In March 2024, we had a 24 hours home retreat where participants were invited to explore Zen as they went about their ordinary daily routine. Michael attended the retreat and here he answers a few questions about his own experience of it.
Could you speak a little bit about your experience with the 24hr home retreat you attended in March?
After the first evening meetup I was excited to see how the next 24 hours would go. The next day was actually busier than normal with deadlines at work and quite a lot of talking. Every now and again I would remember my intention to stay present and connected and I was aware of judgemental thoughts and a sinking feeling when I felt like I’d failed to do so. By the afternoon I’d chilled out a bit and I enjoyed bringing my full attention to the people around me. I found myself really appreciating the people I work with and I had some lovely moments with them.
The emphasis of the retreat was on the cultivation of more skilful ways to deal with our daily activities, how did you engage with this cultivation?
I made the intention to try to be as embodied as possible while sitting at my computer. I struggled to keep any kind of presence while working, my posture suffers and my breathing can get quite tight. Although I’m sure I spent most of my time during the day lost in thoughts, it was interesting to see how setting a clear intention changed things.
How have you carried on your daily practice after the retreat? Has anything resonated with you that you have continued doing?
This retreat seems to have strengthened my resolve to try and bring my practise to every part of my day. Particularly bringing attention to my relationships at work, noticing my own feelings and behavior around other people and really trying to give people my full attention.
This newsletter is dedicated to Zazen, our sitting practice. How do you think Zazen can help us engaging with our daily activities more effectively?
My experience is that the non judgemental awareness cultivated in zazen can just follow into the rest of the day. Sometimes it feels like slow going but it’s encouraging to think back to what my life was like a few years back and see the difference. On the whole, daily stuff seems easier and more enjoyable now.