What one develops in a period of time like that is a strong sense of community and of relating to people. There’s a common activity because the life of community is cooperative not competitive. There is no ‘I want to get to nibbana before you and if you get ahead of me I’m going to trip you.’ I know that if I work on myself, practice in this particular way, live morally and uphold the principles of the retreat and the teaching, then that encourages you to do the same thing. And if you do that too it encourages me. There’s a reciprocity of encouragement, affection and aspiration.
This of course is something that is often lacking in a society which is geared to competition, money and ease, where life is a vicarious existence of watching rugby games or other forms of entertainment. Community life is I think an art form which is being much lost these days. It is hard to do if one has been conditioned to individuality. I certainly was. I had my own room. My brother had his own room. I had my records. He had his records. If he touched my records he’d be finished.Read more...http://www.newsyvoice.com/affectionate-living/

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