Vipassana Meditation Retreat

Arrival

Erika and I arrived in the early afternoon at the retreat in Jessop, GA after a 6 hour drive.   We were able to check into our rooms and did so.  Erika was in a group building, rooming with another woman, in which she shared a bathroom and shower with several others. (You had to sign up for showers during very limited times.  Never during the many, many meditation hours.)  Luckily, I had my own room and bathroom.  (This will prove to be rather essential at day 4.)  I assume this was because I was the oldest one there.  Most of the women, and men (although we were separated from them except at group meditation) were in their 20s, 30s and 40s. A few in their 50's  I found it encouraging that so many young people would be inclined to participate in such an intensive meditative experience.  And it was intense!  Of course, their bodies are younger and more pliable for the hours of sitting involved. And there were many hours of sitting.  10 - 12 a day!!!   Yes, that was a surprise.  When we went to look at the daily schedule we were shocked.  Beginning at 4:30 am until 9 or 9:30 pm, we would be sitting for meditation with an hour of discourse every evening at 7:00 pm.  Not even a Yoga session!  Erika is my Yoga teacher and she is the one who got me into this.   Yikes!  Since I have a little ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) and a lot of RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome) I was frighteningly aware of the fact that this would be quite a challenge for me.  Indeed.  It was the most difficult thing I have ever done!   And I had 2 children by natural childbirth, went skydiving, and did a 6 mile open ocean swim (with fins and goggles)  At least those didn't last as long.  10 days!  11 in actuality.  OMG!  OK. 

We were to bring our own sheets, pillow case, (I brought my own pillow.) blankets, towels, soap, shampoo, etc.  This is not a luxury retreat.  Quite the contrary.  My bed was a wooden frame twin bed with a mattress about 3" thick.  But, I did have windows with a view of the forest.  Which was nice, even if I didn't have much time in my room.

At 5:00, we surrendered our cell phones and wallets.  Yes, there was separation anxiety!  No contact with anyone for 11 days. Strangely enough, it was my Weather App I missed the most.  (Ok, busted!  Facebook, too) And my camera.  My grandkids call me Mimarazzi, or The Stalker because of all the pictures I take!  So I have no photos of my experience but the grounds were quite nice.   Woods, a pond, quiet surroundings, simple buildings.  The good news?   No news!  Since this was the day after the election, it was a welcome relief not to read or hear any politics!

When everyone arrived, we gathered for our instructional meeting in the reception center.  There were 45 women and 35 men. These were our instructions, or as I refer to it, the list of many NO's

1.  No talking.  We took a vow of Noble Silence.  That was welcoming to me and was never a problem.  We were allowed to talk to our Course Manager if we needed something.  Like Toilet paper, also essential after day 4.
2.  No eye contact with another meditator.  That was a little weird.  Sitting next to someone at a meal or passing by them and not exchanging glances was a little uncomfortable.
3. No communication of any kind.  Hand signals, sign language, etc.  When passing by someone we were told to avoid their eyes.  Erika and I would smile at each other when no one was looking, feeling like we were committing a sin.  The idea behind this was to not distract another from their solitary experience.  I thought that was odd since we were quite aware of their presence. 
What would a little smile hurt?  Hey, I'm friendly.
4.  No electronic devices at all.
5.  No books  That was hard because I like to read every night in bed.
6.  No papers or pens.  That ruled out journaling. 
7.  No musical instruments or radios.  So, no, I did not bring my guitar.
8.  No tight clothing.  Shoulders and knees must be covered at all times.  I'm not fond of tight clothing anyway.  NP here.
9.  No physical contact with anyone, and that includes  "you know what"  Strictly forbidden.  Even couples attending together were not to have any contact with each other.
10.  No dinner!  WHAT?????  Only tea and a piece of fruit at 5:00.   OK, so this would be Spiritual Boot Camp as well as a Fat Farm.
11.  No stealing.  Makes sense.
12. No telling of lies.  Well, when you're not talking........
13. No intoxicants.   I do like my glass of wine but it was no problem going without.  I knew that would be good for me.  I actually didn't miss it.
 And finally...TA  DA!   No Killing!  Um, really?  You actually needed to tell us that? 

Silence was stressed.  Our instructor said, "If you have to cough or sneeze...Don't."  Coughing was to play a major part as you will hear.   They didn't mention "No farting."  Probably because they fed us so many beans.  Our diet was Vegan/vegetarian and was quite good.  Except for the no dinner part.

So, the Noble Silence began and it was off to our humble abodes for the evening.
4:00 am wake up to begin Day 1. 

Day 19   Yosemite 6/15/15

Magnificent splendor, a shrine to nature, a national treasure

My cousin David and his family: wife Joan,son Alex, Daughter Lidia with her boyfriend, Jestin, live in Clovis a  short drive to Yosemite.

We spent a wonderful day here. 

As a child, my family and I camped here for a week, a highlight of my life. 

I was not more than 10 but the beauty greatly impressed me.

                           

One of Yosemite's greatest splendors is it's waterfalls. 
 I remember their flowing magnificence, now reduced to windblown wisps. 
At this point, they must be dry.  
The ranger said there were only a few weeks of flow left.
My most impressive memory was that of the Yosemite Firefall.  
(not my photo)

Burning embers were spilled from the top of Glacier Point 
to the valley 3,000 ft below.  
This summertime spectacular began in 1872 and ended in 1968. 
 Because it is not a natural event, it was suspended. 
 A good idea. but I feel fortunate I was able to see it.
 We are all fortunate in America that these parks were set aside for all to enjoy!  

 Day 18    Ukiah, CA

Aunt Tish and Uncle Dave

 They are as sweet as the smiles on their faces.

She is the last surviving sibling of 6.

Orphaned when Mom was 13 and Tish was 8, they were raised by their older brother Dan, (a walking encyclopedia; should have been on Jeopardy.)

Married for 63 years, they have never had a fight,

not even a cross word.  This could be documented.

Their home is filled with photos from the Garden Tomb, Jerusalem,

Believed to be the burial site of Jesus and where the stone was rolled away.

Dard was Chaplain of the Garden Tomb for 5 years.

His oldest daughter, Sarah, was born while they were in Israel.

                               The Garden Tomb is a green oasis, 

                           hidden behind walls in a dusty, diverse city; 

                                  a serene island in a raging sea.

It's interesting that my flash is in the entrance to the tomb, especially when you hear the story I have to tell about Aunt Tish's experience there.

She is the most devout Christian alive, I believe.

A dream trip to The Holy Land was planned.  Before they left, a tumor was discovered on her breast.  She was advised to cancel her trip, but refused.

When she entered the tomb, by herself, she said she was filled with light,

 like nothing she had ever experienced before. Indescribable. Profound.

When she returned home, there was no trace of the tumor.

This IS actually documented.

Day 17   Redwood National Park  June 13  Humboldt, CA

Avenue of the Giants.

On the road from Eureka to Ukiah from my cousin's to her parents.

I made the 3 hour trip almost double,

taking the scenic route and stopping whenever I could to appreciate breathtaking the majesty of these giants.  Photos cannot do them justice.  They are too tall to shoot the entire tree. 

Entrance to Bilbo Baggin's Place below?

New life growing from an old stump.

 Cross section of a tree, showing it's age and the impact from it's environment.

 Sapphire, the Subaru, drives through a tree.

Perfect fit. We went somewhere like this as children.  I think it was Sequoia National Park. Our big yellow Mercury station wagon couldn't fit  through. 

 We camped across country as kids,

 stopping at whatever National Park we could.

This was an amazing time.  No crowds or traffic. No reservations needed.  Even at that age, I felt very fortunate to have this experience.  It gave me an appreciation for nature and gratitude for those who had the foresight to designate these national treasures as parks. 

Day 16, June 12, 2015 Eureka CA

Trinidad State Beach in Eureka with my cousin Nanci.  

We haven't seen each other in over 20, maybe 30 years but it was so comfortable and familiar. Time mattered not. Her mother and mine were sisters.  She usually brings her 4 dogs here, but we left them behind  since we were going to lunch after.

Making an 11:11 pinkie wish.

 A tradition with me. My birthday is 11/22.

I thought I made it up but it turns out to be a bit of a phenomenon.  

For me, though, I make a wish.  If anyone else is around, I make them hook pinkies and make a wish, a positive thought, a blessing.

Hey, it can't hurt. Nanci had said she wanted to participate in that with me when I came to visit,

so we did!  Yay.

Saving a Dragonfly

Spotting her struggling in the sand, surrounded by sea foam

 we gently picked her up. Letting her dry a bit in the air, we let her go, 

only to watch her fall.

 After several attempts, I noticed that there was some debris, like a string fragment, stuck to her tail. You can see it in the photo. Carefully, I removed it.  My long fingernails come in handy sometimes.  This time, holding her to the wind, she flew away.  It was such an uplifting experience; hopeful, like one can make a difference, however small. There is power in little things.

Moments fleeting on transparent wings.

Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse

  This is a replica of the original, which was first lighted on Dec 1, 1871.

On Dec 31, 1914, a wave, said to be "one of the most unusual sea actions of all times." shot up the the 175 ft seaward face of the Head, taking with it the lives of  7, 15, 17 and 28 year old boys.  The first 3 keepers died while in service.

The present operating lighthouse cannot be seen from here and is automated and unmanned.

  

A view of the beautiful bay, on the other side of the point, or head,

 from the beach.

The photo below was hanging in the women's room of our restaurant.

To me, it looks like the Endeavor, Captain Cook's first ship. No one in the restaurant could confirm it, but some said that they believed it was the re-creation of the original.  That  re-creation of the Endeavor sailed in to Kealakekua Bay in 2000.  Our Hawaiian church, Kahikolu, welcomed the crew and local dignitaries with a ceremony, everyone in authentic costumes,  and our choir sang.  We had the best Hawaiian choir in the islands at that time.

Can anyone out there confirm this ship?

My friends on the Big Island?

Captain Cook fans?

Trip log  Day 14  Leaving Florence; Former neighbors, Forever friends and Club Blok

 Morning View from Bill and Kathy's    It's hard to leave them and this peaceful, comfortable place  but I'm heading down the coast of Oregon to Eureka, CA. Florence was voted one of the best towns in OR and USA by whoever does the voting on those things.  I'm a travel magazine junkie so I read them all.  I would have to agree; Quaint harbor, unique little shops and restaurants.  Sand dunes. Ocean. River.  Water.  Any water works. Tears, too.  I shed a few leaving here.
                                                                     I will return!
                                               

My footprints coming and going

Journey's End. 3 weeks, 5,000 miles and 7 pounds later

Under the Rainbow

After the journey of 5,000 miles and 7 pounds, I am home.

The kids and I watched "The Wizard of Oz."  Hard to believe they hadn't seen it before since it was my favorite movie most of my life. (Now, it's "Love Actually")

Seeing the story from fresh eyes, I understood the appeal.  We all share this journey called life.     As I watched Dorothy click the ruby slippers together for the hundredth time,  repeating "There's no place like home." it really sunk in.  I had an amazing adventure but it is great to be home. Home.  What is home for me?  The rental home we will be moving from in a month?  The newly renovated Foreclosure we're moving into?  My dream home, delayed again by the rain?  Home is where I am.  Wherever I am; On our home planet or the stars from which we came, an universe in motion; Constantly changing, evolving.

The purpose of both my recent journey and my life's journey is to be in the moment.  Yes, I will reflect upon my recent road trip, which I stopped Blogging after day 14 because I was too busy doing, being and experiencing it to write about it.

Although another purpose was to visit dear friends and family, solitude played an important part.  Thanks to my IPod, the driving was entertaining, although so many songs reminded me of Dard and Hawaii...of all my loves and special places. 

 Love leaves it's footprint, like a fossil.  Music stirs emotions, like a flood. "Memories light the corners of my mind, misty water color memories."  

 I never really liked that song much, even as schmaltzy as I am, (that one is a bit much.) but it sure touched me on this trip.  "The way we were." "The way I was.  They way it was...once. Reflections of memories burned into the brain and etched upon the heart.  Also a recipient of the repeat button,  Faith Hill, "Stronger"   "This is a letter to my heart. I just want us to be free... 

We both will be stronger."

So, I will be  And so I am.