By MICHELE ALEXANDRE

The usual hustle and bustle of traveling and busy life preceded my family's trip from Chicago to Tampa to attend the recent Family Retreat with monastics from Blue Cliff Monastery. Although I had attended several retreats at FCM and had found them extremely beneficial, it was my first time attending a family retreat. I arrived in Florida somewhat preoccupied and with my mind pulled toward the external world.

We got to FCM during the opening session. The minute we set foot in the Meditation Hall, the wholesome energy there settled me. It was apparent from the first moment that everyone planning the retreat had created a space where children of various ages and their families could just be themselves, and where we could all commune and learn to be present with one another.

Over the course of the weekend, time with the adults, the monks and our FCM sangha lifted my prior preoccupation, and my mind returned to the enjoyment of the simple things: my breath, the sound of the bell, mindful cleaning and eating. Watching the monks and being part of the sangha gave me a practical model for enjoying thefreedom of being enough just right where I was. I slowed down to be present in the moments spent in sangha, and during time with my partner Vicki and our daughter Eshe as a family.

The family weekend added depth and opportunities for presence that were different than with an individual retreat and brought us closer. The entire weekend, the three of us moved in sync, focused on the scheduled activities, with Vicki and I tending to Eshe during unscheduled time. It felt as if we were practicing on the cushion as well as off the cushion all in one retreat. 

And watching Eshe take to the retreat so easily was delightful. The children bonded with each other and

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became synchronized quickly. Though Eshe had never been to FCM, she gravitated toward the schedule, learned the rules for noble silence and relished the friends she quickly made. Within hours the kids became inseparable, playing respectfully and enjoying everything to the fullest. It was powerful to see how easily they learned from the monks and how they reveled in being with each other.

For me, the most memorable moment came during the closing sangha when each monk shared their journey to the monastery and offered a few examples from their daily life. The universal nature of the challenges they shared were relatable and inspiring. Listening to the monks, the reminder was simple: peace is in every step. When things feel complex, we can bring our mind to our bodies. For example, if we are walking, we can bring our mind to our feet and say to ourselves: “Walking. Aware that I am walking.”

I had heard and read about this exercise many times before. It is reinforced often by our teacher Fred. Somehow, hearing the monks use it in their own daily life felt liberating. 

Michèle Alexandre has been practicing for eight years. She joined FCM in 2021 when she was dean and a professor law at Stetson University Law School in Gulfport. A graduate of Harvard Law School, she now lives in Chicago where she is dean and a professor of law at Loyola University School of Law, Chicago.

In the photo above, Michele is at top, Esche at right, family pet Stella at the bottom, and Vicki at left.