This is Part 1 of 2 of my time at a Buddhist Monastery when I was in Thailand in 2011, it is both hilarious that (A)I actually did this and (B) crazy that I am planning to do it again sometime next year.
Now trying to explaining this in written words does not truly do it justice, so if you want the fullest explanation of my spiritual experience you will have to sit down with me over a cup of tea. Here is my best attempt to describe one of the most incredible and difficult experiences of my life, this may be a long blog more likely two and I will break it down as easily as I can.
To begin with I will start with some details: This was a 21 day(use to be 26) mindfulness of breathing Vipassana-Meditation Course in English at the Northern Insight Meditation Center WAT RAMPOENG (TAPOTARAM) Buddhist Monastery In Chiang Mia, in the North of Thailand. http://www.palikanon.com/vipassana/tapotaram/tapotaram.htm for a basic outline on the meditation and place, and a clear look at info in better words than mine, if you read this link you can skip a lot of blog one which is more the details. I will get to my experiences more in blog two, this was just to lay it out in order for my own sake.
This large monastery has a population of:
50-70 regular monks
3 lady monks
40ish boy monks (boys ages 8-18)
80ish nuns
Between 60-150 Thai students (depending on the time and Buddhist holidays, part of Thai Buddhist religion says you should spend some time each year at a monastery)
Between 20-60 foreign students
Upon entering this monastery you must agree to stay at least 10 days, and if you leave earlier you must inform the instructing monk as an opening and closing ceremony are part of the ritual and it is very disrespectful to leave without seeing your teacher. The first instructions I received from my instructing monk Phra Chan Bodin, (he was the toughie Instructor in the good monk/bad monk relationship, and a funny, short guy with difficult to understand english). His rules were: no leaving the grounds, you must wear white, no talking unless asking questions to your teacher, instructor or a few other students and talking must be minimal, no looking, no touching, no books, no electronics, walking slow, eating slow, “knowing, knowing, knowing.” These three words I would hear in my dreams as I would be reprimanded various times in the first few confusing days for breaking one of these rules, generally for walking fast, talking or looking. Upon reading the guide on the course he asked me and the two other English speaking students beginning with me at the time (one Richard from Georgia, and other Collin from Singapore) if we really want to do this? “This is no joke, this is serious” he said “you and yourself and no one else” now I found out at a later time when whispering to some other students and seeing a few myself that this is as far as many foreigners get within the course. Many politely say thank you and that they are probably not ready or this is probably not for them. I believe even this shows amazing bravery that your willing to come in and see what the hell these crazy people do for such a long time as even 10 days. Because in truth, it is impossible to look at this experience and not see it at least decently crazy. I have had 5 year’s experience dabbling in meditation and I arrived thinking in the front of my brain that I would do the 10 day course. However the back of my brain and my heart knew I would be there for 21 days or die trying in the attempt.( I truly felt like the dying part regularly during this experience). However even the few three day retreats and my 7 days at an Ashram did not prepare truly for this experience.
A regular day looks like this for me:
4am: Wake up to Gongs
4-6am: Meditation, walking and sitting
6:30-7am: Breakfast, meals in silence, prayers said before each meal and prostrating( bowing three times before and after to the Buddha statue in the room for respect)
7:00-7:30am: Raking
7:30-1030: Showering(cold water only), cleaning of room and balcony, and meditation walking and sitting.
9:30am: Usual meeting with your teacher, time changes daily. 10:30-11: Lunch with prayers and prostration
11-11:30: Raking aka whisper time with a few other students about our misery
12:30pm: Last chance to eat for the day (you were allowed to get snacks and sweets from the small store on grounds), after this time you may still drink soy milks or other drinks for energy.
12:30-5: Meditation walking and sitting, either on the grounds, in your room or on your balcony, in the Library, and Temple as long as there was no other function or chanting going on in either.
5-5:30pm: Energy drink meal (usually a thin warm soup, pumpkin or fruit of the sort)
5:30-10pm: Walking or sitting meditation
10pm: Bed time
Now day one was with our instructor and on day two we would meet with our teacher (the good monk in the good monk/bad monk relationship) and once a day with our teacher every day. We would meditation 5 hours, walking 15 minutes, sitting 15 minutes in succession with an occasional bathroom break. Day one was difficult but manageable. Day two is when it began to get tough It was 8 hours meditation, 20 minutes walking 20 sitting. This would grow an hour more and 5 minutes more walking and sitting each day until we were meditating 12 hours a day (or trying to) and walking one hour sitting one hour. This is when it started to feel like I had made a terrible mistake
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