9.30.2007

from silent retreat to silent movie



so i spent a little over a week at a silent retreat in massachusetts. it was really beautiful and the weather was kind of perfect. . . only got a little muggy and hot over the weekend. i thought i had planned everything out. . . knowing that i would get my period, i had the proper provisions. . . and i brought some food, since i didn’t really know what to expect. . . i had plenty of tea and honey. . . what i didn’t prepare or count on was getting a cold. . .

it was actually really chilly my first three days there. . . and i felt a suspicious tickle in my throat the first night. two and a half days in, and i had a full head cold. not exactly what you are hoping for when you are being asked to breathe and meditate calmly. i was lucky that i was the only one around for the first part of the week. i’d hate to share the meditation space and be constantly buggy anyone else by blowing my nose and sniffling.

the entire week was exceedingly quiet and serene. . . just what i was looking for. i listened to some music on certain days, hiked on and near the appalachian trail, meditated, reflected. . . fell asleep whenever i felt like it. it was pretty great. i got a little restless over the weekend, but it passed over and i felt ready to get onto other tasks by the time i left.

i called mom and dad on my way home. mom asked if i was up for a themed movie that night. . . themed?

it was a silent movie, with a live organist being hosted at her college. it seemed rather fitting. . . turned out to be a buster keaton movie- the general- and the organist was pretty talented. can’t imagine having to keep up with a movie that i haven’t seen and continuously adding a score off the top of my head. . . that’s a special talent.

not a bad way to re-enter the regular world,

No comments: