The first hour of the circle held today at the Gaza Awareness Lighthouse, near the abandoned sulfur plant in the Be’eri Reserve, I spent this hour in vipasana – silence and introspection.
After an hour Ofek arrived, finally someone to communicate with. As I looked inward and kept silent I discovered that when I am alone I am right in everything I say.
As mentioned, Ofek has arrived. He was in Poland and Germany with two friends. During part of the trip, they visited the extermination camps under the guidance of a Polish, Hebrew-speaking guide. During the trip, Ofek received a message that his enlistment in the army had been brought forward and therefore he would join its ranks in 10 days (from today). He asked me if I would accept him into the circle if he will came in the army uniform.
In contrast to the first hour of silence, this second hour passed in an almost continuous lecture that Ofek had to listen to. He was content with only a small question here and there intended to fuel my lecture. It turns out that I am not only right when I am alone and silent, also when I speak alone and not alone.
Around three o’clock Ofir also arrived (full disclosure, she is my daughter). We talked a bit about Ofek’s upcoming recruitment, Gaza was in the background, it’s there all the time. We came up with a hypothetical thought that Ofek, in his position in the army, would end up in Gaza and meet one of them.
At a quarter past three Maharan called and checked if it was still “worth” coming. He arrived about twenty minutes later. Maharan as Maharan. We stayed until twenty past four.
By the way, in addition to silences and lectures, I also made the coffee and drank it
So this time we were: Ofek, Ofir, Maharan, Oded.
Written by: Oded