A little over 10 years ago, before I turned 20, I went and stayed in a meditation centre for 3 months. Here’s my story.
I was living in Paris and had gotten a flat with my then girlfriend. It was right after the summer of my high school graduation. I was about to start business school and was living the dream, up to this point. But being a young adult kinda sucks.
I did not realise that I actually had to study in a business school. I thought it was all going to be about partying and networking, which is part of the process as well, but students still needed to work pretty hard.
For the first time in my life, after having left the nest, I felt my only responsibilities were to show my presence 3-4 times a week at school and not coming home too drunk! Then I decided to stop going to school and stop talking to my girlfriend. Why not? If I am to be a fuckup, I might as well go all the way.
To keep the long story short, I got “depressed”. I started drinking more and when my parents found out, they “deported” me to a meditation centre. In fact, I actually made the choice to go there.
I was supposed to go to Burma now known as Myanmar but there was the ‘Saffron Revolution’ and I ended up in beautiful Chiangmai, Thailand. Most foreigners at the meditation center came for the first course of 10 days or the second “course” of 21 days. I stayed for 3 months and there were few who did.
Many men and women who came, gave up after a few days. My brother and mother went there last year and my sibling gave up after 3 days. Out of a group of ten people, 3 quit after a few days including my brother.
I don’t want you guys to think that people were getting tortured there although some of them might feel mentally tortured. It is an experience like no other and you don’t really know what to expect.
If you think you’re going to levitate and become enlightened after a few weeks, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. I remember seeing a guy almost running out of the meditation centre.
It was kind of odd and hilarious at the same time. For me it was probably one of the best things, if not the best thing I did in my life. Let me describe a little bit of the routine. The first 3 days we were “trained” by one of the monks in charge of newcomers.
These 3 days were grueling and so exhausting. I did not shower for 3 days. Yes, I was a dirty m*********. I had to get used to sleeping 6 hours a night on a hard bed and hearing this f**** bell waking me up at 4am everyday. And no solid food is allowed after 12.
Then you are introduced to the walking and sitting meditation. The practice is pretty “easy” and straightforward. You alternate between walking and sitting meditation.
Many of you may not be familiar with the walking meditation practice. To be honest, I am not a big fan of this practice but when you go on a retreat you need to do it because it is hard to stay on your ass for hours on end.
Walking meditation is the Pilates of the Buddhist monastic world. I won’t get into too many details but walking meditation is pretty much the same as sitting meditation. The only difference is that you have to focus on the movements of your legs and feet instead of the rising and falling of your stomach.
After the first 3 days, you’re pretty much on your own. You got your wings now and you can try to fly. You have to report to the head monk everyday except for the new moon and full moon days.
You wake up around 4 am. Meditate till breakfast at 6.30 then return to your room. That’s the time I would choose to take a shower then get back to meditation. A lot of foreigners would...
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11 сен 2024
