Beth's Retreat

Hello all. I have no pictures to include in this particular blog but thought I'd send some information about the retreat I attended last weekend which I mentioned in my February blog. It was associated with a meditation class I had just completed. I knew very little information about what was going on besides paying my money. Like I knew I was meeting people at the center and bumming a ride but didn't know where we were going besides a resort 45 minutes outside of KL. It turned out it was in these lush tropical mountains called Genting Highlands, an area Andy took me to on my birthday. But instead of the more commercial section with casinos and such, we were at some lodge that was just the 25 people I was with, totally off by itself in the middle of nature.

I was the only foreigner. It was mainly Chinese Malaysians and 3 Malays. Basically what it consisted of was putting into practice the meditation techniques we has been taught. I did see the schedule ahead of time and felt a little daunted that everyday from 2p to 8p was simply meditation. I thought no way can I do that that long. In addition to that, the schedule included some yoga, some discussion, some lecture, some eating (fabulous Malaysian food) and the most important element during most of it, silence.

It was an amazing, liberating experience. Once there, I didn't feel daunted at all and welcomed the time in silence. The meditation technique is called Mindfulness, or Insight or Wisdom Meditation. It may all seem a little kooky since jetting off to a silent retreat isn't common in the U.S. (nor is it here) but the practice is actually gaining popularity, almost becoming trendy in the U.S. Some popular books that connect to the practice like The Power of Now are even on Oprah's Book Club and I think she has mindfulness webcasts on her website. So if Oprah's behind it, it's clearly gone mainstream. But the Buddha must feel somewhat ripped off because the concepts are directly lifted from Buddhist mental training that goes back 2,500 years. It's just gained popularity in a secular forum. In fact you'll hear and see the word "mindful" in a lot of book titles lately. But this secular forum is exactly what the teachers and directors of this center wanted to do, allow anyone to learn about this technique, not just Buddhists.

I found it incredibly easy to focus in that environment. I could hear hollar monkeys in the afternoons and locusts in the evenings, just about every bird or bug you could imagine (luckily no bugs bothered us). In the morning when the fog was still hanging over the trees, you felt like you were up in heaven, just breathtaking views. So if there's ever an environment for your mind to be clear, that was it. Three people shared a room which was no big deal since you were never in there except to sleep. We went to bed around 10p and were awakened by the bell at 5:30a. Coffee and tea was heavily consumed.

Although talking was limited, I made some connections during the discussion groups with some people there, who's numbers I got and who I'll most likely see at other classes or meditation sessions at the center. It felt good, once we could talk, to chat with local people, since otherwise I have no exposure to them. A man told me he couldn't tell if I was American, British or Australian since he has so little exposure to Westerners. Although some of the discussion was more connected to beliefs more inline with the Chinese, even if I couldn't really buy into them, it was so interesting to hear the types of things they believe in. I felt like I learned an immense amount about the people and myself as well. Just a great experience altogther.

And my husband deserves thanks for watching the children in my absence. He even dragged them both to a birthday party and I got good reports from a few different friends of what a good job he did. I had my spies in place. I missed Andy and the kids but I returned feeling incredibly refreshed and joyous. I hope I don't become what someone on the retreat labeled a "workshop-aholic" but I could definately see that in my future. I just hope I always live somewhere where I can attend them. In the U.S., they tend to be on the coasts or in Colorado.

But if anyone has interest in what this is about, a good book to read is "Wherever you Go, There You Are" by Jon Kabat-Zinn. He's considered the father of the modern mindfulness movement in the U.S. and has a stress reduction clinic associated with the University of Mass. that uses the technique for stress reduction, physical illness, mental illness, etc. To give a little background, the technique requires you to remember to be aware instead of letting your thoughts drift off to the past, the future or just fantasizing in general. Essentially controling your monkey mind. Then once you build the ability to remember to be aware, you inquire within to build overall self-awareness into why you think or feel the way you do, bringing more wisdom into your daily life. Personally I find it valuable. And it's lead me to alot of learning about myself and some pretty cool experiences here.

So that's it. Just thought I'd share it. Hope everyone's doing well.

Beth