Brisbane yogi to spend a month in silence at traditional Burmese monastery
Celia Roberts, owner of The Laughing Buddha Yoga and Ayurveda centre in Bardon will spend one month in silent meditation practice in a traditional Burmese monastery to enhance her skills as a teacher whilst raising funds for its local monks.
The accredited yoga and meditation teacher will not only learn the practice and art of meditation but will also give praise to her yoga teachers’ mentor – an 87 year old monk named Sayadaw U Pandita.
“Pandita is considered one of the leading spiritual advisors in both the theory and practice of Samatha and Vipassana – the two main meditation practices,” Ms Roberts said.
The Saddhamma foundation, located north of Yangon, Burma, aims to teach its visitors about the art of enlightenment – aiming to seek the highest spiritual freedom through meditation.
“The funds I will raise for this meditation retreat will go directly to the upkeep of the monastery; providing food and drinking water to the centre’s residents and visitors, and will also be used to promote health and hygiene education.”
“It’s at this monastery where the next generation of Buddhist masters will be trained – these young monks and nuns will become meditation masters of the future,” Ms Roberts said.
Ms Roberts leaves for Burma in December, and for the remainder of the year will donate a proportion of her yoga and meditation class fees to the cause.
“Whilst the yoga classes work on the health of the physical body – flexibility, strength and general wellbeing; meditation classes are a more advanced stage of yoga and work mainly with the mind.”
“People can expect to develop a calmer and more peaceful attitude to life,” Ms Roberts said. “Healthwise; you can expect better relaxation, sleep, digestion and vitality as well as feeling good about helping this historical monastery.”
The Laughing Buddha’s runs yoga retreats on Sunday 9.30am – 12.30pm and meditation retreats on Saturdays 2pm – 5pm.
Ms Robert’s spiritual advisor (Pandita) entered his first monastery at age seven, and since 1951 has travelled to monasteries and Buddhist organisations throughout the world.
