Apprenticeship

Entering apprenticeship had the sense of re-establishing existing relationships. I had little to do with anything religious previously – and knew little of Buddhism. I had no sense of other traditions. My contact with apprenticeship seemed perfectly natural. I got to know fellow practitioners and liked them. It seemed quite normal to go to the Open Retreat where I met Ngala ’ö-Dzin. I felt a strong sense of connection straight away. After meeting Ngala Nor’dzin at their home a short time later I was accepted as an apprentice. Apprenticeship is delectably terrifying. Self examination on the outside is an interesting array of lumps, bumps, wrinkles, and hair – but the view internally is an unmarked territory, an adventure. Sometimes it is a hard climb up a rocky crag to look for something you thought was there – but which effervesces away. Other times surfing down a waterfall and plunging into a deep dark pool of icy cold water is exhilarating and petrifying – a strange intertwining mix. Apprentice retreats are excruciatingly pleasurable – like cooking without a cookbook: throwing tastes together and savouring the result – a fascinating explosion of senses. We come together to share each other’s amazing array of differences; to be pulled out of our comfort zones; to experience things we didn’t think possible; to find skills deep within us we never knew we had; and, to create the most tremendously colourful things.