2017.08.21 - Fall Rain Retreat (i.e. The Practice of Study)
I find it interesting that as Fall approaches I am pulled to the idea
of sitting before books and page and taking on the idea of study.
Here I am in my 40th year and I am feeling this urge to do
so again. I walk the rows of buildings through the university of this
town and feel the surging need to begin educational times. I seem to
get this way each year around this time. I guess in many ways it is
in my nature to pursue learning. It is something deep within me that
keeps me going. I have had a hard few years, and yet this keeps being
the way in which I preserve that which is good within my own soul. To
enrich the mind, to learn topics, to debate is to enliven the Soul.
I usually title this time as the Seattle Rain Retreat. It stems from
old ideas of the Rain Retreats in which the Buddha would collect his
Sangha and begin his teachings. At the end of the rainy season they
would go out from the "parks" and monasteries in which they
collected and learn from the practical experience of everyday
interaction of the world. Yet these Rain Retreats would be times in
which they would learn, debate and practice their arts. While working
through my three encounters with higher education, it seemed that
these times and my practice would match this. To call this a Rain
Retreat, seems odd, as the Monsoons will soon be over an the dry
period of the Fall will begin again. Yet this Autumn contemplation
seems to be similar, and is pushing me forward.
The topic of interest these days is Law. It is odd and I am not sure
were it is going. It began with conversations and listening to
current political affairs. Also a state of personal chaos in the mind
and relationships seems to also be leading to study a sense of order
and logic in the affairs of man. That on top of looking back at the
History of the Americas and of how we got to where we are at. It will
be interesting to see where I go from here as I progress down this
path...
Beginning with the Federalist Papers
as a foundation of the ideas of legal reasoning and about the
intention of the framers of this Union. So far it is opening my eyes
to the current state of the world. Are we slipping from where we once
where? Or are these the growing pains of a larger Republic that
technology and communications are pushing forward faster then we can
comprehend. In the end, it is definitely a period of strain, unrest
and question. We need to look back and present to understand who we
really are. We need to look forward and wonder if the natural
progression is what we want to be. In the end, we are similar
passionate people to those of the past. We are mindful at times, yet
harshly forgetful in others. With rational discourse win the day, or
the force of wild opinionated passions...
To
sit in a cozy cabin, looking out into a ponderosa grove while a stack
of new books, fresh bound paper and the crackle of a fireplace,
brings a comfort to this practice this year...
I
guess I will read on...
--
Ridgewalker
