friends and I arranged the first retreat here, which from that time and on infrastructure a lot and welcome meditators and volunteers from all over the That is why it is essential to understand that you are not your thoughts. Want to feel thankful and grateful regardless of the situation you find yourself in? When I first came to this center, there was nothing – a flat and raise kids, so my parents have someone to take care of them. But mentally, I felt much better. What will I do with that money? Since that I firmly knew – this is my center. If I succeed, I won’t have a problem at doing that in the outer world. First, because internet users were falling in love with the pictures of a handsome monk. This is how I came to meditations. In this article, we share the story of Gelong’s, In 2017, Mindvalley hosted a new transformational education event called. It’s a common cultural I was utterly shocked, looking around and slowly coming to the point – actually, this is that place where I have to make my mind calm and satisfied. At twenty-one years of age, Gelong Thubten became a Buddhist monk. From 2005 to 2009, Gelong Thubten travelled to the remote Isle of Arran in Scotland for a four year meditative retreat. But Gelong did not just come to guide the students through a collective meditation practice. Monks Madness. A Buddhist monk show the three-finger salute as he join a rally in a protest against the military coup and to demand the release of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi, in Yangon, Myanmar… to achieve that sort of inner calmness and peace, which doesn’t depend on who I know what I am doing and what I will get I believe that meditating is experiencing your life fully with all ups and downs that surely are going to appear. Myanmar: acting civilian leader says 'we must win' as five more protesters die. I need to arrange retreats and solve dozens of This is it. Buddhist monks, supporters of anti-coup protesters, participate in a street march in Mandalay, Myanmar, Mar 10, 2021. To begin with, we all know that fuel evaporates at higher temperatures, then, you know, a ship’s movements in the water matter as well. Find a local temple or Buddhist center near you and become an active member of the community. My duty was to inspect a ship and assure the receiving party that they get the fuel quantity & quality they paid for. And w, But living in New York and pursuing the life of a working actor was. (Laughs.) Nowadays, almost Well, eight years of living like this and I got really bored. not improving. She was also interested in meditations, so we quickly settled with each other sharing our spiritual experiences. She just graduated as a doctor and was up to move to the USA to keep studying. It was rather a temporal pleasure than long-lasting happiness. Every morning, the monks go on alms round. I look young and not really impressive. thing in Myanmar. In this article, we share the story of Gelong’s meditation retreat that led to his new path and may inspire you to pursue one of your own. Day by day, I was feeling emptier, The Saya San was a former monk. It’s a very powerful experience of having to face your own mind. Mindon spent most of his reign, which was generally peaceful, attempting to modernize his realm and reform the sangha. Laypersons still retain many of their ties to the external world, and part of their obligations are to serve and support Buddhist monks and nuns. Soon she came to Singapore to visit her two brothers who live here. I needed new senses. “It’s an endless process. Learn more about the programs and events that may be scheduled in your area by speaking to a member of your local community, or explore what’s nearby online. I found this center accidentally. There was nothing else to do. “It’s very difficult but very rewarding.”. The new chapter in my life began when I was 27 (2001). Only doing brings Myanmar, it`s quite a cultural thing when one son in a family becomes a world. But you know, looking back, I think this love story was very well planned by someone… (Laughs.). One of the fundamental precepts to follow for monks is not I was 37. It’s like Indian soap operas, but the main motive is money, not love. Yangon, Myanmar-- A controversial photo of a Burmese actor and his friends wearing saffron robes had been posted on a popular Burmese blog, creating a severe outrage within the Burmese blogger community. I wanted to keep practicing back home, but it never happened. At the right… I knowingly live my life. I could not even imagine that later on, I would run one of Thabarwa branch – Shwe Chaung Thabarwa Meditation Center in the north of Myanmar. I noticed that as happy I was during the retreat, I was as miserable But there have been famous Burmese monks such as U Ottama and U Seinda who led armed rebellions against the British, the latter also against the Socialist government of U Nu in newly independent Burma. habits. Back in No “Oddly enough, cancer and +15 kilos made me feel more free and happy”, “It’s all about time”: Why a successful manager from Argentina gave up his career to travel the world. mind. discovering. As soon as anger or dissatisfaction is coming I feel He has not been doing it just for the ‘Gram’ or for his modelling career. (Laughs.) live? I Buddhist monk Wirathu, center, gestures to his followers at a police station in Yangon, Myanmar, Monday Nov. 2, 2020. And so it happened. This story is a first-person narration. He became … question is not WHY a monk uses a phone, but for WHAT PURPOSE he does it? My friends were like, “Whaaaat? Until one day, I felt – I had enough for two years. With Buddhists accounting for about 90% of Myanmar’s 54 million people, the monastic order, or Sangha, plays an instrumental role in granting legitimacy to govern. I could not live like that anymore. I wasn’t satisfied with Buddhist monasteries are usually known as places of solace and meditation. Good money, pretty relaxing schedule – three days off, three days on. During the second year of his stay on the Isle of Arran, Gelong Thubten took a vow of silence for five months. ), so my parents sent me to Yangon to help at my uncle`s electronics shop where I was selling electronics for the next ten years. Wirathu, a nationalist Buddhist monk in Myanmar … In 2017, Mindvalley hosted a new transformational education event called Mindvalley U for the very first time. His trip to the monastery was only meant to last a year, but Gelong explains that upon arrival, he enjoyed it so much and found the experience to be so rewarding that he didn’t want to leave. With Buddhists accounting for about 90% of Myanmar’s 54 million people, the monastic order, or Sangha, plays an instrumental role in granting legitimacy to govern. There’s no escaping the fact that men wearing the robes of Buddhist monks are promoting this narrative. I graduated from high school, but I didn’t get enough score to enter the university (I missed just a little score! So I calm down unhappier, and lost, and at some point, even wanted to commit suicide. But as it became pretty clear, the question of money became as “foggy” as the question of happiness. Avoid bad. I still have a lot of defilements. meditations. “MY DREAM WAS TO BE A MINING ENGINEER LIKE MY FATHER”. Uzin has a talk with one of the meditators from Vietnam - Felicia, who spent a few months in the monastery, The most popular question that foreigners bombard me with is next – if that is okay that the monks here eat meat? , Gelong traveled to Scotland to take a twelve-month retreat at the Buddhist monastery, At twenty-one years of age, Gelong Thubten became a. . And the wisdom he shares is profound for good reason. Next, sometimes monks can be seen smoking or having coffee occasional issues a day, and I wouldn’t be able to do it without a phone. He became a monk, and now he runs the Buddhist monastery. Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments below! 19. feel angry sometimes, but it does not last long like before, and even if I want Actually, it is very easy to become a monk in Myanmar. Sofie is part of the Mindvalley team. You know, I was very happy when I was a kid – I had lots of Sometimes meditators and monks tell me that they have kind of The more I meditated, the more my decision of deeper discovering this spiritual path was getting stronger. With the idea of further self-improvement, I started to search for a center with the different meditation methods, and this is how I came to Thabarwa Meditation Center and now I`ve been even heading one of its centers. I remember a room full of people, different people… Some were super patient and strong, while others could get angry within seconds. were just men deprived of women’s attention and the water all around. World, Analysis, Asia - Pacific OPINION - Time to add Myanmar’s most influential genocidal monk Sitagu to ICC List Sitagu offered scriptural justifications for 'killing millions of non-Buddhists' coming back to the outside world after. My parents were okay with my choice. As I already had an experience of meditations, I knew what real happiness is. And, people, you can’t even imagine how easy it was for fuel suppliers to play with quantity! Why? Shortly after taking office after a landmark election win in 2015, Suu Kyi’s government tried to engage with groups including the monk-led Patriotic Association of Myanmar -- then known as Ma Ba Tha -- to scale back its anti-Muslim rhetoric. precepts such as no killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no lying, no Day monks takes some effort, yes. You see, some senior monks do not Why do I earn money? decision deeply inside, I was feeling that perhaps this is the first time in my I never actually stopped to think about that. very uncared for as there was not a person to be responsible for the center. accept me as a leader because they were ordained much earlier than me. boasting of spiritual attainments that he may have, which means a monk should Nevertheless, since that time, every single year during you follow them and start to act. At the same time, they cannot eat meat only under one condition: if the animal Monks and nuns in Myanmar… eat absolutely everything which is donated to them. Since that time, we have improved our Uzin: "When I first came to the Shwe Chaung Meditation center, there was nothing – a flat landscape.". that feeling of happiness. time ago, some tricky men were becoming monks just on purpose of free treatment And to remind everyone how awesome they are. Want to know how and why Gelong Thubten became a monk? Mostly, dissatisfaction. And yes, that includes you. I was I felt satisfied. Buddhist monk Wirathu, second left, walks with his followers upon his arrival at a police station in Yangon, Myanmar, Monday Nov. 2, 2020. “Your time is limited, so don`t waste it living someone else`s life.”. Well, things were different in Thabarwa – so noisy and crowded! Gelong Thubten now belongs to the group of Buddhist monks and nuns called the, “The main point of being a monk is to help people and to serve,” explains Gelong Thubten. before was boring, yes, and this part of it is, the opposite, full of The most infamous of these is Ashin Wirathu, the 49-year-old Burmese monk who was on the cover of TIME magazine in 2013 and was the subject of the 2017 documentary film The Venerable W. by French filmmaker work. Well, putting on a monk’s robe does not make you a monk either Bear in mind that none of the links in this post, unfortunately, are affiliate links. Monks cannot be picky. There is no sense in anger. with us – guide us a bit.” I did so, and, you see, I`m still here. I listened to Dhamma talks [a public discourse on Buddhism by a Buddhist teacher – Ed. I got a job in Singapore, and that woke me up a bit. I was born in a tiny coal-mining town in the Shan state (Myanmar). Suffice it to say, the process of pursuing a monastic life is one that won’t happen overnight. after noon. YANGON • Buddhist monasteries are usually known as places of solace and meditation. by day, dozens of new questions about my life and its meaning were rising in my Many who hear of Gelong Thubten’s story ask: “can I become a monk, too?” Or: “how does the process work?”. and it passes. by Sofie Angevaare Her mission is to bring joy and happiness to as many people as possible, as a writer and as human being. We became close friends for two years even attending meditation retreats together. But one in Myanmar’s biggest city became the site of an ugly brawl in the aftermath of the February 1 military coup. (Laughs.) She like no one It turned out that my apartment was just between her brothers’ two homes, so inevitably, we would run into each other at some point! This is how you learn real Shaolin Kung Fu in China.”. automatically vanishes your defilements. maximum size of shelters, the type of robe that is allowed for wearing, etc. “It’s a very powerful experience of having to face your mind,” says Gelong Thubten. taking drugs. Many who hear of Gelong Thubten’s story ask: Suffice it to say, the process of pursuing a monastic life is one that won’t happen overnight. ... including a Buddhist monk. instance, there is a ton of literature on Buddhism that can be found just Copyright © 2020, The Storyfy. Partying At twenty-one years old, after auditioning for a role in the film. have chicken, if that is potatoes – they eat potatoes. Exactly after my first retreat, I made a decision to end my life in a meditation center. Wirathu, a nationalist Buddhist monk in Myanmar noted for his inflammatory rhetoric, has surrendered to police, who have been seeking his arrest for over a year for insulting comments he made about the country’s leader, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. Are you losing your mind?” But you know what – having made this Wirathu, a nationalist Buddhist monk in Myanmar noted for his inflammatory rhetoric, has surrendered to police, who have been seeking his arrest for over a year for insulting comments he made about the country’s leader, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. So I quit my job. which is donated to them – without any preferences. You can ordain for a week or two or a couple of months – as landscape. My depression and sadness deepened. No I and, instead of celebrating it with my family at home, I joined the 10-day retreat in the Meditation center. A long British author and art historian Rupert Arrowsmith has twice been ordained as a Buddhist monk in Myanmar – once in 2002 and once in 2013. Today, Gelong Thubten is the Director of Kagyu Samye Dzong Scarborough, Yorkshire, which offers meditation classes, workshops, yoga classes, and retreats throughout the year. When asked why he chose to pursue the monastic path, Gelong Thubten replied: “I needed to do something incredibly radical to transform my life.”. Buddhist monk. “Now, I’m constantly happy and free without any conditions.” “Although,” he added smiling, “singing was the hardest thing to give up.”. this never was a problem for me. freedom and lots of friends to play with. With Buddhists accounting for about 90 per cent of Myanmar's 54 million people, the monastic order, or Sangha, plays an instrumental role in granting legitimacy to … not indicative and cannot represent monk’s life in general. (Laughs.) “The main point of being a monk is to help people and to serve,” explains Gelong Thubten. But if you’re truly interested in learning more about. After completing his studies, he moved to New York to attend a theater school and become an actor. staying in the monastery I run and also practices meditations. They “Before, I was feeling happy while doing the things I like – singing karaoke, playing badminton…” Uzin shared. I didn’t want anything. I postponed our offline meeting a countless number of times, finding ridiculous excuses because I predicted that it could have unfolded into the relationship, which was against my plans of living in the meditation center. I was telling myself – C`mon, there should be something deeper than that, something stronger. I decided to become a monk. All these ups and downs in career and relationships were bringing me nothing but a strong desire to fulfill myself with something that I consider as right. You shall not steal without a direct link. Once, the locals who live here asked me, “Hey Uzin, please come and meditate Christian priests bless troops going to war as a matter of course, not something Buddhist monks will do. Although there was one thing that I missed when I became precepts (311 for nuns), including, for example, not eating after midday – and understand them, though. In the article, he explained about the duties and responsibilties of a Buddhist monk, and told the wrongdoings of the actor by breaking all those rules of a monk. It was easy to meditate – nothing distracted you. The most prominent of the nationalist groups was the Association for the Protection of Race and Religion, commonly referred to by its Burmese language acronym, MaBaTha, led by Buddhist monks . He is actually Paing Takhon! The crucial thing to understand is that the choice of a few monks is You have to be able to practice in any posture and quickly switch it, not torturing yourself with sitting only. I have strong confidence For Monks, according to Buddha teachings, must follow 227 strict There But if you’re truly interested in learning more about becoming a monk, just like Gelong Thubten, there are quite a few resources you can explore. Unlike in Europe or the You are In search of happiness, he became a monk, and now he even runs the Buddhist monastery in the mountains in Myanmar. A 36-year-old man from Myanmar gave up on love and quit a high-paying job in search of happiness. Watch the short insightful video above to find out why, and discover how his wisdom could be applicable to your life too. And for decades it has been caught in the middle of an intense ideological struggle between the military and more liberal forces in Myanmar. It was Water Festival [or Burmese New Year that usually occurs in the middle of April – Ed.] saw me as a driver who became a monk later on and came to teach them So we sang and drank as much as we could. anything. Before I became a monk, I hadn’t known my goal. We sadly do not earn any commission but provide the list of the places and things mentioned in the interview just because we are kind and want to save your time doing Internet research. He had a girlfriend, a high-paying job in Singapore (a fuel inspector), and all great prospects to build, as people would say, a normal life. every monk uses a phone as well as the Internet – people, we live in the 21st a monk – karaoke! But when I moved to Yangon, I lost I was happy just when I was doing the things I liked – playing guitar, singing karaoke, playing badminton. “One of them was hit in the pubic bone, another was shot to death terribly,” he said. I grew a close connection with the leader of Thabarwa – Sayadaw U Ashin Ottamathara [‘Sayadaw’ in Burmese means royal teacher, the senior monk who leads the monastery – Ed.] At 39, I officially became a monk. First, you should know that becoming a Buddhist monk is something that. Buddhist monks are different than Buddhist laypersons. It got even additional shades when, at this period, a woman appeared in my life. I didn’t feel fulfilled. Monks … Your life is your meditation. same time, we can accept eating in a café if someone invites us. like my chest is getting very tight, I don’t want to keep that. motivation was gone. I am 46 years old. It means that I was a middle man between two parties – one is selling petroleum, and the other one is buying it. We were supposed to listen to Dhamma talks but I could not almost get anything. If becoming a full-fledged monk or nun doesn’t appeal to you, you can still explore your meditative practice through a guided retreat. and nuns in Myanmar live on alms only; thus, they eat absolutely everything People who consider themselves as Buddhists must follow five A very famous Burmese actor and model. Revata Nanda from Myanmar worked as a driver and a fuel inspector. We met on the Internet. At twenty-one years old, after auditioning for a role in the film, Little Buddha, Gelong traveled to Scotland to take a twelve-month retreat at the Buddhist monastery, Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery. drove a track with monks to do alms. So I did what I was expected to do and what all the people would do in this case – found a better job and doubled my salary. Yes, it’s okay. World-renowned spiritual teachers, personal growth experts, and students of all ages came together, bringing and sharing holistic learning experiences. In fact, he actually lived as a monk for 10 days! In 2014, my Because no matter which excuses I could come up with – we would cross each other in the end! The further you delve into your practice, the more enriched your experience, but it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the initial intensity of these retreats. And what are your experiences with meditation? Myanmar's most radical Buddhist monk is famed for his angry speeches, stoking fears that the Muslim minority will one day overrun the country. Photos of a handsome monk went viral not once but twice. That time Myanmar had a difficult political situation [Myanmar was under the rule of the military from 1962 to 2011 – Ed. It’s best to start small and slow. After a year at the monastery, he decided to dedicate himself wholeheartedly to this new life path. I was shocked, and very often, I fell asleep during the sessions. Physically, it was so difficult and painful! My father was a mining engineer, so of course, I wanted to become an engineer like him. ... but to do so successfully the government in power must be seen as acting in the best interest of the Buddhist people,” said McKay from the University of Oxford. He also offered practical, insightful wisdom on the tenets of Buddhism, as well as the development of empathy, forgiveness, and compassion. If it is chicken – they have chicken, if that is potatoes – they eat potatoes…, In search of happiness: How a fuel inspector from Myanmar became a Buddhist monk, “I was slapped, kicked, and hit with a stick or sword. , just like Gelong Thubten, there are quite a few resources you can explore. Currently, the meditation center is in the search of volunteers who would take care of the garden. one knows or sees what is going on inside you – so you can change that mind and was killed purposely for them. , seven days a week. Gelong Thubten, once a New York city based actor but now a Buddhist monk knows that moments of tension are actually moments of opportunity. Buddhist monk Wirathu, center, gestures to his followers at a police station in Yangon, Myanmar, Monday Nov. 2, 2020. With Buddhists accounting for about 90 per cent of Myanmar’s 54 million people, the monastic order, or Sangha, plays an instrumental role in granting legitimacy to govern. She was the only woman in my life. the Water Festival, I joined the retreat. The "sunset movie" is screened every day just next to the meditation center - on the nearby monastery`s hill. The opposite, this habit made me very healthy. But one in Myanmar’s biggest city became the site of an ugly brawl in the aftermath of the Feb 1 military coup. ]; I started to be aware of many things that I hadn’t been noticing before. Gelong Thubten grew up in Cambridge, England, and attended University College School, North London, before pursuing studies in English Literature at the University of Oxford. No one can blame you for your thoughts unless Buddhist laypersons practice the same precepts as Buddhist monks, but do not live in a monastery. Myanmar’s fugitive ‘Buddhist Bin Laden’ monk gives himself up, a week before election. This is where I will come and stay until I die. way of thinking when you want. “I feel like it’s truth,” I was thinking. So I wanted to try and see what it means to meditate. This order consists of not only those men and women willing to dedicate their lives to service, but also of those who wish to live by and teach the precepts of Buddhism while still living in the external world: the laymen and laywomen. But the most popular question that foreigners bombard me with depending on which path I am following – right or wrong. so young! life when I was finding my mind. During the second year of his stay on the Isle of Arran, Gelong Thubten took a, Without any contact with the outside world, no televisions, phones, or Internet, the experience became quite intense, but Gelong explains that but that the four-year retreat of mindful. You wanna be a monk? to stay angry, I cannot. At the same time, I cannot say that all these years in Singapore, I was unhappy; neither I can say the opposite way. employer – this was to prove that he doesn’t choose a monk’s life simply not to He has to do the right things while avoiding the wrong things. At the time, she was fresh into a power-sharing arrangement with the military, which was guaranteed 25% of parliamentary seats by the constitution -- giving it an … But why did he choose to isolate himself from his friends and family in a remote Buddhist monastery? Meditative retreats are held all over the world, in a variety of locations and by a number of esteemed teachers. We had to get up at 3 a.m. and meditate the whole day. else, understands the spiritual path I took. If becoming a full-fledged monk or nun doesn’t appeal to you, you can still explore your. (Photo: AP) 17 Mar 2021 12:55PM (Updated: 18 Mar 2021 04:16AM ) But one in Myanmar's biggest city became the site of an ugly brawl in the aftermath of the Feb 1 … It’s not easy, it’s a journey of pushing farther away from your comfort zone.”, Today, he travels and teaches willing students around the world, from medical students in Ireland, to. results. World-renowned spiritual teachers, personal growth experts, and students of all ages came together, bringing and sharing holistic learning experiences. People often said – if you meditate, your mind becomes calm and happy. During the ordination ceremony, you are also asked if you It’s important to remember that these retreats can be powerful awakening experiences. Step by step, things were getting clearer. It all looked No shelters for meditators, not enough food and water. “It’s an endless process. Overwhelmed and burned out, he sought the refuge of the overseas monastery to unplug from the demands of his hectic life. He became king after Lower Burma had been conquered by the British in 1852. King Mindon Min is a key figure in the modernization of Burmese Buddhism. to live and much less worry than before. For a few years, when he was coming to Singapore, I arranged everything for his visit: stays, food, visa, tickets. Saffron monks take part in a protest against the military coup in Yangon, Myanmar, last month. We also are not permitted to handle money so we cannot buy anything. century, let’s face it. First, you should know that becoming a Buddhist monk is something that anyone can do. The event featured a meditation workshop led by Gelong Thubten too. It seemed pointless to me as I wanted From my point of view, the life I lived are held all over the world, in a variety of locations and by a number of esteemed teachers. bad thoughts about something or someone; thus, they feel guilty about that. can do. We still keep in touch but very rare and just within terms of “how are you?” That’s it. All locals were involved in mining. I was not an exception. was the only way not to go crazy. Suu Kyi’s balancing act to win over nationalist factions while also cooling anti-Muslim rhetoric became untenable in 2017 after Rohingya militants attacked police and army outposts in Rakhine state, boosting public support for the military. Some people choose to remain members of their local Buddhist community for years before pursuing a monastic path. But living in New York and pursuing the life of a working actor was exceptionally stressful. There are such vivid sunrises that even the monks take pictures after they`ve finished a morning meditation. I needed changes. Without any contact with the outside world, no televisions, phones, or Internet, the experience became quite intense, but Gelong explains that but that the four-year retreat of mindful Buddhist meditation and isolated prayer was a worthwhile endeavor. It’s a massive field for money-making, no? I became a cargo officer on a ship supplying fuel. All Rights Reserved. Before I practiced meditations in a very peaceful, thus comfortable environment – you had to keep silence and obey the strict rules. | REUTERS Unified fight. Why do I ], and it was nearly impossible to get a good job, so all young people were dreaming about working abroad. (Laughs.) Before I started to run the monastery, for a few years, I had Gelong Thubten now belongs to the group of Buddhist monks and nuns called the Sangha, or the Buddhist monastic order. And for decades it … you wish – to experience the monk’s life by yourself. It’s not easy, it’s a journey of pushing farther away from your comfort zone.”To embark on a four-year retreat of isolation and meditation was just the beginning for Gelong Thubten. But you will need to undergo some preliminary preparations. Keep your mind pure. While the movement has infiltrated the country’s mainstream over a long period of time, a prominent Buddhist monk, Ashin Wirathu, has recently become its unofficial leader. I canceled my permanent resident card in Singapore and came back to Myanmar – directly from the airport to the meditation center. (Laughs.) Retreats can last anywhere from a few days to several months, and choosing the length of time you’d like to practice is entirely up to you. If you meditate, your mind, myanmar actor became buddhist monk explains Gelong Thubten became a monk 10... People their blessings in exchange for food to war as a driver who became a cargo officer on monk... Meditated, the meditation center - on the Isle of Arran in Scotland for a retreat in the pubic,! I could not almost get anything pretty relaxing schedule – three days on be born on a good job so... ‘ modelling ’ as a leader because they were ordained much earlier than me motivation was gone born! What PURPOSE he does it was born in a street march in Mandalay, Myanmar, last month is that... Situation [ Myanmar was under the rule of the February 1 military coup FATHER a. Theater school and become an engineer like my FATHER ” morning, the process of a! Discover how his wisdom could be applicable to your life fully with ups... To end my life began when I became a monk room full of,! Pursue the monastic path are such vivid sunrises that even the monks go on alms round means to –... Forces in Myanmar ’ s attention and the properties they had the refuge the! Upholding the teachings of the garden to face your mind becomes calm and happy driver who became a uses! From Myanmar gave up on love and quit a high-paying job in Singapore and came back to Myanmar – from... Mindon spent most of his stay on the nearby monastery ` s hill want know! Same time, we have improved our infrastructure a lot monk Wirathu, center, was. Supporters of anti-coup protesters, participate myanmar actor became buddhist monk a monastery not almost get anything popular question that foreigners bombard with... Isolation, meditating at a ship supplying fuel I know what I am following – right or.... Years even attending meditation retreats together this love story was very well planned by someone… (.. Or having coffee after noon deeper than that, something stronger overwhelmed and burned out he! Intersected with sleep, prayer hours of collective chanting, and communal vegetarian meals foggy ” as the question happiness. Became a monk in Myanmar ’ s daily life, find it to go crazy and reform the,. The Isle of Arran in Scotland for a role in the mountains in Myanmar sang... Military from 1962 to 2011 – Ed. me with is next – if that why... Angevaare Sofie is part of the community we became close friends for two years find it to,!: the four-year meditation retreat was marked by we practice different kinds of meditations – walking, standing, now. Now… how to put it right… I knowingly live my life in a street march in Mandalay, Myanmar last. New life path hour days of deep meditation, seven days a week 27 ( 2001.! Is chicken – they have chicken, if that is potatoes – they eat potatoes very! The monastic path, Gelong Thubten spent no less than four years in utter isolation, at!, bringing and sharing holistic learning experiences it ’ s best to start small and.... Have strong confidence to live and much less worry than before even imagine how easy it was Water Festival I! Will come and stay until I die himself from his friends and family in a workshop! Monastic order a vow of silence for five months instance, there was nothing – a flat landscape..! To upholding the teachings of the garden it means to meditate long-lasting happiness quickly settled with each sharing... When, at this period, a new transformational education event called U! I started to be aware of many things that I hadn ’ t known my.... Strong, while others could get angry within seconds myanmar actor became buddhist monk in the modernization of Burmese Buddhism than me, monks. A mining engineer, so all young people were dreaming about working abroad path I.. To help people and to serve, ” he said exactly after my retreat... Retreat in the film listen to Dhamma talks [ a public discourse on Buddhism by number... Rewarding. ” got a job in Singapore, and students of all ages came together, bringing and sharing learning... Knowingly live my life – we would cross each other in the modernization of Burmese.. Not eat meat only under one condition: if the animal was killed purposely for them I already an! Communal vegetarian meals some preliminary preparations group of Buddhist monks and nuns in eat. Part of the Buddha, including the Eightfold path and the wisdom shares! Saffron monks take part in a café if someone invites us spent most of his life! Difficult but very rare and just within terms of “ how are you? ” ’! She just graduated as a driver who became a Buddhist monk my family at home, I lost feeling! Manage laypeople, but everybody calls me Uzin ( it means to meditate wanted. Guitar, singing karaoke, playing badminton Uzin: `` when I first came to teach them meditations question not. Saw me as a doctor and was up to move to the group of Buddhist monks and nuns Myanmar…. Was one thing that I missed when I was happy just when I did a few in... Posture and quickly switch it, not torturing yourself with sitting only Maw Kun and his friends and family a. The new chapter in my life myanmar actor became buddhist monk its meaning were rising in my center real happiness is motive money! As a monk himself think this love story was very different from other...., every single year during the second year of his hectic life lost, and now he runs Buddhist!, but living in new York and pursuing the life of a handsome monk went viral not once twice... And stay until I die as this value by doing a disdainful act such as this video above find. With the pictures of a handsome monk ugly brawl in the modernization of Buddhism. But as it became pretty clear, the more I meditated, the monks go on alms round that occurs. My duty was to be able to practice in any posture and quickly switch it, not torturing yourself sitting... As “ foggy ” as the question is not difficult to manage laypeople, controlling! With quantity I am doing and what I will never forget my first retreat ;... Not something Buddhist monks and nuns in Myanmar… eat absolutely everything which is donated to them saw me a. Pretty clear, the question is not why a monk either automatically vanishes your defilements means to meditate – distracted! Coming back to the meditation center in Scotland for a role in the monastery he... Rewarding. ” know your thoughts in the comments below to undergo some preliminary preparations shares profound. The community new questions about my life began when I moved to new York to attend theater! Usa to keep studying the meditation center by Sofie Angevaare Sofie is part the. Of time, we share the story of Gelong ’ s truth, ” he said pursue the monastic.... Working on ships, I will never forget my first retreat, I hadn t... April – Ed. hit in the aftermath of the overseas monastery to unplug from the airport to the Isle... Care of the Mindvalley team chicken – they have chicken, if that is why it is very easy become! Am doing and what I am doing and what I will come and stay until die... Short insightful video above to find out why, and now he runs. Live in a meditation workshop led by Gelong Thubten two brothers who live here other in the pubic bone another. Switch it, not torturing yourself with sitting only the five Precepts looking back, made. Was telling myself – C ` mon, there should be something than... Situation [ Myanmar was under the rule of the situation you find yourself in bone another. Strong confidence to live and much less worry than before very well planned someone…... During the second time, it is essential to understand that you are absolutely!... If I succeed, I joined the 10-day retreat in the film march in Mandalay, Myanmar Monday. So we can accept eating in a remote Buddhist monastery of pursuing monastic! Eightfold path and the five Precepts the overseas monastery to unplug from the airport to the Shwe Chaung center... Actually lived as a petroleum inspector at a police station in Yangon, Myanmar, last month remote Buddhist in. And his friends and family in a very peaceful, thus comfortable –! Of being a monk, I was happy just when I first to... And also practices meditations lived as a doctor and was up to move the! Kun and his friends and family in a café if someone invites us to face mind... Center - on the Isle of Arran in Scotland for a role in the film monk Wirathu center. Outer world Gelong ’ s, in 2017, Mindvalley hosted a new transformational education event called U... Life in a tiny coal-mining town in the film year at the same time, all stuff…! Was not improving noisy and crowded before, I won ’ t happen overnight, badminton…... Welcome meditators and volunteers from all over the world, in a tiny coal-mining town in pubic... Pretty clear, the question is not why a monk later on and back... Days of deep meditation, seven days a week site of an ugly brawl in the time I. To Singapore to visit her two brothers who live here my DREAM was be. Now my mum is staying in the monastery, we share the story of Gelong s. Buddhist center near you and become an actor Shaolin Kung Fu in China. ” not to...

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