We just finished the second of our four week-long retreats scheduled for this Summer of Sangha. I don’t know if everyone enjoyed it as much as I did, but I hope so. We have a sensational, a spectacular Sangha.
No, I’m not saying this group of folks here on retreat this past week is more sensationally spectacular than the folks at the first retreat. I’m just saying that spending a week with Sangha is the most helpful, heart-opening, transformation-speeding thing a person can do.
As with the rest of this country and much of the rest of the world, we are experiencing record heat. Combine this with our first instance of covid and we got to do something I’ve wanted to do for decades—have all practices outside, on the grass, under the trees. It was glorious. And, it brings up the first topic I want to talk with you about.
The person who left the retreat with what turned out to be a very mild case of covid just texted me to say that with warnings abounding, she’s the only person in the airport wearing a mask. Now, I understand that not everyone thinks masking is important. Lots of people don’t know that covid is on the rise, aren’t concerned about it, see it as the equivalent of having a cold, don’t believe it will happen to them, and on and on. Kind of like everything else we humans encounter and have beliefs and assumptions about.
We, on the other hand, talk with lots of people whose lives have been turned upside down by long covid. Just like malaria and cholera in Kantolomba, we take these things seriously. Why? Because not being worried is not the same thing as being oblivious. We’re not going to loan you a car with iffy brakes, serve you iffy food, send you to iffy businesses, or encourage you to engage in iffy behaviors. So, when you come here, you’re going to be asked not to engage in iffy behaviors nor to interact with others in iffy ways.
For as long as we’ve been offering in-person practice we’ve asked people not to come to workshops or retreats if they’re sick. People always have come anyway. The voices in the head make the case that “it’s not that bad and I really don’t want to miss out” or some equivalent and on the person comes to pass along whatever they have to everyone else. People complain about that practice at work. A coworker comes dragging in with a bad cold or the flu—or covid—and in a matter of days everyone has it.
When covid hit it wasn’t long before I knew I was committed to never doing another in-person retreat as we had done them all over the world for decades. The retreat would be over, many if not most of the people would be sick, including those of us offering the retreat, and we’d get on a plane and fly home to recover. I don’t want that for me and I don’t want that for anyone.
So, here’s what we’re asking. If you are coming here, do everything you can in the run-up to protect your health. Yes, face the projected judgments of fellow travelers and wear a mask on public transportation. Take a covid test. Bring an extra in case you start feeling unwell. Keep us apprised of any changes in your health. Keep your distance from other people throughout your stay.
If this seems extreme and you’re hearing voices beginning to talk you out of doing what’s asked, practice with those voices, taking the opportunity to see them for what they are. If you realize you agree with the voices and aren’t going to do what’s being asked, please don’t come. (This is the great advantage of NOT being in this for the money. More about that soon.)
If you’ve been following along you know that months ago we started the process of building a gazebo to replace our now venerable Meditation Tent. Took forever to get through the permitting process. Finally ready to start just before the first retreat. Didn’t work because the concrete in the footings needed more time to set up. Got the first little bit done and then time to stop as the retreat was starting. Not a problem. As soon as the retreat is over, on the 8th, the guys will hit it and it will be done for the next retreat. Then the heat hits and it’s too hot to work outside. Not a problem. We’ve grown to love these guys and have no interest in their endangering themselves. So, maybe we will get a couple of good days of building in and the gazebo will be ready for the next retreat. Well, for the last one probably for sure.
It’s a good job acceptance and letting go are such essential, often-visited aspects of an Awareness Practice.
We just had another of those today. We put the Lost Mountain Road property on the market a few days ago and immediately got a response. People were obviously very interested—walking the entire property for an hour in baking temperatures. They came back and did the same yesterday. Then this morning we got the email saying the buyers want a property on which to grow lavender, figs, and grapes and this one, given the elevation and slightly cooler temps wouldn’t suit.
Our “hope” was that it would be perfect for what they wanted to do. It isn’t. Ah, well. The person/people for whom it is perfect are still making their way to us. Just as happened to us with the Monastery when we originally found it, as happened with the Mi Wuks when it was time to let that go, as happened with us in finding these four acres, it will happen for us and whomever with that other property. ‘Tis simply how Life is and we get to learn to be patient and trusting. Our part of the bargain.
I chuckled when I read the Peace Quote this morning from Lynn Twist. I promise that was entirely life orchestrated rather than me orchestrated. That said, it is an excellent lead-in to some comments about money. Sometimes I suspect that because we don’t ask for money people assume we don’t need money. Not so. The reason we don’t ask for money is that we don’t want to “sell” spiritual practice. We want everyone to be able to participate regardless of their financials. We do charge for some things and that’s because people tend to show up for what they pay for and tend to get talked out of showing up for what’s considered “free.” The Yearlong Retreats are life-changing, no doubt about it. When people make a financial commitment for the year, the ego voices have a harder time talking them into not participating. Operating a nonprofit, or two in our case, takes a lot of money and we have always been able to count on Sangha to foot the bills. This is simply to clarify that nothing has changed and we are still counting on Sangha to foot the bills. Each person to the best of her/his ability. No pressure, no shoulds. Just each of us doing the best we can, as we can.
And, last, we have two new ebooks out. I Don’t Want To, I Don’t Feel Like It and Making a Change for Good are now available. A huge thank you to all those involved in making this happen.
In gasshō,
ch