Ayya Soma: "Impermanence - The Four Divine Messengers" Dhamma-Talk, Guided Meditation, Q&A 08.09.24

Ayya Soma begins by leading participants to a place of stillness with a 30-minute guided meditation rooted in the breath, then gives a heartfelt and personal talk on her experiences getting to know the messengers of old age, sickness, death, and renunciation during the past year, generously sharing her observations and reflections on impermanence while supporting her aging and ailing parents, as well as the establishment of Empty Cloud Italia’s fledgling forest monastery as a refuge for those seeking a way out of suffering through renunciation. In the last 30 minutes, Ayya Soma shares additional reflections in response to participants’ own experiences with the divine messengers, including understanding the true compassion of knowing we are all trembling together, the gap between our intellectual understanding of the messengers and our lived experiences of them, learning how to die, insights on non-self from joining support groups for caregivers, and the importance of supportive communities.

[0:00] Guided meditation
[32:50] Teachings from Ayya Soma’s dad: the messenger of death
[42:12] Teachings from Ayya Soma’s mom: impermanence and deterioration
[48:42] Relating to the messengers: seeing our conceit and intoxication
[52:39] The fourth messenger of renunciation
[58:37] Q&A session: experience sharing and further reflections on old age, sickness, and death

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Anukampa Bhikkhuni Project is a charity that aims to spread the Buddha's teachings and give women the opportunity to train toward full bhikkhuni ordination for the very first time in the UK. Over the years we have developed a diverse and dedicated spiritual community around these aims and recently found a property! Anukampa Grove Bhikkhuni Monastery, in Boar's Hill, Oxford, is surrounded by peaceful woodland. We moved there only on March 22nd, 2024. In this exciting phase we welcome your support to enable us to cover the significant running costs, make essential renovations and adaptations to the property, and welcome visitors and aspiring monastic trainees as soon as we can!

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