Settling in: Wisdom Teachings

I’m in Squaw Valley, California, along with 300 other students at the annual Rigpa (my Tibetan Buddhist group) fall retreat. We’re staying in luxury at the Squaw Creek Resort. Many of us are handling details of business and family life while we’re here. Cell phones and laptops abound.

It’s a ten day retreat…mostly a teaching retreat intermingled with practice. The first few days we settle in. Finally, we know where everything is and how things work. It feels like home. We’ve reconnected with old friends and made new ones. When I see someone who used to work with me during my five years as Shrine Mama, I feel so close. Or, people I’ve been on longer retreats with…even if I’ve never spoken to them or don’t even know their names.

The first part of the retreat seems to be about settling into ourselves, the group, and the teachings. The second half of our time together gets more intensely scheduled as we try to make the most of our time together. The biggest challenge sometimes is not to start leaving the retreat mentally before we must leave physically. After all, the best is yet to come!

Sogyal Rinpoche is teaching from his heart essence. He is so generous. I’m suffused with a sense of gratitude.

During the day insights come. During the night dreams keep us company. Outside my window majestic peaks carpeted with evergreens rise over the valley. In the morning the full moon still hangs in the sky.