Post Retreat Effects

Just got back from another Dharma talk at Cheng Beng Buddhist Society. In fact, its a Dharma Dialouge session. The above picture is Ven Ji Kang, one of the 3 teachers who conducted our meditation retreat last week. He is not to be mistakened with the famous HK artiste, Liu Qing Yun or Lau Cheng Wan.

Ven caught me by surprise by emailing me late last night, with well wishes. He called me today at my work again, for a chat, but unfortunately I was too busy to talk to him. Decided to meet him up this evening at Cheng Beng instead of going to train for my coming IPPT.

Frankly speaking, I am still pretty uneasy with the way Ven JiKang carried himself. I think he is getting too close to the lay people, to the extent of joking and leaning his arm over the shoulder of another fellow yogi during the last day of the retreat. I personally feel that we shld respect and keep a distant away from our spiritual teachers for effective learnings. However, he keeps reminding me that I shldnt learn the Dharma in such a strict and tensed up atmosphere, reminded me of Ven Chang Qing. Considering the fact that he has been ordained for more than a decade, I have absolute faith in his teachings and guidiance.

Similarly, I am glad to have met some new friends during the meditation retreats. Among them are some NUSBS snrs (the alumuni), whose presence reminded me of the few snrs i met in NUSBS FOC 2000. Similarly, they have the very calm and peaceful looks on their faces, compassionate smiles and speak very gently plus mindfully. These are the traits that impressed me during foc2000 and made me opened up to Buddhism. Indeed, the presence of these alumuni at the retreat reminded me of the days i spent in FOC2000.

Also, I get to know a couple of youths who were new to meditation retreats. They shared very interesting views on life, and one of them is extremely helpful when he learns abt the problems i am facing.

What touches me most are the aunties who are extremely devoted to learning the Dharma. No, most of them are not veterans in buddhism but also relative newbies like me. But they have such wonderful good karma to realise the importance of practising meditation at this later stage of their life. As such, I feel tat this retreat for them is even much more precious than to any of us youngsters.

Before I left the retreat, a few of these aunties stopped me and told me that I MUST continue to organise retreats, so that they can attend them in future. They have thought I am part of the organisers cos i took charge of some items during the retreat. I din bother to explain, but i 'promised' them i wud do so. This evening, I told Peisen to rob me in for future retreat plannings.

I feel so happy to share with the aunties on the importance of good meditation postures and getting themselves meditation cushions. Also explained to them on the different traditions of buddhism. This is the 2nd time (after vesak day at PKS) that i actually did my small part to reach out to ppl of a different age grp from mine.


Anyway, thanks to Edward and Jane for your concern abt how my retreat went. Its splendid, really :D May u all find a good job soon!