Sep 21, 2005, SEPTEMBER UPDATE

I spent a lot of time this August on Long Island at Siena Retreat House in Watermill. Until just a few weeks ago, Siena was owned by the Dominican sisters but now, alas the beautiful old house has been sold. While I was there, I helped out with the last two retreats and with sorting through all the contents in the house—mostly throwing things away and going through each room readying the inventory for the huge tag sale once all the scheduled activities were finished. It was a bitter-sweet time—running a large, old house had become such a burden for the sisters who lived there and so I’m happy for them that the pressure is off now, and happy also that the Order has a nice lump sum with which to finance many other close-to-the-heart projects. But, on the other hand, selfishly, I won’t anymore be able to stay in on that glorious property with its magnificent views and palpable serenity. However, as we know, all things come to an end and Siena is over now—and if life follows its usual pattern, something else is bound to emerge. Now, I’m back in New York, about to depart this coming Monday—September 26th—for a 6-week silent retreat in Barre, Massachusetts. I am so looking forward to it. It’s an intense meditation time with no reading, writing or speaking. Not that it’s all hunky-dory and blue birds flying around one’s head—actually quite the opposite most of the time. It’s probably one of the more courageous undertakings I ever embark on because everything comes into the mind and one gets to see all the clutter, not to mention all the buried emotions and feelings which have a nasty habit of side-swiping one, and making it painful process. Many think that going off to be in silence is selfish, that it’s all about “self”. Not atall. For me, it’s like diving into the very eye of the hurricane, into the eye of life. Not everyone has a life where they can just go away for a month-and-a-half. For me, not only does it recharge my batteries, but I feel that I do it for all those who are unable to. What blesses one, blesses all. However, it does take a lot of organizing to drop out of regular life for six weeks—so I’m busy. I will return from retreat on November 4th then immediately fly to California to give a talk, then on to Tennessee. Back in New York mid-November. I’ll write again then. May we all live in peace and harmony.