No One Going No Where

"It should be as if you're standing in a field, about to be struck by lightning." Keith Dowman, a Katmandu resident who spoke in high English with heavy British accent, gave this instruction over this past weekend's meditation retreat in the Dzogchen tradition.

Dzogchen is a non-dual practice (and relative of Vajrayana, or Tibetan, Buddhism) which famously advocates non-meditation, and doesn't give you any techniques. You get it, or you don't.

The sits consisted of "doing nothing" interspersed with three loud and abrupt shouts (of a Tibetan syllable) from the teacher, designed to shatter our minds. During the rest of the retreat, he gave talks, and offered Q & A sessions, evidently giving many answers that worked to loosen the listener's intellectual and dualistic grip on the non-dual, expansive mind inherent in each of us.

Though it was a little frustrating, with little primer, to be given a non-practice, I did have some moments of selfless clarity, simply abiding in the nature of mind, noticing my thoughts, sensations and emotions as they arose and fell away.

On my return, I carpooled to Tel Aviv with four middle-aged Israeli women, and they asked me about my background (already the odd-one out, gender and age-wise):

Varna (you'll simply have to imagine each of the women's Israeli accents): What are you doing in Israel?

Me: Well, I'm doing preparatory studies to enter rabbinical school next year.

Varna: But you're studying Buddhism here? Oh, that's so good.

Me: Yeah, I think meditation practice really enriches my Jewish path.

Channah: That's wonderful. I belong to a Reform congregation in Tel Aviv. You're invited.

Rakefet: What! Channah, you're a Reform Jew?

Channah: Yeah.

Varna: They can co-exist.

Rakefet: So you're studying to be a rabbi, Adam?

Me: Yeah, that's the plan.

Rakefet: You're going to be a Tantric rabbi?

Me: I guess so.

Rakefet: I think it's important to choose a path, in order to be totally devoted to something.

Me: Yeah, that's something I've struggled with. (In retrospect, I realize that my path is Jewish, and my practice, though mainly Jewish, is enhanced by the Buddhist practice of meditation, and some of Buddhism's ways of analyzing reality.)

Though I couldn't get a ride to Jerusalem, Varna was meeting some friends in Tel Aviv, and going with them to a friend's 60th birthday party in Jerusalem, so invited me to join her for the ride.

We took a cab to their apartment, where I waited outside with the luggage, only to be greeted by John, and invited up "to say 'hi'". He and his wife were executive T.V. and documentary film producers who met Varna when they were studying together in the Netherlands, and were excited to show me John's paintings and photos from one of their recent trips up North.

Since they couldn't feed me bean soup (and didn't hear, "No, thanks" as "Let's get the show on the road! I've been traveling for almost 4 hours and want to get home!"), they finally convinced me to eat a hummus sandwich. On the ride, John, a recent convert, sat in the back with me and shared his journey, with many questions about mine.

I enjoyed everyone's hospitality, but am glad my little "Israeli adventure" (as Varna termed it) is over, and I'm back home!