Siddhartha Gautama image by Flickr member Siesja, used with a Creative Commons license

It’s been several days since the end of my first 5-day sesshin (Zen meditation retreat) and although it feels that the effects have worn off, my commitment to Zazen has not. As I’ve explained to friends and family, a meditation retreat is not about relaxing, but more an opportunity to deepen my meditation practice.  And that it did.

Some background

Before I elaborate on my retreat, I want to share my circuitous journey to finally committing to Dharma practice. I first became fascinated with Siddhartha Gautama’s story when I was in high school. After college, I moved to Santa Fe, NM where I met a friend who introduced me to Zazen. That’s when I immersed myself in books on Buddhism, Zen, the Buddha, and I began to sit regularly at the beautiful Upaya Zen Center on Cerro Gordo Road.  I also attended my first sesshin, a short 3-day retreat.  It was a simple and beautiful time in my life. [Read more...]