The dangers of not going on retreat - and how long to go on retreat

As the world gets busier and busier, the need is to retreat for longer and longer. Yet many make the mistake of saying “I have not got time for that”, and ending up paying a high price for what seemed like an easier option.

So this week, why go on a retreat?, what makes for a good retreat?, and encouragement to take advantage of Ruth’s retreat offerings, but first


Thought for the Day

Mindful of a thought, 
Like the momentary glimpse 
Of a colourful sunbird flashing through the light, 
The heart remains undisturbed, 
Serene in its sky-like presence. 

Whatever the circumstance, 
Bodily movement or stillness, 
Feeling well or distressed, 
With good concentration or scattered attention, 
Everything can be brought back to awareness.



Kittisaro



The risk is you wake up in twenty years time and wonder what happened? 

Where did my life go? It is so easy these days to get caught up in all the things there are to do - good and bad - that what is really important can be missed.

This is a major lesson on offer from those who have been through major tragedies. The tragedy cuts through the day to day, automatic living and gives time, maybe even demands time be given to questioning what life is really all about.

Retreats offer the benefits of a tragedy without the trauma of the tragedy itself.

The opportunity
When we go on retreat we step back from life. We go into a sheltered environment, have meals provided, have teachings, practice and a program schedule to join in with; and then the magic.

We have time to our self - our self. Time to regain some balance. Time to reflect. Time to re-assess. Time to plan for how we intend to be within our lives. And time for insight.

The environment
Retreats are best taken amidst natural beauty.

Traditionally people took to the mountains or the deserts in seclusion; although there is a strong history in all the great traditions of group retreats.

Some places are profoundly conducive for meditation and retreats. This is like some places just feel creepy and are better avoided. Of course there is no good science on this that I know of, but then those who have not felt the truth of this probably would not go on a retreat anyway.

Some places have a natural potential to support retreats, others are enhanced by regular practice.

The Foundation’s sanctuary at Yarra Junction has it all - great natural beauty - the Yarra Valley surrounded by mountains - a strong welcoming, regenerative and peaceful feeling, plus years of meditation practice within.

The teacher
A retreat needs the experience, stability, expertise and wisdom of a reliable teacher. When we do take time out, it can be a bit like taking the lid off a pressure cooker; sometimes the proverbial hits the fan.

This is why good teachings provided amongst the anticipated rhythms of the retreat are essential to support and guide all present.

With good support there will be time in which there can be profound breakthroughs and profound resolution, and the establishment of a deeper sense of inner peace.

And this is why many keep returning.

Of course, virtually everyone has the benefit of time out and re-setting their direction - one of the primary benefits of retreat.

Noble company
In Buddhism they talk of “the sangha”. Traditionally this referred to the monks and nuns, but these days sangha describes all those committed to the inner way. Being amongst like-minded people is aptly described as being in noble company.

Noble conversation
Most retreats spend some time in silence; some time where conversation flows. Either way, there is this sense of communing with the others and communicating in a way that shares common values and intent.

Timing
This is the crux of this post. The temptation these days is to go for a weekend; maybe just a day workshop…

Having attended and let literally hundreds of retreats here is the best advice I can give.

Be kind to yourself.

The more you are tempted by a short retreat, make even more effort to go longer.

Sure a day is useful. You can learn stuff in a day, take it home and apply it and it will help.

A weekend is good too. A bit more time out, but then you just start to relax and it is time to wind up again and leave.

Five days is a beginning. Time to unwind, have a day or two actually present in the retreat and then a day to be in leaving mode.

Seven or ten days is a good length for a short, meaningful retreat. There is time to make some real progress. Time to let go of the day-to-day stuff, to settle, to go inwardly to a reasonable degree and still have time to re-emerge and be well placed to return home.

I have to say how much it saddens me the 10 day cancer programs have been discontinued at the Foundation due to the popularity of the 5 day version. And it seems more and more people opt for shorter retreats.

So again - the best advice I can give
Do at least one personal retreat each year. You owe your self at least that much.

Go for as long as impossible! In other words, extend yourself. Imagine what feels doable, then add a few more days and find a retreat that goes long enough to serve you well.


What Ruth is offering
Ruth and I shared leading retreats for many years. To be frank, she has been my best student - the most diligent, the most capable.

When I woke up one day and realised my time for leading retreats was over (at least for the foreseeable future; who knows what might happen when I am 80 ), it was a great comfort to know that those who had valued what I had to offer now have Ruth leading her own retreats.

Ruth will lead a seven day meditation retreat pre-Easter with Melissa Borich that is highly recommended. Ruth has asked me to come in one evening for a Q and A session that I am happy to do, so maybe I will see you there?

 Ruth is also leading another meditation retreat at the Living Centre in September as well as two healing based retreats with Prof Sanjay Raghav.

Details are on the Foundation’s website. Do yourself a favour…



RUTH'S NEXT MEDITATION RETREAT

RECLAIMING JOY - April 12 - 18 2019, Yarra Valley Living Centre.

Details - call the Foundation - 03 5967 1730 or link here for DETAILS

The legend of Meditation in the Forest lives on!

This classic 7 day meditation retreat is on again for yet another pre-Easter.

In 2019 it will be lead by Ruth Gawler and Melissa Borich.


Some will have had the good fortune to have shared time with Melissa in some of our previous retreats. Melissa is a highly accomplished yoga teacher with a wonderful capacity to tailor yoga for beginners or the advanced. Melissa has also trained with me as a meditation teacher and is one of the people I highly value and recommend.

These two women will present a wonderful retreat - lucky you if you get to be there :)

NEWS
BLUE SKY MIND
My new meditation book is now with the printers and is set to be released in May. More news on this soon...

INDIA
Ruth and I leave for India this week. Buddhist gathering at Bodhgaya and big conference in Delhi with the Brahma Kumaris. Will post on Facebook - maybe a good time to "like" my page and keep in touch... Dr Ian Gawler is the public page.

Happily we have a wonderful house and garden sitter who will keep the water up to the garden while we are away :).

Life-transitions-Moment-by-moment-change,-retirement,-loss-and-renewal

We all will have “retired” from many things. Many transitions. In fact, moment-by-moment everything is changing, so we could say we are “transitioning” all the time; even though we may not notice it so obviously.

Certainly, some transitions are way more obvious. How do we name them? Retirement? Moved on? Forced out? Found something new? Left it behind? Joyful change? Divorce? New Beginnings?

What is next???

My own life is in another major transition. Completed the last meditation retreat I will lead last week and am now moving into another phase. So this week, to answer the questions of those who are interested, and at the risk of sounding self-indulgent, a review of past transitions (not past transgressions!) and an outline of what is next, but first

        Thought for the day

The attainment of wholeness 
Requires one to stake one’s whole being.
Nothing less will do. 
There can be
No easier conditions,
No substitutes,
No compromises.
                                 Carl Jung


A list of earlier work related “retirements”…

1975   Retired as an equine veterinarian - having a leg amputated will do that

1984   Retired altogether as a veterinarian - to concentrate upon developing the Foundation, cancer programs and teaching meditation

1990   Took a year off to reflect on the work and planning the residential centre and programs

2009   Retired from full-time job at the Gawler Foundation

2017   Presented last cancer residential program

2018   Presented last residential meditation retreat


             Being sung to at the conclusion of the last retreat... 
          Amazing song; very warm :)


So why the change, and what next? 

The reasons I am stopping leading residential programs and retreats are multiple… For a start, at 68 my energy levels are not what they used to be. If, as in the old days, I was running the Foundation during this last retreat, while at the same time leading non-residential programs and preparing for another residential program in the next week or 2, plus all else I used to do; well frankly, I just cannot manage that level of activity at present.

But moreover, it is time to do more personal study and practice. I have attended so many great retreats as a participant, have so many incredible notes stored away; the time has come to study them and attempt to take them more to heart. And do more practice. Over the years, attempting to teach what I have learnt has been wonderful, but now it is time to go more deeply into all of this.


So the other things still on the go include the meditation platform App - the Meditation Gateway, and my personalised version of that which makes an online meditation program available in my voice - actually called My Meditation app - more of that next blog.

Then there is the writing - I am currently almost finished a new meditation book, and am considering writing on contemplation as it is so useful, and there is little written specifically on this subject that seems really clear and useful.


And the blog will continue - it feels like a good way to keep in connection...


However, on top of these things, there is a major project I have been invited to co-found by Martin Hosking. Martin is founding CEO of Redbubble, a dedicated meditator (has come to many of our retreats) and devoted Christian. Martin is keen to establish a Christian-based, reproducible meditation retreat centre and program that can provide something similar to what the Vipassana program accomplishes - a widely accessible meditation program that is available all around the world and rooted in Christianity rather than Buddhism as is Vipassana.

This project appeals to me greatly as while I do call myself a Buddhist these days, I still hold Christianity dear. Just because one has adopted something new, does not mean one needs to do away with the old. Integration is possible, and in this instance, very welcome. Martin has asked me to take a major role in establishing the program, so this is a big project and one with which I will need to manage my time closely.

Also, I am open to the occasional public speaking event or conference appearance. Considering a day workshop in Melbourne in December with 2 great meditation teachers from Europe, but more on that later.


Amidst all this, Ruth will continue with her own work - still seeing a few people privately and beginning her own new career as meditation retreat leader. She will be terrific at this. Ruth has been very happy supporting me over many recent years and while we have done many programs together, she is now ready to step forward. A big transition for her and one I am keen to support fully.


Interested in numbers?

Seems so far I have attended over 30 retreats as a participant - most around 10 days, longest 3 months. Led around 100 meditation retreats myself, along with around 250 cancer residential programs, 250 public workshops and 30 non-residential meditation groups and around 100 non-residential cancer groups.

You Can Conquer Cancer went into 13 languages and has sold over 350.000 copies. (It is now available as a spoken book on our website). On average books are read by about 4 people, so 1,400,000 people may well have read it. Peace of Mind sold over 100,000 copies, Meditation - Pure and Simple around 50,000 and the Imagery book - now renamed The Mind that Changes Everything, around 40,000. Meditation -an In-depth Guide that was co-authored with Paul Bedson has sold around 15,000; the latest has not sold anything ! - may be released in around 6 months.



On the personal front, it is great to be back at painting classes again and the garden is flourishing.

Also, despite having those 3 considerable areas of work to continue with, there is a clear sense of more time being available for the more personal things including more time with family and friends.

But overall, a greater emphasis on study and practice.





                                                                                Recent work in progress -foreground to complete....

So that is a snap shot.

Clearly not a full retirement, but definitely a major part of my life coming to an end.

I will miss the retreats. This last one was truly wonder full. Great people. Noble company. Noble conversations. And deep meditations together. The Yarra Valley Living Centre such a terrific venue. Great staff. Hard to leave behind but there is this clear inner knowing. As with all the other major transitions in my life, the inner knowing is clear. It is time for this next big transition.





        And throughout,
        moment-by-moment,
        the little transitions are constantly flowing.

             
                    Doors opening. Doors closing.




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