Meditation Retreat: Day 3: Saturday, 12:25pm
5.00am: Rise with a smile
5.30am: Morning Puja & Guided Group Meditation
7.30am: Breakfast
8.30am: Q & A on Metta Meditation
9.00am: Sitting/ Walking Meditation
11.30am: Lunch
1.00pm-5.30pm: Sitting/ Walking Meditation
5.30pm: Tea-Break
6.00pm: Puja & Guided Group Meditation
7.30pm- 9.30pm: Public Talk- Healing Through Wisdom & Compassion
10.00pm: Lights off
Just had a bath. Headaches are gone. Maybe I was just trying to hard. Before lunch, our 2 teachers, Sister and Bante (Ven. Mahinda) had a Q & A session with us. But largely after my interview with Sister yesterday, I think I know what I need to do. Instead of thinking – causing my headaches to come – I need to feel – observing the heart. She even made me put my hand on my chest so that I can keep the attention there! Ah, I see! Today I woke up aspiring only to sit happily. Let’s just do that. Don’t even think of meditating. Just sit happily, can? – I noticed that the headache will still try to creep up unawares – happened a few times. I kept on bringing the awareness back to the feeling heart. And the head did not hurt as much as yesterday. "The mind is not in the head:, Sister had said when I went to consult her. "When you listen, the mind is at the ears, when you think, it is in your head. When you feel, it is in your heart." Sister had asked me when I told her of my headaches during meditation: “Do you do a lot of thinking?” I see. I definitely do. I was trying to figure things our when all I wanted is to feel and experience.
I am sorry that I nodded off a few times during Bante’s public talk last night. I missed out on the learning. Going to take a nap now so I can meditate better later. . . and not fall asleep during the evening’s talk. Am happy I did not nod off during puja and meditation this early morning. Ah! I finally understand that I need to drink some cereal first so that I won’t starve between waking up at 5am till breakfast at 7:30am! We had a chocolate "Baci Kiss" each together with out lunch just now. Nice things happen when you have no expectations! (Just like I realised on the first day and just as Bante talked about during his talk last night.) The food here tastes good and is always just right. Home-cooked vegetarian food with lots of variety. Ok. Nap time.
5.30am: Morning Puja & Guided Group Meditation
7.30am: Breakfast
8.30am: Q & A on Metta Meditation
9.00am: Sitting/ Walking Meditation
11.30am: Lunch
1.00pm-5.30pm: Sitting/ Walking Meditation
5.30pm: Tea-Break
6.00pm: Puja & Guided Group Meditation
7.30pm- 9.30pm: Public Talk- Healing Through Wisdom & Compassion
10.00pm: Lights off
Just had a bath. Headaches are gone. Maybe I was just trying to hard. Before lunch, our 2 teachers, Sister and Bante (Ven. Mahinda) had a Q & A session with us. But largely after my interview with Sister yesterday, I think I know what I need to do. Instead of thinking – causing my headaches to come – I need to feel – observing the heart. She even made me put my hand on my chest so that I can keep the attention there! Ah, I see! Today I woke up aspiring only to sit happily. Let’s just do that. Don’t even think of meditating. Just sit happily, can? – I noticed that the headache will still try to creep up unawares – happened a few times. I kept on bringing the awareness back to the feeling heart. And the head did not hurt as much as yesterday. "The mind is not in the head:, Sister had said when I went to consult her. "When you listen, the mind is at the ears, when you think, it is in your head. When you feel, it is in your heart." Sister had asked me when I told her of my headaches during meditation: “Do you do a lot of thinking?” I see. I definitely do. I was trying to figure things our when all I wanted is to feel and experience.
I am sorry that I nodded off a few times during Bante’s public talk last night. I missed out on the learning. Going to take a nap now so I can meditate better later. . . and not fall asleep during the evening’s talk. Am happy I did not nod off during puja and meditation this early morning. Ah! I finally understand that I need to drink some cereal first so that I won’t starve between waking up at 5am till breakfast at 7:30am! We had a chocolate "Baci Kiss" each together with out lunch just now. Nice things happen when you have no expectations! (Just like I realised on the first day and just as Bante talked about during his talk last night.) The food here tastes good and is always just right. Home-cooked vegetarian food with lots of variety. Ok. Nap time.
