The experience of a retreat begins a few days before the actual start date, with a bit of a pinch. One begins to think: "I'll be travelling and I'll be at the retreat so my daily routine will be disrupted and I won't be able to do this and that...". Then naturally one begins to feel the effort involved in travelling and with a bit of freshly injected will and a refreshed positive attitude one feels happy to be going and the numerous benefits put a smile on one's face, just like the day we signed up to go.
The trip to the retreat venue is something novel and adventure like which is exciting. The travel to the destination has its exciting parts, its uncomfortable parts as well as its relaxing parts. It is not all excitement or discomfort but a series of states experienced in appropriately ordered stages.
The time comes that one then arrives at the retreat venue and a new flavour or atmosphere takes over. A little bit of uneasiness creeps in mixed with looking forward to the retreat and meeting good friends.
When meeting people one always may find that one comes into contact with one's un-worked concepts and mental representations...Time to work...
The trip to the retreat venue is something novel and adventure like which is exciting. The travel to the destination has its exciting parts, its uncomfortable parts as well as its relaxing parts. It is not all excitement or discomfort but a series of states experienced in appropriately ordered stages.
The time comes that one then arrives at the retreat venue and a new flavour or atmosphere takes over. A little bit of uneasiness creeps in mixed with looking forward to the retreat and meeting good friends.
When meeting people one always may find that one comes into contact with one's un-worked concepts and mental representations...Time to work...
The first day of the retreat can be a bit of a mixture. More of a serious, and focused mood sets in and there sometimes can be a tinge of bitterness. Many manifestations of the "I's" that we have in our psyche arise in the mind and emotion. This is good as it steps up our focus a notch and makes us to begin to work these manifestations.
Maybe we have to pay for the chance to escape from our normal karmic line of payment - where our life's duties and hindrances would bear down upon us. The way we make this payment is with usually intense psychological and esoteric work or bitterness - always better to work hard when karma is around...
The second day is sweeter. This is when we enjoy the retreat. This is when the distractions subside and we begin to truly unite with the spirit of the retreat.
We come into the moment and our emotion changes to one of something very pleasant. We feel protected, whole, in harmony with everything, our mind clears and our internal vision lengthens and clears and our feeling of trust: in the work, in our essence and in others takes the foreground.
The main practical work lessons of the retreat are learnt by working through the bitter part of the retreat and the current of lessons in line with the retreat itself are learnt when we relax and harmonise.
Maybe we have to pay for the chance to escape from our normal karmic line of payment - where our life's duties and hindrances would bear down upon us. The way we make this payment is with usually intense psychological and esoteric work or bitterness - always better to work hard when karma is around...
The second day is sweeter. This is when we enjoy the retreat. This is when the distractions subside and we begin to truly unite with the spirit of the retreat.
We come into the moment and our emotion changes to one of something very pleasant. We feel protected, whole, in harmony with everything, our mind clears and our internal vision lengthens and clears and our feeling of trust: in the work, in our essence and in others takes the foreground.
The main practical work lessons of the retreat are learnt by working through the bitter part of the retreat and the current of lessons in line with the retreat itself are learnt when we relax and harmonise.
The rest of the retreat flies by and on the last day we are already mentally on the plane and walking
through the door of our home or centre.
End (3010).
Really well captured. Not to forget the surreality returning to society!
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