If you are lucky with this life
one day
while walking through a stand of silver birch at dawn
when a golden light spills over the lip
of the world
or when crossing a swift shallow stream
on stepping stones
or just sitting still in your room
catching the song of a bird
woven into the din of your city
your body might reveal its self to you
as a home for the world
a glimpse that you
are entirely beyond yourself
like the white deer at the beginning of a fable
and if without hesitation you follow
you will find your self gloriously lost
in the rise and fall of your seasons

Paramananda

Paramananda has been teaching meditation and leading retreats around the world for over 30 years and is also a poet and author of four books on meditation: Change Your Mind, A Deeper Beauty, The Body and The Myth of Meditation.

“Paramananda beautifully examines how spiritual practice is both a deeply intimate relationship with oneself, and inextricably connected to the world we live in. He brings far-reaching Buddhist teachings down to earth and encourages us to be curious, as we simply sit with the breathing body, or open to suffering – our own and others’ – in such a way that liberates the heart.

– Vajradevi, meditation teacher and author of uncontrivedmindfulness.net

In this session Paramananda introduces us to the symbolic significance of white animals in fairy tales and fables, particularly the white deer, as metaphors for guidance and transformation. Encouraging participants to reflect on their own inner journeys and the role of meditation in understanding and connecting with ourselves more deeply.
Bringing the body into relationship with the earth supports us from below, whilst the sky invites us from above. Paramananda explores posture as a gesture of unification between what’s below and what’s above, with both these dimensions meeting within the heart.
This session ends in a period and rest and relaxation, as Paramananda uses drumming and chanting to encourage a different mode of being.

In this meditation session, Paramananda guides participants through various exercises focusing on relaxation and mindfulness. He discusses the concept of rest, emphasising the need to ease the mind’s habitual planning and scheming. The session includes practical meditation techniques, such as focusing on the breath and the body, to help participants connect with their inner selves. Experiences shared by attendees highlight the benefits of visualization and the impact of drumming on deepening meditation. The session offers a straightforward approach to meditation, aimed at fostering self-awareness and present-moment focus.

The session begins with a gentle reminder that meditation is not just a mental exercise but an embodied practice, akin to learning a musical instrument or a sport – it requires repetition and practice until it becomes a part of us.

Throughout the session, Paramananda challenges the common misconception that meditation is about controlling the mind. Instead, he emphasizes the importance of images in our practice and how meditation is best expressed through the symbolic gesture of our body posture – creating an image of meditation within ourselves. This unique approach to meditation is further enriched by a reading of Lorca’s “Ditty of First Desire,” setting a contemplative tone for the session.

In this meditation session, Paramamanda opened the floor for participants to share their experiences, leading to a discussion on the nuances of meditation practice. Key topics included the interplay between experiencing and appropriating during meditation, the challenge of distractions and the nature of sound in meditation, especially in non-traditional settings like home. The conversation also delved into understanding insights in meditation and the paradox of craving for insights. Additionally, there was a focus on the physical aspects of meditation, particularly the role of posture and the significance of the legs in grounding the practice. The session concluded with a guided heart-centered meditation, emphasizing breathing exercises and the use of one’s name as a tool for cultivating unconditional love and self-awareness.

Reflecting on Johnny Cash’s rendition of “Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails and its significance in the context of the retreat’s third day, often marked by rising resistance in practice. We delve into the theme of working with resistance in meditation, emphasizing the value of embracing difficult moments as opportunities for growth. The session also explores the relationship with sound and music, and how these can be brought into one’s meditative experience.
Paramananda shares a poem by Robert Creeley, focusing on themes of animals, death, and our emotional connections to them, linking these to our deeper psyche and experiences of impermanence. This leads to a broader discussion about embracing the darker, often ignored aspects of ourselves in meditation, symbolized by the ‘black sun’ in alchemy and art, and how these aspects can be sources of creativity and deeper understanding.

In session two we focused on chanting the Green Tara Mantra, emphasizing the balance between active vocalization and receptive listening. Exploring the significance of the mantra, particularly its connection to the Earth goddess and its association with the color green, symbolizing life and healing.

Paramananda discusses the throat chakra’s role in expressing oneself in the world and how chanting can help alleviate energetic constrictions in this area. Encouraging participants to chant in a natural, relaxed manner, highlighting the importance of finding one’s voice as a means of self-expression and realization.

The session also delved into the symbolic meaning of the number 108 in chanting practices. The speaker shared insights on meditation as a poetic and craft practice, emphasizing the importance of language in shaping our understanding and experience of meditation.

We begin the session with Tracy Brimhall’s poem “Our Bodies Break Light,” which Paramananda beautifully recites from memory, later describing it as an underworld poem with its use of bizarre and even slightly disruptive imagery.

The meditation explores the idea of aligning oneself with the world, both physically and imaginatively, to relax into the experience of the world manifesting within us. Paramananda then talks about alignment and what that actually means in terms of posture in meditation. We might think we need to impose alignment onto the body, but what if we could trust the body to find its own alignment through awareness of our weight on the earth and the space above our heads?

Paramananda encourages us to engage with images and allow them to play out during meditation, distinguishing this from normal conceptual thought. The session concludes with a focus on the energy of love, using the visualization of color to activate and fill the body with this emotion.

In this meditation retreat session, we engaged in deep discussions about the spiritual significance of animals, the impact of posture on meditation, and the role of grief and death in personal growth. The speaker explored the concept of the psyche as a non-material, largely unknown aspect of ourselves, emphasizing the interconnectedness of spirit and soul. Our guided meditation focused on aligning the body with the world, using the breath to weave together our instinctual, emotional, and intellectual aspects. This practice aimed to deepen our sense of inner richness and our connection to the outer world.

We begin with a poem by David Wagoner titled “Lost”. The poem, accompanied by drumming, conveyed the message of finding oneself by being still and letting the forest, or the world, find you. This theme was further explored through a discussion on Dogen Zenji’s teaching “studying the self is to forget the self, to forget the self is to be illumined by the myriad of things.

Paramananda encourages participants to relax into their experience and allow the world to come forth in their imagination. Highlighting the interconnectedness of our lives with the world, noting how our breath connects us to the environment and sustains us. The meditation aims to expand awareness beyond the immediate surroundings, encompassing the planet and its myriad forms of life.

Visit the dedicated website for the retreat. Find resources and past session recordings https://thebuddhistcentre.com/white-deer

In this session participants are invited to share their questions, comments, and reflections. One participant raises an interesting question about the balance between spirit and soul in Buddhism, expressing a personal struggle with the tension between these two aspects. Paramananda responds by acknowledging the diversity within Buddhism and its varying emphasis on transcendence and embodiment. He suggested that the heart could be seen as a meeting point between spirit and soul, emphasizing the importance of a balanced practice that includes both aspects.

Paramananda then guides us through a meditation focusing on the heart as the central organ of perception. Encouraging a sense of openness and relaxation, allowing the heart to be receptive to the energies and rhythms of the world. The session ends with another period of quiet rest

Paramananda begins day six by sharing Seamus Heaney’s poem “The Guttural Muse,” which includes imagery of fish following the theme of animals on this retreat. He reflects on the poem’s themes of healing through wounds and the contrast between youth and age, as depicted in the poem. The session then transitions into meditation, focusing on the body’s connection to the world and the importance of sitting with what’s present in the moment.

We explore intimacy with our own life and the physical sensations that arise during meditation, suggesting that this approach allows for a deeper connection with ourselves and the world. Encouraging participants to be open to the body’s messages and to embrace the idea of meditation as a time to catch up with oneself, balancing the forward momentum of daily life. The session concludes with a reminder to enjoy the simple act of breathing and to find contentment in the present moment.
Visit the dedicated website for the retreat. Find resources and past session recordings https://thebuddhistcentre.com/white-deer

In this session, Paramananda engages again with a Q&A session with retreatants, addressing a range of personal and spiritual concerns. Participants share their experiences and challenges, including dealing with difficult emotions, changes in life circumstances, and struggles with meditation practice. Paramananda offers insights and guidance, emphasising the importance of being with one’s experiences in a physical and energetic sense rather than getting caught up in mental proliferation. He encourages embracing the Dharma in a personal and experiential manner, rather than relying solely on received wisdom. The session concludes with mantra chanting by Paramananda and Bodhilila, serving as a transition from the discursive period to a more meditative state.

Paramananda looks at the theme of agency in meditation. He discusses the importance of feeling supported by the world and overcoming feelings of alienation, suggesting that meditation can help cultivate a sense of belonging and co-creation with the world.

The meditation explores the physical sensations of being in the world, the interdependence of life, and the importance of being present with our direct experience. Paramananda encourages a balance between felt sensations and conceptual thinking, encouraging us to rest in the feeling of being part of the world. The session concludes with a reminder of the simplicity and practicality of meditation, emphasizing the transformation of consciousness through embodiment and openness to the world.
Visit the dedicated website for the retreat.

In a heartfelt meditation session, Paramananda invites participants to share their experiences, leading to a rich exchange of personal stories and inquiries. Discussions range from the importance of meditation posture to profound personal transformations and the complexities of romantic relationships in a spiritual context. Paramananda responds with empathy and insight, suggesting practical approaches. The session culminates in a guided meditation, emphasising a deep connection with the body, heart, and inner world, encouraging participants to explore their physical sensations, emotions, and imaginations for a deeper understanding of themselves and their relationship with the world.