Plum Village Here We Come

I don´t really have the energy for a full post tonight as I am tired already and since I´m a little shaken up by the news that my sisters both have concussions as a result of being hit by a driver who ran a red light this morning.  Mindfulness is more than just something we do on the cushion people, watch where you´re going.  (If you are reading this I love you both and I give you kisses on your little dented heads from across the Atlantic).

Yesterday was a pretty emotional day in many a direction.  The highlights are: 1. Ingrid and I finally had a little talk after she sort of snapped at me (don´t worry we´re cool...there was a little welling up on both sides but I think that was more a sign of the release than anything else...I think it was actually the most present and accepting I´ve been during criticism...I don´t necessarily agree with all of what was said, but its worth taking a look at in any case) and 2. I set in motion my plan to do a one week retreat at Plum Village (Thich Naht Hanh´s Zen practice center here in the Dordogne) from Friday the 8th to Friday the 15th, after which I will head back to Paris for two days and then go to Berlin and Dresden for eight.  I confirmed pick up with them today so I am rather excited about that.  I wasn´t going to even try due to the price, but with how perfectly the dates worked out and with my desire to keep the momentum of my practice going I gave it a chance and called.  It turns out that they have a 50% discount for students and the unemployed, which put it just in price range (meaning I couldn´t justify staying away).  Thay won´t be there as he is traveling through South-East Asia on a teaching tour (maybe I´ll catch him in that part of the world), but I´m confident it will be well worth the trip.  I think I will benefit a great deal from a practice heavy environment at this point in time.  The monastery is the reason I chose this region so I´m very happy its working out.  I will probably not have internet access while at the monastery so I just wanted to give a heads up.  Alright, goodnight.