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  Sunday, 24 January 2021
  2 Replies
  641 Visits
Greetings,

Hope you are all doing well (I will come up with another salutation one day :) ). I have started a retreat at my home, alone, and have never been on a retreat before. It was initiated four days ago via the smart advice of an Instructor in the below cited post. While I had never set a goal for how long to keep the retreat going nor have any particular time constraints, I am very, very satisfied and surprised at having been going super strongly, relatively speaking, for four days, but I also want to keep the retreat going for maybe a week, or even a month, or more. :o However, I feel the beginning of the end of this retreat starting. How do I sustain and keep this retreat going?

I know that, if I approach it the right way, I can keep on the retreat and make this the end of the beginning.

It is very possible that my marked success in astral projection during this retreat is actually an obstacle and the cause of my desire to end the retreat because I am so blown away by the experiences, both good ones and bad ones. It is like a surreal shock. Gnosis is so revolutionary that I may not be able to handle the perfidious (to my "beloved" ego) progress being made, as complicated and contradictory as that is.

I am also blatantly challenging and taunting my ego. The wretched thing may be stepping up to the retreat's challenge, ergo filling my mind with ideas like, "You have worked hard enough. Take a break brother." "Spiritual progress can not be made in leaps and bounds. We need to build up to doing long retreats." Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. I know that the fight only gets harder as we progress, yet I do not know how to keep this retreat going ergo making it more impactful.

"I" am actually kind of sick of the retreat by now, to be honest, but part of me wants to keep the retreat going. We could say that it has served its original purpose, which was to curtail my demanding desire to go on a television show bender with "my" favorite show. Thanks again, Almustafa!

So, if you could provide any advice on the issue, I would much appreciate it. We really appreciate your work. Be well, be warm!

Sincerely,
Adam
3 years ago
·
#23926
Accepted Answer
The longer the retreat, the deeper your practices will become.

It’s true that we only really begin to understand a practice after many months and even years of discipline, trial, and error. This is why retreats in many religions have traditionally been very long and intense, because the mind needs radical transformation.

However, you must follow your heart and gauge your abilities, capacities, needs, and practical obligations. While it’s good to push ourselves towards greater discipline, there must be balance so that we don’t burn out.

Only you can determine what will create the greatest equanimity, balance, and harmony in your life.

We feel more inspired to continue as we gain comprehension of the efficacy and utility of retreat. On the same note, we also comprehend when it’s appropriate to rest through following our intuition.

Too much rigidity and firmness can end up breaking oneself, like a piece of steel that is not pliable enough. True strength is sharp, but flexible, adapting to the needs of the moment.

For thirty years I sought God. But when I looked carefully I found that in reality God was the seeker and I the sought. -Bayazid al-Bastami

3 years ago
·
#23926
Accepted Answer
The longer the retreat, the deeper your practices will become.

It’s true that we only really begin to understand a practice after many months and even years of discipline, trial, and error. This is why retreats in many religions have traditionally been very long and intense, because the mind needs radical transformation.

However, you must follow your heart and gauge your abilities, capacities, needs, and practical obligations. While it’s good to push ourselves towards greater discipline, there must be balance so that we don’t burn out.

Only you can determine what will create the greatest equanimity, balance, and harmony in your life.

We feel more inspired to continue as we gain comprehension of the efficacy and utility of retreat. On the same note, we also comprehend when it’s appropriate to rest through following our intuition.

Too much rigidity and firmness can end up breaking oneself, like a piece of steel that is not pliable enough. True strength is sharp, but flexible, adapting to the needs of the moment.

For thirty years I sought God. But when I looked carefully I found that in reality God was the seeker and I the sought. -Bayazid al-Bastami

3 years ago
·
#23934
Thank you, Almustafa.

And I am sorry, everyone, for the levity about coming up with a new salutation one day. I really do hope you all are doing well.

Anyway, that advice is much appreciated. Be well.

Sincerely,
Adam
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