My ten days experience at a meditation center

Dear Friends,

I recently had the opportunity to spend ten days at a meditation centre, and it was a rewarding experience for me. The centre's routine started early at 4.30 AM in the morning and ended at 9.00 PM at night. During the day, there are 4 hours of group meditation in the main hall and seven hours of meditation either in the hall or in own own room as instructed by the teacher. And during the course, we had to observe eight precepts (the Buddhist way), one of which was to abstain from having dinner.

Although the meditation practices were rooted in Buddhism, the centre was open to people of all religions, and there were no Buddha images in the compound to keep everyone comfortable. Anyone can join the meditation course, and the centre teaches meditation without implanting any religious beliefs.

For the first three days, we practiced Samatha meditation, which focused on boosting concentration. We were trained to focus on the present moment, not to dwell on the past or worry about the future. In the following seven days, we practiced Vipassana meditation, which was all about seeing things as they truly are. We learned to observe our sensations without reacting to them, a valuable skill that can help us navigate the ups and downs of life.

During the ten-day course, we were not allowed to talk to anyone, read books, or use our mobile phones. This was to help us focus on our meditation work without any distractions. It was a challenging but rewarding experience, and by the end of the course, we came to realize those practices really helped in achieving our goals.

And the favourite part of the course was listening to the daily evening Dhamma discourse. It gave reflecting insight on what we were practising on daily basis and let see life from a different perspective. And what I also enjoyed most about the course was the delicious vegetarian food prepared by the centre. It was a true local cuisine, which was flavorful and far from boring.

The yogis were accommodated in two-person rooms and were not allowed to communicate with one another. However, we could raise questions to the teacher and talk to the Dhamma workers if we needed something.

Overall, I highly recommend this meditation course to anyone who wants to learn meditation for the first time or deepen their practice. It's a wonderful opportunity to find peace of mind and reconnect with yourself in a world full of distractions and sensations. The centre I joined was in Taunggyi, Shan State, Myanmar, but there are other centres worldwide. Check out at https://www.dhamma.org/en/locations/directory to find a centre near you.

The following were some of the photos taken at the centre before the mediation course began.

Thank you.

(The experience took place two months ago from 1/3/2023 to 12/3/2023 and I am glad to save the memory on this Hive blockchain.)

@princekham
5th May 2023
Myanmar