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March/April 2008 There have been some interesting new developments at ‘Skycliffe’ Monastery and Retreat Centre over the last few months, including the release of the first issue of our new publication, the Transcendental Awareness News Journal. The articles are written from a viewpoint that ‘transcends’ or goes beyond the ordinary way of looking at life. Based on the Teachings of the Wisdom Master, the articles approach a variety of topics from a perspective that is not limited by ideas of ‘good and bad’ or ‘right and wrong.’ Instead, the articles consider what behaviors in society are clearly destructive and what alternative approaches would bring upliftment. The Journal also contains recurring columns that approach relationships, workplace and health issues in a way that one may not have considered before. To receive a complimentary subscription to the Journal, please e-mail us at TAnews@humuh.org, The online version can be viewed at www.humuhbuddhistjournal.org At the end of March, we completed a month-long retreat titled “Living the Realized State.” The month was filled with inspiring Teachings and lively discussions, encouraging us to apply what we learned to our moment-to-moment experiences. During one particularly animated Teaching, the Wisdom Master spontaneously devised an exercise to assist us in learning to stay ‘centered’ instead of getting caught up in the drama of our daily lives. In a clearing just outside the Temple, logs were placed in a spiral formation. We were then instructed to very purposefully walk on top of the logs for the entire length of the spiral, staying totally focused as we moved from log to log. In this way, both body and mind can become familiar with the feeling of ‘centeredness.’ This empowering feeling can then be used in our daily lives to stay calm in the midst of challenging or stressful situations. The exercise is not limited to walking on logs. With a little imagination, one can find many ways to practice this moving, focused balance, as we walk from the house to the car, or through a busy work situation, or from one room to another in our homes. In this way, we constantly reinforce an inner ‘balanced’ feeling, which we can come to rely upon throughout our day. Coming up in April and May, there are two opportunities to experience a weekend retreat at Skycliffe. No prior meditation experience is necessary.
There is still space available for both of these weekend retreats. For more information, please call the HÜMÜH office at 446-2022. There is no charge for the Teachings. The only charge is for food and lodging; however, pre-registration is a must.
February, 2008 This month at ‘Skycliffe’ Monastery and Retreat Centre, we are in the midst of a series of one-month retreats titled “Living as an Enlightened Being.” These retreats are designed to be a journey of self-discovery in which the participants are given plenty of time between Teachings to contemplate the lessons given, so that they can be truly integrated into our lives. January’s focus was How the Consciousness Causes Karma. During this retreat, Wisdom Master Maticintin showed us that we each see life a little differently based on the experiences we have had and our reactions to those experiences. Unless we make an effort to stay open to new ways of looking at life, we can easily become trapped in our viewpoints and life becomes very repetitious: doing the same things, in the same way, day after day. If, however, we can train ourselves to stay open to life and explore new ways of doing and seeing things, life can stay fresh and interesting. The Wisdom Master encouraged us to find ways to make every moment of our lives special. One great way of doing that is to make a conscious effort to help others as we move through our day. The focus of February’s retreat is “The Arousal of Visions.” In the first few days of this retreat, the Wisdom Master has shown us that our inner and outer life cannot be separated; the conditions that have manifested in our lives are a direct result of the constant undercurrent of thoughts and feelings we carry inside of ourselves. When we become aware of this, we can begin to consciously direct our thoughts and feelings. When we learn to sustain this ‘mindfulness’-- focusing on what we want, instead of what we don’t want--our lives are uplifted. No longer does one have to ‘settle for’ or ‘make-do’ with unwanted conditions. If this glimpse of the Teachings has piqued your interest, there is still space available for the March retreat, which will focus on Expanding the Realized State. Participants may attend any portion of this retreat as long as they come at the beginning of the month. For more information please call the HÜMÜH office at 446-2022 or visit us on the web at www.humuh.org. There is no charge for the Teachings. The only charge is for food and lodging; however, pre-registration is a must. ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ‘Skycliffe’ is open to visitors between the hours of 10am and 4pm Wednesdays only. A self-guided tour of the Monastery grounds, including the Forest Temple of Enlightenment and the Golden Healing Stupa* area is available during those hours. Visitation is by donation. *A Stupa is a sacred monument that houses the ancient spiritual Teachings which are at the heart of all religions.
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