Dream

I awoke from a vivid dream of 2401. I knew I was only there for a visit, but I was glad to be there because I know it no longer existed as such except in my memory. I felt closer to Mom & Dad as if they were just out of the house. I sat in Dad's recliner. I was doing laundry so I will go tend to that in the now.

Friend

If for company you find a wise and prudent friend
who leads a good life,
you should, overcoming all impediments,
keep their company joyously and mindfully.

Dhammapada 23.328

Delight in heedfulness!
Guard well your thoughts!
Draw yourself out of this bog of evil,
even as an elephant draws itself out of the mud.

Dhammapada 23.327

Strong as an elephant

Delight in heedfulness!
Guard well your thoughts!
Draw yourself out of this bog of evil,
even as an elephant draws itself out of the mud.

Dhammapada 23.327

Day four of the retreat

The fourth day of the retreat is the day one learns the vipissana part of the meditation. It is the head to toe scanning of the body. It is a day of determination about the sitting. The first head to toe sitting takes about two hours. Talk about determination. My legs were screaming with pain. I was in tears and so relieved when the session ended. It is a good thing we were silent. I couldn't have stood to hear my self complaining outloud. It was ugly enough inside my head.

Any sensual bliss in the world,
any heavenly bliss,
isn't worth one sixteenth-sixteenth
of the bliss of the ending of craving.

Udāna 2.12

A month in

A month after starting the newest phase in my spirituality journey, I have one note for this morning: It is difficult to have a calm and equanimous mind the morning after watching the movie Milk last night.

To avoid all evil,
to cultivate good,
and to purify one's mind -
this is the teaching of the Buddhas.

Dhammapada 14.183

East meets West Virginia

'Just as a solid rock is not shaken by the storm,
even so the wise are not affected by praise or blame.'
Daily Words of the Buddha for October 15, 2009

Equanimity, equipoise, equilibrium...

On September 23, I rode with friends from the Wheeling book club to Camp Fairlee at Chestertown, MD to attend a 10 day Vipassana retreat. I must admit that I had done some research into what I was getting into, but had not done more than scratch the surface. Partly I was going on trust in my friend's research. My trust was well placed. The 10 days were vibrant and exciting. Some moments were challenging past my expectations, but challenge is the push I often need to step out in faith.

The reading I have done through the years and the focus the reading group had prepared me to richly dive into the retreat. What a blessing. What a blessing.

I am just one of many westerners who have been exploring eastern thinking and meditation. Nothing really new here. Just my journey.