A new year may be imminent, but unfortunately life's ups and downs will continue. As for the low points, though, "Suffering is for seeing, not for being," points out Maechee Sansanee Sathirasutra of Bangkok's Sathira-Dhammasathan Meditation Retreat Centre.
Tension, anxiety and depression over life's daily problems can be eradicated through meditation. Studies have found that those who meditate have more activity in the part of the brain linked to positive emotions, as well as a higher level of antibodies fighting off illness.
Thailand is blessed with many opportunities to practise meditation and find your own inspiration for spiritual development, all the more necessary in the world today. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
l DhammaThai.org offers a guide to meditation centres across the country and describes, in Thai and English, their styles of practice.
l SdsWeb.org is the website of the Sathira-Dhammasathan Meditation Retreat Centre, a place of spiritual learning for women and parents, with activities every weekend.
l Join in the dharma discussions at the International Buddhist Meditation Centre at Wat Mahadhatu in Tha Prachan - (02) 629 0109, extension 1, e-mail show@mcu.ac.th. There are free, English-language sessions on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month.
l IntlMedClub.org is the source for information on activities held year-round, including meditation workshops and full-moon beach retreats, conducted in English by experienced instructors from overseas.
l Particularly for women, Songdhammakalyani Temple in Nakhon Pathom province - see ThaiBhikkhunis.org - offers basic Buddhist knowledge and practice in three-day training sessions three times a year. You can learn about chanting, walking meditation, ch'i kong, yoga and much more.
l Visit ThaiPlumVillage.org to discover a global Thai meditation-retreat community that follows the teachings of Vietnamese Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh. There are monthly activities in Bangkok and Chiang Mai.
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