The Mind illuminated

ha'Mind Muar (pronounced: moo-ARE) is an international group dedicated to meditating and training the mind, as outlined in 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's been practicing and teaching 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.

The group meets once a week to learn and meditate, hosted by Oded Raz - an experienced teacher receiving direct guidance from Culadasa himself. The meetings are free of charge, held using the Zoom platform, 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.

"The Elephant Path" is a central tool in The Mind Illuminated.
It is a detailed map, dividing the process of training the mind into ten distinct stages, starting from the point of never having meditated before, all the way to awakening and the complete liberation from suffering. Each step has its unique characteristics, challenges to overcome, and specific techniques for addressing them. Climbing up the stages represents the gradual improvement of our meditative abilities, like milestones marking progress.

The map makes it easy to orient in the mind's activities, realize its workings, identify our current location, and understand how it's best to move forward. Instead of getting lost in the jungles of consciousness, we're following a clear route, with a campus, a professional guide, GPS, a satellite phone, and all the gear we need to reach our final destination safe and sound.

Illustration: enthusbuddhist

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

18:00

Introductions, Sharings, and Questions - (1st Session)

The opening hour is dedicated to introduction with newcomers, sharing experiences from the meditative practice, Q&A, and explanations about the various aspects of the meditation technique.

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.

20:10

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.

21:00

Open Discussion - (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.

You can choose and join the sessions you wish to participate in and leave upon their completion.

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

The group holds English meetings every Sunday and Hebrew meetings every Wednesday. Both meetings are open for meditators worldwide via Zoom, follow the same structure, and revise the very same content. You may join both meetings or a single one of them, at your choosing.

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

Weekly Meetings

A multi-participant meeting that combines social interaction, silent meditation, informative discourse, sharing of experiences, answers to questions, and discussing various topics related to Buddhism and training the mind.

Personal Consultations

It's possible to have private, one-on-one meetings with the teacher and receive guidance and support according to the exact state of your meditative practice.

Joint Retreats

Once in a while, the group holds a retreat (3-12 days long), which includes silent meditation, personal interviews, walking meditation, Dharma talks, and more.

Supporting Content

Group members may access written, recorded, and filmed content from previous meetings, as well as recommendations for relevant content from other sources.

Telegram Group

A private forum for receiving updates, sharing content, asking questions, and keeping in touch with fellow members between sessions.

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

+972-52-434-1771 - Oded
mind@muar.org.il
Weekly session: 18:00-22:00 arrival for specific sessions is possible 10 minutes before they begin

Is this a "Mindfulness" meditation practice?

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.

What is the basis of the method?

The basis is Vipassana meditation, as taught by Gautama the Buddha. 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.

Is it possible to reach enlightenment as an active, working person?

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.

Does the practice require faith?

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.

What could I gain if I already have lots of meditative experience?

Your experience is a real asset and an excellent place to be. TMI's sharp 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.

Can meditation replace psychological treatment?

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.

Must I attend the meeting's full four hours?

The choice of when to arrive and when to depart is entirely yours. You may join the meeting according to the sessions in which you'd like to participate, and leave once they're over. The door will open ten minutes before a session, and close once it begins. To become familiar with the method's fundamentals, arrive by 18:00. To practice joint meditation, arrive by 19:00. To learn about the workings of the mind and the meditation technique, be present at 20:00. To ask questions and listen to answers, remain at 21:00 as well. The meeting ends by 22:00 at the latest.

In what language is the meditation lesson taught?

The meetings are divided between two groups; the first is a Hebrew speaking Israeli group, and the second is an English speaking international group. The instructions and explanations given in Hebrew are using key English terms from the book. It's possible to schedule personal meetings in your desired language, depending on the teacher's availability.

What are the group's activities?

Beyond the weekly meetings, our group members keep in touch using a dedicated Telegram chat; enjoy access to written and recorded content from past lessons; and initiate independent practice meetings, both digitally and face to face. In addition, personal one-on-one consultations are available, where the teacher provides exact instructions for practicing meditation efficiently and effectively.

How much does it cost?

In line with Buddhist tradition, no payment is required for participation.

In the future, this section will include a series of introductory videos about the meditation technique in English. Currently, these videos are available in Hebrew only.

All meetings of ha'Mind Muar are recorded and well documented. We gradually publish edited content on our Youtube channel, while the original recordings are accessible to group members only (for the sake of privacy).

ha'Mind Muar

About the Meditation Group

Meditation from a Scientific and Buddhist Perspective

The Elephant Path

The Meeting's Structure