Finally....

The retreat started last night....i was exhausted, but happy to welcome all the people here for this weekend retreat. So many of them are returning...and i am happy to see them - to be in their company!

Then today....an intense day of meditating and reflection. Many wonderful exchanges of ideas, thoughts - perceptions...and i have to say, much laughter!

There is a bit of a misconception out there about Buddhism and meditation....i can't dwell too much on that, but what i do what to say is that it ain't what some people think it is!

Meditation is, for me (and i believe many others) a practice....and i mean practice is the real sense of the word....in being with the here and now! To be present to what is, to be feeling what you are feeling, not trying to create a void in the mind. Not believing that we can abolish all thoughts and have a totally empty space there. But that we can focus on the quiet, on the gab that happens at the end of each out breath! After much conversation and enlightened thoughts....i just want to offer this as an idea for meditation.

Being present to how you are feeling, watching your thoughts, not trying to push them away, not trying to ignore them, not trying to change them....just accepting them and being with them. What a huge relief it is.....you don't have to judge the thought, you don't have to explain the thought, and you certainly don't have to try and change the thought!

Many phrases and ideas struck me, and the one that grabbed me the most was....

"It is an energetic moment that we go from being conceptually preoccupied, to numb to our experience, to viscerally contacting our aliveness." I forget who the quote is attributed to! doesn't really matter, it's the idea that matters!

So, after a day of talking only when in the context of the dharma being presented...to this evening, of good food, wine and lots of chatter and laughter! This shot isn't the best, but it captures us all in the moment of relaxing, enjoying each other and being open!

Oh one other thing that was said that struck me....in regard to the idea of being open to others....

"if we aren't aware of our own thought forms regarding another - we are not seeing that person in reality, but as our projection"

and now for an early night....and another day ahead of possible surprises!