ha'Mind Muar

The Mind Illuminated

An International Meditation Group for Training the Mind and Ending Suffering

About the Meditation Group

ha'Mind Muar (pronounced: moo-ARE) is an international group dedicated to meditating and training the mind, inspired by the book "The Mind Illuminated" - a comprehensive meditation guide that teaches, step by step, how to reach the ultimate goal of meditative practice - liberation from all suffering, also called "Awakening" or "Enlightenment."

The book was written by an American neuroscience professor named Culadasa (John Yates, PhD.), who practiced and taught meditation for over four decades. It integrates Buddhist wisdom with brain science, providing practical and straightforward instructions for making progress, alongside comprehensive explanations about the nature of the human mind.


Whether you’re a beginner who wishes to master the technique or an experienced meditator aspiring for a breakthrough in your practice, we offer custom-tailored support. Enjoy personal one-on-one consultations, the benefits of belonging to a Sangha, or both. The group meets every week to learn and meditate, hosted by Oded Raz - an experienced teacher who received direct guidance from Culadasa himself. The meetings are held using the Zoom platform as Meditation Adventures, recorded, uploaded to our YouTube channel, and available for listening at any time. 


If you value peace of mind, and you'd like to be harmonious, well-balanced, and liberated from all suffering - we'd be happy to have you with us.

About the Meditation Group imageAbout the Meditation Group imageAbout the Meditation Group image

Meditation from a Scientific and Buddhist Perspective

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Meditation for Groups and Individuals

Personal Consultations

Schedule a private, one-on-one meeting with the teacher to receive guidance and support according to the exact state of your meditative practice.

Group Meetings

Join our group meetings, where dedicated meditators from all over the globe learn, share, and practice together.

The Teacher

Oded Raz

Meditation Teacher

Founder of the meditation group ha'Mind Muar and a student of Culadasa. Has been teaching and developing training programs for groups and individuals professionally for over two decades.

OPEN SANGHA MEETINGS

Meet dedicated worldwide meditators

OPEN SANGHA MEETINGS

Our open Sangha meetings are an opportunity to meet dedicated meditators from different countries and engage in meaningful discussions. The meetings are 100% Dāna-based, with an attitude of radical inclusion, and without any participation fee.

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Express Your Generosity

Giving Dāna

Giving Dāna

Giving Dāna

Many of the services of ha'Mind Muar are given freely and unconditionally. In the same spirit of mutual generosity, you're welcome to express your care and gratitude by making a voluntary donation. Your contribution allows us to further develop efficient and effective tools to accelerate Spiritual Awakenings.

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Join The Autumn Adventure

The Journey Begins on October 8th

Register Now

Meditation Adventures

We invite you to join our Meditation Adventures - well-structured mind-training programs for promoting your meditative practice, experiencing the true nature of reality, and accelerating your liberation:

Intensive Meditative Practice

Four months, 16 weekly online Zoom meetings, over 100 hours of daily meditation, 3-12 days of international retreat, and the attentive guidance of an awakened teacher, supporting and tracking your progress.

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Mastering the Meditation Technique

14 online classes, over 50 hours of recorded classes, original new techniques & skillful means, supportive Buddhist wisdom & neuroscience, and 6 monthly personal interviews with the teacher, forming a clear path to Awakening.

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Supportive Intimate Sangha

Small in size (9-15 members), direct human connection (in a group and one-on-one), over 30 hours of sharing challenges and experiences, a Buddy System, countless opportunities for Q&A, open discussions, and 24/7 activity on our Discord server.

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Recommendations

 I highly recommend Oded as a teacher of the practices in The Mind Illuminated. While the book is excellent, there are pitfalls that can slow down one's practice and guidance that can help it progress faster. Oded's experiences on the path are invaluable towards the goal of awakening. 

Tracy Budd: Satellite Systems Engineer, Washington  |  YouTube

 Although I had been a long-term meditator, my practice was faltering, and I didn't know how to move forward. With TMI, Oded's insightful and kind guidance, and the heartfelt support of the Sangha, I quickly experienced many breakthroughs: regularly entering Jhanas, finding the delicious equanimity of Stage 9, and more. Awakening is indeed possible and attainable for anyone willing to invest Right Effort. 

Roni Falk: Epidemiologist, Washington DC  |  NIH

 Oded seems to read minds. Although I'm not a native English speaker, he understands what I am trying to communicate perfectly, and his answers are precisely what I need to hear. I received personal meditation consultations for over a year, which were very helpful for my practice. I am truly grateful to have met him and that he takes the time to provide this service for humanity. 

Erik Aellen: Investor, Buenos Aires  |  Instagram

 There's something special about ha'Mind Muar - compassionate, committed meditative individuals and a safe space to learn, share, break down, and explore our experiences on and off the cushion. Oded is a skilled, fascinating teacher. Thanks to him and my fellow adventurers, I feel curiosity, stimulation, connection, and peace. 

Sally Mikhlin: Adtech Professional, Massachusetts  |  LinkedIn

 I'd been following The Mind Illuminated in my meditation practice for several years. I thought I'd been true to Culudasa's teachings but was surprised to discover how presumptions I'd made led to errors in how I understood the text and, thus, to errors in the way I practiced. Oded was able to point this out and get me back on track. The shared experiences and support of the Sangha have been great to have, and for all - I'm grateful. 

Jay Horowitz: Psychiatrist, Michigan  |  Website

 Practicing Samatha is like setting sail to explore uncharted territories. Whenever I'm lost at sea, Oded is like a lighthouse - helping me navigate through the darkness and return to course." 

Allon Leibovici: MD, MBA, Family Physician, Herzliya  |  Website

 Oded has been my meditation teacher for over two years. He endows the ability to communicate the content in TMI accurately, clearly, and comprehensively, detecting mental blocks in his students and helping them train their minds efficiently. Should you look for a meditation teacher and a supportive group of practitioners, I highly recommend ha'Mind Muar. 

Daniel Sedaka: High Tech Professional, Israel  |  LinkedIn

 Oded is a kindhearted man who is patient, understanding, and knowledgeable of the Dhamma. His instruction this last year has helped greatly reduce the suffering I experienced in my day-to-day life. Anyone looking to further their meditative practice can find sanctuary in ha’Mind Muar and be assured that their capacity as a meditator will grow. 

Austin Miller: Sales Manager, Oregon

 Thanks to Oded, I’ve been able to dig way deeper, so much deeper, into the content of The Mind Illuminated than I possibly could have done on my own. The year I spent with the group and Oded as a teacher was truly precious. I recommend anyone interested in the meditative journey to join this adventure. 

John L. Green: Landscape Architect, Sweden  |  LinkedIn
  

Our Vision

Complete Liberation

for all who seek to end their suffering

Clear & Simple Path

inevitably resulting in Awakening

Freely Accessible

to everyone in the world

Participation Fee

Provides the funding for making our vision a reality

Open Sangha Meetings

$0
  • FREE
  • Sponsored by Dāna
  • and participation in Adventures
Join a Meeting

The Autumn Adventure

Most Popular
$720
  • Four Months
  • October 8th to January 28th
  • + Dāna
  • (scholarships for the financially challenged)
Join the Adventure

Personal Consultations

$80
  • 50 Minutes
  • First Introduction - FREE
  • + Dāna
Set a Meeting

Want to Learn More?

Curiosity is a virtue. Here's more information:

Solid Traditional Foundations

The Mind Illuminated

Culadasa

Noble Eightfold Path

Gautama the Buddha

The Elephant Path

Asanga

The Playful Path

An Effective Way to Meditate and Awaken

The Playful Path

The Playful Path is a practical mind-training plan where we play a series of simple meditative games that develop the various mental skills necessary for Awakening and ending all suffering By comprehensively describing the training process as a whole, The Playful Path ensures we're always making the most out of the time and energy we invest in meditation.

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Meeting Times

We hold three Meditation Adventures a year, each spanning over four months:


  • The Spring Adventure - February, March, April, May
  • The Summer Adventure - June, July, August, September
  • The Autumn Adventure - October, November, December, January

Throughout the Adventure, the group holds online meetings for English speakers every Sunday and face-to-face meetings for Hebrew speakers every Tuesday. Both meetings are open for meditators worldwide, follow the same structure, and revise the very same content. You may join both meetings or a single one of them of your choosing.


Israel sets the meeting time as described in the timetable. International times may vary due to Daylight Saving Time.



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The Meeting's Structure

The English meeting reoccurs every Sunday and is comprised of four separate sessions:

18:00
Sharing Experiences - (1st Session)

We dedicate the opening hour to sharing experiences from the meditative practice, Q&A, and the exploration of daily life challenges through the lens of Buddhist wisdom.

19:00
Silent Meditation - (2nd Session)

The evening's main meditation session (60 minutes long).
New meditators may meditate for 20 or 40 minutes should they choose to, guided by a repeating bell.

20:15
The Evening Discourse - (3rd Session)

An orderly explanation of the various stages of the meditation technique; the workings of the mind; and the path leading to enlightenment and liberation from all suffering.

21:15
Q&A - (4th Session)

An opportunity to ask questions, hear answers, and share your personal experiences. The meeting ends after the last question is answered, or by the end of this last hour.

Face-to-face meditation meetings are held every Tuesday at 19:00. Should you visit Israel, come and say hello. :-)

Questions and Answers

Yes - and so much more. "Mindfulness" allows us to achieve higher awareness of the mind's emotional and cognitive processes. We continuously develop this tool until it becomes as sharp, focused, and powerful as possible. It serves us for understanding the true nature of reality, purifying the mind of illusions and past traumas, and accumulating deep Insights, leading to the ultimate destination: A solid, continuous experience of deep contentment, true happiness, and profound inner peace, not subject to passing away by the turmoils of daily life.

The basis is Vipassana meditation, as taught by Gautama the Buddha, combined with śamatha meditation. At the heart of its practical side is systematic cultivation of attention to the sensations of the breath (Anapanna), and bodily sensations. The practice is reinforced by detailed explanations, illuminating the workings of the mind, helping to identify the factors challenging continuous stable attention, and offering efficient solutions (both conceptual and practical) for dealing with them.

Definitely YES. There's no need to adopt a monastic lifestyle, nor isolating yourself from the world. The practical, focused, precise, and efficient character of the instructions, allows you to make the most out of the time you dedicate for meditation, even while working, studying, or having a family.
Just as lifting weights makes the muscles stronger and stretching increases flexibility, so does meditation trains the mind, making it sharp and peaceful. It's a natural process based on direct experience, whose efficiency has been proven by science. It doesn't require religious belief, nor does it contradicts it. Should they practice diligently and well, both the fervent believer and the skeptic atheist could succeed and enjoy the many benefits of meditation.
Your meditative experience is a wonderful, valuable asset. TMI's precise instructions could advance your practice rapidly and efficiently, clear hidden obstacles slowing you down, and allow you to reach high meditative states you've never experienced before. It's an opportunity to take a giant leap forward and discover the best of what meditation has to offer.
Meditation could complement psychological treatments but not replace them. If the challenges in your life are significant, the escort and assistance of professionals are of utmost importance. They'd be a supporting factor in processing the experiences, memories, and insights, which would arise during the purification taking place in meditative practice. It should be stressed that the meditation meetings aren't considered "treatment," nor is the teacher a therapist.
Two of the commitments you take as you register for the Adventure are to make meditation a priority and attend all group meetings. To make the most out of the experience, participate in all of them, from start to finish. However, should you face unavoidable constraints, you may attend the meeting partially with the teacher's approval.
Should you wish to participate but be struggling to do so for financial reasons, reach out, and together, we’ll find the solutions.

The Triple Gem

ha'Mind Muar offers all Three Gems of Buddhism in which to take refuge:

Dharma

The Wisdom of the Path Leading to Liberation

Sangha

The Loving Support of a Dedicated Practice Group

Buddha

The Guidance of Awakened Teacher(s) to reveal your Enlightened Quality

The Heart Sutra of the Perfection of Wisdom

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Contact Us

  • 17 Bloch St. Giv'atayim, Israel
  • a short walk from Kikar Noah (Noah's Square)