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. If we are willing and able to suspend our beliefs about how life should be, could be and would be if only, life is not that complex. In fact, I believe it radiates with simplicity. Breathe. In this moment, right now, I breathe in. I breathe out. Breath…the foundation of our very simple existence. Forget your breath and lose your way. Stay with your breath and your path is clear.
The afternoon was filled with a great workshop on Qi and Sun Do breathing. It helped provide for more focus during our late morning practice. After lunch, we took a ride to a bubbling brook…oh, how I love the sound…and walked on the grounds of the retreat. I was surrounded by long grass and dandelion puffs blowing in the wind. As I write now, I know peace is possible…with every step and with every breath.
The focus of this retreat is the Qi energy flow that is based in the five element and yin and yang theory. The information can get complex with many details; however, the beauty is in the simplicity: A regular Sun Do practice with proper breathing will bring all these internal energies into harmony. This is a great lesson for life.