Born in Canada, Sayadaw U Jagara, originally named Martin Boisvert, embarked on his spiritual journey in the mid-1970s under the guidance of Robert H. Hover. In 1979 he received ordination as a monk from the Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw in Burma. For the next 15 years, he resided in Sri Lanka, where he blended the practice of meditation with the study of Buddhist scriptures. He also made intermittent trips to India and Thailand for meditation retreats. During the 1980s, he assumed the role of a meditation guide, conducting retreats in the tradition of S.N. Goenka across India, North America, Europe, and Asia. In 1995, he began training under the esteemed Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw, a revered Burmese meditation master known for his commitment to the Visuddhimagga. This text serves as both a practical roadmap to deep states of meditation (jhāna) and a meticulous guide to the direct analytical approaches of vipassanā. Sayadaw U Jagara began assisting Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw in teaching the dhamma in the early 2000s and sustained his support up to the early 2010s. In the past decade, he has independently shared his wisdom and experiences across North America, collaborating with various meditation teachers. His teachings focus on life as continuous meditation, guiding students toward liberation through observation, wisdom, and compassion.
Critical text analysis of how Anapanasati practice fulfills the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. Discussion of the samadhi (step 11) and liberating the mind (step 12) from hindrances and self.
A guided practice for bringing the participation of all aspects of our lives, physically and mentally. The simile of a symphony conveys the essence of centering and gathering with the conductor's baton bringing together all musicians - Holistic approach.
The objctive of the Second Tetrad is discussed in a broad framework - with doctrine readings and humor-filled anecdotes - to inspire us to reflect on our life's objective.
Reflections on two sources of sukka: the object and the body. Three signs for the quality of observation for sukkha: sign of effort, sign of samadhi, sign of equanimity. ( AN:3,102)
A review of the first tetrad discussing adjusting the mode of observation. For samatha mode, the preliminary signs of breath touch is calmed to a perception of the feint effect of the breathing process.
Similes for the experience of touch and contact (step 3): musician practicing an instrument; a person sawing a log; gatekeeper guarding arrivals and departures; an embroiderer threading a needle. Subdivisions of the emergence of the nimitta and nama rupa also presented as the "whole body".
