"Experiences" on retreats are impermanent like everything else, as are the feelings of euphoria, and its pointless clinging to them . I've also yet to hear of any lay practitioner in the modern world actually reaching "complete fulfilment and the end of stress" after being on a couple of Buddhist retreats.CedarTree wrote:If you have the chance to develop and experience incredible things way beyond the scope of ordinary mind and possibly have purity of heart and a unconditioned happiness with every arising moment with complete fulfillment and the end of stress it would be silly to toss this potential away to keep those things yet hold onto some paper with ink on it.
In fact some people aren't suited to retreat conditions at all and have quite negative experiences. This is why its important to carefully investigate the reputation of the retreat teacher and the organisation beforehand. Also, to check if any costs or "suggested donations" are reasonable, (ie cover food, heating etc and possibly travel expenses for the teacher), or are completely outrageous.
.
