Jay has been involved in meditative work since 1970. He attended the Rocherster NY Zen Center with Roshi Philip Kapleau for about eight years and then attended the Springwater NY Center for Meditative Inquiry and Retreat, founded by Toni Packer, since then and up to the present. He is the director of Rain Tree - The New Mexico Center for Meditative Inquiry and Retreat.
Jay's interest is in uncovering the wholeness and simplicity of Life. By learning to listen quietly, honestly, without agenda, we can begin to discover the patterns through which we live and how they color our experience. In this way, Wholeness begins to function in us more deeply, shining light into the "unfinished business" of our lives, bringing healing, simple being, and a deep appreciation and affection.
Jay feels that meditative work can deepen best when we work together, in small group dialogue and in one-on-one meeting. Many people study the writings and talks of teachers but never have the opportunity to meet face-to-face. We all have so many blind spots and working together personally may be essential for coming in touch with our unexamined assumptions about ourselves and about meditative work.
Jay is available to meet with people individually. He doesn't earn any money from any of the activities of the Rain Tree Center.
Details of this retreat
The essence of the Buddha's teaching - and of deep meditative inquiry - goes beyond becoming quiet or mindful. It goes to the heart of our concerns as human beings and points at the possibility of a deep resolution.
My personal feeling as someone who has been involved in meditative work for 55 years is that to get beyond our deeply ingrained habits and our projections about ourselves and meditation, it is vital to work with at least one person who is able to provide guidance. And this work needs to be one-on-one in a live setting (as opposed to reading their books or listening to their talks.)
To help make this kind of work more available, I'm offering a free opportunity through Rain Tree - The New Mexico Center for Meditative Inquiry and Retreat. We meet via Zoom for a series of about six meetings. These can be at your convenience. We explore carfully and honestly what meditative work is and touch more deeply on the issues and questions that may be moving you in your life.
Sessions are about 30 minutes, usually spread out over a few months, to make it easy on your schedule. Again, there is no fee or donation for this.
We can explore questions and assumptions you may have about meditative work from any tradition, including the role of practices and teachings and what these things may be pointing to.
The sessions are facilitated by me, Jay Cutts. I have been involved in meditative work for about 55 years, originally at a Zen Center and then non-traditionally at the Springwater (NY) Center with Toni Packer.
After ten years of going to retreats regularly and working with Toni Packer, in one retreat a fundamental confusion/anxiety dropped away for me and the mind moved into a wholeness of perceiving. This opening was tested by Toni and acknowledged. Since that time I've continued to attend retreats regularly and work in dialogue with the teachers and participants at the Springwater Center. I've led an annual 7-day retreats in New Mexico for something like 20 years.
Our work together is not based on advice or therapy or teachings but rather on simple honest listening and looking together - coming to understand each other a little better and opening up deeper possibilities of our lives. This IS the functioning of Wholeness without a personal agenda.
This is an excellent opportunity both for people who are new to meditation and people who have been involved with meditation for years but haven't had the chance to work personally with an experienced meditation facilitator.
Schedule
Each 30 minute session will be based on whatever comes up for us together.
Note: Schedule is approximate and may change
What's Included
Six, 30-minute sessions, spaced every couple weeks, at your convenience.
What's Not Included
NOT based on advice, teachings or practices, but rather direct looking together.
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This program offers flexible scheduling, allowing you to arrange the date of your retreat directly with the host.