I experienced the technique of vipassana as very helpful and efficient. I wish I’d find a teacher that would update S.N.Goenkas teachings though. I attended his donation based retreats, and listening to the same recordings from decades ago, over and over again, feels a bit out of time. If anyone here could recommend vipassana teachers, I’m happy to get informed.
Other than that, I had amazing experience with holistic breath work and ayahuasca. And yoga, 3-4 times a week.
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Over the years I have experienced, yoga, meditation, Reiki and breath-work. At 69 years old I am now taking on teaching meditation Custom and writing Reiki Infused Poetry and I paint. **feeble attempts at self-learning to play the mandolin.
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All my life I’ve been changing from one thing to the other. I was raised a Catholic so going to Mass was my practice for a long time. I evolved from that as my questions became more numerous and asking them was not popular. Gradually I became freer to explore with mantras, breath meditation, Reiki, Gratefulness, 12 Steps program. The 12 Steps helped me a lot and I stayed on that path for 10 yrs. I fell off that wagon and since then am floundering around with no discipline to any practice but at the same time gaining insights that give me those awe moments when I read particular people like Iilia Delio, Thomas Berry & Brian Swimm , and listen to Podcasts. Instead of doing any suggested things from this course during the last week, I’ve been listening instead to the Be Here Now Podcasts from Ram Dass. Deep down I connect with what he says but have no motivation/discipline to ‘practice’. To quieten my mind, let go of old habits that are not enhancing my life, let go of ‘desire’ for one big
habit that has been tagging along with me since I was about 12yrs and is now in complete control of my life. And I can’t find the willingness to give it up. On the outer level people would say I’m in great form, can organise inspirational events at work which is part of my job and people even tell me I am very caring and give off an aura of peace!! I try my best, to be my best, ( not achievement orientated, but just be a good person). LOVE is my motto. That’s how I try to approach my day to day. I encourage myself as best I can.
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@cookbook-for-a-sacred-life-free-ecourse Anyone have any suggestions?
I am based in Berlin/Germany and will be visiting the US in May/June. Currently I am looking for a retreat, course, community gathering, workshop or anything similar that focuses on mindfulness practices of any kind, including camping in nature, meditation, ceremonies, asf. My first June week is still free and I’d like to connect with like minded people in the US within the frame of a community gathering.
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Have you checked out Sharon Salzberg and Insight Meditation Society, Jack Kornfield at Spirit Rock, Trudy Goodman at Insight LA, David Nicktern at Dharma Moon, and Joseph Goldstein? Joseph, Sharon, David, and Jack all have podcasts on the BeHereNowNetwork so you can get a feel for them. I think Sharon is one of the most amazing teachers of our times - grounded, experienced, insightful, compassionate, and super aware of the human condition. And I did the Dharma Moon Mindfulnes Meditation Teacher Training and think David is super amazing. Hope that helps!
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Love this. And totally get it. 12-step was a huge part of my spiritual journey…helped me actually connect to all of those practices I was “shoulding” myself about - to own the ones I liked and let go of the ones that seemed like an obligation.
And yes to the path of AWE! (as well as Thomas Berry & Brian Swimm). I think they may be connected to the Matthew Fox world, who talks about the four via - paths to god. One being Awe and Wonder. One being the dark night of the soul.
There were times in my life when I was floundering around my addiction, that all spiritual teachings just felt like indications of my failure. That’s when my practice became listening to the birds and admiring nature and just loving my own sacred heart to the best of my abilities, and letting myself off the hook for being better than I was. And evenutally, Ram Dass came in and I could listen to him without it stimulating my “spiritual perfectionism”.
Thank you for sharing and for the path you are on!!!
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Wow, thank you so much Jacquelyn 
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This is exactly the reply I was hoping for! 
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