shinzen Young retreat in LA 4

Thursday, January 6, 2011

           Though we are on a silent retreat there are times when there is interaction with SHinzen or teachings that are given. I continually remain impressed with the kindness, courage and determination of the people that I meet.  It puts what I am going through into perspective, not better not worse just different outwardly.

           The beauty of the way that each person deals with the challenges is breathtaking.   Compassion, clarity and wisdom I have observed in abundance. Listening to the erudition of some of the people is amazing. One of the participants gave an impromptu description of an ancient Israeli harp; TS Eliot’s The Four Quartets was the for me for last night unexpected. Using various methods meditation to go into nothingness and the forms of nothingness that rend different effects.

           Some of these methods open the heart that all things are an expression of love that flows like a great river carrying everything with it, other methods open the senses and take them beyond themselves. Leaving the mind clear and the conclusions obvious.

           I am filled with hope and love and can feel the expansiveness that goes with it and then I see something that reminds me of my own mortality, in this case some lab reports from October. Immediately I notice and contraction in the level of joy and happiness and well being. What makes being here so important is that the observation of those phenomena is exactly what we are talking about in the lectures. Nothing is inherently unstable and falls into opposites expansion wishes to continue into infinity and contractions wishes to continue into oblivion. To notice the change in direction of these is like watching the breath. If one could inhale forever it would not work likewise if one could exhale it would not work there must be both and so must it be in all things of duality. It is the point of being here to note the changes and live mindfully aware of the contraction and expansions of existence and with practice tune into the finer and finer changes that taking place.

           What a gift to be here.

They are going to do an all night meditation if I get up later I will go