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7 Comments

  1. Terry Oldfield
    July 25, 2018 @ 6:42 pm

    Nice post Kathleen…Thank you…❣️

    “The great way has no gate…A thousand pathways…Passing through…You walk the universe alone”…Basho

  2. Vinji
    July 26, 2018 @ 2:19 pm

    Hi Kathleen,

    Very nice post! Are you considering becoming a cave dweller or monastic? This reminds me of a time, oh, about 20 years ago (much prior to awakening), in which I spent a month in a Zen monastery. I found the experience to be both wonderful and extremely challenging. After the month was over, I was having a discussion with one of the monks that went something like this:

    Me: “Wow. I don’t know how you do it. You’re up at 4:30 every morning or 3:00 during retreats. You sit long hours. You have no time for yourself. You don’t get to leave the monastery grounds. Your life seems so structured!”

    Him: “Honestly, I don’t know how you do it. You have to worry about your mortgage, job, bills, etc.. You are beholden to others, such as your employer, your spouse, your kids. I cannot imagine living anymore with that level of stress. Me, I get to wake up early and see the stars. I get to sit in silence for hours and just listen to what’s going on, such as the birds chirping outside. I am well fed. I have a roof over my head and a bed to sleep in. I get to hang out with like minded people. And, having no time for myself is not a problem because there is no self!”

    • Kathleen
      July 26, 2018 @ 4:24 pm

      Thanks, Vinji. I love the monk’s response! I already consider myself a modern cave dweller. Chris and I have no children and are not close to our families. We don’t have much social life. We don’t travel. We earn a little money through his online business, and otherwise try to be as consciously awake as possible. Although we used to attend Zen “sesshins” (weekend meditation retreats) at a nearby monastery, my health precludes that sort of austerity today, and Chris and I both find nonduality more conducive to abiding in awareness.

  3. Mike Zerbel
    July 26, 2018 @ 6:52 pm

    Very cool! Sure does add lot of light to the cave we share (and hospitality, thanks for pointing out we are sharing our cave)

  4. Ryan
    October 18, 2018 @ 3:10 am

    Thank you for this post! This is exactly what I needed to hear! I’ve been a modern cave dweller at home for the past two and a half years and it can be a challenge that most people don’t understand it. From the outside I’m sure it looks like I’ve lost all motivation or something. When I do meet with people and they ask what I’ve been up to it’s a difficult question to answer and one that I don’t always feel comfortable being honest about simply because I don’t feel like trying to explain myself. I can see, however, that when this phase brings itself to an end I’ll likely be much more able to be of real use to society than I ever could have been otherwise. For me this phase has been a bit like a training ground – learning how to abide in a new way of being and it’s been incredibly challenging and at the same time rich, fascinating and exciting!

    • Kathleen
      October 18, 2018 @ 9:09 am

      Ryan, you express my sentiments precisely. The past five years, I’ve been mostly home bound due to health issues. From the outside, it could seem a sad life, but I have had more spiritual growth than ever in the past. Some undertake asceticism willingly, and others have it imposed upon them. If it is imposed upon you by circumstances, make the most of it!

    • Fred Davis
      October 18, 2018 @ 11:19 am

      You are very welcome, Ryan. Thank you for the note.♥


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