What we're actually doing with our days

Since we finished our yearlong retreat a few weeks ago, some friends have been asking what we’re up to.

As in: it looks like we’re still kind of in retreat.

But not. 

The confusion is understandable. Maybe I can explain.

Almost four years ago, when I finished my PhD, devon and I embarked on an extended period of intensive dharma practice. The idea was to spend three or four months of every year in cloistered retreat. And eight or nine months in semi-retreat.

In our plan, the cloistered retreat structure would follow a typical schedule with strict boundaries and the rest.

In our plan, the semi-retreat structure would include 20 hours of work per week, and 40 hours of formal meditation.

This was our way of integrating deep dharma into our lives, without abandoning our students, and while taking care of necessities like health care, retirement savings, and the occasional new pair of shoes.

But as we made our way through this intensive period of practice, we realized we wanted to do a whole year of retreat.

So we did. 

Now that’s over and we’re back to the semi-retreat structure for the next half a year. 

Which means for the next six months, devon will teach a residential retreat just about every month. And I’ll teach something online, alone or with a friend, every month.

(In fact, you could check out the online daylong retreat I’m teaching this Saturday called “Paramis As Presence.” Just click here.)

That said, as with previous semi-retreat periods, we’ll limit our social contact and stay mostly focused on meditation, even in the midst of picking up more responsibilities.

And what’s in store after we finish this final period of semi-retreat in early July? 

Well, I said on FB+IG a few days ago that I have some big news to share. And that’s true. But it looks like I’ll have to wait a couple weeks to share it . . .

Not easy for me, but we need to move at a pace that honors the many moving parts of this process.

sending big metta,
nico hase