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trip1
USA
739 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 25 2011 : 3:52:32 PM
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Thank you Shanti & WoodDragon, I greatly enjoyed our time together as well.  |
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Pheel
China
318 Posts |
Posted - Sep 25 2011 : 5:23:56 PM
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Hi my dears,
It’s a week after the retreat, and I think it isn’t too early to write about my experience, as I’ll say something about self-pacing and avoiding of overload.
This is the third ayp retreat here, to me this is probably the best in terms of balance and in the way purification occurs. What I love about this retreat is the “wisdom of housewife.” Imagine a teenager just starts to live alone, and has piles of dishes laid there for days. He uses all the high-end tools, to rub, scratch, even drill off the hard sticky debris on the dishes, with brushes, knives and drills and a lot of force. There are a lot of shrill sounds and even sparks produced in this hard process, even the plates might be marred.
In contrast to this, the experience house wife would soak these dishes in warm water and go to sleep or do some chatting and snacking. After a good amount of time, she came back and uses a cloth to gently sweep these dishes, and lo and behold—the dishes are very easily made clean!
In my personal experience at least, this retreat feels like soaking my being in the warm water of the silence. And in this process, even hard obstructions start to melt just naturally without making much acclaims of fireworks, as we all see in Dave and Josh and many others in the retreat. I, for one, being soaked in this permeating love and silent presence all around, got a taste of real love, that kind of gentle loving feeling toward others without expectations and attachment, or any kind of conditioning. Even though it was just a glimpse, it was so beautiful that it is definitely programmed into my bharkti. And even just a glimpse, I could hardly imagine all much obstructions are loosened and cleared—otherwise, how could the love flow into a mostly clogged pipes into the heart? As evidence of this opening, the whole week after the retreat was filled with a kind of ease in the flow and the witness that is aware of all the process of the flow.
Another result of the gentle soaking process in the retreat is that the effect of it is much easier to manage. Very different from my experience right after the previous two retreats, this week’s practice was stable and daily activities are smooth. No longer bothered by overload.
My gratitude goes to you all—our boss lady, the perfect example of perfect balance; our tattooed master, the most amazing spiritual growth; and our most erudite spiritual dictionary and kirtan leader. And most importantly all the dear souls who were present, offering your very self to share there! Thank you so much for creating together this almost miraculous field of peace and love, and receiving my mischief with humor and loving kindness, making it a perfect kindergarten for me. (special thanks to Kami for making yourself so teasable, otherwise the retreat wouldn’t be nearly as fun#61514;)
What are all the fireworks for, after all, if not to celebrate peace and love?
Pheel the love.
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Darianne
USA
5 Posts |
Posted - Sep 25 2011 : 6:33:47 PM
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What a wonderful weekend!--WoodDragon has said it quite beautifully. My deepest thanks to all the teachers and my fellow students. Thank you all for being there and sharing so much during our time together.
Here are a few photos of the weekend--including a cartoon I drew from my perspective in the back of the room and one of me trying to levitate Chas (a slackline-assisted siddhi!).
Love to all,
Susan |
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Darianne
USA
5 Posts |
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chas
USA
209 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2011 : 09:50:11 AM
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Thanks for the pics, Susan. Love the cartoon!
Bliss and Love! |
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AYPforum
351 Posts |
Posted - Sep 29 2011 : 06:55:24 AM
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| Moderator note: Topic moved for better placement |
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omnmhshvay
USA
4 Posts |
Posted - Sep 30 2011 : 11:44:09 AM
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I wanted to thank the organizers/teachers for once again organizing a really good retreat. I truly enjoyed the silence we all shared thoughout the retreat, something that I am still carrying around! I look forward to more of these, hopefully sooner rather than later :)
Thank You all for your presence, contributions and sharing.
Jhankhna |
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My Heart Melted At The PA Retreat 2011
