Retreat

"To retreat," or to take a step back, seems to have bad press in our culture. It's not popular to take a step back in an argument, for example. It's not popular to put on the brakes and let the car trying to edge into your lane nudge into your lane! It's not popular to take a few moments to decide what you want when you're in line at fast food restaurant; make up your mind, fast! so you don't hold anyone else up! It's not popular to stand and count your change in line at the drug store. It's not popular to use the few moments you have to wait in line somewhere to close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and savor the moment.

Nope! None of these examples is popular.

To retreat, or to take a step back, is one kind of spiritual practice. Spiritual practice gives us an opportunity to try a different way to live. You don't have to do spiritual practice perfectly. Not at all; on the contrary, spiritual practice is, simply, practice. You get to practice and fail, and then you get to practice again.

This week, practice retreat. Don't even think about it if a second car cuts in line in front of you after the first one. Don't think about it when the line of traffic doesn't give way to you! It's not about THEM, it's about you, and you're practicing!

Enjoy!
Warmly,
meb