Silent Retreat

From the willingness to BE still and silent, the Radiant Silent Ground is revealed and recognized. Not with the mind. The mind is for categories, systems, comparisons. The mind is for moving. Moving toward or away. Moving. All states of body/mind come and go. All methods are of the nature of mind.

There are many methods practiced and performed in the hopes of achieving silence. There are many paths that assist in quieting the body/mind. We can all appreciate and benefit from the diversity and multitude of paths and methods. Methods can be rich and beautiful. These methods do not disappear in the recognition of what is. In the revelation of Silence, they are simply recognized as a path. In truth, the joy inherent in the true nature of each and every path, will be revealed and experienced purely from awakened Silence.

The silent retreat path is a means of providing a period of time where we commit to discovering the ever-present Silence. We choose to be quiet. We give ourselves an opportunity to rest from our regular routines and responsibilities. We don't talk. We don't touch. We quiet our bodies. We stay, purely and vitally, engaged with our own experience. We simplify. This creates a container, an enlivened potential, for Silence to be revealed and ever-more deeply woven into our conscious experience.

Words such as, relax, rest, open are useful, conceptual pointers. But in the end, they are concepts attempting to describe that which, in and of itself is essentially free of all concepts. I can say "Let's be still, silent, open and relaxed, natural." And this is still method, still a finger pointing to a path. Less than relaxing, less than just being, less than opening. Simple, basic, unachievable, AS is-ness.

Finally, in the absence of path, in the absence of method, in the absence of knowing-ness, there is a sense of complete and utter simplicity. "Too simple!" declares the mind. There must be something I need to do, I need to expect, I need to achieve. But the humble relinquishing of moving away from or toward any known direction, description, story or goal, is the living edge of surrender as That which is all-ways Silent. Still. Silent.

Abide in that which is. Truly, simply, freely. And let nature take its course.

The Joy. The Love. The natural qualities inherent in realized Stillness. May you be aware of these, Here, All-ways, AS you.