Willpower Institute Meditation Centre

Vision

The Willpower Institute was founded by Luangphor Viriyang Sirintharo, an eminent master teacher of meditation from Thailand. The master teacher felt compelled to spread meditation to the rest of the world after personally experiencing the extraordinary peace and happiness that arises from this practice. Luangphor’s vision is to reduce world conflict and attain world peace. Meditation increases mind power. With increased mind power, people can control their emotions, reduce violence and increase harmony in relationships.

Mission

Luangphor’s mission is to train instructors to help spread the theory and practice of meditation. His reason for this is analogous to the “ripple effect”. “You teach ten. They teach ten and each of them teach ten. Soon, one thousand, one million.”

Goals

The ultimate goal of the Willpower Institute and the main reason why the president, Luangphor Viriyang Sirintharo, founded the nonprofit organization is to promote world peace through meditation.

Master Teacher of meditation, Phra Dhammongkolyarn, Luangphor Viriyang Sirintharo, has attained many extraordinary accomplishments and has overcome numerous challenges. The summary below highlights some of his most important events in his life.

Luangphor Viriyang Sirintharo was born on January 7, 1920. His father, a train station manager, retired to a life of farming in the northeastern village of Nakhorn, Rachasima, Thailand. It was here, along with his parents and six siblings that young Viriyang grew up. It was also in this village that the young boy had his first profound meditation experience which started his journey towards enlightenment more than 80 years ago…

At 13 years of age, Luangphor had a good friend named Kim. One day Kim invited Luangphor to accompany her to the village temple for educational instruction. (At that time there was no formal education system in Thailand and the only place to learn to read and write was at the local temple). Luangphor did not want to go; he preferred to play outdoors with his friend Kim, and his father had already taught him how to read and write .

Nevertheless, Kim was determined, so the young boy reluctantly accompanied her to the temple. In the temple Viriyang sat next to Kim. The Abbot, the teacher, quickly advised him that a male could not sit next to a girl in the temple. Luangphor was dismayed! He did not want to go in the first place and now he had to sit away from Kim! He reluctantly got up and sat in the back corner. He was resigned to waiting while the four-hour class was conducted from 8:00 pm to midnight. He soon became bored. He closed his eyes and silently repeated in his mind – I not come again! I not come again! I not come again! Then something amazing happened! His spirit rose from his body and looking down he could see his arms, his legs; he could see his whole body. He could see high in the sky! He could see around the land! He could see under the water! At midnight, he opened his eyes just as the students were preparing to leave. Viriyang stopped the Abbot and asked him to explain what had happened to him. The Abbot was very surprised and stated, “Viriyang, how is it that you have had such a profound meditation experience? You have had no teacher – some are not able to meditate this deep even after ten years of practice.