Comments on: Buddhist monk returns to life after four years in retreat http://digital-dharma.net/2009/06/19/buddhist-monk-returns-to-life-after-four-years-in-retreat/ The Middle Path, One Day At A Time Sat, 26 May 2012 05:22:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Martin Roell http://digital-dharma.net/2009/06/19/buddhist-monk-returns-to-life-after-four-years-in-retreat/#comment-48094 Wed, 24 Jun 2009 07:47:47 +0000 http://digital-dharma.net/2009/06/19/buddhist-monk-returns-to-life-after-four-years-in-retreat/#comment-48094 I found the description of the phases of the retreat interesting. (“The first year dragged so much.(…). But in the second year you lose yourself in it, you become very focused. Then, towards the end, when it starts revving (…) you start to get impatient again.”). It corresponds very much with the phases I experienced in a three-month Zen retreat I sat at the beginning of this year. It seems as if most people experience this similarly in long retreats.

Heck, I experience it at most long sesshins. The monkey may be quiet some of the time now, but he’s still the monkey.

]]> By: Peter Clothier http://digital-dharma.net/2009/06/19/buddhist-monk-returns-to-life-after-four-years-in-retreat/#comment-47941 Sat, 20 Jun 2009 18:05:04 +0000 http://digital-dharma.net/2009/06/19/buddhist-monk-returns-to-life-after-four-years-in-retreat/#comment-47941 Mum and ice cream! Who’d ‘a thought? I think what I’d miss most, aside from family, would be this computer I’m now so addicted to.

Ditto. And my cats. Fact is, I found out years ago, after a very short time, that the monastic life isn’t for me. I’d like to think some things have changed, but realistically: not that much. ;)

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