♥

I went on the Spirit Rock Young Adult Retreat a few weeks back.

I will add to this post but in the meantime, here are some photos from my experience:

thhttp://www.mettalovingkindness.com nice site my fellow retreatant made. May you be well. May you be at peace. May you happy. May you be free.

http://www.dharmaseed.org/retreats/ ask S or J for password to listen to dharma talks from the retreat (4 of them. all amazing). Or feel free to browse the site. Tons of amazing resources.

Biggest take home message for me: loving-kindness and compassion toward self and others = where it's at. :) Liberation through mindfulness. With awareness comes choice. And "Dreams become reality one choice at a time," as it written on the beautiful bracelet from Mama Menke.

Well, off to bed as my sleeping schedule is slightly off lol. Have to be at the ICU in a few hours. More on ICU later. I'm having an amazing time. One of the most meaningful aspects is just being with patients and their families. Something that delights me daily: seeing my patients wake up from being sedated and on the ventilator. It's like I get to witness this beautiful birth and welcome them back into the waking world. I can't help but smile. It's so beautiful! It's so amazing too...so many of the patients in the ICU are suspended between this world and the next. Such a delicate balance. Some will stay with us and some will transition on. I give thanks for this amazing ICU rotation. I can't believe how it's flown by. I have one more week left and then I return to Portland. The teaching has been amazing. Another highlights has been the stellar communication. My resident and attendings communicate so so well with the families. It makes all the difference. Dr. Harless, the course director and director of critical care, has really set the tone and created a wonderful place for faculty, staff and patients. Dang.

K gnite!