Forest Monastery: A Personal Note
Channel: Consciousness Research Centre
Date: 17/03/2019

This series is classified *Uncategorized | General*

I have been accepted into a traditional Forest Monastery community as a kind of permanent guest. The Chief Monk invited me (he told me later) because he saw me meditating in the early morning, bathed in scintillating golden light. I was investigating an area predicted by locational astrology to be very beneficial for me, and struck gold when I found this place. I have given up my nice house in India, and all unnecessary possessions, to live a simple life of silence and profound contemplation. 

We’re deep in the foothills about 5 km from the nearest back-country dirt road, in a steep old-growth wooded valley with a beautiful pure stream. The pristine forest is full of old trees, medicinal herbs, rare birds and wild creatures. There’s a temple, meditation hall and other retreat facilities, but I hardly ever leave my kuti and meditation cottage. There are only 5 full-time monks. No traffic noise, no women or children, few visitors, no dogs, no music, no TV, phone or internet signal. No food after 12 o’clock noon.

This might sound austere but it’s heaven for me. There’s no pollution, no nonsense, no noise except for thousands of forest songbirds. Music to my ears. I have nothing to do but meditate, and I’m taking full advantage, haha. 

The monks here get it. They are all serious meditators, and are about my age. They well know, as I do, there’s no happiness in material life. But there’s great solace and satisfaction in meditation. So we are happy campers. Our mascot and local representative of Śakti is Mettā, a beautiful loving calico cat, haha. 

We’re up well before dawn. We bathe in an ancient stone ghat in the pure mountain stream. The food is cooked and donated by the villagers, who grow much of it by traditional methods in their own gardens and fields. It’s transcendentally tasteful due to their devotion. 

I’m getting settled in and warmed up, already sitting 5-6 hours a day and trance-sleeping so I need less rest. By the next retreat I’ll be in full practice. I have all the knowledge I need now, having satisfactorily solved the questions I had, and a small selection of excellent books for reference and to keep me inspired. High teachers visit every few months so there’s competent guidance available should I need it. 

I will be offline and otherwise out of contact except on rare occasions when I have some outside business, maybe every few months. Even then I can’t promise to reply to any messages, especially if it would disturb my focus. 

Yes I’m being Selfish. But I know my Self as the Self of all, so there’s really no conflict. I would be crazy to pass up such a golden opportunity—and I’m not crazy. At first I planned to simply disappear without any trace; but since that might cause some anxiety, I decided to post one last message. 

If my views and advice mean anything to you, please do yourSelf a big favor and dedicate your life to learning, practicing, promoting and teaching meditation, enlightenment and Self-realization. The spiritual Path is indeed the Cure for all that ails us. 

🕉 तत्सत्

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