This week, a regular visitor to the Retreat will be finishing one leg of her journey in life and moving to another by graduating from both high school as well as junior college. Academics are a healthy pursuit as are many others that take people through their life journeys. As with anything though moderation comes to the forefront. While we are unique and luminous beings, our bodies still adhere to the physics and biology of man.
Much of the American philosophy surrounds around the Protestant Work Ethic, the idea that working hard and honestly will produce a peaceful and harmonious life. For some people it does. What cannot be overlooked though is the recharging of the preverbal batteries. Rest and relaxation are as important to the spiritual life as are meditation, understanding, and tolerance. In addition to the spiritual realm, mental and emotional health is a balance of activity and calmness.
Overexertion, lack of energy, fatigue, etc. are common themes in a fast paced world. Running the body, mind, and soul to exhaustion every day takes a toll on the life of an individual.
Xiong Nai Xin Retreat 
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