I have a long-term project, with no timetable. The goal is to organize community funded (and operated) meditation retreats in a "style" that de-emphasizes "masters" or "gurus", and their associated hierarchies of worldly power, or privilege. Such dynamics are unhealthy and are, in fact, immediate evidence of institutional hypocrisy if one is even to begin a discussion of spiritual "insight".
The idea is to create an egalitarian, cooperative, nonreligious, non-devotional format for silent meditation, and short, spontaneous discussion/debate. Participants will sit in a circle, and speakers will be nominated/elected/invited from within and/or outside of the group.
Most of the posts in this blog are meant as justifications for this project, which may or may not get off the ground. I will refer to them from the project website.
By the way, it is actually a simple thing to design such a system, based around the activity of meditation, and the simplest, necessary work that is required to support such activity in a group setting.
I am constantly surprised that this has not been done.
In fact, I wish that somebody would do it, besides me.
If you are reading this, and you create a reasonable (and safe) organizational format for meditation retreats, let me know. You will save me the trouble, and I will help you.
I have to say, the reason I say it is a project with no timetable is simply because I don't think there is a demand for it. I am sad about that. It is very rare that I meet someone who is not seeking a traditional "master", in whatever tradition I'm visiting.
I often ask people "what do you think your cushion is for, anyway?"
I get some very sad answers, to this question.
I have never had someone say "So that I may see for myself".
The idea is to create an egalitarian, cooperative, nonreligious, non-devotional format for silent meditation, and short, spontaneous discussion/debate. Participants will sit in a circle, and speakers will be nominated/elected/invited from within and/or outside of the group.
Most of the posts in this blog are meant as justifications for this project, which may or may not get off the ground. I will refer to them from the project website.
By the way, it is actually a simple thing to design such a system, based around the activity of meditation, and the simplest, necessary work that is required to support such activity in a group setting.
I am constantly surprised that this has not been done.
In fact, I wish that somebody would do it, besides me.
If you are reading this, and you create a reasonable (and safe) organizational format for meditation retreats, let me know. You will save me the trouble, and I will help you.
I have to say, the reason I say it is a project with no timetable is simply because I don't think there is a demand for it. I am sad about that. It is very rare that I meet someone who is not seeking a traditional "master", in whatever tradition I'm visiting.
I often ask people "what do you think your cushion is for, anyway?"
I get some very sad answers, to this question.
I have never had someone say "So that I may see for myself".
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