Thay taking a rest and drinking a cup of tea mindfully during the walking meditation
Thay leading the last walking meditation
Sun finally came out after the rain...
Accommodations
Our room
My friend and I wanted to go to Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh's retreat in Nottingham back in August but was put off by the high price (almost £500!), so we went to his talk in London instead. Although I was disappointed, I kinda put it aside without much thought. A month later, I told my Hong Kong friend that I was going to be in town during November, and to my surprise, she informed me that Thay was also visiting, and she had just signed up for the retreat. I couldn't believe my luck... but the most shocking thing was the cost of the retreat... only £100! Not sure why there was such a huge difference in the pricing but I definitely was glad to attend and save a few hundred pounds at the same time!
Last New Year, I went on my first major Buddhism/ meditation retreat with over 100 people in the U.K. and the experience taught me a lot about myself and others. While I was there, I struggled to focus and encountered many inner conflicts, but the impact was huge and I remained positive for almost 2 weeks after the I left the retreat! With this experience, I was more prepared this time and thus coped pretty well with over 1400 retreaters!
The differences between the two retreats: 1. Most people on this retreat were already familiar with either Thay's teaching or had acquired some basic understanding of Buddhism, so their attitudes were very different from those in the U.K. who were driven by curiousity. 2. And because of this, people on this retreat were not as sociable and friendly as those in the U.K. (this could also be due to the culture differences). 3. And to my surprise, the sitting meditations were relatively short and infrequent because the emphasis was more on walking meditations which I quite like.
The common ground of the two retreats: 1. Both with very basic facilities, it could be quite challenging being out of our comfort zones esp. in terms of cleanliness or if you are not used to the food. 2. Both were packed with activities from dusk til dawn, so it could be extremely tiring esp. when you are not used to getting up at 5.30 in the morning and going to bed after 10 every night! 3. Similar programmes with talks, sharing, silence, yoga (or other exercises)... however, my friend and I particularly liked 'Total relaxations' where we could take afternoon naps... brilliant idea!
Of course, the best thing about this retreat was the presence of Thay. It was a rare sight to see 1. Over 1000 Hong Kong people sitting quietly on floor mats with their mobiles turned off (although there were some who did not do this) listening to Thay talking for 2 hours every morning! 2. Grown men and women singing accompanied by cute hand gestures! 3. Usually monks and nuns seem serious and rigid but here, the 80 monks and nuns looked joyful and full of spirits!
And during the first two days, it was pouring down continuously but we went ahead with the walking meditation on the second morning. While most of us had umbrellas, a few had to use towels, yoga mats and hats to cover their heads! It was rather touching to see Thay leading in front and over a thousand people following him in such miserable weather. The power of faith and respect left a strong impression on me.
As expected, there were quite a few minor issues and my friend and I strongly felt that the organizer had accepted too many retreaters or commuters because we were packed like sardines most of time! However, most of us left the retreat more postive and joyful because Thay's kindness, insights, wisdom and sense of humour really touched us all. He even inspired me to take part in the transmission of the five mindfulness training which I hope will help me to become a kinder and more mindful person...
The equally peaceful world outside of the retreat gates...
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