My experience of a Vipassana Retreat
I have just come back from spending six nights away at a Vipassana Retreat. Vipassana is a Buddha teaching, which believes that the end to your suffering is in knowing yourself and gaining insight into your true nature. In the hectically busy lives that we lead we miss out on the time for self discovery and self observation. The retreat is an opportunity to take the time out to go deep within and explore by direct experience your inner terrain.
I noticed how the fear factor came into play prior to my leaving. Knowing that this retreat was for six whole nights and that I would have to shut up for the entire time – it’s a silent retreat… I was worried. Even having meditated for many years now, I had never experienced complete days of silence and introspection.
The first day was difficult. I felt resistance rising in me to everything from the schedule to the many sitting mediations (I sit once a day as a practice – 20 minutes , not for hours…), to the way the dishes were washed in the dining room (you don’t want to know – save water we did), and on and on. I still had another five days and my back was already straining. I did sleep well which was a bonus.
The second day I rose at six and the resistance had dropped. I love it when that happens…one of my favorite phrases when the going gets tough is “This too shall pass”. I enjoyed the direct contact with myself. I let myself ease into the schedule and skipped one or two of the many meditation sittings without any guilt, rather listening to my inner voice and stopping resisting.
There are many kinds of retreats. Most of us, “friends” or “yogis” participating are attracted to a common goal – transformation, awareness, and depth within our lives. It may be an idea to find the retreat that best suits you. This retreat I did was in Israel and combined walking and mediation in nature. You may want to ruff it like I did and sleep four in dormitory quarters, or you may want a more up market retreat where you have more privacy and sleep alone. I was privileged to have had three Dharma teachers at our retreat. I hope to visit Martin Aylward, one of our teachers in France, and combine silent practice with dialogue also have my own private room. See http://www.moulindechaves.org, it’s really worth checking out.
The retreat is an amazing time out for intensive learning about oneself and having said this I also truly believe in bringing the practice in various ways into our moment by moment living experiences.
Samantha Amit
November 1st, 2008 at 12:58 pm
I cannot believe you went 6 nights without talking. Where you allowed to talk to yourself? Did you hear talks? How did you know what to do, etc?”