jeblog

meditating in deer park

A week ago I returned from a mindfulness retreat in the high desert of Escondido (outside San Diego) California. It was at a monastery called Deer Park, founded by Thich Nhat Hanh.

Thich Nhat Hanh was there giving his teaching, which is always amazing. But perhaps even more profound was spending so much time in silence with 800 people! It was definitely cramped but on a mindfulness retreat everyone is on their best behavior, so it went relatively smoothly. And even if it didn't, those who've done these retreats before know that dealing with the craziness is an important part of the practice.

I took pictures and put together a photo gallery, which you are invited to peruse at the Washington Mindfulness Community website:

http://www.mindfulnessdc.org/deerpark_photos.html