Retreat Farewell - May 2009
Our retreat will be ending tomorrow.
We came here, mostly what we were doing.
Sodom.
Which means work on ourselves for ourselves?
When we leave we should continue our sodom.
I mentioned the factors.
Needed for success.
A short term investment to learn some terminology and concepts a short-term investment to learn one or more.
Focusing techniques.
A long term investment to apply those concepts and techniques. Actually, a lifelong investment to apply those concepts and techniques in daily life.
And the establishment of a rhythm of day-to-day practice.
And periodic retreat.
So this is retrained.
Why do we come to retreats?
Several things not just one.
One thing we build up momentum all day everyday what we've been doing practice all our waking hours.
I've been practicing and stillness in motion in life.
A momentum builds up.
That will often take us to new levels.
But if we didn't back it up with day-to-day practice than those might be peak experiences. But if we back it up with day-to-day practice. They tend to be plateaus from which we can then grow more.
As a tendency.
So momentum is important.
An important reason why People do retreats.
Another thing that happens at retreats is we get social network and social support from the other meditators.
We also get an environment where it's easy to practice.
Relatively.
Of course, the name of the game is freedom. So you have to be willing to practice in environments where it's not easy to practice also.
And then we get contact with teachers.
People that can give us input into our practice, we get private interviews different kinds of contact with teachers.
When I sent the factors that you needed. I mentioned those 4 things you might have might have thought well something's missing communities missing. The teachers have a say no that's implied in retreat for most People. The source of social support and peer support and the source of professional input comes when you do retreats.
And then many teachers will give you a contact that you can contact them in between retreats.
Upon leaving the retreat continue your sodden.
The other side of this practice is safe, a service. We talked about that.
I'm leaving the retreat services very big because.
You're going to be teaching.
You're going to be doing a lot of teaching.
I'm leaving this retreat.
Maybe you're saying wait this is the first feature diver did what do you mean I'm going to be doing a lot of teaching? Well, you know that I define teaching in a very Broadway.
Anybody that changes as the result of doing this practice that change in their life is a teaching that's a sermon to the People around them.
If you are changing for the better as the result of this practice, then that means you are teaching because you just carry that with you.
That's the subtle level of teaching.
Then there's the descriptive level of teaching.
Hopefully you've thought about how you could describe this practice 2 People.
And when People ask you. Hey, what happened at the retreat you can give a coherent description.
Of.
What is like?
That's a kind of teacher.
So you will be teaching.
Some of you are moving into the more explicit role of teaching actually showing People what to do.
And that's wonderful.
So.
Continue your sod in AM.
Continue your safe.
You know the
The.
Idiom.
I hope it was as good for you as it was for me, you all heard this right.
Well, I hope this retreat was as good for you as it was for me.
This was really good for me.
Because of you.
Working with you the privilege of working with you.
Of contributing to your growth.
You folks did a lot of quality work here.
And so it was really fun and empowering and encourage ING and enlivening for me.
To be able to be part of that it's a privilege to do this kind of work that I get to spend time with People like you.
A body Safa in Tibetan there, sometimes called Simba Chambo.
It means a great hero or heroine of consciousness.
So.
I want to thank each and everyone of you for.
Who you are?
What you're becoming and?
For the gift that you've given me this retreat.