Wednesday 28 March 2012

magical march

i'm back. it was a good retreat.
when i signed up for the retreat, i didn't know it was anapanasati method and not vipassana (which i had practiced long ago). duh! me. but as everything happens for a reason, the synchronicity of events that unfold during the short 3 days was heart warming and so unexpected that my heart is filled with gratitude! i cannot yet share with you here but i am pretty excited!

here're some photos taken with my mobile phone.
 
my parents drove me to alokarama retreat centre. we left before sunrise on friday morning. it was my first time to alokarama. i have not been to retreats for a long time, my last was in 2003!

 laterite road leading to the centre.

  here we are at the entrance. it's a fruit orchard. with durians (luckily not in season), papayas, bananas, dragon fruits, mangoes, pineapples and so many more. there's even a herb and vegetable garden. we were served with the produce during meal time.

that's gunung ledang (ledang mountain). the view is breathtaking! the air fresh, birds singing with the rising sun. i even heard siamangs calling far away in the forest. the energy here is amazing! i felt so peaceful and joyful.

  that's the shrine hall.

  and that's where i slept. (i did not take anymore photos after that).

what i like most is the practice of noble silence. the only time i get to stay totally quiet is in retreats where no talking is allowed except during reporting sessions with the reverend (though the mind still chatters internally). the practice of moderation, simplicity and humility is humbling and of course there is the meditation itself, both the breathing and metta meditation. 3 days is too short to experience any deep meditative state but i learned so much from reverend mahinda in such a short time that i've made aspiration for longer retreats in future. i do wish to come back here again.

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