The retreat reports were remarkably tangible, I felt, and conveyed a real sense of wide-eyedness and celebration of shared presence. I could almost hear the waves hitting the craggy rocks, and could almost fall into the silence.
-Eliza
2010.02.01 07:00 - Rubble Without Cause
A: I thought I sensed some camaraderie developing among the people left behind during the Malta retreat
E: :) yes we've been bonding I suppose :)
A: I felt a very warm feeling about it
2010.02.01 13:00 - Micks treat about the retreat
M: I noticed today just how much I missed all the retreaters / its amazing how we become so entwined
B: you all have a special bond!
M: and our chracters are so similar in ways to how we are in sl too
W: smiles.
M: yes,,a special bond
M: one thing that I felt happy with was that one is never pushed into feeling that you are being convereted into anything
T: nods
M: its an open way of seeing,,within anyones beliefs
T: nothing to be converted to:)
M: I dont see why it wouldnt suit anyone and everyone
M: its a tonic
T: nods
W nods.
M: I felt very invigorated aftyerwards
2010.02.02 01:00 - Conscious landing
E: Did a few 9 secs while landing
W: how was that?
E: It felt like opening upon opening.
E: I was breathing deeply, eyes closed
W: it's a great time to remember doing the practice, I think
E: Yes powerful. First time I really experienced conscious landing.
W: :)
E: Feels really strange to be here and in PaB and chatting with the Indian lady, smiling to my friend still in line...
W: now that's multitasking
2010.02.02 07:00 - hidden Shaman within
R: I live near many old trees (the Redwoods)
Y: how old are the forests ?
R: (can't remember) there are several trunk slabs that people like to put pins in to show 0 AD/BC/NE
R: that are only a third of the way out
R: (google helps answer) my Big Sur Redwoods are average about 2000 years
Y: didn´t see the age of the tree´s when i found the redwood nationalpark before :)
R: the coastal redwoods are a little younger then the mountain ones
R: the ancient mother tree drops seeds straight down
Y: jewish shamanism ?
R: the young trees grow in a ring around it's base
R: todays big trees are in a ring around the missing ancient
2010.02.02 13:00 - Malta retreat: local organizer's report
a: Where did the retreat start ...as we had the Hypogeum to ourselves, Paradise suggested we could have our first meditation session there ... in the underground temple cum burial site which dates back nearly 6,000 years. It was a very impressive experience with the eerie subdued lighting which made it all feel quite surreal.
a: To add to that feeling, Bertram used the Oracle room to set the scene with his revertebrating voice which sounded like a mysterious force, motivation or urge to drop everything and to simply "Be".
arabella Ella: Pema and Eos were keen to have a look at the meditation farmhouse on the first evening. We drove there after the Hypogeum and witnessed a spectacular ... and mystical ... sunset. Although we planned to stay at the meditation farmhouse only for about an hour that evening, we somehow seemed to drop time and to enter a timeless state of mind ... one moment it was around 5pm ... suddenly it was 7pm and we left in pitch darkness ...
a: only to get lost in remote country lanes, all pitch dark too, on our way back to the hotel. However it did not take long to find our way back as we backtracked and followed some country lanes which appeared to be better lit! I thought I could never get lost on this tiny island, but the retreat proved me wrong ... arghhhh ... a lesson in humility!
2010.02.02 19:00 - If They Were Smiling and Breathing
S: he would ask people chopping potatos ( at his retreat)
S: what are you doing?
S: if they said chopping potatos, he would nod
S: and if they said, im smiling and breathing, he knew they were getting it
E: :)
S: the bell reminds us to smile and breathe
S: ? / right?
E: that's sweet actually, yes
S: he's a sweet guy
E: :)
E: Sitar and I were discussing the pauses, and stopping to breathe and smile :)
F: sounds like a good idea :)
E: yes :)
S: you are in favor of smiling and breathing?
S: then its unanimous!
2010.02.03 01:00 - the benefits of suffering
B: freedom from suffering is something for people who are able to do the right things without suffering ;) it seems, i still need suffering from time to time
C: If one does the wrong things, eventually it builds enough suffering to cause an alert
B: yes, that's the sense of it
B: so i try to be grateful for the flu
C: moment by moment as an experience, or by the logic of "this will eventually benefit me"?
B: the latter
C: It is interesting right now talking to you about this
C: I think, the former way works better, at least for me
C: It is causing my energy to change, just considering it with you
B: hm, yes, maybe. but it is difficult to enjoy the momentary experience
B: body attachment
C: love your attachments, says the proverb
B smiles
C: Exclude nothing from your acceptance practice: train with a whole heart
2010.02.03 07:00 - Lemmings, Onigokko, and the Nicely Ordered World
Z: groupthink
E: I guess its the same thing. It starts with everyone making fun of someone else maybe... then goes on to not disagreeing on other levels...
E: yup, right off the cliffs...
s: doing same as everyone else is what some poepel means when they say "i want to feel i am normal again "
Z: but this happens in adult groups too don't you think?
S: i was about to say, to judge means you agree with that
E: right down to "you shouldn't be spending your time shooting lemmings"
S: lol
Z: :)
2010.02.03 13:00 - Malta Retreat Revisited
F: the next day was the 'silent' day, meaning that we didn't speak (mostly didn't) till the evening meal.
F: I enjoyed it very much, and found it very calming, peaceful, and also open the mind and spirit by saving the 'directional' energy speech sometimes have, and allowing me to be more open to the other noises, colors, smells and tastes that surrounds us
F: i found it very easy not to speak, and had some of the most deepest experiences of the retreat that day.
F: right on the beginning, in the first meditation, i sat for about 30-50 minutes in silent, and didn't feel any urge to get up, walk, speak or do anything rather than just be.
B: sounds very nice ... :-)
M: I thought you were asleep
E: :-)
S: (laughs)
L: :-)
B: (feels happy) ;-)
F: that , when i moved, stretch a little and change sit, it was almost like those 'decisions' are taken by themselves, without me 'pushing' them out
2010.02.03 19:00 - Snow and Regret
S: It's funny, I know what you are saying about change
S: but winter is seeming more and more about continuance to me
s: it is interesting how similar the desert sand and snow can be
S: Yes! and grass and water!
s: why more and more?
S: Well, gettin' older and all ;)
S: I mean wiser, or something
s: :)
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redwoods%20.jpg No description | 690.93 kB | 02:46, 10 Apr 2010 | eliza | Actions | ||
Snapshot_097.jpg No description | 585.62 kB | 02:46, 10 Apr 2010 | eliza | Actions | ||
Snapshot_106.jpg No description | 719.3 kB | 02:46, 10 Apr 2010 | eliza | Actions |