Maitreyi raises the point that it seems that more and more retreatants don't heed the request not not to use their mobile phones on retreat. But what are we in danger of losing when we crave continual connection to friends and family or reach for our phone the moment boredom or aloneness sets in? She suggests that it is only when we allow ourselves to experience a sense of aloneness, and truly give ourselves a chance to be with our experience on retreat, that we are able to go deeper. It is only when we give ourselves this space that we can reach new decisions and come to new insights about ourselves, otherwise we may skim the surface and continue to feed our addiction to stay with the familiar. A challenging question for some of us?
Maitreyi lives and works at the Tiratanaloka Retreat Centre in the Brecon Beacons, Wales.
See all posts from the ECA 2016