and Understanding, Peace, Contentment and Joy in their life. Much of this is the result of cultivating the quality of our Mind through Meditation and reflecting and learning from the lessons of our Life.
May we find great Peace, Contentment and Joy from the lessons and learnings from our life through 2024. May this be a great Wisdom Wealth that we can use and share with others in the year ahead!

I wish you a Mindful and Meaningful Summer – and a time of Peace and Joy as we end this year and move into the New Year of 2025.

Thank you for your ongoing support in continuing to create a Buddhist based Community devoted to SILA, SAMADHI, PANNYA – Morality, Meditation and Wisdom.
Stay safe and well over the Christmas and New Year holiday period.
I share my verse below with you on Summer.

Metta - Kind Regards
John B.

SUMMER ARRIVED
Summer arrived in a timely way;
We knew that Spring, like youth;
Just could not stay.

Flora and Fauna came out to meet;
The increasing warmth
Of Summer’s heat.

A time of brilliant sun and light;
The days seem longer;
With less hours of night.

A time of activity spent outdoors;
A Season much beyond
Autumn and Winters quiet pause.

The yearly cycle has come and passed;
The Seasons remind us
That nothing lasts!

How many Summers lived and yet to come?
The knowledge of this;
Is known to none!

MEDITATION GROUP – THURSDAY NIGHT
LAST SESSION FOR 2024 – Thursday 19th December
FIRST SESSION FOR 2025 – Thursday 16th January
6.30pm - 7.30pm (NSW TIme) at Ratanagiri Retreat – Farrants Hill NSW

Connect with us online for these sessions if you are not able to physically attend:
Please contact us by email at info@wellawareness.com.au to receive the ZOOM link.

SUNDAY MEDITATION DAY RETREAT
NEXT RETREAT DAY – Sunday 16th February 2025
9.30am – 3.00pm, at Ratanagiri Retreat – Farrants Hill NSW
(Same theme as our December Retreat cancelled due to the weather event: ‘Meditations & Reflections on Beginnings and Endings’).

Retreat Days can be attended online on request if you cannot physically attend.

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82020665739?pwd=JPNtDW7SQder6vomcWj0eZTjDaQ7Gz.1

30/10/2024

Dear Friends

The Eight-Fold Path,
Is the most honourable way.
The Four Noble Truths,
The most honourable utterance.
Freedom from craving,
The most honourable state.
And the all-seeing Buddha,
The most honourable being.
The Buddha: Dhammapada V. 273

Trusting this note finds you well as we move further into our season of Spring with the weather warming towards Summer.
As many of you will be well aware, we have now finished the Vassa Retreat for 2024!

This wonderful retreat period of 3 months (12 weeks) from the Full Moon of July to the Full Moon of October, which the Buddha designated as a special retreat period, particularly for monastics to stay in one place and develop and deepen their Meditation Practice and understanding of the Mind through Buddhist Wisdom.
In keeping with this 2,600 year tradition, which is probable one of the oldest ongoing yearly retreats in human history; each year I offer a ‘non-residential’ Vassa Retreat period for those that are interested.

Here at Ratanagiri Retreat Garden – Farrants Hill NSW, our Vassa Retreat involved determining to engage in extra practice of Meditation, Mindfulness and Buddhist Wisdom - study and learning over the three month period. We had monthly Sunday Retreat Days (July, August, September and October).
Each of these Retreat Days was well attended and we spent the day in periods of Meditation - sitting and walking, with time for Teachings, Questions and Discussion.

The theme for our Vassa Retreat 2024 was - Meditations and Reflections on Early Buddhism.
I offered reflections for the four Retreat Days as:
What is ‘Early Buddhism’ and why is it significant?
What Meditation practice did the Buddha practice and teach (Samma Samadhi - Jhana)?
The Buddha's Primary Teaching of the ‘Four Noble Truths’.
The Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta and the ‘Noble Eight-Fold Path’.
Between these monthly sessions I sent out to participants extensive notes, PDF, web links, Youtube clips all related to our theme.
This topic I feel was well received by people, but certainly needs more exploration and appreciation.

I find that the period of 3 months provides a good opportunity to develop helpful practices and healthy habits which we can ideally continue to develop and especially maintain into the rest of the year and into the New Year 2025; even up until the next Vassa Retreat period.

Certainly, the Buddha spoke about the importance of both Developing and Maintaining – Right Effort, which is also one of the Path and Practice Factors of the ‘Noble Eight-Fold Path’.
In many ways the Vassa Retreat, provides both a practice and a template for living our life mindfully and consciously. Our Vassa Retreat period at Ratanagiri , also provides the opportunity to continue to engage with our usual work and home life activities but with the mind-set of being on a Retreat.
This approach helps us to continue to live, learn and integrate – helpful practices into our regular daily life.

In many ways the whole of the Buddha’s Teachings and Way of Practice, especially the ‘Noble Eight-Fold Path’ is a template for living in a mindful and wise way. In fact if we align and live in this way we would be living as an Enlightened Person would live. That is living with Right or Correct – View, Thought, Speech, Action, Livelihood, Effort, Mindfulness and Meditation.
Most of our stress and distress, issues and problems happen because we are not living aligned to this wonderful wisdom template of the Noble Eight-Fold Path.

Next time we feel upset or distressed, have a look at which of the Path Factors are we not aligned with; is it not having the correct View, or being too caught up in negative thinking or maybe wrong speech?

I find it wonderful that we have a Path of Practice through the Noble Eight-Fold Path, to live and learn from, which is still as applicable and apply-able and approachable now in the 21st Century as it was 2,600 years ago!
Such great wisdom!

LAST RETREAT FOR 2024
So, we still have one last Retreat Day for the year here at Ratanagiri – Farrants Hill.
This will be on Sunday 1st December 2024 from 9.30am to 1.00pm NSW time.
The theme for our Retreat will be: ‘Meditations and Reflections on Beginnings and Endings’ a theme that we can all relate to and find meaning and learnings.

As the last Retreat Day for the year – you are invited to bring a plate of food to share as a shared lunch with everyone on that day.
We can have our shared lunch at 1.00pm and then you can leave when you are ready.
This will be a good opportunity to connect in a mindful way at the ending of our year, especially for those of you that have not connected much or at all this year with a Retreat Day.
So, we hope to see you especially if you are new or have not been for a while.

LAST MEDITATION GROUP FOR 2024
Our Thursday Night Meditation Group – will finish on Thursday 19th December 2024 and resume on Thursday 16th January 2025.
Thank you for being part of our Meditation Group and Retreat Day sessions for this year. We very much appreciate your ongoing support through attending these sessions.

I do hope to see you for our next Sunday Retreat Day and or the Thursday Night Meditation Group.
Please register your interest to attend the Retreat Day at: info@wellawareness.com.au

For those that might be interested, I just came across the video below - on the Buddha Bodhivanna Monastery website (and Youtube).
The Abbot is Ajahn Kalyano who was a couple of years junior to me as a monk in Thailand, I remember him well.
He now has an amazing monastery. https://www.buddhabodhivana.org/

A well-presented video for 1 hour 34 minutes talks shows the monastery and some of the monastics – its quite inspiring!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n5Sv29Dxm4&t=5638s

Metta Regards
John and the Team

30/10/2024

Dear Friends

The Eight-Fold Path,

Is the most honourable way.

The Four Noble Truths,

The most honourable utterance.

Freedom from craving,

The most honourable state.

And the all-seeing Buddha,

The most honourable being.

The Buddha: Dhammapada V. 273

Trusting this note finds you well as we move further into our season of Spring with the weather warming towards Summer.

As many of you will be well aware, we have now finished the Vassa Retreat for 2024!

This wonderful retreat period of 3 months (12 weeks) from the Full Moon of July to the Full Moon of October, which the Buddha designated as a special retreat period, particularly for monastics to stay in one place and develop and deepen their Meditation Practice and understanding of the Mind through Buddhist Wisdom.

In keeping with this 2,600 year tradition, which is probable one of the oldest ongoing yearly retreats in human history; each year I offer a ‘non-residential’ Vassa Retreat period for those that are interested.

Here at Ratanagiri Retreat Garden – Farrants Hill NSW, our Vassa Retreat involved determining to engage in extra practice of Meditation, Mindfulness and Buddhist Wisdom - study and learning over the three month period. We had monthly Sunday Retreat Days (July, August, September and October).

Each of these Retreat Days was well attended and we spent the day in periods of Meditation - sitting and walking, with time for Teachings, Questions and Discussion.

The theme for our Vassa Retreat 2024 was - Meditations and Reflections on Early Buddhism.

I offered reflections for the four Retreat Days as:

What is ‘Early Buddhism’ and why is it significant?
What Meditation practice did the Buddha practice and teach (Samma Samadhi - Jhana)?
The Buddha's Primary Teaching of the ‘Four Noble Truths’.
The Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta and the ‘Noble Eight-Fold Path’.

Between these monthly sessions I sent out to participants extensive notes, PDF, web links, Youtube clips all related to our theme.

This topic I feel was well received by people, but certainly needs more exploration and appreciation.

I find that the period of 3 months provides a good opportunity to develop helpful practices and healthy habits which we can ideally continue to develop and especially maintain into the rest of the year and into the New Year 2025; even up until the next Vassa Retreat period.

Certainly, the Buddha spoke about the importance of both Developing and Maintaining – Right Effort, which is also one of the Path and Practice Factors of the ‘Noble Eight-Fold Path’.

In many ways the Vassa Retreat, provides both a practice and a template for living our life mindfully and consciously. Our Vassa Retreat period at Ratanagiri , also provides the opportunity to continue to engage with our usual work and home life activities but with the mind-set of being on a Retreat.

This approach helps us to continue to live, learn and integrate – helpful practices into our regular daily life.

In many ways the whole of the Buddha’s Teachings and Way of Practice, especially the ‘Noble Eight-Fold Path’ is a template for living in a mindful and wise way. In fact if we align and live in this way we would be living as an Enlightened Person would live. That is living with Right or Correct – View, Thought, Speech, Action, Livelihood, Effort, Mindfulness and Meditation.

Most of our stress and distress, issues and problems happen because we are not living aligned to this wonderful wisdom template of the Noble Eight-Fold Path.

Next time we feel upset or distressed, have a look at which of the Path Factors are we not aligned with; is it not having the correct View, or being too caught up in negative thinking or maybe wrong speech?

I find it wonderful that we have a Path of Practice through the Noble Eight-Fold Path, to live and learn from, which is still as applicable and apply-able and approachable now in the 21st Century as it was 2,600 years ago!

Such great wisdom!

LAST RETREAT FOR 2024

So, we still have one last Retreat Day for the year here at Ratanagiri – Farrants Hill.

This will be on Sunday 1st December 2024 from 9.30am to 1.00pm NSW time.

The theme for our Retreat will be: ‘Meditations and Reflections on Beginnings and Endings’ a theme that we can all relate to and find meaning and learnings.

As the last Retreat Day for the year – you are invited to bring a plate of food to share as a shared lunch with everyone on that day.

We can have our shared lunch at 1.00pm and then you can leave when you are ready.

This will be a good opportunity to connect in a mindful way at the ending of our year, especially for those of you that have not connected much or at all this year with a Retreat Day.

So, we hope to see you especially if you are new or have not been for a while.

LAST MEDITATION GROUP FOR 2024

Our Thursday Night Meditation Group – will finish on Thursday 19th December 2024 and resume on Thursday 16th January 2025.

Thank you for being part of our Meditation Group and Retreat Day sessions for this year. We very much appreciate your ongoing support through attending these sessions.

I do hope to see you for our next Sunday Retreat Day and or the Thursday Night Meditation Group.

Please register your interest to attend the Retreat Day at: info@wellawareness.com.au

For those that might be interested, I just came across the video below - on the Buddha Bodhivanna Monastery website (and Youtube).

The Abbot is Ajahn Kalyano who was a couple of years junior to me as a monk in Thailand, I remember him well.

He now has an amazing monastery. https://www.buddhabodhivana.org/

A well-presented video for 1 hour 34 minutes talks shows the monastery and some of the monastics – its quite inspiring!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n5Sv29Dxm4&t=5638s

Metta Regards

John and the Team

Address

11 DoubleView Road
Farrants Hill, NSW
2484

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 9pm
Tuesday	8am - 7pm
Wednesday	8am - 7pm
Thursday	8am - 7pm
Friday	8am - 7pm
Saturday	8am - 1pm

Website

http://wellawareness.com.au/

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