Kalaw 2

Dear friends,

I'm back in Kalaw the coolest place in Myanmar, litteraly. It's a nice change from the very humid and hot climate of Yangon where I stayed for the last 4 months.  I've been in these beautiful Kalaw mountains for about two weeks now and will spend Vassa(3 months rains retreat) here at the Mahasi meditation center.

It's been 19 months since I took the robes. I'm constently learning about the monk lifestyle , rules and practice(s) of meditation. The Buddhist tradition is very old(2600 years) and very rich. There is enough to explore both in theory and practice for many lifetimes...  But I keep it simple. Sticking to the basics and ajusting with what seems most helpful in the moment... in this life!

As I have probbaly already said on this blog, the people in Kalaw are amazingly generous. Sayamaji(a retired shcool principal) comes on her scooter to deliver a home cooked meal everyday at the door of my hut. We talk about meditation practice and Buddha's teachings and then she asks if I need anything else (soap, blankets...) and then leaves with a big smile on her face.

In this meditation center, there are about 20 nuns and 6 monks. It's built on a mountain side in a staircase fashion. The views are beautiful, the air is fresh and flowers and trees are very diverse and lush. Every morning we go on alms round(collecting food in our bowls) down in the valley for about 1 hour and a half. The sloped roads and paths insure that we get our daily exercise. So pysical heatlh is good and mental health as well.

May you all be healthy in mind and body
and live a meaningful, fulfilling life!
Be good(to yourself and others;))!
I'll do the same on this side of the world:)

Viveka
:)

Ps. The internet connection is extremely slow that's why I couldn't post pictures. I will try in the coming days...

Zayawaddy (part 3)

 Here's Chandan, hauling freshly cut bamboo to build us roofed meditation stands, He doesn't stop for a minute which explains his blurred silhouette in the photo.

They built a total of three bamboo meditation stations within a week. The roofs were later covered with dried fern strips(see in a few pics below).

 These are my two teachers:
Slo and Stedy!

 U Indapala (A Vietnamese friend) who shares the same taste in fashion.:) 

It doesn't show in this picture but he's really very funny.

Can you see the fern roof? Very nice for shade.

Stepping into Beauty! ;)

Hello friends!

So, I have survived my first year as a monk! It was quite an intense ride. Full of wonderful discoveries, mysterious health issues, scorpions, snakes and mosquitoes... also meeting many new beautiful friends, travelling, pilgrims, oily food(Myanmar style), silent retreats and much, much more... 

But out of all these experiences, what seems most worthy of mention is the understanding that has grown about myself(that is: this mind, this body and their relationship). If your wondering what I'm doing here in Myanmar... that is it. Observing this mind, this body all the time (well, almost all the time). What might seem obvious but that is of increasing interest and value to me is that by gaining understanding on how this mind-body works, I get to understand other people much better and nature as well. Really, this whole meditation business seems much more like a scientific experiment (on oneself by oneself) then a religious or spiritual endeavor. And for now, it seems to bring Peace, Freedom and Happiness in the mind.  Not too bad of a deal:)

So, as you might be able to guess at this point, I`m very happy with this lifestyle. I've never met so many people (which is surprising for the life of a recluse) and I feel more then ever that this human life is very meaningful and full of potential. I will definitely continue wearing these maroon robes for a while whether it`s in Asia or in the West...or both:) Who knows...it all depends on conditions!

Most importantly, I would like to thank all of you who have encouraged and supported me in this extraordinary voyage into self-discovery. I feel immense gratitude to all of my friends in Montreal, Moncton and everywhere on the globe, also to my meditation teachers(especially Pascal Auclair who encouraged me to fly over here). Thank you to my father who sends me words made of gold and dipped in love, to my mother who sends me letters the size of small books, thank you to my sister who`s heart is filled with loving kindness and hands always ready to help,  and all the family members who have inspired me and given me support). It is largely because of your generosity and friendship that I am here today. Really. every thought and gesture makes a difference!    

Thank you!!   Merci!    Jaizu daibadai! 

A guy with a happy heart!

Viveka (Christian)

Vassa

Vassa means rains retreat. It is a Buddhist tradition that monks should find and stay in one monastery(or suitable place) for the whole of the rainy season(July-Sep). For the monks, it's a good time to study and practice the teachings and also to bond with our fellow brothers and sisters.

Get ready, set...

This is only part of the monks that stayed for Vassa. In total we were more then 35 monks.

Kalaw

Here's the place we come to escape the hot season(April-May). Kalaw is a small town located about 12 hours north of Yangon and it is on top of a plateau(about 1000 meters above sea level). It is the coolest and maybe the greenest area in Myanmar. Nature is beautiful and the people are very friendly.

Every morning, we walked up and down this road to gather food in our bowls.

People stand on the side of the road waiting to offer us rice, curries...

This lady would walk out every morning with a cane in one hand and food offerings in the other.

New name, same great taste!

english mesage below

Boujour les amis!

Ca fait quelques temps depuis ma dernière publication sur ce blog alors voici quelques miettes d'info pour votre curiosité affamé.

Donc je suis toujours dans ce pays à la fois chaud et accueillant dans le même centre de méditation ''Shwe Oo Min'' à Yangon. Ca fait maintenant environ 5 semaines que je suis moine et tranquillement devient de plus en plus habile à porter les robes rouges(qui tombent de moins en moins) et me raser le coco régulièrement(avec moins de zones manquées...comme en arrière des oreilles et de la tête!). L'expérience est extraordinaire. Vraiment, je suis comblé et mon coeur est emplie de gratitude en particulier pour tout les gens au Canada, au Myanmar et un peu partout sur le globe qui mon supportés pour que cette expérience soit possible et qu'elle se poursuive. MERCI! ;)

Dans environ deux semaines, je partirai méditer dans un chalet à deux heures au Nord d'ici, appartenant au même centre de méditation et ou un jeune moine Américain sympathique est déja installé depuis quelques semaines. Ca seras une très belle occasion de rentrer dans un silence plus profond. J'y resterai probablement jusqu'à la fin Avril pour ensuite aller dans les collines plus fraiches de Kalaw(environs 8 h de route  vers le Nord) dans un autre centre affilié à Shwe Oo Min. Je viens aussi d'apprendre hier que mon extension de visa (6 mois) fut non seulement accepté mais également prolongé des 3 mois additionnelles donc valide jusqu'au 30 Novembre 2014! D'ici là, je serai de retour de temps en temps au centre principal Shwe Oo Min près de Yangon afin de rencontrer mon guide de méditation(U tejaniya)et afin de poursuivre mon traitement d'orthodontie. Alignement des dents et de l'esprit! C'est aussi aussi un facon pratique de m'identifier en Birmanie: Avez-vous vu un moine bouddhiste Canadien-français portant des broches dans le coin?

Avec Metta! (Amour bienveillant)

Sukhi Hotu! (Soyez heureux!) :)

Bikkhu Viveka
(c'est mon nom de moine. ''Bikkhu''(prononcé Bikou) veut dire moine et ''Viveka''(prononcé Vivéka) veut dire quelque chose comme: celui qui a l'esprit stable, concentré).



Hello dear friends!

Hope you are all well and keeping up with your practice of happy mindful living! I've been practicing meditation at Shwe Oo Min in Burma for the last couple of months and things are going fine. I felt so confident in this ``open awareness`` approach that during the second week of the retreat I decided to take on the robes... and am still wearing them(a bit crooked sometimes but getting better everyday)! The meditation teacher(U Tejaniya) is not what you would expect from a traditionnal Burmese forest monk. He likes his Iphone, candies and to laugh but he is surprisingly wise and probably knows your mind better then yourself and your mother!

Also, I was very happy to learn that my 3 month visa was extended for an extra 9 months. So, I will probably stay in Burma till at least the end of November 2014. I'll be moving around 2 or 3 Swe Oo Min meditation centers mostly to escape the hot weather and meditation crowds.

Sukhi Hotu (be happy) dear friends!

Bikkhu Viveka
(this is my monk name. ''Bikkhu''(prononciation: Be-koo, means monk) and ''Viveka'' (prononc.: Vee-vai-kaa, means One who has stability of mind (...Working on it!) :)

Ordination

This is the day of our monk ordination. I was a bit nervous and excited but the ceremony turned out to be quite quick and painless. We even shared some joy and laughter.

This is the moment in the ceremony when a series of critical questions are asked to the monks-to-be:

Do you have leprosy?

Are you free from government service?

Are you a human being?

etc.

Here we are, fully equipped monks. 2 sets of robes, a bowl and a sitting cloth.

This is called Pindabata(alms round). It's when the monks go out into the village every morning to receive food offerings from the villagers.

Au revoir Bangkok :)

 Une ruelle typique du cartier ou j'habite-Silom

Un des meilleur moyen de transport dans cette ville dense. On se faufile partout et parfois avec toute la famille sur la même moto. Casque protecteur optionnel!

 Il y a plusieurs installations parsemés dans la ville qui nous rappel Noel...et une drôle de substance blanche qui gel! ;)

 Coucou! Encores des co-locs dans notre Hotel. Domino, this one is for you!;)

 La foule Thai vers 17h00

 Le BTS Skytrain. Moyen très éfficace de sillonner la forêt de bitume brûlant

 Encore une ruelle bourrée de vie: vêtements qui sêhent, bébés qui pleurent et des oiseaux qui chantent...

Un concert extérieur à côté du Mega centre d'achat MBK
Lorsqu'on magasine à Bangkok on à l'impression d'avoir le coeur à la fête... J'y prends presque plaisir!

Joyeuse fête du roi de la thailande tout le monde!

En ce jour férié et drôlement tranquille, me voila à quelques heures près de prendre mon prochain vol à destination de Yangon-Myanmar(Birmanie) ou j'entreprendrai une retraite de 3 mois... Si je tough!! C'est justement pourquoi, je vous en mets plein les yeux avec ce message. Car le décor risque de ne pas changer aussi souvent une fois la retraite entamé et l'accès internet seras possiblement très limité. Toutefois, j'écrirai sur le blogue de temps en temps. Peut-être une ou deux fois par mois.

Ce matin, j'ai eu la chance de rencontrer un jeune Montréalaise qui reste dans le même hotel que moi. C'est la première fois qu'elle voyage à l'extérieur du Québec et elle est absolument sous le choc! Voici ces impressions:

• Il y a du monde partout , partout et partout! 14 millions d'habitants quest-ce que tu veux...
• Ouashe ca pu! En plus de la polution de l'air, Il y des odeurs nauséabondes dans les rues...
• Les gens sont tellement sympatiques, décontractés et souriants!?
• Elle prends conscience à quel point les Occidentaux sont sous l'emprisent du matérialisme et par conséquent sont pas mal plus stressés. 

Cela dit, les Thai rêvent de devenir comme nous... avoir la peau blanche et devenir plus riche!  Et nous on veut la peau bronzé et être plus Zen! 

Je vous laisse avec cette petite réfelexion avec le sourire contagieux Thai aux lèvres;)

Portez-vous bien mes chers amis!
Je penses très fort à vous(de façon positive!)

À bientôt ;)

ps.Voici le centre ou je ferai la retraite:

http://sayadawutejaniya.org/news/
Venez faire un tour... si vous passez (par hasard) dans le coin!