Zen & the art of Peace & Love

I have just been on a meditation retreat weekend - A completely new experience for me. I could actually be hooked it was so good. Given that my formative years were in the 60s I've been a bit slow catching on. Drugs passed me by, but I did love rock & roll.

I went to the Global Retreat Centre in Nuneham Courtney run by the Brahma Kumaris. The house & grounds are stunning & beautifully restored. It is the perfect place to get away from the stresses of life - (kitchens, decorators, health issues.....) The teachers, (Yogis - ascetic practitioners of meditation), are very good at what they do. Some are internationally renowned. The vegetarian food is really tasty .

We had a well thought out combination of teaching and meditation practice with some periods of silent contemplation. The basic tone was questioning rather than dogmatic. We were encouraged to reflect on various themes - Peace, Love, Attachment & Separation, Mindfulness, Transience & Change for example. Meditation should be a daily practice where we look deep into ourselves & re-connect with our inner soul. Moments of stillness in a world which is anything but still.

I can't say I am religious. I really don't have much time for the major world religions. The closest to my beliefs is Buddhism. I do think that although I'm a grain of sand in the grand scheme of things, I should at least try to do no harm & aim to do a little good. If you look at the word belief there is a lie at it's centre.

We are Human Beings but the one thing we don't have is time to just be. We are not content. We continually strive for something. All too often what we strive for relates to things, possessions, including possessing people. I am particularly concerned that we are passing this frenetic lifestyle to our children. We adults organise them to the extent that they don't have much "downtime" at all. Let alone time to reflect on themselves & their lives.

Everything and everybody is interconnected. We have just stopped realising & acknowledging that. We have become very self absorbed beings looking for instant gratification of our every desire. The reality is that we are just passing through & we don't own anything. Not people, not land & not possessions. Anyone who doubts that can just let me know how they intend taking anything with them when they die.

How do you make God laugh? Tell him your plans.

“More than any time in history, mankind now faces a crossroads. One path
leads to despair and utter hopelessness, the other to total extinction.
Let us pray that we have the wisdom to choose correctly”. Woody Allen, "Side Effects"