Adventures in Deer Park: My First #WakeUp Retreat (Part 1: The Present)

Signs such as these are scattered all over the Monastery, reminding Retreatants and Monastics alike to take a breath and enjoy life as it is.

First off, let me just say that if you are struggling with anything in your life, The Wake Up retreat at Deer Park Monastery in Escondido may just help you to get started on the path of healing.This is what happened to me. I have been struggling with some severe anxiety disorders for quite some time now (years, in fact), and when I arrived at the Monastery I was truly terrified. There I was, being dropped off in a strange place, alone, surrounded by people that I didn't know, who seemed to know far more about the general flow of Monastery life than I did. What on Earth was I thinking? Truthfully, I considered whether or not I should just get back in the car and leave this place in the dust. But I am so glad that I didn't.

Monastery life (or at least the little glimpse that I had) is very, very different from city life...and I don't even live in the heart of the city! Thankfully, I live about 45 minutes away from that chaos. But for me, even this small dose of hectic, rushed life can be far too much to handle. So, my stay in Deer Park was very much needed and taught me more than I ever expected to learn. The 5 days that I spent in the heart of the Buddhist practice made me conscious of how unnecessary and strenuous I feel when I am in my hometown. This fast-paced, competitive, money-first-health-later, conditionally-happy lifestyle that we spend our days drowning in is so damaging to our spirits and makes us lose sight of what really matters: The Present.

Above: The Circle Garden near the dorm buildings at Deer Park Monastery. On the first night, we had a session of Walking Meditation just through this area.

In our daily hustle-and-bustle, we forget that the only thing that truly exists is the Present Moment. During my time in the monastery, I realized how crucial it is to spend as much time and awareness in The Present Moment as you possibly can because the great thing about the present moment is that it is both perpetually fleeting and, according to Deepak Chopra, lasts forever. Simply slowing down to take a breath once a day and say to yourself "I already have everything that I need to be happy" can change your outlook on life and the way that you perceive whatever situation that you are in.

During these 5 days, I learned so much and will surely write more about it in the near future, but for now all I want to say is that this retreat, for me, was a new beginning and I am so excited to share it with you.

Thanks for reading everyone.

With lots of love,

Emma