We did more talking than meditating. But we flirted with the possibility of doing a silent retreat, a Friday overnight and all day Saturday until dinnertime.
In our last meditation session, we recited the compassion and loving kindness mantras:
May I be free of suffering and the causes of suffering.
May I have happiness and the causes of happiness.
I realized that while I was feeling the desire to be free of suffering, I was feeling a certain numbness when I thought of the causes of suffering. When I brought this up Minjur leapt on it. Breaking through to a clear understanding of the causes of suffering is a tipping point. Though she clearly stressed the mental causes, over the external causes.
Earlier in the day Johann gave us each a gift. A prayer Mala.
This week I will use it often, praying to be free of the causes of suffering. Praying to be conscious of them and free of them.
