Namaste
I am Bobute, which is Lithuanian for grandmother! I am Lithuanian/Roma. I would like to make a few comments about a retreat I attended in January.
It was not a silent retreat. I will attend my first one in March. The one I went to was a recovery retreat from addiction. I was the only one present trying to find myself after the loss of my only son who passed away at 40 years old.
As the current posting about a silent retreat mentioned, I too felt as though I was returning to a world I no longer belonged to. I live in one of the hardest hit parts of Katrina land, La.
Outside my door waits the aftermath of a war zone. Where I went on retreat had no signs of anything more than a quite, peaceful, sleeping mother earth.
I did not want to live before I went away. I found a new mE wanting to live once more in that peaceful place. I would recommend time for self as being most important in each of our lives.
Maybe to heal as I am doing, maybe just because your body, mind, and spirit is crying out for it. I just wanted to say how important I found this to be, even though, I too have returned to a world I do not seem to fit into any longer.
I will not "force the fit," by being anyone but myself. I know it is there if I need it and that has made a big difference in my life.

Ac^iu Labai
Bobute. mE