I can't be expected to live like this!
"Blastity-bleep, freezin' cold. No hot running water. Have to go out back to use the outhouse. I can't be expected to live like this!"
Those were my thoughts on frosty mornings the past couple of weeks while on personal meditation retreat at a remote hermitage.
Fortunately, the book The Lawudo Lama was in the cupboard. It's the biography of Lama Zopa Rinpoche's past life and the early part of this life focusing on the mountainous area of Nepal where he is from, Lawudo, Solu Khumbu. Pictured here is Rinpoche in front of his cave at Lawudo, inherited from his previous incarnation. (The cave has been closed in on the front.)
I was reminded of all the meditators--and just plain people--who have to live like that all the time, no running water at all, let alone hot water. Right now, not just people in the ancient past.
And so I took some consolation that having creature comforts was not a requirement for having a successful meditation retreat. Moreover--and I have to keep reminding myself--being comfortable is not a measure of a successful life. It's perfectly okay to live in primitive conditions. One doesn't need to feel embarrassed about that.
But it sure does feel good to be back where I am warm and comfortable. Oh yeah, and here's a tip: if you are doing retreat in a cold place, a hot water bottle can be your best friend.
Those were my thoughts on frosty mornings the past couple of weeks while on personal meditation retreat at a remote hermitage.
Fortunately, the book The Lawudo Lama was in the cupboard. It's the biography of Lama Zopa Rinpoche's past life and the early part of this life focusing on the mountainous area of Nepal where he is from, Lawudo, Solu Khumbu. Pictured here is Rinpoche in front of his cave at Lawudo, inherited from his previous incarnation. (The cave has been closed in on the front.)
I was reminded of all the meditators--and just plain people--who have to live like that all the time, no running water at all, let alone hot water. Right now, not just people in the ancient past.
And so I took some consolation that having creature comforts was not a requirement for having a successful meditation retreat. Moreover--and I have to keep reminding myself--being comfortable is not a measure of a successful life. It's perfectly okay to live in primitive conditions. One doesn't need to feel embarrassed about that.
But it sure does feel good to be back where I am warm and comfortable. Oh yeah, and here's a tip: if you are doing retreat in a cold place, a hot water bottle can be your best friend.
I guess I don't know what I am talking about, but I like camping...for a while....and I am envious that you can spend days or weeks at a time living like that shed of all the junk that clutters up our normal lives and minds. It's so purposeful and unspoiled. To me it seems liberating...although I am sure I'd be saying the same thing at one point about it being too frickin cold...but overall it seems like such a great thing to be able to do. Does it make you feel like normal life is so cushy make it obvious how much stuff is just not necessary /can be renounced?
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