Hello

[follinge@gmail.com]

Thanks, Cal.

Alas, I have lost contact with both people, but if I ever meet throat catch person again, I'll let her know.

I hope she's continuing to work on her meditation and was not discouraged.

[yogajim]

Well I wanted to give an update and say hello its been a few weeks. Im still here. Ive been trying to simplify my life and it looks like only 1-2 months of madness and Ill be free to do whatever. I really want to do at  least a 30 day retreat and got all excited looking up retreat centers only to find they charge such a disgusting amount of money I wonder how "spiritual" they really are. I know everything costs money blah blah blah but its evident they are making an enormous profit. I live in washington state and am considering just driving to some remote location and go from there. I dont want a luxury cabin to meditate in. I just want a peaceful outdoor setting. If anyone has any ideas let me know. I also have a dog and a cat which makes it even tougher.
                                                                                                             

[Cal]

Hi Yogajim, I also live in Washington state. As far as meditation centers and the like I only know of 1? in the Seattle area, but I would not recommend them. As far as cabin camping, I know of a couple of places near Spokane. I tend to do most of my own outdoor activities along the Snake river though. If it happens that we are close to one another, I would not mind meeting with you for meditation.

[yogajim]

Im over on the olympic peninsula near port angeles. I love this part of the country. Ive found a lot of places that let you camp but they charge sooooo much its very disappointing. Im open to traveling. I would just go hike up in the olympic mountains here here but they dont allow pets in the national parks. They do allow pets in national forests (weird I know) so Im looking for a place to camp for a month that is affordable. Im am going to purchase a van or small rv to live in when the time comes.

[Jhanananda]

A van or RV works for me, then I can camp anywhere in the national forest, where it is legal.  So, no need to pay to meditate.

[yogajim]

Well if all goes well Ill be free next weekend. Im buying a van and some camping equipment and driving somewhere in the woods (not too far in the woods though). I hope to camp about a month.  Nobody in my family really understands what Im trying to do and they are making it VERY tough for me right now. How do I even deal with this?

[Alexander]

In the words of Christ, we must be willing to take up our cross to follow him, become dead to the world, and hate "mother, father, sister, and brother." That all means a hard separation from our usual bonds to family and friends. By doing this, though, we find our true family and friends who are our fellow spiritual seekers. I spent many years separating myself mentally from family and friends, until I was inwardly dead to them. However, I found later I was able to love my family and friends again, even though they are (unfortunately) not going anywhere. You may find the same for you, or not.

[yogajim]

Ty Alexander. This is probably the toughest thing Ive ever tried to do.

[Jhanananda]

Good to hear, yogajim, that you are heading off into the wilderness for some intensive solo retreat time.  Alexander's advice is good, but I do not think we have to hate our family and friends, we just need to learn to distance our self from them enough so that we can go on a solo wilderness retreat from time to time without having to deal with the emotional baggage of family and friends.

[yogajim]

Well today is the day!!!! Im moving out near the coast today. I will be near the hoh rainforest. Its the only temperate rainforest in north america check it out if you havent heard of it before. The backlash from my family and most of my friends is pretty rough right now. They are hammering me from all sides. They just think I need a job and a house payment blah blah blah. Ive tried explaining I dont want attachments for now I just want some peace and quiet so I can let go of the crap in my brain and be happy again but it only seems to make it worse. Do you guys have any go to suttas for inspiration? Im doing my best to stay positive here I look forward to sharing my upcoming meditation experiences with everyone and I hope you are all doing well

[Frederick]

I, too, did what Alexander did, and yes, I do love them more now. I had to learn to love on my own. Well, my wife helped a great deal as well.

[Frederick]

I read one or another Buddhist text each day.

[Jhanananda]

Well today is the day!!!! Im moving out near the coast today. I will be near the hoh rainforest. Its the only temperate rainforest in north america check it out if you havent heard of it before.

Yes, I have been there, and had thought of spending some time on retreat there, but it never came to pass there.

Do you guys have any go to suttas for inspiration? Im doing my best to stay positive here I look forward to sharing my upcoming meditation experiences with everyone and I hope you are all doing well

I read one or another Buddhist text each day.

This is good advice, follinge.  Back in my 2 year retreat in the Inyo National forest I read one sutta a day until I had made it through the Digha, Majjhima and Samyutta Nikayas.  I bought them, so that I could make notes in the margins and not have to be on line to read them.  I found a great deal of inspiration in them, but also the nagging feeling that there were copious translation errors.  So, I acquired all of the Pali to English dictionaries, and the original Pali in Romanized script, then started checking the translations.  I turned out I was correct.  So, I made a few translations the way I thought they should read.  They are online at the link on the GWV website.

[yogajim]

Hey just wanted to give an update. My time in Forks was great. I wasnt able to experience jhana but I was able to let go of most of my anger and still improving. My mind got kinda squirrly for a while due to the seclusion and I could see what attachments are going to impede my progress. Lust is a big one.  Im down on the southern Oregon coast house sitting now and plan to continue my practice once I do some exploring. Hope everyone is doing well.

[Jhanananda]

Good to read from you, yogajim.  I find too few meditation teachers instruct their students to attend to the aspects of meditation practice that are soothing and comforting; while instructing their students to make meditation uncomfortable, such as meditating through pain and discomfort.  If this alone were changed I am confident that more people would find success in their practice of meditation.