November marked the completion of a long-awaited bucket list item: I visited Plum Village! Nestled near Bordeaux in southwest France, this mindfulness practice center was the home of the late Vietnamese Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh, founder of the Plum Village tradition that I have been part of for more than ten years. Two conditions coincided to make this the right time for the trip: a good friend’s invitation and…
It was 5:57 am. I stared at the screen, mouse hovering over the “refresh” button. Only 3 minutes until registration opens. I took a deep breath at 5:59, then, as the clock turned to 6:00, hit “refresh” to reveal the sign-up link. Click, type, click, click, lurch of the heart as the page loads… I was in! In three months, I will head to the other side of the world…
Each morning, we were introduced to a new insight practice to experiment with. The practice that surprised me the most was noticing vedanā – the pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral feeling tones that come with every experience. We all on some level have noticed that feelings, no matter their “tone”, are impermanent. You don’t need to be a Buddhist to know that. We all have had mornings that started with lethargy…
“The most important thing in learning the jhanas,” began Dharma teacher Leigh Brasington, looking out to a roomful of eager meditators draped in a rainbow of shawls and jackets, “is to not have any expectations.” Well, I certainly checked that box. When I signed up for this retreat, titled “Jhanas and Insights”, taught by Leigh Brasington and Rachael O’Brien, I only had a vague intention to improve my concentration. My…
The bell sounded three times to end the sit. I slowly opened my eyes. My body felt light as air – just moments ago, it had felt no different from air itself, its boundaries dissolving into the empty space of the room. My mind hummed with ease, clarity, and tranquility. Slowly, very slowly – as if this peace was a skittish kitten ready to dash at any moment – I…
I paused for a few seconds in front of the empty space on the condiment table, and drew back my hand which had already reached out in habit. “Strange,” I thought, “it’s always been here for the past week”. I went back and scanned all the condiment containers, once, then once more, then conceded to myself on the third time that, yes, everything was in its place. But what I…