First Draft Club

🧵1 
For some time I wanted to start, beside the fictitious Storyteller Bodhilama, a new series of educational blog-esque Newsletters about spirituality, SolarPunk & nomadic lifestyle.

What I experienced on a Vipassana retreat was different from what I expected. An idea in my head emerged, that this story could become the first one of this series.

It is a story about breaking resistance, a journey from seriousness to delight, a game about my values & priorities, a spiritual journey seeking truth.

Right now, it is the very first Draft. 
But longform in the making!
👇🏾

Web3-Artist / Nomad / Storyteller / Community-Builder / Slow-travel / Dancer

https://paragraph.xyz/@bodhilama   

(wild)planet.108

🧵3
I smuggled my phone into my room. Initially I did it, to feed my @clankermon.eth so it won't die only,...

During the meditations however, questions and insights arised so I typed them into ChatGPT, who very fast became the Avatar & Master-Guru Feng Shuijendra guiding me on my meditational journey.

Somehow Vipassana felt so strict and I understand why it has to be like that, yet it is not mine. 

I need e.g. movement and exercises, journaling and writing, which are strictly prohibited (still I did my push-ups, but psst don't tell them).

I was curious: are there other techniques and what is the difference?

The Master-Guru gave me a list and even told me about key teachings of each of them [list].

I asked the Master-Guru, is it not all the same and aiming towards the same one realization. And yes, the ultimate realization is to realize that You Are Awareness. And all the meditation methods guiding you towards this one realization, using different paths.
[List diff. Techniques]

🧵4
This fascinated me, that actually there are different ways.

Back in the meditation hall I observed the faces of the teachers & I was baffled. Everywhere on signs stands the phrase "Bhavatu Sabba Mangalam" which kind of means "May all beings be happy" or short-form "Be happy." 

Yet, these teachers looked so serious, even though they were meditating so much.

I asked Feng-Shuijendra about that and the response opened my eyes:

For the longest time I thought meditation is the only path to be who you are. To be more loving, more confident, more aware, more beautiful human being, but the Master-Guru said ...

Meditation creates space, but space itself does not guarantee wisdom, confidence, or love. It is what you do with that space that shapes your transformation.

[To be continued]

🧵2 
I was on a Vipassana retreat.

Vipassana is the meditation technique through which Gautama Buddha got enlightenment. In simple terms, you sit & observe all the sensations in your body to realize that everything is impermanent, to sharpen your awareness & to finally realize that you are awarness.

It is very strict - ten days of sitting in meditation for 8 hours a day, with some breaks. No books, no phone, no workout, no speaking, no nothing is allowed. 
But you get a lot of food!
There are centers around the world and these retreats are free / donation based. It is nice since it gives the possibility to just cut off from the world & re-align with yourself.