Who is DaiJu ?
The Venerable DaiJu ZenJi (Simon Rowe) is an ordained monk of the Rinzai Zen Buddhist lineage.
He has lived, trained in and taught meditation in Buddhist Monasteries and communities in Japan, India, the US and Europe.
While he has had the opportunity to
learn from teachers of many different schools of Buddhism, including the
Dalai Lama, it was not until he found his way to Japan that he met his
true teacher.
Under his master, the Reverend ShoDo Harada Roshi, he
experienced 7 years of continual training in the harshest of
conditions and it was this Master and this Teaching which continues to
guide all his choices in life now.
After
leaving the monastery DaiJu studied Traditional Chinese Medicine at
Sydney's own UTS where he achieved his B.HSc. (TCM). He has worked as
an acupuncturist and herbalist in Europe as well as in Australia and is an
active and enthusiastic explorer of the ancient art of TCM!
The
Venerable DaiJu is an experienced and confident public speaker who is
happy to give lectures or seminars on any aspects of Buddhism
or Traditional Chinese Medicine and Health.
Zen Meditation
The Venerable DaiJu ZenJi offers Zen Meditation
classes for individuals, groups or organisations.
Zen Meditation allows us to learn how to find that
true centre from which we can live our life in a stress-free
and peaceful manner.
By finding our own centre we become
harmonious.
By existing in harmony we are able live, work and play
more joyously and efficiently.
Classes start
by teaching the physical and mental posture necessary for meditative
awareness, they then explore ways to use this awareness in our day-to-day
life.
The classes are non-denominational and the Ven. DaiJu has over
12 years of experience teaching the young and old of all
Faiths.
It is suggested that the 10-week Beginners Course is the best place to start.
It quickly allows you to experience a level of meditation which is hard
to find taught elsewhere
Private classes for individuals or work groups can be
arranged by contacting
DaiJu directly.
Meditative Energy Workshop
Vitality
and a joy for life is something that springs
from within.
When we feel we have lost our energetic
centre it is not that it is gone, it is just that we cannot
see it is already ours, we just have to return to it and unlock it.
Starting off with this initial Workshop the Venerable DaiJu will be
teaching you not only how to practice Zen Meditation but also teaching
the Qi Gung breathing and movement techniques.
Zen
Meditation allows you to re-discover your centre and to have a
deep core of harmony from which you can face the world.
Qi
Gung techniques are a series of simple movement and breathing
exercises designed to allow your body and mind to be vitalised and
invigorated.
Private classes for individuals or groups can
be arranged by contacting
DaiJu directly.
Week 1
How Do We Sit Zazen?
Meditation is not a matter of closing ones eyes and drifting off to 'far better place', it is an art that requires techniques practiced by Zen students for centuries; these techniques are called Zazen. I shall start off by showing how to take the physical posture necessary to align body and spirit and then teach the mental practices that allow us to focus our mind.
Week 2
Why Do We Sit?
Now that we have our physical and mental posture settled we have to explore the question of purpose. Why do we sit? What can we hope to gain from it? This week we examine the way that the mind works and why it needs to be focused. We also understand that Meditation is about respect; respect for others and our world, but most importantly respect for ourself.
Week 3
Right Seeing
One of the most important teachings of all religions is the need for reflection to see our actions in the light of reality and learn from them. But how can we see things clearly without Right Seeing? We start to learn how to integrate our mediation into our daily life with this important lesson.
Week 4
Right Thinking
So much of our day is spent in useless repetitive thinking. The 'washing-machine mind' is how describe the thoughts that constantly circle around inside our heads! Thought is a powerful tool, but just that, a tool. Like any useful implement we should be able to pull it out and use it at the right time, not carry it around with us all day and night. Even if we see things clearly we need to interpret them correctly as well and this s why Right Thinking is the next step on our Path.
Week 5
Right Speech
We do not live in isolation. We need to share our experiences with other people and for this speech is essential. Right Speech is not only about learning how to speak clearly and openly but it is also where our Path of Zazen starts to alter the focus from reflection on our self to reflection on our interaction with the world at large.
Week 6
Right Action
Speech alone is not enough. Right Action is necessary because actions do speak louder than words. Likewise with meditation it is not enough to see our own place in the world, we also need to take that clarity of Mind out and share it with others. This is not about performing ‘good deeds’ – these are useful but transient. It is about being in harmony with our Self and our environment.
Week 7
Right Living
Zen does not believe in Judgement, there are no ‘sins’ or good & evil acts. Karma exists to expose the meaning of our actions, but this is not ‘punishment’ or ‘reward’ it is just a natural consequence, like an apple falling due to gravity. Morality and ethics exist for those who have lost their way; laws are for those who cannot understand the basics of living in harmony with our Self and others. Right Living is the path of maturity where we take responsibility for our own actions.
Week 8
Right Effort
As our Zazen ripens and matures and we learn to unite the inner clarity with external circumstances we naturally want to provide as much service to others as we can. We also want to continue to explore our meditative experiences. For both of these we need to understand Right Effort. How do we keep going when things are tough? How to meet the world when we don’t feel validated by it?
Week 9
Right Mindfulness
Continuing on from Right Effort we start to turn inwards again as we understand that it is our responsibility how we feel and our responsibility how we act. How we interpret the world and react to it is an indication of our own state of Mind.
Week 10
Right Concentration
In this final week of the course we look at the most important step of the Eightfold Path. We return to the starting place of our Journey as once more we delve into our own Mind and our own Path. Having sat together as a group we have come to see the world in a different way and come to realise that meditation is not another hobby or way to fill time. Zazen is the solid core around which we can build our whole life. Right Concentration is the name of this step.
Weekly Groups are available at your home, office
or social club.
Meditative
Energy Workshop is also available which teaches Qi Gung and Zen
Meditation.
Private classes for
individuals or groups can be arranged by contacting DaiJu directly.
Contact
Contact Us
Our Address
Available Australia-wide
Call Us
Meditation: 0432 190 711