24 Comments

Wow, what a story and a journey, both external and internal!!

Happy birthday and wishing you much peace and freedom 🙏❤️🙏❤️🙏❤️

Also…if leaving home is HALF the dhamma, and The Buddha famously told his cousin having a spiritual friend the the WHOLE of the holy life, then this trip of yours, Maia, with these fellow practitioners…then you received 150% dhamma return on your investment!!

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well that's a damn good ROI, isn't it?!

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Thank you Maia for sharing your inward and outward journey so beautifully. I am sure you are many lives beyond that by now.

One of my shorter but similar journeys is told here:

https://luzenz.substack.com/p/stone-hut-and-waterwheel

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thank you for sharing that, Bob -- I look forward to reading yours!

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Maia, I wish you a wonderful birthday and a beautiful year ahead. Thank you for sharing this story; I've wondered about it since you first mentioned it. I admire your diligence and dedication and am so happy that the pilgrimage positively impacted you. I can't imagine doing this myself! Give me daily meditation any day!

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Thank you for the birthday wishes, Sandra!

I have to tell you, somewhere on that pilgrimage when things got really rough, many times I thought to myself, "If I had known it was going to be like this I never would have signed up." Sometimes ignorance is bliss, lol.

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Wishing you a very happy birthday dear Maia.

Wow! Thank you for sharing your incredible journey.

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thank you, Paulette!

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Omg Maia, an experience of a lifetime! I felt like I was right there with you. I felt the aversion and the fear and the transformation into joy. Making it through, one step at a time. Wow just wow! You said you were most proud of this writing. Hope you are also proud of your courage, patience and endurance to travel in such terrain.

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Peaceful Birthday Maia! Sending love and hugs

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Happy birthday Maia. I cannot wait to cherish this essay. I will let this deeply spiritual story of yours unfold on a calmer, more centred day this week. 💜

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Take your time 💕🙏🏼💕🙏🏼💕🙏🏼

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Glorious. I was completely swept up in this. I had no idea this pace even existed. Also, happy birthday! (Mine’s in two days.)

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Happy belated birthday, Rebecca! Hope you had a wonderful celebration.

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Many blessings on your Continuation Day!

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three bows, Kimberly!

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Happy Birthday! Amazing and inspirational story!!! 🙏🙏🙏

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thank you, Don -- and thank you for the birthday gift!

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So inspirational.

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thank you, Glee!

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Happy Birthday and thank you for this story, it inspires me 🩷

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thank you, Erin! What will you do with your inspiration? ; )

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What an extraordinary essay, and what an extraordinary pilgrimage, Maia! Thanks for sharing.

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thank you, Tom!

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