About Abhayagita

My birth name is Susan. I grew up in Wellington, New Zealand and moved to Australia in 1974. After several failed marriages and many failed relationships, plus bad financial decisions, I found myself in a very dark place leading up to 2013. For most of my life I had suffered from intermittent depression, insomnia, anxiety and anger. These things I know had a huge bearing on my perceived failure in life, and my lack of self-worth. Having a background in natural medicine, I spent much energy, time and money trying to fix myself with almost anything I could find that promised a solution but to no avail. In December 2014 I arrived in WA where I have family and moved to Mandurah, with a determination to find a solution to these problems. I literally stumbled upon The Dharmadatu Centre and began attending meditation classes there. Within a couple of weeks, I began to experience a significant positive change and began a daily meditation practice. I noticed that the centre also offered a discussion evening on what was described as a practical and secular approach to the Buddha’s teachings and was curious to see if this was something else that would help to facilitate the change I was seeking and it certainly did. I formalised my commitment to the Dharma path in November 2015 and haven’t looked back. I can say that the changes I experience within myself are the joyful changes I have wanted and needed for a very long time, and I will be eternally grateful to The Dharmadatu Buddhist Order and Sangha for being the catalyst for this change in direction.

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