Silent Illumination Retreat hosted by Dharma Gates, January 2025

Reflection on Seven-Day Silent Illumination Retreat led by Rebecca Li (by T.O.)

I wanted to thank you again for offering your time and wisdom at the Dharma Gates Silent Illumination retreat (and braving the altitude!). Your insights of that week were the most accessible teachings of Buddhism that I’ve ever experienced. You made me realize that I was indeed meditating to seek a feeling as well as hoping that it would profoundly change me. However, I left that week with excitement – instead of dread and overwhelm – about meeting myself where I’m at each moment, and seeing that, actually, my life and who I am now are pretty dang grand. It was like you could read my mind at times: So much of my suffering comes from ideas of what “should” be and living to please others and/or isolating myself instead of leaning into the co-created nature of everything. Am I fundamentally different now than from before the retreat? No, but I no longer see that as the goal. The more I’m able to experience my wandering mind and life’s challenges as ‘reps’ and a chance to come back to the present moment, I’ll always be able to find contentment with what is.