A retreat at the Samye Ling monastery

I've just came back from an individual retreat at the magnificent Tibetan monastery Samye Ling.
This is a gift I offered to myself, as I've just turned 43, and also because it made a while I wanted to make a solitary retreat. It was a beautiful opportunity to come back to what is essential (in my life), and to switch off from my doctoral research, which demands so much from my mind.

The Samye Ling monastery is the oldest Tibetan monastery in Europe, and probably one of the biggest as well. Located in the South of Scotland, isolated in the middle of nature, this famous place has been visited by quite a few celebrities, such as David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, and of course, the Dalai Lama (if celeb' is a convenient attribute). Several monks and an Abbot live there, as well as some other residents who are all volunteers, taking care of the place, and welcoming thousands of visitors per year.

This mixture of Tibetan and Scottish cultures is quite fascinating, so much the monastery has been built in respect of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions. I've particularly enjoyed the beautiful stupa, surrounded by the famous prayer wheels. But nothing has pleased me as much as the gorgeous sculpture of Nagarjuna,

as it reminded me so many beautiful souvenirs from my stay in India, more than twenty years ago. Not only because of the snake (powerful symbol in both Hinduism and Buddhism) but also because I felt that I could finally sit down in a contemplative state, and meditate at the moonlight. And in fact,  I've been lucky enough to enjoy the rise of the full moon on the 22nd of April. I don't have enough words to describe the joy I felt by witnessing such a divine show taking place right in front of me, as I was sitting alone on a bench, so grateful to be alive.

One of the reasons I wanted to make a retreat, was of course to dedicate more time to meditation. There is a regular program of spiritual practices and activities running daily, within which anyone is invited to take part. Among these, are the silent meditations happening twice a day, lasting one hour each. Silent sitting, whether you call it Zazen, or Vipassana, is the most simple, yet most challenging meditation that exists. It is also the most powerful (to my taste), and the one that can bring relatively rapidly positive changes (in terms of mind and body health). These were held in the temple:

I haven't missed one. Sitting in silence is as precious as necessary, but when it is done in the presence of others, it enhances so greatly the experience, deepening the silence in which we dive in. And of course, to meditate in such a wonderful and inspiring place certainly helps with the process. There was a group of 'meditation for beginners' happening at the same time, and the group leader wisely suggested the participants not to attend these silent meditations, knowing perfectly well what it implies... Indeed, one needs to have some experience of meditation before daring to face...the void. It can be delightful, but also painful at times, depending on how we feel and what is happening in our lives. The very fact to sit down in silence was sufficient for me to remember how much I enjoy it, and how much I need it in my daily life.

The green Tara, goddess of compassion.

The goal of this personal retreat, was to dedicate some time to what is essential in my life, and I'm really thankful I have been able to do so at the Samye Ling monastery. It remains a religious place though, with all its rituals and dogmatic teachings. For that reason, I couldn't resonate with it entirely, since I (sort of) belong to the Advaita philosophy. Regarding the experiences I've been through in my spiritual life, it is impossible for me anyway to fit in any religions, as I consider them to be too... limited to address the Unlimited. But it does not matter. These three days allowed me to go back to the silence of the heart, and be fully and consciously connected to the Divine again.

Once again, the Grace was present.


OM SHANTI SHANTI OM

Spiritual running.

"You might not think of running as a meditation, but runners sometimes have felt a tremendous experience of meditation. And they were surprised, because they were not looking for it – who thinks that a runner is going to experience God? But it has happened. And now, more and more, running is becoming a new kind of meditation. It can happen when running." (Osho)

Source: http://osho-wake-up.blogspot.ch/2013/11/running.html

 It makes quite awhile that I wanted to pay tribute to the art of running, as it is not only one of the rare physical activity that I enjoy myself ;) but also because it can be taken as a great meditation and therefore, a spiritual practice. Here are a few quotes and resources related to it.

"If you can do long-distance running, it is a perfect meditation. Jogging, running, swimming-anything in which you can get totally involved--is very good.  Only the activity remains, you are not, because the ego cannot function. When you are running there is really only running, there is no runner. And that's what meditation is.  If there is only dance and no dancer, that's meditation. If you are painting and there is only painting and no painter, then it is meditation. Any activity that is total and in which there is no division between the doer and the done becomes meditation." (Osho)

 

Running toward stillness. / Stephe Legault.
"An invitation to run through the woods, along the seashore and on mountain trails in order to experience moments of sublime delight, personal insight and the healing power of the natural world."

Running the spiritual path. / Roger D. Josllin
"Imagine achieving physical fitness and spiritual growth simultaneously. [...] Through awareness, chants, and visualization, and through attention to the present moment--the weather, pain, or breathing---a simple run can become the basis for a profound spiritual practice [...]."

Room to breathe.

"Room To Breathe is a surprising story of transformation as struggling kids in a San Francisco public middle school are introduced to the practice of mindfulness meditation".

A movie I'm looking forward to watch when it will be available in Europe.
After the introduction of meditation practice in private companies and prisons, shall we have meditation at school ? Oh, let it be so !


"Un Espace pour Respirer est l'histoire d'une transformation surprenante qui a lieu alors que des adolescents en difficulté dans un collège publique à San Francisco sont initiés à la pratique de la méditation de la pleine conscience."

Un film que je me réjouis de regarder quand il sera disponible en Europe.
Après la méditation dans les entreprises et les prisons, la méditation dans les écoles ? Oh, qu'il en soit ainsi!

A fresh new look!

Le site web de Osho International a enfin (!) été mis-à-jour. Et cela vaut le détour... sur le site comme à Poona :)

[We are the] Lights of the world