Loose Leaf Notes

The three dogs all got along great, Maury’s, Jude’s, and ours. Maury (pictured with Joe below) brought me roses that he grew in his backyard, ones that adorned the dining table at the weekend meditation retreat for caregivers and counselors that he, Joe, and Alan Forrest (head of the counseling department at Radford University) just finished hosting.

It was a Sunday afternoon pit stop before the threesome (five, counting dogs) would head off to Charlottesville for a Monday morning meeting on mindfulness and death and dying. They were tired but buzzing with good vibes.

With porch swings swinging and wind chimes singing, we lollygagged on the porch, talking about Love and Kindness, Buddhism, and the Wise Woman tradition. I dished them up venison spaghetti and greens from the garden, and after we ate, I sent each one off to find a bed for an hour long nap before starting the next leg of their adventure.

Post notes: Together, with a group from California, Maury and Joe helped launched MAYA (Mindful Awareness for Young Adults), a national organization that presents meditation retreats for teens and young adults. The next Virginia Teen Meditation Retreat, held 30 minutes from Floyd, is August 9-15. More about that retreat and others, including press coverage and photos can be found at the website for Earthsong Organic Farm and Retreat Center in Stuart, where some of the retreats are held.