A Vipassana retreat had been organized for the 20th of April ...
10 days of silence and meditation.
Although I found my first Vipassana retreat incredibly centering and grounding (and yet challenging), I just felt that spending months on my own, cycling up and down QLD, would give me ample opportunity to practice introspective present moment awareness, with an abundance of silence.
I was looking for something that was more interactive and community oriented, and if possible, Earth centered.
Through a Permaculture email list, I found out about a retreat called "Stillness In Action" that was being held up at "Wild Mountains" (A world-class Environmental/Earth/Ecological education center on the QLD side of the Border Ranges).
what a blessing ~ so on the 5th to the 12th of April ~ an incredibly diverse group of human beings came together to practice the ancient art of meditation, engage in group sharing workshohps, cultivate deep ecological awareness and reconnect with the spaciousness within and around all life.
the whole experience was a breath of fresh air, a true gift to have the opportunity of gathering collectively in silence within such a biologically diverse and ecologically significant environment.
To share openly feelings of all colours, shapes, tones and depth, is like shining a light into yourself, opening up all the hidden aspects and coming back to life, to what is real and to what is worth living for.
‘Stillness in Action’ develops wisdom, calmness, courage and clarity to sustain a life of freedom and integrity in troubled times.
Over the week, we had the opportunity to:
- Learn a simple meditation to still the confusions of the mind - creating spaciousness for wisdom and compassion to arise - freeing your intellectual, emotional & creative intelligence.
- Renew your spirit for restoring a sustainable environment, for building a just and equitable society, for participating in healthy and creative communities, for personal and social healing.
- Strengthen confidence, kindness and joy - and your power to make a difference - through processes of deep ecology, systems science and ancient earth wisdom
- Use practical tools to clarify your values and intentions and move them into action.
- Learn ways to build sustaining communities of friendship.
- Nurture and refresh body and mind through conscious movement and silent contemplation of the beauty of nature.
Mornings of quiet reflection teach the sacred art of presence. Each afternoon, creative group work reveals fresh paths to personal and social change. Evenings sharing stories, poetry and music, enliven and deepen community.
Thankyou Bobbi, Simon and Joan for facilitating a journey of such depth and colour.
to the whole SIA community, thank you all for sharing, opening, connecting and for simply being
lets stay connected and be a reminder to each other what is true and real in this polarized world.
THE SHAMBHALA WARRIOR MIND-TRAINING
John Wigham / Akuppa akuppa@mac.com
Firmly establish your intention to live your life for the healing of the world. Be conscious of it, honour it, nurture it every day.
Be fully present in our time. Find the courage to breathe in the suffering of the world. Allow peace and healing to breathe out through you in return.
Do not meet power on its own terms. See through to its real nature - mind and heart made. Lead your response from that level.
Simplify. Clear away the dead wood in your life. Look for the heartwood and give it the first call on your time, the best of your energy.
Put down the leaden burden of saving the world alone. Join with others of like mind. Align yourself with the forces of resolution.
Hold in a single vision, in the same thought, the transformation of yourself and the transformation of the world. Live your life around that edge, always keeping it in sight.
As a bird flies on two wings, balance outer activity with inner sustenance.
Following your heart, realise your gifts. Cultivate them with diligence to offer knowledge and skill to the world.
Train in non-violence of body, speech and mind. With great patience to yourself, learn to make beautiful each action, word and thought.
In the crucible of meditation, bring forth day by day into your own heart the treasury of compassion, wisdom and courage for which the world longs.
Sit with hatred until you feel the fear beneath it. Sit with fear until you feel the compassion beneath that.
Do not set your heart on particular results. Enjoy positive action for its own sake and rest confident that it will bear fruit.
When you see violence, greed and narrow-mindedness in the fullness of its power, walk straight into the heart of it, remaining open to the sky and in touch with the earth.
Staying open, staying grounded, remember that you are the inheritor of the strengths of thousands of generations of life.
Staying open, staying grounded, recall that the thankful prayers of future generations are silently with you.
Staying open, staying grounded, be confident in the magic and power that arise when people come together in a great cause.
Staying open, staying grounded, know that the deep forces of Nature will emerge to the aid of those who defend the Earth.
Staying open, staying grounded, have faith that the higher forces of wisdom and compassion will manifest through our actions for the healing of the world.
When you see weapons of hate, disarm them with love.
When you see armies of greed, meet them in the spirit of sharing.
When you see fortresses of narrow-mindedness, breach them with truth.
When you find yourself enshrouded in dark clouds of dread, dispel them with fearlessness.
When forces of power seek to isolate us from each other, reach out with joy.
holding to your intention,
let go into the music of life.
Dance!
1 comment:
Keep on cycling Paul, you are doing a fucking great job. Isn't that a great word! I told you we are meant to eat meat
Jonathan
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