Beyond the Clouds

The Bodhi retreat is the high point of my year. I spend all year looking forward to it and then when it comes I lap up all the love I can get from Amida, order members, school members, and newcomers. There is a certain atmosphere that is generated from the people who come to these retreats, especially in December when the weather is cold outside - and the days are short while the nights long. On the outside looking in, it looks wonderfully cozy and inviting; all huddled together with Amida, in a big room lit up with candles. And Amida's inviting everyone in to celebrate and embrace each other with compassion. We've experienced the dark places and know what it's like to be out in the cold and so why not squeeze another person in the circle.

For the past three years we've started the retreat chanting Namo Amida Bu for 24 hours continuously. And what a way to start. I'll use Mudita's analogy of having a tea party which she used in her Dharma talk earlier today: normally we grab a cup of tea or coffee, drink it and go, but every now and then, it's important to invite friends over to share a pot of tea. It makes that cup of tea even more enjoyable and nourishing.

So, the retreat has started and despite several people feeling vulnerable due to various ailments the nembutsu has carried us through to another day. It's amazing how mysterious Amida's love works. Early this morning it started to rain and it was dark and cloudy up until half an hour before we finished. All of a sudden the rain stopped and the clouds broke and there was sunlight streaming into the shrine room lighting up the Buddha figure in the middle of the room.

The light was there all along, and is there all year round, but once a year I like to see it coming into my life in this visible and tangible way - that's all I need to carry me through til the next Bodhi Retreat.