These photos are out of order, but you'll get the idea...
 |
| I am not one for religious icons but as you'll see this place is inclusive |
 |
| Assisi |
 |
| view from our lunch spot |
 |
| glorious afternoon |
 |
| lots of walking but worth it |
 |
| peaceful and picturesque |
 |
| local artwork |
 |
| view from St Francis' Basilica |
 |
| down the dirt road to my retreat |
 |
| Autumn in Tuscany |
 |
| sunrise |
 |
| exploring the property |
 |
| my room with green view |
 |
| small cloud suspended over field |
 |
| Assisi in the distance |
 |
| most religions are represented in the garden |
Even if you are not religious, it is immediately apparent that Assisi Perugia , and set on a hill in the Tuscan countryside, Assisi Assisi
I am not sure what to expect, but I am open to the experience. This is one of the many things I had on my “bucket list” for this mid life year; to have one experience of “recharging” finding a quiet place somewhere in nature where I could just read, and write and meditate and when a friend sent me a link to this site it seemed fortuitous.
I arrived yesterday after a 7 hour drive from the north of Italy , initially taking the autostrada until Florence and then the more picturesque strade statale until Perugia Cuba ’s premier salsa boy band accompanied me until I arrived in Tuscany
I stopped briefly at one of the Autogrills (road house chains)along the way to fill up with petrol and have a coffee, parking my little Fiat 500 in between all the big road trucks whose drivers were having a rest or refreshment break.
Road houses in Italy Australia
Just by chance my Sicilan friends (Nuccio and Mariella) are holidaying about 50 kms away from Assisi at a health spa and I have arranged to rendevouz with them at the Perugia airport and they are going to accompany me (and my luggage) to Assisi
We spend a few hours exploring Assisi (it’s steep cobblestone streets are filled with all manner of shops, many selling local pastries and sweets, icecreameries, art galleries, souvenier shops, cafes and and of course numerous churches, the main one being where the remains of St Francis are buried. We have lunch at a local restaurant Il Frantoio which has a panoramic view and then follow Ruth’s very accurate directions up to the road that leaves the top of Assisi
As we make our way along the track not really knowing what I will find, I joke with the guys about being prepared to rescue me if it turns out I have signed up to stay with a strange religious sect, but I needn’t have worried.
It’s hard to describe the beauty of this place. A two storey dwelling appears at the end of the dirt road. There’s a large patio with a table and chairs looking out to a garden filled with grape vines and fig trees, olives and roses, flowers and bird baths and figures of Mary, a Hindu God and statue of Buddhist all happily co-existing. Rather than be put off by the religious icons I am drawn to a place that is so inclusive and when I am warmly greeted by Ruth and escorted to my accommodation accompanied by the sound of the wind, birds, cicadas and wind chimes, all apprehension leaves me and I am grateful to be here.
My room is lovely, spacious and full of light, with a tiled floor, wood framed windows and warm tones and just a few well picked furnishings. From my bed, ahead of me and to my left I can look out to the green and silver leaves and part of the trunks of a number of the many trees that surround the property. The bathroom is large and has a tub and also has a green view across a valley. I can feel the peaceful energy of the place seeping into my body already.
Ruth leaves me to settle in and have a shower before the evening meditation session. I read about the daily schedule (a morning meditation program, including sitting and moving sessions, free afternoons and another evening meditation to finish the day) and that you are asked to give and receive the gift of silence while you are here. Your stay can be as structured or unstructured as you like, with personal time with Bruce or Ruth to discuss your objectives for the retreat and how you are going each day.
It is blissful to have a mindful shower. I feel the tiredness of the long drive and lack of sleep wash away as the the warm water courses over my body. I take my time, noticing the temperature of the water, the sound of it hitting the ground, the feel of the towel aginst my skin as I dry off and the scent of Bali (is it frangipani?) in the rich body cream that I rub slowly into my body.
There are 5 of us here on retreat at the same time, and I join them, Bruce and Ruth in the meditation room at 7pm.
The room is a tiled square room, with a door leading out into the garden. There are 13 lit candles of various sizes and some small vases with greenery and flowers in the centre of the room and along each wall are cushions and chairs for you to sit on. I find a spot and sit on the floor cross legged with my back against the wall. Even in this simple pose I find I am a bit uncomfortable with a pain in my right leg, kind of balancing up a soreness in my left arm. (I noticed an inexplicable whopping great blue/black bruise on the back of my left forearm a couple of weeks ago with a strange bone ache in the same arm, except I have no recollection of sustaining any actual injury. The only thing I can think of is that I fell against a wall one night on the way to the bathroom and can’t remember!)
Bruce briefly talks about the value of slowing down and the gift of silence and describes a simple meditation inspired by St Francis which can be practiced regardless of religion. It involves checking what is in your heart and “offering it up” which allows you to go deeper into your self.
When I walk outside later, the garden draws me. I sit and then lie down on the grass and look up into the darkening sky. I can make out a cloud and trace its movement across the sky. I feel my body connecting with the ground, sinking slightly into the earth and smell the grass that is cushioning me. I feel relaxed and calm and comfortable and happy. Seeing the first star shining above me is just a bonus.
I wake up during the night and the rain has come. Safe and comfortable in my bed I listen for a while and then drift off again. When I wake up in the morning, it is still raining…
I discover the electricity is not working when I try to turn on the light amd wonder if I will have to have a cold shower, but luckily that does not eventuate, but breakfast is had by candlelight and it’s great to have to improvise and really experience slow food! The bread toasted over open flame and slightly burnt coffee tastes better for the process.
But it feels strange, almost rude not to chat to my next door neighbour.
While I understand and respect the idea of “giving the gift of silence”, it is quite hard to put into practice and get the balance right, talking when necessary but not extending to having social conversations. I realise how natural it is for me to want to “get to know” and “connect” with people when I meet them, how important it is for me to move beyond the superficial, to really see and understand the person in front of me.
What I know now is that it reflects my own need to be seen and understood, to be accepted “warts and all” (something I did not feel when I was growing up). To be “rejected” by someone who I thought had seen and understood me has been particularly painful, but this realisation, and the acceptance of it, not just intellectually but emotionally has been surprisingly liberating. We all have unconscious needs or fears that affect our behaviour and happiness. Slowing down, silence, being in nature and listening to our body, heart and mind can offer us important insights.
I have chosen to be silent in the past (once for 2 weeks on Rottnest Island
We meet Ruth at 11.30 for movement class. It is a series of 9 movements, a kind of qigong with the intention of evoking a state of connection and gratitude. It is a simple and enjoyable practice and I enjoy being outside in nature.
Time seems to be flying past. I read a book, walk around the property go with Bruce to a shop to buy provisions and before I know it we are sitting in the meditation room again for our evening session.
Day 2
I am finding it hard to relax into the retreat as I have made no firm plans for when I leave and am torn between letting the process be organic or organising things in advance. Not being able to make calls (no reception on my network) and encouraged not to use internet except for emergencies, I alternate between stressing (I need to call my friends who have offered to drive me to Rome, call another friend in Cyprus for his birthday and to work out when and where to see him, give my family a contact number in case of emergencies and decide whether to respond to emails or not) and being calm and relaxed.
It’s amazing how reliant I have become on technology (even though I really don’t use most social networking ) and how stressful it can be when it is not available. I usually respond quickly to emails but won’t be able to now until the retreat is over. In the end, I compromise and borrow a phone to make a call, and trust that the rest will fall into place.
Day 3
I have been walking and fantasizing about having a place like this. It’s not near the water but has so many other positive features. When I speak to Bruce later, I find out it is for sale (only 1.4million euros) so just a little over my budget ha ha! Then I imagine all sorts of other scenarios buying with family or friends (Barbara, I can imagine you here! Or John you could go mad with renovating or building your own villa as there are oodles of hectares or Marisa you could run a business from here ) We could all have a kind of tuscan hills change …It was a nice dream!
Day 4
Interesting incident with another resident who gets angry “ I’m trying to meditate” when another girl and I are talking sotto voce in the garden. I catch myself being just a tad judgmental, and hypocritical (after all we’ve just finished being “at one with every one and everything”!) Guess I’m still at the very human stage of this spiritual evolution.
I’ve decided to stay another week if there is space, but it is full. Later in the day there is a surprise cancellation and I have a room.
Glorious massage and bath and read a whole book. How come you can feel so tired doing nothing?
Snippets
Twice today I have found myself scraping mud, leaves and debris from the bottom of my shoes (they became heavier and heavier as more clay rich earth stuck to them as I walked around the property.)
It was a slow process getting it off as the gooey muck was stubbornly clinging to its new home.
I wonder how much muck and debris we pick up and carry with us through life without realising, that weighs us down, and how often we stop to even check.
________________________________
The leaves on the trees outside my windows are being blown about and I rescue my shoes from outside as thick, slow rain drops slosh onto the patio, which puts paid to Nuccio and Mariella’s theory that if it is windy it does not rain!.
Thunder rolls in leisurely waves like a satisfyingly productive cough and occasionally a lightning strike brightens the grey sky. I am sipping hot water and lying on my bed writing on my computer, cosy and comfortable and all I can hear is the ticking clock, my fingers tapping on the computer keys, the thunder and the rain.
Just as well that a bell rings summoning us for morning meditation as I am engrossed in a book and I have lost track of time. It is 9am (very civilised) and I have been for a walk and had breakfast.
The meditation room is a tiled square room, with a door leading out into the garden. There are 13 lit candles of various sizes and some small vases with greenery and flowers in the centre of the room. It is a beautiful space and without planning I choose a spot that lets me look out through the glass door to the verdant view.
It is not my thing to be in a room with other people with my eyes closed. I want to be on my own, outside with my eyes open…maybe I just need to learn to be exactly where I am for for a while.
Talk soon
Mon x
No comments:
Post a Comment