MAS Retreat at Ken House, experience sharing

A Self Transformative Experience
by Kenneth Say

In brief MASR is a simple, practical and systematic training to improve ourselves in daily life and beyond.

Participants (yogis) are taught the skills needed to develop and compose the mind with sufficient time for personal practice and the teacher's guidance daily during their stay in a very conducive environment.

The training is not too rigid but it requires self discipline and effort to help the individual progress.

Be ready to come with an open and receptive mind to learn new skills.

It is a self transformative experience through insight into the

“Cause-Condition-Effect” of mental activities.

An Enchanting MAS Retreat in Fraser's Hill
by Alice Soon

I joined this 12 days retreat upon the encouragement of one of my good friends, Brother Lawrence from Sabah. I initially felt so glad to go but as the days drew nearer, trepidation came in because my friend, Angeline Sim, was telling me how strict and demanding Bhante Aggacitta was. As a newcomer and my first time joining a retreat, I was very worried until I checked in the camp.

However, upon my first meeting with Bhante himself, I was overwhelmed by his compassion. I could see balancing strictness and kindness as a teacher was indeed a delicate task.

In this retreat, I learned to meditate with eyes open in any kind of situation and environment. To me, this is so rare and unheard of!

Open mindfulness practice enhances inner balance and present-moment awareness. It can promote well-being and foster peaceful and insightful personal growth for beginners.

The key to the entire practice is succinctly expressed in his Dhamma rhymes called ADA Anchor and Touch n Go:

Accept all things
Don't reject
Follow or ignore 
Acknowledge them
Anchor mind
To the 5 senses.

Sequentially
Touch n go
At the 5 senses.

This strategy cuts through the complexities of discursive thinking, pulling us back from mental meandering and anchoring the mind securely in the present.

His teachings on cause, condition and effect and inclining the mind to continually see it especially in mental activities was impactful for me. It leads me to be more clearly aware of a situation, action or procedure and thereby understand its cause-condition-effect relationship and the consequences of our actions.  

Attending this retreat was a whole new experience for a newbie like me. It was really enchanting. I was so impressed with his style of teaching and his in-depth knowledge. 

With the insights gained by exercising more wisdom during the journey of being disciplined, I have made a significant improvement in my mundane life to be a greater person than I was before. 

I truly appreciate his teachings because to me, knowledge is not only cumulative—it grows exponentially.

A Memorable and Lasting Journey in Open Mindfulness
by Chee Chee Kian

When I signed up for Bhante Aggacitta’s MAS (Mindful Awareness & Serenity) Retreat, I thought I was just going for a lesson in meditation. Well, was I wrong! It was that and so much more.

Bhante Aggacitta was brilliant in his teaching methods. He was systematic and clear in his instructions, making it simple for a newbie like me and also for seasoned practitioners. He was knowledgeable, engaging and patient in making sure we understood what was being taught. And he was also warm and surprisingly funny during our Q and A sessions. We shared so much laughter every evening.

Bhante Aggacitta kept repeating himself during our formal meditation sessions; going through what was taught previously. He also sacrificed eating his lunch peacefully in order to guide us on mindful eating everyday. He constantly reminded us to see Cause, Condition and Effect in our decision making and thought processes.

What impresses me most about Bhante Aggacitta is the fact that he is aware of and empathetic to the challenges we face while trying to juggle our work life and family life and our quest to become a better Buddhist. He often reminded us to be more forgiving to ourselves.

I couldn’t have asked for a better teacher to start me off on my meditation journey. I am indeed blessed and grateful to be able to attend Bhante Aggacitta’s retreat. Thank you, Bhante, for generously imparting your knowledge and wisdom to each and everyone of us.