Home Retreat: Unplug, Power Down and Tune Inward
June 15, 2010 Guest Contributors, Claire Thompson and Darin McFadyen
Lama Marut often talks about a meditation practice costing nothing more than time. Doing a home retreat costs about the same amount. Carving out time to unplug from work and social communications and look inward for a full day or weekend takes a little planning but it’s worth it. Take the evening before your retreat to answer all of your emails and phone calls. Set an “away” message on both if you need to then turn them off before bed. Enjoy a good, long sleep and wake up without an alarm clock. Don’t start your retreat sleep-deprived, as most of us are most of the time. Since you probably woke up later in the morning, put time aside the following morning to do a nice morning meditation before you break your retreat. In this way, it really takes a day and a half to do a one-day retreat.
Making the most of your time
There are several ways you can make a short retreat feel very deep. In advance, decide upon a subject and schedule and stick to it. Plan ahead with your spouse or roommate to not interact with anyone on that day. Buy your groceries for a few simple meals. Or prepare your meals the day before so even cooking doesn’t take time away from your quiet contemplation. Make the retreat space simple and tidy (don’t use the retreat day as an opportunity to catch up on house cleaning). Keep total silence during the entire retreat. Avoid visual distractions like looking out the window or scanning the titles in your bookcase.
What to do on retreat
Your day may include reading a spiritual text (any writing that involves the way to be truly happy – by helping others), or studying a spiritual course subject. At some point in the day, it may help your body and mind to do a physical practice like yoga, chi gong, or even just stretching and breathing. Depending on your experience level, doing four meditation sessions 15-30 minutes each, over the course of the day, will expand your practice and deepen your understanding of the material you have chosen to meditate on. In retreat, you have plenty of time before each session to set up and get comfortable. Take time at the end of each session to feel happy and dedicate the goodness you created by meditating. If you have a spiritual teacher, ask him or her for a meditation topic. Or download a guided meditation by Ven. Sumati Marut at: http://www.aci-la.org/teach_marut-guided.html
Keep a happy mind
Taking a day away from your “normal” life should give you some perspective and relaxation. The more important reason for doing a home-retreat day involves learning how to restructure your mind to be more happy and able to help others. With these goals in mind, take time at the end of the day or weekend to review your life. Make a list of: things you want to change and to keep doing more of, plus ways to make your life more meaningful and more meditative. Start planning how you will make the time to do your next home-retreat day or maybe even longer.
To watch Claire and Darin’s teaching on Home Retreat, please visit: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/intro-to-meditation/v3 The first hour of the class discusses meditation, while the second hour covers home retreat.
Claire Thompson is a yoga teacher and massage therapist. Darin McFadyen is an international touring DJ and music producer. Both have completed retreats in the Tibetan Buddhism lineage. They study and teach at the Mahasukha Center in Los Angeles.