A Humbling Six Hours of Meditation Retreat

Most of what you carry around isn't "you."  Most of what the world sees of me isn't "me." - Zen of Ken

Spent seven hours at the Zen Center yesterday, maybe the nicest day of the year so far.  Sunny, warm and wonderful.  A great day to be outside doing anything.  I spent most of that time inside meditating.  Nancy was the Dharma teacher running the show.  There were a couple people from the Kwan Um school in Lexington and four from the one in Barnstable, a kid from Franklin and then some residents and regulars.  A very good group of people. The kid from Franklin was a bit stressed out but we all had our reasons for being there. 

I had my first interview with Dharma teacher, Nancy, from Charlestown, RI.  Nothing of interest to tell there.  I had no profound questions to ask or questions on anything I am struggling with.  So, she just suggested I breathe with my abdomen not my chest…I’ll have to read up on this but practiced it.  I guess it is a more relaxing way to breathe?  I guess I should have asked her.  I had plenty to talk about but the words didn’t come to me.  I’m still a serious newbie. 

Six hours is a long time to meditate especially when you can look outside all day and see how sunny and know how warm it is.  A great way to spend half the day with no worries and no thoughts, however.  No stress with no yesterday and no tomorrow.  Live for what is going on NOW.  That’s what we did today.  That is Zen!

The day started at 9:00 with all of us on the retreat meeting at the Zen Center in Cumberland, RI.  We got some instruction, put on our robes and headed for the dharma room.  Seated meditation started at 9:30.  We did 25 minutes, then 10 walking, 25 more seated, etc.  Six hours is definitely a challenge for anyone's knees, including mine. 

We did do one walking meditation outside in the woods around the property and sat for one 25 minute session in a circle in a clearing around a fire pit.  It was sunny and warm.  It would have been nice to spend the whole day outside.  There was a swampy pond outside and it was full of frogs making their spring noises (early for that but we've had great weather and everything appears to be happening early when it comes to the outdoors).  There are a lot of trails on the property and I have been told I can ride them on my bike.  I just have to stay away from the monastery and around 3:00 the monks do a walking meditation outside and they are to be left alone and given their distance.

We ended the day with a few chanting meditations and then a late lunch.  Everyone's stomaches were growling towards the end as we were all hungry, having had no food since breakfast (whatever we all ate before we showed up).  There was quite a feast: salad, cole slaw made with fruit (yummy), soup, lasagna, rice, water.  We all got to discuss how the day was for us.  Everyone was being positive except the young kid from Franklin who said the day "sucked" for him.  He made us all laugh as he was being a bit tongue in cheek (yet brutally honest).  Like everything, nothing always works and not always going to be a good experience. I don't know what his journey is so don't know why it was a bad day for him.

It was a good day for me.  Peaceful.  Nice to not think for most of that beautiful day.  I had no great revelations or anything regarding my meditations.  Just peace and the past and future did not exist during that pleasant day.  While inside we heard birds singing and the same when outside.  I also saw a male and female Cardinal doing their spring thing.  And again, the frogs.  All of God's creatures were living in the now, not thinking about anything but the moment.  I rode home in silence.

God bless and I hope everyone reading this has a good and pleasant week!