The gong goes off at 4 o’clock in the morning and the first meditation of the day begins at 4:30. A short recorded teaching by the guru instructs you on the day’s lesson. All the participants in the meditation hall have agreed to spend ten days in silence.
One of India’s oldest meditation techniques, Vipassana is a process of mental purification through self observation. Observation of the breath, observation of the sensations of the body and observation of the chattering mind. The daily routine is simple. Long periods of meditation, delicious vegetarian meals, a time for gentle exercise and a video message from the guru before an early bedtime.
To say that you are spending your days in silence is not actually true. No one speaks but as a result you become very aware of the endless dialogue in your mind. It never stops!
The first three days are very difficult as you feel all your body’s aches and pains amplified as you sit in meditation. The following three days are when you realize that you really only have four or five trains of thought that loop endlessly in your mind. Everything that you think or worry about falls into these categories. Many people leave the retreat at this point.
But for most people the magic happens around day seven! In my experience, during meditation, I became like a shooting star in the infinite night sky. I was part of the fabric of the Universe. I knew all things and there was nothing to fear, nothing to regret. There was only love, an incredible force field of love holding all things together. Every meditation became an amazing experience!
On the final day of the retreat when speaking was allowed, I found myself very reluctant to create sounds again. It felt like by moving back into a world of noise I would forever close the door that had been opened. Ten days of silent meditation is a profound pathway into your inner world. Vipassana centres exist all around the world and we have several in Canada. Experience for yourself the power of silence.
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