[meditation]...

The young monk's chanting has begun and our first day of silence is coming to an end. For me, it hasn't been complete silence as I've spoken to shop clerks. But the folks in the class aren't supposed to talk to each other, including making gestures, smiling, etc., and as far as I'm concerned, I haven't. Any and all communication is off-limits in favor of introspection.

As one is not supposed to boast about one's meditation/Buddhist practice, I shant say much about it. I will say that I understand why people meditate, as I do feel calmer and more focused, after only eight days of practice. It has also, as last night's guest speaker observed, filled in some of the gaps in Christian teachings in regards to applying one's goodwill to benefit others, albeit with a slightly different bent than Christianity would recommend.

I have added numerous books to my 'Read List'; I particularly recommend 'The Perfect Mirror' by Adrian Feldmann for an accessible, explanation of Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and religion. Turns out there are at least two publishers of Tibetan Buddhist materials in Easter Massachusetts -- Weston and Somerville, so I'll have more books to add to the list once I've visited those fine establishments (didn't make sense to pay Rs. 100 to cover shipping of a book that's available in my home state!).