Written By Kaleigh Isaacs

In a week from today I will be starting a weekthün (a solid week of intensive group meditation). It is my second weekthün ever and I’m both nervous and excited.

As the retreat approaches it has been much easier for me to get to the cushion each day. Maybe I’m kindly preparing myself for the longer days of sitting that are about to come but something else is there as well—a feeling of clarity and confident intention.

My first weekthün happened three years ago. It was my first retreat besides a much shorter Level I that I had taken years prior. I remember what a challenging and heart opening experience it was for me—in fact that was when I first considered the idea of living up at SMC as a way to continue with the greater depth of practice I had come to appreciate during the retreat.

So here I am three years later, having arrived at SMC in May to tend the garden but moved to program coordinating during the evacuation to Boulder due to the High Park Fire. Now I am the busy (and cheerful) marketing associate, barely willing to drag myself away from my computer and precious analytics software to enjoy the richness of a retreat at SMC.

Over the past week I’ve found myself reconnecting with that original intention I had three years ago. The inherent sanity of that decision to come live and practice up here is making me slow down and appreciate. Remembering how I value the opportunity to live, practice and work in community and I see with open eyes, that I’m exactly where I want to be.

So wish me luck! Anyone out there remember their first weekthün or dathün?

Wanna join me? You can register for the whole dathün or just do a week: click here.