India wind-down
Our training program is winding down nicely toward our ending ceremony Saturday afternoon. I hope to have time on Sunday to share more details and use that oportunity to process some of what has been transpiring.
Read more...Where Am I?
We are a short walk from the beach and a totally different world. If you have never been here, it is difficult to describe Goa…
Read more...Birthday Bash
Of the reasons to celebrate at the Surf Club last night, my birthday ranked, at best, a distant third behind (1) Russian Orthadox Christmas and (2) The fact it was Friday…
Read more...Landing In India
After 28 hours of travel, I landed safely in India. Then the lessons in patience began…
Read more...Keith on Retreat
By my own admission, I am a “retreat junkie”. My total days-in-retreat count is about 300 and I will be upping that number about 10% in the near future!
Read more...Watch Your Stereotypes
This is one of those young men you can’t help but like…
The disconnect was that he was standing there in full uniform next to his DPT scooter printing out a parking ticket to some poor unsuspecting soul. He was the enemy! A parking Nazi!
A Loftier Perspective
With “Slumdog Millionaire” dominating the Oscars and “The White Tiger” (last year’s Booker prize winner) being this year’s hot book (at least among Indian travelers), the world is being exposed to the extreme disparities that exist in India. After visiting Behar (India’s poorest state) and having lived only in monasteries and backpacker ghettos, I decided to see what it looked like further north up the socio-economic ladder by venturing further south to Chennai. I knew things were going to be different when my friend/host wrote, “I will have my driver pick you up from the airport.” This was not “our” driver or “the” driver, but her driver (they have two)…
Read more...Pants and a Sandwich
The Buddha suggested that all events occur simply because circumstances allow them to occur. It’s OK if that doesn’t make sense, it was just a rambling way of introducing two examples of random occurences, one favorable, the other a pain in the ass. Neither example is particularly deep or meaningful, so if you are looking for insights and wisdom, feel free to look elsewhere (inward is always a good choice).
Read more...Living not writing
As I optimistically promised more words after the silent retreats, I am writing to re-adjust that forecast…
Read more...Doing to Be
One quote I have used frequently in class is, “We are not human doings, we are human beings.” Unfortunately, I have ignored these words more often than I have said them, especially of late.
Read more...Pain is inevitable, Suffering is optional