Dear Ones,

I have “returned” from the week-long meditation retreat! The retreat was my birthday present to myself. I received an operating system update, complete with new features and new bugs. :)

Gil Fronsdal, our teacher for this retreat, advised:

• The end of a meditation retreat is as important as any other part, and approaching it as a significant period of practice can lead to many benefits.

• The final stage of a retreat and the period following provide significant opportunities for insight and self-understanding.

• Instead of discontinuing the practice because calm, concentration or mindfulness has decreased, and immediately diving back into life, it is helpful to end a retreat with the intention to process, absorb and integrate the retreat experience.

• In this way, a retreat can have greater lasting value.

…

• It is helpful to consider that a retreat continues after its official end for the same duration as its length. Thus, a one-week retreat continues for a week after its end.

…

• The post-retreat period is a good time to integrate or digest the benefits, learning, or inspirations that came from the retreat.

• Living calmly and simply in the days after the retreat may let these stay current in one’s mind so they can continue to ripen.

• Rushing back to a fully packed life may cut short this ripening. Taking time for reflection, journaling, or talking with a trusted friend about the retreat may also deepen the lessons of the retreat.

• Meditating two or three times a day in the days after a retreat can be very supportive for this integration process.

• Extra meditation can also help bring emotional and mental balance if one is feeling particularly sensitive after the retreat.”

Full essay here.

What I’m Up To This Week

I’m lucky in that Debug Your Meditation allows me to “journal” about the experience and integrate what I’ve learned. I’ll be doing the bare minimum of social interactions, and slowly catch up on messages.

Thank you for your understanding!

Warm Wishes,

Christin