(no subject)
I've returned from six days outside of Kempsey (7 hours drive from Sydney) where I was on semi-retreat at a Buddhist vihara called Naganaga. The land is sacred to the local Indigenous people; it is part of the Water Dragon Dreaming. Around the hill on which the community rests are the high soft curves of mountains and wide ribbons of fast water.
I say the time was a semi retreat because it was delightfully social, particularly at meal times and at others times blissfully isolated. The intention was to help the Order Members to dedicate the new Yurt but, as it happens, the mud floor was still being prepared so I pitched in and helped for a bit. So did the local community which was so charming; beef farmers and local boys volunteering to aid the buddhists put up a Mongolian hut for use as a meditation shrine. It really challenged the shamefully narrow minded view I had of 'country people'. Gratitude flows to the Order members Satyagandhi, Padmalaya and Viryadana as well as to the welcoming folks up there who brought me into their community.
Personally, the time away was to reflect on the revelations which presented themselves whilst in the UK this year and, as I discovered, to sleep tremendous amounts. Despite the shut-eye I did considerable amounts of meditation, mainly meditations on Loving-Kindness, Compassion and the Six Elements. The latter was present tangibly in the dry earth & smoothed stones, the whispers of the river, ash and wood smoke, bracing winds, the star encrusted sky and the slow settling of my city mind. Subhuti's guided meditation on the Six Elements was a trusted companion.
Sitting outside, feeling the ebb and flow allowed great feelings of compassion to arise. It struck me that compassion is less of an action in itself, rather it is being with another's intense responses to life without acting to change them or their experience. From this full 'being with' one may then act with wisdom to do what is needed if anything is needed at all. Sometimes compassion is enough.
To help me with 'Forgiveness' I read 'The Wisdom of Forgiveness' by HH the Dalai Lama and Victor Chan. It is a gentle travelogue of some very intimate meetings and discussions with the Dalai Lama. Though general and introductory in tone, it leaves one with a warmth and urge to forgive. Doing so, is another matter but one which I made tentative steps towards embracing
As a result of all this reflection, study, meditation and comaraderie, I not only feel healthy, energised and bursting with kindness but I have also written 3000 words of my novel! It has taken a radically different direction which is very exciting to me and, curiously, reflects the elements and forgiveness as the major themes.
I am very grateful to being a member of the Naganaga community and to have lived on sacred land even for a short time. Like Milarepa but without the insights, I lived in my little aluminium cave (his wasn't aluminium!) meditating on friends and stranges and the no-selflessness of 'things'. But there were delicious pleasures as well. Standing naked on a ridge, amongst eucalypts, washing myself in rain water and drying by warm air and sunlight is an experience I will not soon forget.
Thank you to the spirits of place who welcomed me, the embracing arms of the Order members (Taras in Blundstone boots!) and the elements who shared their insights.
I say the time was a semi retreat because it was delightfully social, particularly at meal times and at others times blissfully isolated. The intention was to help the Order Members to dedicate the new Yurt but, as it happens, the mud floor was still being prepared so I pitched in and helped for a bit. So did the local community which was so charming; beef farmers and local boys volunteering to aid the buddhists put up a Mongolian hut for use as a meditation shrine. It really challenged the shamefully narrow minded view I had of 'country people'. Gratitude flows to the Order members Satyagandhi, Padmalaya and Viryadana as well as to the welcoming folks up there who brought me into their community.
Personally, the time away was to reflect on the revelations which presented themselves whilst in the UK this year and, as I discovered, to sleep tremendous amounts. Despite the shut-eye I did considerable amounts of meditation, mainly meditations on Loving-Kindness, Compassion and the Six Elements. The latter was present tangibly in the dry earth & smoothed stones, the whispers of the river, ash and wood smoke, bracing winds, the star encrusted sky and the slow settling of my city mind. Subhuti's guided meditation on the Six Elements was a trusted companion.
Sitting outside, feeling the ebb and flow allowed great feelings of compassion to arise. It struck me that compassion is less of an action in itself, rather it is being with another's intense responses to life without acting to change them or their experience. From this full 'being with' one may then act with wisdom to do what is needed if anything is needed at all. Sometimes compassion is enough.
To help me with 'Forgiveness' I read 'The Wisdom of Forgiveness' by HH the Dalai Lama and Victor Chan. It is a gentle travelogue of some very intimate meetings and discussions with the Dalai Lama. Though general and introductory in tone, it leaves one with a warmth and urge to forgive. Doing so, is another matter but one which I made tentative steps towards embracing
As a result of all this reflection, study, meditation and comaraderie, I not only feel healthy, energised and bursting with kindness but I have also written 3000 words of my novel! It has taken a radically different direction which is very exciting to me and, curiously, reflects the elements and forgiveness as the major themes.
I am very grateful to being a member of the Naganaga community and to have lived on sacred land even for a short time. Like Milarepa but without the insights, I lived in my little aluminium cave (his wasn't aluminium!) meditating on friends and stranges and the no-selflessness of 'things'. But there were delicious pleasures as well. Standing naked on a ridge, amongst eucalypts, washing myself in rain water and drying by warm air and sunlight is an experience I will not soon forget.
Thank you to the spirits of place who welcomed me, the embracing arms of the Order members (Taras in Blundstone boots!) and the elements who shared their insights.