Space2Meditate Blog
Community Voices
Walking on Middle Way
Slow down. Look around. One step at a time. Maybe that’s the heart of what happened to me on Middle Way. That’s the name of the wooden path across the vast grassy meadow at the Won Dharma Center. I crossed that expanse many times each day on the retreat. It takes perhaps four minutes of brisk walking -- but wait, slow down, one step at a time. Why was I rushing?
Retreat Murmurations
One of the goals I brought to the retreat was to see in person some of the many faces I had seen on Zoom for the last three years. Meeting them was pleasant and gratifying, and somewhat surprising, as some were taller, some were shorter than I had pictured. We took one evening meal together while talking and it was too short a time to get to know people before going into silence. I noticed immediately after silence began that the quality of my sits was different…
Cancer and Practice
In May of this year, I was told that I have cancer in my tonsil. At that time, I fell down the well of the medical profession, with many doctor and testing appointments, taking notes, and trying to get a feel for what this meant. I felt fine, I just had a lump. My daughter said at the time that it was like being on the line for a roller-coaster, but it was behind a fence, and we couldn’t see how tall or steep it was. I believed that I was well prepared mentally and spiritually for whatever was to come. I had a good meditation practice, I had been clean and sober for more than three decades, and I had supportive friends and family. I also felt that I was as prepared for death as I was ever going to be…