Doing for No Reason At All

A woman describes a shift in their relationship to spiritual practice. Previously immersed in wisdom texts and teachings, she now finds such activities feel artificial and instead simply lives her ordinary life – making tea, playing instruments, teaching – without suffering much. She wonders why she still come to retreats. Rupert responds with the metaphor that ‘when you’ve arrived on the Caribbean Beach, you stop reading the map’. He shares that he too reads little about spiritual matters now and engages with ordinary activities like learning about finance to connect with his son. He suggests two valid responses to this stage: either stop attending retreats (as some have done) or continue attending ‘for no reason’ – not to get or give anything, but simply to be with the community. He compares this to flowers that bloom not to enlighten anyone but simply because blooming is their nature.

From event 09 - 16 March, 2025 Seven-Day Retreat at Mercy Center, 9–16 March 2025

Subscribe or purchase View event recordings