Poll The fruits of Retreat.

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism

What fruits have you experienced as a result of retreat.

1) Very Positive
20
71%
2)Positive
7
25%
3) Negative
0
No votes
4 Neutral.l
1
4%
 
Total votes: 28

rowyourboat
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Re: Poll The fruits of Retreat.

Post by rowyourboat »

Hi WitF

I hear a lot of people use the term 'rewarding'. I have often wondered what that meant. Eating a bar of chocolate can be 'rewarding'! Having a new experience can be rewarding. I personally would take it to mean that I had something I could take away from the retreat, for my personal practice at home- some insight or some state of samadhi that I could work on further at home. What did you mean by 'rewarding'?

with metta

Matheesha
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PeterB
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Re: Poll The fruits of Retreat.

Post by PeterB »

PeterB wrote:This follows a useful suggestion from Phil. Just to make it clear it refers to any organised Vipassana or Samatha retreat.

I dont want to get all anal, but I would just bump the above..." organised" whether solo or group implies "under a teachers direction..."
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Ben
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Re: Poll The fruits of Retreat.

Post by Ben »

Hi Matheesha,
rowyourboat wrote:Hi WitF

I hear a lot of people use the term 'rewarding'. I have often wondered what that meant. Eating a bar of chocolate can be 'rewarding'! Having a new experience can be rewarding. I personally would take it to mean that I had something I could take away from the retreat, for my personal practice at home- some insight or some state of samadhi that I could work on further at home. What did you mean by 'rewarding'?

with metta

Matheesha
I think we can infer from WTF's post that by 'rewarding' she probably means 'positive' or 'productive'. At least, that's how I read it.
kind regards

Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

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rowyourboat
Posts: 1952
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:29 pm
Location: London, UK

Re: Poll The fruits of Retreat.

Post by rowyourboat »

Ben wrote:Hi Matheesha,
rowyourboat wrote:Hi WitF

I hear a lot of people use the term 'rewarding'. I have often wondered what that meant. Eating a bar of chocolate can be 'rewarding'! Having a new experience can be rewarding. I personally would take it to mean that I had something I could take away from the retreat, for my personal practice at home- some insight or some state of samadhi that I could work on further at home. What did you mean by 'rewarding'?

with metta

Matheesha
I think we can infer from WTF's post that by 'rewarding' she probably means 'positive' or 'productive'. At least, that's how I read it.
kind regards

Ben
Thanks Ben,

Positive and productive are equally vague terms to me (perhaps a cultural gap in knoweldge showing here :tongue: ), but can we say with some precision what it means?

with metta

Matheesha
With Metta

Karuna
Mudita
& Upekkha
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Ben
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Re: Poll The fruits of Retreat.

Post by Ben »

Hi Matheesha

Well, I don't want to put words into WTF's mouth. So, as to the specifics of her experience, I will let her speak for herself.
kind regards

Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

e: [email protected]..
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Wizard in the Forest
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Re: Poll The fruits of Retreat.

Post by Wizard in the Forest »

I came out of retreat with a more peaceful mind. It started off really difficult and then I was able to get a lot of work done. Finding out why I thought it was difficult was probably the most eyeopening experience. The more I could clear my head, the more insight would just come, and I found myself with less stress in general.
"One is not born a woman, but becomes one."- Simone de Beauvoir
rowyourboat
Posts: 1952
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Location: London, UK

Re: Poll The fruits of Retreat.

Post by rowyourboat »

Wizard in the Forest wrote:I came out of retreat with a more peaceful mind. It started off really difficult and then I was able to get a lot of work done. Finding out why I thought it was difficult was probably the most eyeopening experience. The more I could clear my head, the more insight would just come, and I found myself with less stress in general.
Sounds like you had a very useful experience - I think you developed some mindfulness and concentration and insight by the sound of it. I think in being able to define it, it becomes possible to work with it to develop it further, read about it etc. Otherwise it becomes 'something which happens when on retreat. Thanks for sharing it with us.

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Matheesha
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Karuna
Mudita
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Spiny O'Norman
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Re: Poll The fruits of Retreat.

Post by Spiny O'Norman »

Goofaholix wrote:
Spiny O'Norman wrote: I've found that there can be quite a lot of distractions on retreat - unless it's a solitary retreat. ;)
True, but the distractions experienced on retreat are much closer to the root cause of distraction, whereas the distractions of daily life tend to distract you from distraction itself.
Yes, I know what you mean. However I'm usually a solitary practitioner, and find it quite distracting trying to meditate with other people around.

Spiny
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Goofaholix
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Re: Poll The fruits of Retreat.

Post by Goofaholix »

Spiny O'Norman wrote:Yes, I know what you mean. However I'm usually a solitary practitioner, and find it quite distracting trying to meditate with other people around.
Sounds like something worth investigating.
Pronouns (no self / not self)
“Peace is within oneself to be found in the same place as agitation and suffering. It is not found in a forest or on a hilltop, nor is it given by a teacher. Where you experience suffering, you can also find freedom from suffering. Trying to run away from suffering is actually to run toward it.”
― Ajahn Chah
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