The gong rings at 4:30 am. I can feel the fatigue in my body. Its been 2 days of sleeping on the floor, sitting the floor and eating while sitting on the floor. Everyone seems to moving slower this morning. Slowly, we make our way to the mediation hall to do a double practice. The fire blazes in the wood

I woke up his early morning looking forward to a whole day of practice, workshops and community. It is a beautiful and chilly Vermont morning. The meditation hall sits within a myriad of trees and cleared brush. The western exposure faces a green pasture with views of the distant mountains.  I pause, reflect, turn all my senses up and breathe.