A couple of weeks ago I went on my first 5-day silent meditation retreat with InsightLA. It was an incredible experience. I was nervous in anticipation before I attended this retreat, and when I first got there, I often caught myself planning ahead and worrying about the next retreat I would go on, or the next thing on my to do list. But eventually, I was able to just be, and fully experience each moment, and really absorb all of the benefits of the meditation practice on retreat. I allowed the schedule to become my teacher. I was challenged in many ways, and learned more about myself, my patterns, my relationships, and my practice. I also gained insight into how to balance and incorporate mindfulness and compassion into my daily life at a deeper level. I am so excited to share my experience and pass along this mindfulness and compassion to others! I am so grateful for this experience and the beings and space that shared it with me.