Tender Pockets of Grief
While visiting Clarity Hamlet last winter, a practitioner begins to heal tender pockets of grief by practicing meditation, walking, mindful eating, noble silence, and walking for her ancestors.
Dear Deer Park,
I came to you for a week long stay at Clarity Hamlet in winter. I was in the midst of my teacher credential program and wanted to cultivate more solidity and peace in myself for my future students. There was a lot of familial pain in me and I knew I did not want to pour from an empty or troubled cup. It was challenging to acclimate, everything was new and I felt anxious. The practice though, of waking and meditating, walking, mindfully eating, noble silence all helped me to come back home to myself and hold my feelings.
T. LeeSitting in nature helped me open up tender pockets of grief stored within me that I didn't expect.
Talking to my ancestors and walking for them, as Thay recommends even when they've passed, helped me feel that I am their continuation and that I can love them through loving myself. Stopping every time I heard a bell was particularly comforting and supported my mindfulness throughout the day or when eating. Coming out of my mind or worries about the past or future helped me experience the peace found in every breath in the present.
In my class I eventually want to put up a clock that rings every 15 or 30 minutes so my students can experience coming back to themselves and reminding themselves there is more to life than just endless tasks. Even if the clock isn't quite practical, the practices I've continued beyond my stay with you have definitely affected my ability to teach from a compassionate place.
Deer Park, by staying with you, I realized I don't need to visit you to feel peace. I can visit the island within that you helped me grow at a very foundational time of my teaching and spiritual journey. I have so much thanks to respected Thay, Deer Park, all the monastics and volunteers, and the Hemera Foundation.
With gratitude,
T. Lee
In harmony with Thay’s practice of writing love letters to share gratitude, love, and peace with those around him, we asked practitioners to submit love letters to Deer Park describing what it means to them.
If you would like to submit your own Love Letter to Deer Park, please email us at loveletters@deerparkmonastery.org. We love receiving your writings, poetry, and photos. Please include your name and Dharma name if you have one.
