First Visits to Spirit Rock

Last month I visited Spirit Rock Meditation Center for the first time. I had heard of the place before moving to Marin and was delighted, once we arrived in our new home, to find it is only about 25 minutes from here. Nicole and I went together which was nice, because it gave us a little time to catch up on each other’s lives, and she has visited several times and so has a familiarity with the place.

Driving onto the property, there was a man out in the field with horses, and a dog running around the horses – playing? herding? The sun was going down and bathed the whole scene in amber light. It’s beautiful land out there and I made a mental note to bring along the camera next time.

The entry was quite packed, which I wasn’t quite expecting, as we made our donation, took our shoes off and tucked them away. Nicole mentioned that Jack Kornfield would be leading the evening and that it was likely more crowded because of that. It was a pleasant surprise because he was not listed for that night when I looked at the schedule. And, since Spirit Rock was founded because of his vision, it seemed appropriate to be led by him on my first visit.

We entered the main hall, found some chairs midway back, and chatted quietly while people made their way in and filled up all the chairs and cushions. The live music being played was soothing and really assisted with the relaxing/loosening process. I was happy that the musician took a few moments to discuss the instrument and its origins, because it is fairly young (10 years) and not common to hear, or see. It’s called a hang and sounds similar to a steel drum but is played with the hands (not drum sticks) and is less “tin-y” and more warm sounding/feeling.

The feeling of that large room full of people was surprising nice and calm. The energy of the land out there, in the rolling golden hills, with the big, starlit sky, sweet country air, and wild creatures living naturally, it envelops you in its stillness and natural rhythms, filters through the windows, and infuses the inside space, too. I very much enjoyed the wisdom, guidance, and stories shared, the opportunity to slow down and clear out my mind, and the experience of being part of a group undertaking this work together.

After a month of letting life get in the way of returning there, I made it back this evening, brought Jeph so that he could experience it as well, and brought the camera for some photos of the land.  I plan to return again soon.