Opening to Deeper Prayer
Putting God First – Retreat Day 1/4 Opening Morning Session – Hayama – Japan—Opening to Deeper Prayer
David Hoffmeister begins this 4-day Japan retreat by exploring the concept of undoing the self-concept—a conditioned expectation that obstructs our understanding of the world. The ego arises from the mind’s pursuit of self-improvement, crafting illusory goals that keep the mind preoccupied and detached from its boundless nature.
The ego’s game is endless, as it neither begins nor concludes. The purpose of our practice is to abandon the pursuit of temporal goals and relinquish the false identity—the mask of the ego. In doing so, we experience the mind’s all-encompassing nature, recognizing that the world, society, and everything once perceived as external are within the mind. As the mind reaches a state of rest, the external world reflects this peace, becoming more harmonious.
Gold Nugget:
“When you live together in spiritual community, this is the key to happiness, to not participate in the concepts, to be quiet and still, and if there are words to speak, let the Spirit speak them through you. And this is the simplicity of happiness. You are not asked to compromise. You are not asked to bargain, but to go within to what your heart is telling you and to feel the blessing for everyone and everything. In this sense, you are not interested in politics, not the politics of the world and society, not the politics of your friends and your neighbors, and not even the politics of your own house. You have to learn to smile and laugh at these illusions.“
Recorded at the Putting God First Retreat on March 20, 2025 in Hayama, Japan (with Japanese translation)
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