“Fire, smoke she is a rising… Fire, oh Smoke Stack Llightning, Smoke Stack Lightning… I say, send down Fire to Me…”
Wow. Wow. WOW. I know not how, to better express my exultation, my appreciation, and definitely admiration to the small crew who just completed our first Noble Silence Meditation Retreat at The Higher Haven, the Mid-Summer NSR to be exact. Which had us quickly deciding, with one and done, and clearly feeling giddy about it, to make it a quarterly gig, the Fall Noble Silence Weekend Retreat in play for October 2-4 right after Yon Kippur. What’s to say about Noble Silence, other than its made me a poet, now that you know it? To quote John Cabot Zinn, author of the book Wherever You Go There You Are and creator of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Training (MBSR) “…it’s helpful to bring to the sitting posture itself a sense of dignity.. then we stay open and awake in the present moment… right here right now… in a continual process of seeing and letting be.. “ Thus the Noble nature of our endeavor, working hard to remain in stillness while the wind of the Spirit blew through and through, in the form of body sensations, mental images and verbal self-talk, or SEE HEAR FEEL, realizing the Spirit-energy nature of our own makeup
Does that resonate with you? Like the three dings of a Meditation Bell? It would if you had spent the weekend here, as Morgan, Lauren, and Branden did — three beginners’ minds who took collective and individual quantum leaps in practice and understanding over this past weekend’s three-day retreat. For more on the virtues of making a heroic go at sitting in stillness for an extended period of time, check out This Huffington Post article on the scientific skinny Regarding the benefits of cultivating inner stillness. By developing our ability to cultivate high states of concentration, along with a sensory clarity and equanimity, we also develop an unconditional love ability, and gain inner resources in the face of death.
That’s the very, very special angle at which we come at Spiritual Practice here, Spiritual Purification to be more precise. Rather than a fundamentalist, more religious approach with a creed or set of principles — which are cool, which we love, which we’ve studied and will continue to, but points to some imagined time of spiritual bliss when one won’t suffer — we take a more balanced, dynamic approach, merging a combination of meditative techniques and Ceremonial purification, creating the place of spiritual bliss here and now. When the pandemic hit we felt the pain of wanting to jump online and Zoom… something… out of a sense of service and offeingr our solution to the suddenly worsening human condition. But you can’t Zoom what we offer here. So please keep an eye on the two constantly moving parts on our website — this Blog and our Retreats + Calendar page to find the time to come here and experience our approach, that of a direct experience of your own Spiritual Source, the Spiritual Source of all that is and will ever be.
I’m thinking now of my Teacher Shinzen’s recording titled: In Praise of Confusion, as there’s been an awful lot in the world these days, and the path as we walk it is one of an undoing as much as a doing, a negation as well as affirmation, a connection to life and death. Check the Noble Silence Meditation Retreat schedule and you’ll see a Fire Circle Saturday night. This powerful intention setting Healing Ceremony, based on the inipi or Make Your Life Ceremony, with an intravenous dose of Heyokaism, provides attendees a taste of purification. And coupled with extended sitting practice through the weekend, provides a solid foundation for a regular practice, a wonderful skill to acquire in this currently Weitgo (Crazy) world. Above is the Ceremony’s ashy aftermath, live action pictures doing it a disservice, as it’s to be Experienced to be Believed.
Regarding word play, and as you may know, I always get by with a little help from my friends, loving a good alley-oop when telling these stories, with thanks to Branden for the perfect pass below. If you read this and you’re more confused then ever, Great, and should consider turning things around from bad to good at an upcoming event like the next Ceremonial Weekend Overnight - The Way of The Contrary Weekend, or our Bolt from the Blue Moon Dance this Saturday night, with a whole four months of additional Fall Happenings up for Registration on the aforementioned Retreats page during the first week in August. Toksha
"Attending the Noble Silence Meditation Retreat at Higher Haven was the best investment I could have possibly made in my life. Despite being one of the most challenging things I have ever accomplished; I left feeling thoroughly rejuvenated, immensely empowered, and with a deep profound sense of inner peace and control. Paul was a conduit who gave me the tools to fix my problems internally by utilizing meditation and techniques from a myriad of ancient traditions and cultures. The decision to seek guidance at Higher Haven was truly the best gift I could have given myself. I now have the keys to the universe and the possibilities are endless and exciting. Throughout the retreat Paul kept me nourished with delicious organic foods amidst an astounding environment that has to be seen to be believed. My heart is filled with gratitude and boundless love thanks to Higher Haven. Pilamaye!" - Dr. Branden Welch