04/23/2026
Artemis II's recent deep space exploration is a direct mirror of the collective deep Self exploration that is happening here on earth right now. Just as Artemis II traveled to the other side of the moon, the dark side as it has been referred to, here we are, on Earth, exploring our own "dark side", our collective shadow, our collective "dark night". WE created this. Nothing has "happened" to us. We are the sum of our parts, each of us is a tiny cell within the larger body of humanity. While one may manage to deny or distract themselves from an individual dark night and remain unconscious to it, the collective dark night cannot be escaped, nor can it be sidestepped or ignored. On the collective level, this dark night is a time of immense suffering and conflict, severe civil unrest, and a shedding of all that no longer serves the highest good. Even things we thought may have served the highest good are crumbling because what does not serve ALL does not serve the highest good. A collective death of networks, systems, values, and beliefs built upon egoic and misguided intentions must occur before the sacred unified collective can be born.
These times, here and now, are an incredibly ripe time to dive into the ocean of ourSelves. And if you don't want to listen to me, how about listening to Lama Yeshe? Or how about Jetsun Milarepa?
"Searching within yourself is much more important than searching externally." -Lama Thubten Yeshe
"I take all that appears
And exists as texts;
I've never studied texts in ink."
— Milarepa
And to be clear, this diving into oneSelf is not an escape. It is a journey. A very very long and difficult journey. Retreat is not a vacation, or a time to relax and "chill out", it is a time to face yourself and deal with your sh*t! This is why I am certain Lama Zopa Rinpoche made the comment about students having had enough teachings and now need to truly practice! This is how we change the world and heal together. Doing the work NOW. Practicing NOW. Not waiting for the next life or the next teacher to appear and tell us what to do and how to do it, we've already been given that many times over. The best gift we can give our teachers is to put the teachings into practice, to recognize and actualize our own beautiful Buddha nature.
We still have some limited availability for private retreat, email us for an application if you feel called to engage in retreat. And if fear is stopping you, we are here for you and ready to help plan your retreat, don't hesitate to ask! We also have retreat scholarships available for those to whom cost may be a barrier. You can also start with our upcoming weekly drop-in meditation sessions beginning next week, check our website for details. These sessions are a great way to get acquainted with the center, we hope you can join us for one or all of the sessions!
Big Love to all, until next time...
Image Credit: NASA, "The Edge of Two Worlds", April 6, 2026
