Contrary to what people think, it is not so easy getting up on the stage and talking. You have no props, no video, no powerpoint. Just your personality and some points of dhamma that most people kind of know already. How to communicate years of silent breath watching in words??
Personally I much prefer to invite other speakers, especially when they are willing and capable as is 6″3′ Canadian monk U Vamsa. He ordained in the Mahasi tradition in Burma. In answer to one audience question, he told the person, famously, ‘you need slap!’. We had a number of events with him before he left Thailand to take a degree in counselling – I believe he is still a Bhikkhu. He’s a good and confident speaker:
We hosted him at Baan Aree and DMG. This was the start of my role as an event organiser.
