Let the Happiness Begin

Day 5
What amazes me is how the very intention of retreat sets events in motion that are beyond anything I could ever have imagined—finding true peace for the first time in my life; Linda making shifts with her health; both of us opening to an entirely new paradigm for being in the world. These shifts have nothing to do with anything external--it comes from the pure and simple intention of opening the space for “retreat.”

Still, it's very easy to get caught. When I look at the calendar, I’m surprised to find that I’ve set up appointments for every day of the week—doctors, dentists, acupuncturists, massage. Surely this couldn’t relate to my being on a silent retreat? The mind is so tricky. I cancel every appointment I can and breathe a sigh of relief.

Linda and I fall in love again--not that we ever fell out of love, but there is a deep renewal of gratitude and appreciation for each other.

We walk on Thomson Road with the dogs.It is one of those magical spots on Maui--a narrow, winding road on the slopes of Haleakala that leads to Oprah's ranch and a few other houses. Far below us we can see the ocean and the island of Lanai; to our left pasture and ranch land rise up into the clouds, looking like the moors of Scotland.

“Let the happiness begin,” Linda says, looking into my eyes with love. These are the words that came to her in a dream before we even met. In the dream she had a vision of us both facing each other, with sparks of light flying between us. Linda has had profound mystical experiences since she was a child. The first time she attended a spiritual retreat she went into a state of bliss where she could barely feed herself for days. Although she never joined a spiritual group, had a teacher, or did formal practices, she is able to effortlessly slip into that place of unity consciousness where the whole universe can appear in a dewdrop.