We’ve just arrived at the Bohemia Resort in Cairns, after a 22 hour train ride up the coast of Queensland. It was a long journey, but there were movies and blankets so it was all good, and still not as long as our Fiji ferry ride!
Our peaceful week at Chenrezig Buddhist Institute brought us mindfulness, new revelations, new friends and amazing food. We all got a lot out of our frequent meditations and workshops on Buddhist practices. A highlight for me, and others I’m sure, was a day of silence we had for self-reflection and meditation. For many of us it was a challenge, but we all put in a solid effort! We did learn that having thirteen people paint a small house in complete silence is not the most efficient thing in the world- some spots may or may not have been painted over about thirteen times. Among other things, we also did some traditional Tibetan art, spent time in the beautiful Garden of Enlightenment, and talked to Chenrezig’s many volunteers from all walks of life. I’m not sure if any of us reached enlightenment, but I think we’ve gained better senses of awareness of our minds and surroundings, which will be helpful as we embark on our scuba diving adventure this week!
I can’t end a Walkabout blog without mentioning food, and I think I can speak for all of us non-vegetarians when I say a week without meat is definitely possible when the food is as high-quality as ours was. Our lunches each day were heaping plates of home-cooked deliciousness. It seems like everywhere we go, the food gets better and better, and we’re absolutely all okay with that.
We miss Chenrezig already, but have taken away valuable lessons on positivity and mindfulness that I know I will carry with me for awhile.
We’ve got a few more action-packed days together Down Under, and I assure you we are going to make them count. As always, we miss you all like crazy and although leaving each other will be tough, we’re excited to be home! Wish us luck on the reef…
Love,
Maddy