The Way Out is In podcast series features conversations between journalist and Plum Village lay friend Jo Confino and Plum Village monastic Brother Phap Huu, alongside other guests. These meditations conclude each episode with practice contemplations on the theme.
Music: From the song "Be Still" by Plum Village friend Joe Holtaway - find out more about Joe here: joeholtaway.com. Joe is happy to hear from you 🙂.
#7 Spirit of the Rains Retreat: In this episode, Jo and Brother Phap Huu take a look at the Buddhist tradition of a three-month Rains Retreat: a time when monastic communities would historically gather together during the wettest period of the year. As well as being a chance to rest from their travels, this period also gave monastics the opportunity to deepen their practice in the stability of one location. The Rains Retreat is observed at Plum Village each year, when monastic and lay friends spend time together in close community.
In this meditation, Brother Phap Huu invites us to touch into that stability and stillness:
"Breathing in, there is calm, stillness".