Question: My difficulty is when I stay in places with a strong practicing atmosphere such as meditation centers or monasteries for a long time, I cannot sleep. While meditating in those places I started to see images, many thoughts arising, my mind got stuck, my head and stomach became painful. Then I turned deep into drowsiness. But in nature such as beaches and jungles, then I reduce my focusing on the practices and get balance. What can I do to be able to sleep while staying at meditation centers or monasteries?

You need to practice freely not only one center but also another, not only one method but also the method of doing-only, not only practicing for yourself but also others. In this way, you can be free from sleeplessness. You will be able to remove those images from the mind. This is the way to change your life and experiences.

Question: But I always experience this problem in many different places, such as in Panditarama, in Thabarwa, and here in Phuoc Son monastery. I don’t know if it is because of the places or because of my mind. Also, I have practiced many different methods. I have joined in many intensive retreats but my mind was very unbalanced and confused with many methods. I think I should focus on only one method.

It is because of your strong attachment. You need special treatments. You need to practice more seriously. You should do what you cannot do and understand. In this way, you can get the result you want.

Question: I see clearly your teaching about mindfulness and detachment. How could a meditator detach if his/her mindfulness is still very weak?

That person can volunteer which is very effective. We do both volunteering and meditating; that’s why even if we are not successful in meditation, we can get success in volunteering. If we are not successful in volunteering, we can get success in meditation also. To get success directly in meditation is really difficult; therefore, we need to emphasize on volunteering also. Instead of practicing meditation seriously you can emphasize volunteering for the meditators also. Because you have difficulties in meditation until now, therefore you need a chance to reduce your own attachment to meditation.

Question: But I always have problems with staying in a meditation center. Whenever I stay in a meditation center, I need a strong mindful mind. If not I can not endure. It happens all over again Sayadaw!

Don’t need to emphasize to solve the problem, just try to accept that it is better.

Question: You keep saying about mindfulness and detachment, what to detach from, and what to be mindful of?

We must detach from our present attachments, we need to be mindful of our physical, verbal, and mental actions.

Question: I know exactly what is my attachment; but I cannot detach even though I’ve tried a lot. I was very angry about that. What should I do Sayadaw?

You cannot grasp like that, that is nature. Unable to control the mind is nature, not the problem. If we can accept it, we can continue to do good deeds; because if we stop doing good deeds we cannot save merits. Like Thabarwa center, It has been running from 2008 till 2014 and always has problems: lack of volunteers, accommodations, finance but we didn’t give up, we accepted it as nature. You must do the same, you must accept it as nature. Unable to detach that is nature. You should think about many meditators who can detach. Besides, who is complete? No one is complete! So incompleteness is not a problem, that is nature. You need to accept nature. If you can do that you can continue without complaints and asking questions.