Imagine if you will, what it is like to be living in a monastery, a Buddhist monastery. You have plenty of time to practice meditation, you can see the Abbot and get guidance whenever you feel you need it. Is this though the best world for you to walk the path of enlightenment?

There was a famous monk in Thailand, and he invented a new method of insight meditation similar to walking meditation. After what many people called his enlightenment, he left the monastery and tried living as a layman. This did not work out for him, and he returned to the monastery.

I never had the fortune to meet him, and therefore what follows is speculation on my part. I believe that he found life outside the monastery too challenging, too full of incidents that gave rise to emotion connected to his thoughts. In other words, he found the lay life too frightening. Living as a monk in Thailand, you are protected. When you travel you are treated with respect, people will give up their seat on buses and trains for you. At night you are safe in the grounds of the monastery. You do not need to worry about violence against your person. For lay people it is different. Depending on where you live, there may be a real risk to your person. That is why we at ASHW expect a different approach from our followers.

At ASHW we believe that the world will be improved when there are enlightened people living amongst the ordinary population. The higher the percentage, the better the world. Even those persons who have not yet reached enlightenment will contribute to making the world a better place for all. By taking steps on our shared path, you will learn to keep calm and this calmness will radiate to everybody around you. Therefore we believe that the path towards enlightenment should be trod in the lay world to spread calmness and happiness amongst everybody.

We do not do retreats. We do not have a monastery. Our mission is to increase the level of calmness and contentment in the lay world. Our training is designed to create a comfortable feeling wherever you may be.

There are no fees to join ASHW. Try and follow the path. Practice meditation regularly. Be calm and kind around people. That is it!

Good luck!