for a 4 day silent retreat. 
i'm not Buddhist but i deeply resonate with their philosophy, 
their way of life and the message they share with the world. 
- i probably have photographed this Stupa a 100 time  
over the years. it is so beautiful in all the different lights. -
at the beginning of the year when the BRC announced their retreat program 
i followed my intuition and booked those 4 silent days guided by 
Sue Cooper 
and i am so glad i did!
 firstly the BRC is a little piece of heaven on Earth,
the autumn colors made it even more exquisite.
the food, the care and all the little touches make it a place of gentle nurturing. 
secondly Sue's wisdom and guidance was mind blowing
and thirdly the silence was unbelievably soothing. 
don't get me wrong, it wasn't all smooth sailing.
i hit some very bumpy patches on day two and three...
my body and my mind became terribly restless during meditation,
and while i tried very hard to fight my way through the discomfort 
it became obvious that the only way out was to surrender;
 to be gentle with myself, to be patient and to settle into the present moment one breath at a time...
a huge life lesson for me.