Re-TREAT

I spent last week on Re-TREAT - my annual turning within - looking inside and taking stock of my experiences in 2007. It was also an opportunity to BE STILL and in SILENCE. And the gift of giving myself and WSM Noah the opportunity to be apart. "Everybody needs a little time away, I heard her say, from each other...." (Chicago)

I was blessed to have a sanctuary in Altamonte Springs, Florida - three hours from where I live now - and a world apart. Altamonte Springs is further up north in Florida - about 15 minutes from downtown Orlando and yet, so many trees and land and quiet. At night, you can see hundreds of stars.

And blessed to have companions - LITTLE PEEPS - mostly of the four legged kind - who accepted me unconditionally, with no other intention but to love me. The picture below is Little Man on the left and Scooby on the right.

My job was to make sure that their needs were met. And in doing that - we co-existed beautifully and created sweet love harmony.

The dogs - happy all the time - needed to be walked, groomed, hugged, scratched, fed and given space to run and release energy.

Spot the Meow - spent his nights outdoors protecting our home.

He would magically appear in the morning just in time for our morning, walking behind and with us but not "with us". And right about mid-morning, he would come in and dine on his Kibbles and inspect the premises and stretch. After sniffing out the other residents, he would be ready for meditation and naptime. We would find a comfortable spot to lay (the couch, the mat outside in the sun or the bed) and he would teach me the art of shiatsu. Our bodies, barely touching, would engage in vibration and exchange of body heat, as my wise Guru shared with me the secret of purr language, ear twitches and tail flicks.