http://www.satyalila.cx Satyalila's Interactive Scrapbook in the Sky Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:48:15 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en The Garret Hermitage, Bristol, Thursday 2 July 2009, 7.20 am I sent the following text to Sangha friends in my phone address book: “Dear Friends, this is a bit mad, but I’m having a day of playing creatively with the struggle of life and had the idea of texting all the ... http://www.satyalila.cx/2009/07/02/dharma-by-text/ This is the talk I wrote as an introduction for those taking part in the International Urban Retreat (www.theurbanretreat.org) at Bristol Buddhist Centre from Saturday 20-27 June 2009. The Way It Is There’s a thread you follow. It goes among Things that change. But it doesn’t change. People wonder about what you ... http://www.satyalila.cx/2009/07/02/the-way-it-is-or-life-with-full-attention/ “Your work is to discover your work ... http://www.satyalila.cx/2008/11/27/%e2%80%9cthe-thousands%e2%80%9d-the-pareto-principle-and-mary-oliver/ One important aspect of the long Akasavana retreat last summer which I haven’t yet written about is The Story of the Fankle. Fankle is a wonderful Scots word, introduced to me by Jayavardhini. It doesn’t appear in the Concise Oxford Dictionary, but its meaning is “to get in ... http://www.satyalila.cx/2008/03/02/the-story-of-the-fankle/ It is a sunny morning here in Bristol as I write and I can hear seagulls – one of the lovely sounds (along with church bells) which I often hear when I’m in my garret (ie tiny flat stuffed full of books high up at the top of Georgian terraced ... http://www.satyalila.cx/2008/03/02/the-still-point-the-dance/ http://www.satyalila.cx/2007/11/21/one-picture-to-sum-up-three-months-on-retreat-in-spain/ It was breathtaking. The retreat house stands on a kind of promontory of land at about 920 metres, with 300 metre cliffs behind and a vast open vista of mountains all around, including the spectacular and monumental Masmut – seemingly one enormous rock the size of a small mountain. ... http://www.satyalila.cx/2007/11/11/arriving-at-akasavana-and-about-the-place/ For about ten years I’d been wanting to take part in a long retreat – six weeks or 3 months. I think it was a part of my profound curiosity about how much it is possible for one’s mind, one’s way of experiencing the world to change through spiritual ... http://www.satyalila.cx/2007/11/11/how-i-came-to-be-on-a-3-month-retreat-up-a-spanish-mountin/ Although this way back in the summer! We got back on 13 July. There was a "before" picture (thank you Kamalamani): And then there was an "after" one.... together with Samasuri (thank you, again, Kamalamani!): http://www.satyalila.cx/2007/11/11/so-i-went-away-for-3-months-and-came-back/ I'm off on retreat up a mountain in Spain at Akashavana (see www.akashavana.org for pix) from Wed 18 April - Fri 13 August and in transit for a bit thereafter until the Order Convention in August..... The Bag Lady has packed most of her possessions (and almost herself!) into the loft until her ... http://www.satyalila.cx/2007/04/18/off-on-a-long-retreat/