The word, retreat, sounds relaxing, doesn't it? It certainly can be. I've had some relaxing moments here, no one to tend to other than myself. No cooking, no cleaning, no feeding the cat. No bus stop in the morning with Claire. I mean, I've spent a week, writing, meditating, and spending time with other writers. How hard can that be? It feels absurd to say, this week has been a lot of work, but it's true.
I'm shot. Whooped. Ready to go home, giddy about my own bed.
Here's a very short paper on what I learned on this retreat:
Do the work.
Relax.
Be gentle with yourself.
Does it sound easy to you? It's not. I'm easily distracted; it's tough for me to settle down. This work can be funny, uncomfortable, light, squirmy, warm, deep, delightful, sad, lovely, scary, easy, dreamy, dopey, freeing, mysterious.
And then, none of those things.
You're tilting your head.
What on earth is she talking about?
I have no idea.
Be gentle with yourself.
*Read: Karme Choling
