Mia, Throssel lay trainee

Hi everyone,
I’m the 108th registered user, does that mean I get a prize?

My name’s Mia, I’ve been attending Throssel quite intensively as a lay trainee since ’04. I was lucky to have the opportunity to live there (as a lay trainee) full-time for a bit less than a year from ’07 to ’08. I never had the urge to become a monk, although I respect the vocation enormously. The reason I asked to stay longer term was that it took me a long time to begin to get the hang of practice.

Prior to Throssel I tried practice in quite a few different cultures and traditions, but when I came to Throssel I knew it was home. I’m now back working in journalism in London, but have committed to continue to practice in the OBC tradition. I stay in touch, and visit about once a year.

Lise and the moderators, I have to say that I think you’ve done a great job in establishing and keeping this site up. I don’t think I’m going to be a regular commentator – I find it hard enough to make the space to sit without spending addictive swathes of time in cyberspace (it's one of my proclivities). But I hope to add my voice to one or two threads soon. Meanwhile if anyone knows me, give us a wave.

Hello Mia,

I don't know you, but hello and welcome anyway. As the auspicious 108th, you receive the prize of being --- Ta Da! The auspicious 108th! Congratulations.

With palms joined,

Kyogen

lol. Hi Kyogen, and thanks. Gassho

Hi Mia, cheers for that, glad you like the forum. It can soak up some time, depending on which topics get under your skin. Please do add your thoughts whenever you like --

Lise

Hi Mia,

Our paths crossed briefly at Throssel in the Summer of 2008 when I was up there for a week or so, I think. Good to see you on here. I also keep up the practice as best I can with occasional visits to Throssel and regular meditation group attendance.

I share your proclivity for spending too much time on cyberspace and, like you, try to ration my time on here for that reason. I also heartily endorse your gratitude to Lise and the moderators. This Forum is a wonderful piece of work and has made a great positive contribution, I think.

I hope your journalism is thriving.

_/\_

Ian

Hi Ian, yes I remember you! I've seen your posts around here, and recognising a few faces as well as names made me feel quickly at home. Thanks for your kind wishes. _/\_

Hi Mia--welcome to the forum! And thank you, and Ian, for introducing me (and perhaps others as well), to the very nice symbol for the gassho!! (Ian, I noticed it at the end of your post above, but couldn't figure out what it was until Mia's reply).

_/\_

Kozan

Kozan,

I learnt _/\_ from Rev Mugo - either her blog on http://www.jademountains.net/ (always a good read) or an email she sent me......

_/\_

Ian

Ian--I LOVE Rev. Mugo's blog! I have been following it for almost nine months now and have intended, several times, to mention it on this forum. (I kept waiting for the right moment!)

I think that Rev. Mugo, and her blog, embody a non-adversarial, non-coercive approach to teaching and training that comes across in her irrepressible delight with whatever she encounters, photographs, and comments on, in the course of her daily life--as an opportunity for herself and others.

This is in sharp contrast with what Howard (in another post) accurately observed can be a palpable undercurrent of fear in some aspects of the OBC culture.

Mia--you have proposed that overall (if I may paraphrase with my own words), the vast majority of what the OBC and its members do is above reproach, truly admirable, and quite often, profoundly beneficial. I fully agree.

I would propose that Rev. Mugo and her blog, (together with other active OBC members I could name, and haven't already), confirm a solid reason for optimism.

And a final observation. During my time with the OBC, there is no way that RMJK would have permitted RM Mugo to do what she is doing now (even if the technology had existed)!

Hi Mia.

Were you in the Paper a few months back about your time at Throssel? i enjoyed the read!

Glen.

Hi Glen, yes I was. Glad someone read it!

Hi Mia,

I think your article was in the Daily Mail one Saturday? We read it at our our Teesside group and cheered your positive comments about the helpfulness of your experience there. It was like someone speaking well of a friend.

Best wishes,

John

Hi John, yes the Daily Mail bought it from the Guardian. Zen in the media is interesting and tricky: I was contacted by a fair amount of publishers and radio shows off that article, but much as we've all tried to put the practice into words, none of us has succeeded in talking about "nothing" again to mainstream readers. On one extreme there's sensationalist articles in which teachers are dubbed "gurus" and the writer tries to meditate for 10 minutes, or the writer says he was a monk once and talks about practice very superficially; and on the other extreme there's the range of literature for people who are Buddhists. So I'm working on developing a way of communicating the depth of practice to your average Daily Mail reader there's been an amazing response so far. People in general are much more spiritually aware than many have given them credit for.

Mia, I thought I had seen your article in the Guardian magazine too.

You asked me one Sunday festival day to say something about how I had found practice over long period of time and I recall I really couldn't express much, so I understand the difficulty - good luck.

There is a programme on BBC2 at 7-8 tonight (Friday) called "The Big Silence" which you might find interesting.

John