Coming back home - silent retreat - Jaya Rudgard
This was my first experience of Oxford Insight Meditation Retreats and I wasn't sure what to expect. Jaya's bio had really appealed to me. So I made sure to arrive early even though I had feelings of uncertainty, I was still excited and keen to settle down for the day. There was a meeting taking place in the hall so there was time for a short walk and a chat with some other early arriving attendees. We were welcomed whole heartedly with an introduction informing us of places for our belongings and lunch contributions, as well as a reminder to keep phones turned off to ensure complete down-time. To help everyone be prepared for the session we were invited to make ourselves a cup of tea before Jaya arrived. The hall filled up quickly with a diverse group of people - some opting to sit on mats with cushions, meditation stools, bolsters, blocks and others sitting on chairs. Movement and chatter filled the room until Jaya took her place and made eye contact with all of