This is not the end, but the beginning.
Here is a summary of where we’ve been, and a list of suggestions for continuing your exploration of meditation.
Where we’re been
We hope you appreciated and benefited from the material we sent you. Remember that even if you didn’t manage to read everything or watch all the videos, they’re always there for you. In fact here’s a handy list of all the posts we sent during the retreat:
- Urban Retreat: Day 1: Demystifying lovingkindness
- Urban Retreat: Day 2: Authentic lovingkindness
- Urban Retreat: Day 3: Lovingkindness: When the rubber hits the road
- Urban Retreat: Day 4: Protecting others, you protect yourself.
- Urban Retreat, Day 5: Looking with loving eyes
- Urban Retreat, Day 6: The tender heart of lovingkindness
- Urban Retreat, Day 7: The practice of gratitude
- Urban Retreat, Day 8: Developing compassion
And there were three guided meditations that we led as part of the event. You can access those anytime, here:
- Urban Retreat Lovingkindness Meditation #1
- Urban Retreat Lovingkindness Meditation #2
- Urban Retreat Lovingkindness Meditation #3
What’s next?
If you want to maintain and deepen your meditation practice and, perhaps, your practice of Buddhism more generally, here are a few options:
1. Wildmind’s Year of Going Deeper
Our Year of Going Deeper is a year-long series of meditation events, where we’ll explore various aspects of meditation. It’ll be like the Urban Retreat, but with more of a sense of community. There are eight events planned, spanning the whole of 2014. Some are introductory, while others are more in-depth. All the events are free, although donations are encouraged. Click here to learn more about the Year of Going Deeper.
2. The World in Balance, March 20, 2014
The World In Balance is a special event we’re running on the March equinox: March 20, 2014, at 16:57 UTC (click on the link to add the event to your calendar in your local time). It’s a worldwide meditation event, taking place at the exact moment that the earth’s equator passes the center of the sun, the earth is perfectly upright, and the transit from the seasonal extremes is at a balance point worldwide — but at the moment the details of the event are a secret! All we can tell you now if that it’s going to be big.
3. Join Wildmind’s Community
Our community is the most civilized, sane, compassionate place you’ll find for discussing your practice, and for getting support and encouragement. Join here.
4. Subscribe to Wildmind’s regular, bi-monthly newsletter
Our regular newsletter goes out roughly every two weeks, and contains links to selected news and articles from our blog. As of the next newsletter, there will also be a special article in each edition that hasn’t been published on our blog. Sign up here.
5. Join us for a weekend retreat
Bodhipaksa will be leading a retreat in Florida (just south of Tampa) from Feb 21–23, 2014. You can find out more or register here. There will also be a weekend retreat in southern New Hampshire, May 2–4, 2014. To find out more, subscribe to our newsletter!
6. Make use of other Triratna resources
Free Buddhist Audio is a treasure-trove of audio and written resources on the theme of Buddhist practice. The Buddhist Center is Triratna’s central site, which you can use to find a Triratna Center near you, or to find other resources.
7. Help us to spread the benefits of meditation
Lastly, we’re put a lot of work into this Urban Retreat. How about giving something back, by making a donation of $5, or $10, or even $20?
May you fare well in the future, and may our paths cross again.
Yours,
Bodhipaksa
