I Bow to The Divine in You

The bow that launches
Is the arrow that is shot:
An exhibit by the
One
That honour is inevitably
Gorgeous
For that
Respecting
From that
Witnessing.

Salute to the bowstring.

β€”β€”

I have learnt how to genuinely respect my teachers and other human beings even more after learning meditation in Bali Usada β€” I humbly thank you, Pak Merta Ada. I bow to the divine in you and all my fellow Tapa Brata participants πŸ™πŸΌ

it was a sunny day so Pak Merta Ada invited us all to end the Tapa Brata with 1-hour meditation under the blessed bodhi tree β€” hope health and calmness be granted to all of us β™₯️

Pak Ishak giving his testimony about the noble silence, Ibu Lady his wife video shooting him β€” the oldest participants in this Tapa Brata 2 we all cordially respect

canang under a tree as a daily respect to it for being part of the environment protection

torch ginger is the most grown herb in Bali Usada meditation center β€” yummy and fragrant when cooked

πŸ’š


Three of us stayed in bungalow #4 for 12 days of which in 1st-11th we didn’t talk to each other. We just took turn of using bathroom, switching on/off light at 3:30am and 10:00pm, making sure towel racks were sunbathed, replenishing toilet tissue, cleaning bathroom. All were done in silence in between meditation sessions, physical exercises, meals and lectures. Only at the last night after Tapa Brata was officially summed up, we could not stop sharing about our life journey until 2:00am.

Tami is 32, Fitri is 33 and I am 48: I am the oldest but I am the baby in meditation β€” they meditated 1.5 hours without changing position, I did but could not stop β€œngereog” in the last 5 to 10 minutes.

My age doesn’t mean anything with these 2 ladies of harmonious mind.

See you again, my little sisters! Anicca!
πŸ’•

ngereog literally means performing reog dance; Tami used the word to describe someone’s intense movement during meditation due to muscle stress πŸ˜‚

Ibu Lady, Srimurni and I showered by the morning light right after morning meditation and no shower (yet) β€” Srimurni was one of those could not stop talking to me after the Tapa Brata πŸ˜„

pure friendship is such a magical bond πŸ’•

Knowing Who

Knowing who’s within
Behind an unlocked door. Who?
Look at the mirror

β€”

Loving kindness doesn’t belong to one particular religion. It is not a domain, it is universal. Thanks for the consistent reminder about it.

May all beings be happy.

Salaam.

Pak Merta Ada with 7 of 32 students in his 881st Tapa Brata β€” thank you, Bapak πŸ™πŸΌ

Back Online

Life is just like this:
A line with two ends. Circleβ€”
Choose the best angle.

β€”-

They released us from the silence on May 5 at 11am before lunch time and gave us our gadgets back at 4pm. We were so excited to talk than to play the gadgets; we gathered in the dining hall and shared what we experienced during the noble silence.

We didn’t die without gadgets, no we didn’t. Yet we don’t die because of gadgets, either. Gadgets are just a tool to use wisely.

Each of us couldn’t thank more for everything.

May all beings be happy.

Salaam.

Pak Merta, our meditation teacher

Pak Kourma β€” our daily instructor

Pak Souca β€” our daily caretaker πŸ™πŸΌ

our last session of meditation was loving kindness meditation for daily life; the video camera was prepared for sharing session at the end

May 6 (scheduled post)

Alone the bird flies
To a nest on a tall tree.
She knows where home is.

β€”-

there is love in wing β€” trust the wind and the direction πŸ’

May 5 (scheduled post)

There’s a song to sing
With no other notes but Do,
In two tones: high, low.

β€”-

keep doing it in high and low

May 2 (scheduled post)

Is there her story
In history? Or others’?
A time to ponderβ€”

β€”-

relief in Rumah Makan Ayam Kadewatan