Urban retreat- Day 3
Beginning to run out of batteries today after a late night and demanding day. I feel pummelled by lots of little hammers. Managed to keep my mood if not my mindfulness.
Checked in with Andrew and Shunhavyuha but Andrew set me off with this cannonball approach. I watched my desire to thwart him arise and let it go.
The meditation at the centre was spacious and gentle; metta turned into tonglen without effort.
Enjoyed the dharma discussion afterwards though I may have talked about myself a little too much.
There's a chap called Jonathan (from Ireland) who is struggling with the group and he didn't know why. We talked and realised that his life is pretty beautiful, ethical and he sees both beauty and ugliness in equal measure. He said he didn't fit in because we seem to all be full of pain and suffering - like a therapy group. His life wasn't like that. Hah! Half his luck! I told him that his way to the Dharma is a superb one - seeing the beauty of the world rather than it suffering but not denying its existence. Some come to the dharma through logic or worship, or beauty or pain All are valid paths.