Mysterious Buddhist Retreat Ends in a Grisly Death

[Thane]

Re: Mysterious Buddhist Retreat Ends in a Grisly Death

Hi everyone

This is a very tragic story. It is sad to think that a Buddhist retreat could lead to a tragedy such as this. I am sure that such retreats can be very helpful for people but when human beings are involved there is always the potential for things to go astray.

Gassho

Thane

[Jinyo]

Re: Mysterious Buddhist Retreat Ends in a Grisly Death

The details of this event have been running for several weeks now.

McNally posted a long account which was very upsetting - apart from the death of her husband (traumatic in itself) she was very concerned
about the other people on the retreat as she was their 'leader'.

I do worry about the notion of breaking down the ego - not at all convinced that it is necessary. McNally's description of the levels of sensory
overload that retreatants experience if suddenly thrown back into the external world (which she and her husband were - being forcibly expelled from the retreat)
was upsetting.

This is only my subjective/personal view - but to withdraw little and often into silence/contemplation feels more healthy than these extremes.

But as Hans said - probably wise not to judge.

Gassho

Willow

[Rich]

Re: Mysterious Buddhist Retreat Ends in a Grisly Death

This is a fascinating story of tragedy.

http://diamondmountain.org/an-open-lett ... he-michael

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2012/05/ ... n-arizona/