My Silent Meditation Retreat at Gaia House

It was wonderful! From Thursday to Sunday I was one of about 50 retreatants at the beautiful Gaia House in West Ogwell (10 miles beyond Newton Abbot in Devon).

All new to me and 'first time for everything.'

The beauty of the winter oak silhouttes, the chatter and song of the blackbirds, robins and blue tits. The mosaic bordering the little pond. Walking meditation in the grounds was a treat.

We all did one hour of 'working meditation', each day and we could choose our chores. I did vegetable chopping. It was satisfying to find my chunks of chopped veg in the lunchtime stew.

I found sitting meditation hard as my thoughts would rove, sometimes in a horrible way. I was brought up in a family that is often a rat's nest of backbiting and pointless one-upmanship. I escaped the worst of it by moving from North London to Scotland when I was nineteen but, oh dear, I had some thoughts of revenge and wishing badness upon them... Are us humans the only creatures that practise revenge in thought or deed? An evolutionary mis-step. However I was able to shift my thoughts  by shifting from a sitting to a standing position in the meditation hall.

We got to know one another without speaking. I am an early morning person so I got to know those who were up before the morning gong and our first sitting meditation. Then for the last three hours, our silence was lifted and we got to know each by words too.

All over too soon and now I am back in Babylon, taking it easy as best I can while I ease myself into my regular life. My lovely boyfriend surprised me by meeting me at Exmouth station and I put the kettle on at my place. Then I phoned my cat-loving friend Lesley who takes care of Saffron when I am away, feeding her and playing with her. I work part-time and this week is not too busy. Today I did 4 hours at my cleaning job then my 3 hours voluntary work at Exeter Peace Shop. Usually I go on to Exeter Ukulele Club but nah, next week will do, early night for me tonight.