What to expect from a silent meditation retreat

You may have heard of silent retreats, a concept which can seem pretty daunting to some! Removing all stimulus, including talking, in order to meditate for the majority of the day. So, what exactly is involved and why? Meditating even 10 minutes a day can be TOUGH so what are the benefits of an intense deep dive into meditation? Read the article below which details a students first time experience.

I decided to attend a Vipassana 10-day silent meditation retreat in a moment of quiet desperation.

I was 26 and was preparing for the Bar Exam. During that time, I was studying law somewhere around 10 to 14 hours daily although I knew deep inside that I really didn’t want to become a lawyer *let’s not talk about my decision-making process, shall we?*.

As a result, panic attacks slowly started creeping up on me, without anybody noticing. I didn’t see myself practicing Law, yet had accumulated such an amount of debt that changing my field of study at this point seemed financially impossible. I felt stuck. I was under incredible levels of stress.

I was in a bad place, was having silent anxiety attacks, had a broken heart, was left with a big apartment to pay for all by myself and somehow still had to hold everything together and continue to study all day, every day. Not my best year.

Then one day I heard about this silent meditation retreat that lasted 10 days, where man and woman were separated, food was excellent and … was free.

Vipassana had entered my awareness. I knew that it was exactly what I needed. ‘‘This would solve so much of my problems’’ I thought. And so, without giving it much more thought, I decided to skip classes for 2 weeks, reassured my mom who thought I was about to join a cult and packed my bags. Vipassana was calling and I had to go.

So, what is Vipassana?

Vipassana is a word in Pali, an ancient language of India, that means to see things as they really are. Long lost to humanity, this very ancient meditation technique was rediscovered by Gautama Buddha 2 500 years ago and has been passed on from teacher to teacher ever since. The current Vipassana teacher, S.N. Goenka, was born and raised in Burma and who, after studying Vipassana for 14 years went on and taught tens of thousands of people across the world with no regards to religion, culture, age, gender. Although Goenka passed away in 2013, the Vipassana teachings continue. Indeed, today, Vipassana courses, are held at 310 locations in more than 90 countries.

Is vipassana a cult?

Rest assured tribe, contrary to what my mom and friends thought when I first told them I was going to spend 10 days meditating in total silence from dusk till dawn without any distraction nor contact with the exterior world, Vipassana is absolutely not a cult.

It’s non-sectarian as Goenka explained that, "The Buddha never taught a sectarian religion; he taught Dhamma - the way to liberation — which is universal". It’s not an intellectual nor is it a philosophical entertainment. It’s not a rest cure, a holiday, or an opportunity for socializing. And it’s certainly not an escape from the ups and downs of everyday life (as I initially thought, oups !).

Vipassana is just a meditation technique that requires dedication and hard work. You will learn to observe the sensations of your body in the present moment in order to learn how to let go of cravings and aversions to ultimately reach happiness and full liberation. By learning and applying this method, you will learn to purify your mind from old patterns which in return will allow you to face life with a calm and balanced state of mind. Simply put, Vipassana teaches you to be happy. Pretty sweet hu ?

How do you subscribe?

Typically, Vipassana centres are far enough from big cities to not be in a very noisy environment, yet close enough to be accessible.

If you are a beginner at Vipassana, meaning it is your first time, you will have no other choice than to attend the 10-day retreat. Only old student can choose to attend shorter classes because they already learned the technique.

What are the 5 precepts?

During the whole Vipassana 10-days retreat, beginners will have to observe a Code of moral conduct comprised of 5 precepts, which are :

• to abstain from killing any being ;

• to abstain from stealing ;

• to abstain from telling lies ;

• to abstain from all sexual misconduct ;

• to abstain from all intoxicants.

What is the ‘noble silence’?

All Vipassana students will have to follow the rule of ‘Noble Silence’ for the first 9 days of the retreat. The Noble Silence implies the silence of body, speech and mind. That’s right, no talking for 9 days !

You’ll see, it’s like a facelift for your throat. But just know that if you have any questions, preoccupations about technical or material stuff you can always talk to the person in charge of the centre. Same goes for any question you might have about your meditation practice, in which case you can schedule a moment to talk with the teacher.

On the 10th day, you will be allowed to talk again as a way of re-establishing the normal pattern of daily life.

The schedule

Each Vipassana centre is said to have its own schedule of courses. But in my experience, (I attended Vipassana in Canada, Switzerland and Peru) the schedule is pretty much always the same.

The day begins at the sound of a gong at 4:00 am (I know, I know. It sounds horrible, but trust me, it’s not that bad) and ends at the sound of a gong at 9:00 pm. During the day, you meditate somewhere around 11 hours, with regular breaks, lunch (the food is so delicious I still dream about it) rest periods and even time to walk outside.

Also, every day, around 7:00 pm you assist to a videotaped lecture by the Teacher S.N. Goenka. During that teaching you will get information to understand better your meditation practice.

You will also laugh as Goenka is the most adorable men ever. And after a long day of meditation, his smile will do you lots of good.

When I first read about the Vipassana schedule, I was like No way I’m doing that, it’s crazy ! But in reality, I was surprised to see that it was actually easier to wake up at 4 am than my usual waking hour. Plus, this schedule has proved workable and beneficial for hundreds of thousands of students for decades. So, I guess it must be doing something right.

How much does it cost?

Vipassana is free. Yes, free. There are no fees for the course, not even for the food (which is vegetarian and soo delicious), accommodation nor teachings.

The whole experience is based on donations from old students who believe that Vipassana has brought something valuable in their lives and who now want to help somebody else to experience it.

Whenever I attend a Vipassana retreat, I always take a little time to thank the students that have come before me for allowing me to receive this beautiful experience. Without them, there would be no Vipassana.

Should you attend a Vipassana 10-day meditation retreat?

Attending a 10-day silent meditation retreat is something I wish everybody would do. I feel like the world would be such a better place if we all knew about this technique.

For me, Vipassana turned out to be something very different from what I initially thought it would be. During my first retreat, my mind brought me to a very very dark place. And I mean very dark. And while it was a hard moment at the time, I now know that is what I needed to come to the understanding that I am not my mind. I am not my body either. I am so much more. All these tools that I have gained from this experience have helped me to go through life with more equanimity. As a result, this equanimity helped me cope with not passing the bar exam a year later, it helped me with my relationships to others and to myself, it helped me with my anxiety which doesn’t have so much power over me now, it helped me with finding my Self and my purpose. And most of all, it helped me to be happy. And for all of that and so much more, I am forever grateful. So, beautiful tribe, know this, although everybody has a different experience, Vipassana remains hard for all. But it is well worth it and I deeply wish you get to learn this beautiful technique and practice it daily.’

Article sourced from: https://www.thepathprovides.com/blog/what-is-vipassana
Article author: Modern Spirituality

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Yoga, Music and the art of Listening

At one time or another, most people have probably been disappointed when a teacher has not played music in a yoga class. Some people feel they need it in order to complete their experience and fully enjoy the class, others may not even notice the absence of music. So why would a teacher consciously choose not to play music, when so many people enjoy practicing to it? Ari Levanael explains below the impact music and sound can have on our practice of yoga, both on and off the mat.

We all love music, don’t we?

Music and movement have been united since drumming and dancing around the fires of our ancestors and more recently to the night club and festival party scenes of today. It can also really help create an ‘atmosphere’ in a yoga room, but lately I haven’t been playing music in my classes and there is a good reason why.

“When the mind runs after the wandering senses, then it carries away one’s understanding, as the wind carries away a ship on the waters. Therefore, the wisdom of whose senses are withdrawn from the objects of the senses stands firm.”

— Bhagavad Gita 2.67

So, what does this mean? The mind running after the wandering senses?

When the mind follows the relentless pursuit of stimulation and sensation is it at the expense of our physical, emotional, and mental health? Do we need more stimulation in an already often bombarding world? The above teaches us that when our senses are not disturbed or influenced by things that could possibly make our minds wander, we can stand firm or be calm in the stillness. Wisdom and understanding will come as a result of not being so easily led astray by our senses.

Over the past few years I have gone through stages with yoga playlists in my classes, but for 20 years I practiced in silence. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy music and the creative process like most, but when I’m practicing and teaching without music, I am able to dive deeper and listen clearly to the students. The silence helps me do that. I love the students that remember their attention to detail of our entire practice, and what I was actually teaching, not what song I played.

For me, yoga is a conversation with my body. I need my complete attention there in order to hear what it has to say. There is also a grace and art to moving and breathing as with any form of exercise and the way you carry yourself through your day in any given situation sets the mood of your mind. Your actions and responses (or reactions) will teach you about the person you are in that moment.

I am noticing that students are dropping into “the zone” easier without the music playing, when their focus is honed on their own practice and my alignment cues. I sense the difference at the end of practice, I feel it in the room. The sound of silence.

As a teacher it’s my job to help you listen. Not specifically just to me, but more-so listen to your breathing and the sound your feet are making in your practice. It will teach you so much about how you are progressing on your path. It will also teach me if you are listening.

Silence can be crucial in your yoga practice to help you listen to the sound and rhythm of your breath. Equally as important as I mentioned, is the sound your feet are making through your practice. Is there a heaviness to your step? To your breathing? How can you hear this with music playing? I’ve been in classes where I can hardly hear what the teacher is saying over the sound of the music and the thumping of people’s feet. With no music playing I hear instantly when there is heaviness and someone is pushing themselves to do something that maybe their body is telling them they are not ready for. We are aiming for grace and elegance and knowing how to listen is fundamental in achieving this in your practice. It is one of the most important things you could do on your mat. Sure, listening to music is also fun in the practice, we feel like we are dancing on the mat and that’s great. Maybe learning to listen to yourself amongst the noise and distraction of life is a good lesson also. There is a season for everything, right?

I understand that noise is around us constantly, there can be a music to the nature of our world. Even traffic could be a form of music. Students have often told me they love my playlists and sometimes I too enjoy moving and grooving, but now it feels different. I know noise is everywhere and the path of Pratyahara is not to be so easily disturbed by the external stuff. To not get so easily distracted. I get it now. I can remain calm in the cacophony of noise now that I’m older and more experienced, but maybe not so much in my 20’s easily influenced by the energies around me. Anxiety is in many people, they are absolutely over stimulated, and calm could be just what they need.

I notice it straight away when I hear huffing and puffing in the class, and when this has happened, students have lost the point of the yoga practice. Yoga teaches us to listen, to explore the depths of our potential and the workings of our mind. In order for the magic to happen we need to be able to direct our clear attention to the parts of the body asking for our attention. We direct this attention through calm intention and calm breathing. We know energy flows where attention goes right?

Let the practice be soft, strong yet calm and serene. Be gentle on yourself. You deserve it.

 I’m diving into Pratyahara, into the depths of silence, being in the world but not of it and not so easily swayed by the barrage of anything hoping to get my attention. I’m practicing yoga and finding a connection with my breath and movement of my body. Such a gift to be able to move as we do. In quiet I can tune into subtleties that with music is not as obvious. As a teacher, I’m connecting to the room of students in front of me, sometimes 70 people at once. I listen to each and every one of you. We are in it together.

With no music it makes students more conscious of the sound they are making in the practice. It’s like they know the rest of the room can also hear, so actively work to be quiet and calm, to not be the one making all the noise… (and I’m constantly reminding them!) When loud music is playing, the loud footsteps and thumping and huffing and puffing can get lost in a cacophony of noise. Already jacking up a nervous system bombarded with external stimulation.

What is pratyahara again?

If you are easily disturbed by the noise and turmoil of the environment around you, you will need to practice pratyahara. Without it, you will not be able to meditate. Yoga and meditation are no different.

Pratyahara, the fifth limb of the eight limbs of yoga, is composed of two Sanskrit words, prati and ahara. “Ahara” means food, or anything we take into ourselves from the outside. “Prati” is a preposition meaning against or away. “Pratyahara” means literally “control of ahara,” or “gaining mastery over external influences.” You could think of it as a type of sensory transcendence, where the calm waters don’t become massive waves crashing to the shore because a pebble was thrown in the water. It is during this stage of understanding yoga that we make the conscious effort to draw our awareness away from the external world and outside stimuli. Tricky in an era of social media, likes, follows, comments and buy my this or that.

Anything that takes your focus away from the external impressions and creates peaceful and positive inner impressions is pratyahara. So, take time to detox from the media and music in yoga, move yourself into a place of peace. Focus the mind and the senses will follow. If we are moving toward focus and meditation and ultimately an enlightened state of bliss then possibly removing (maybe temporarily) another external noise could help.

Always with patience and practice.

Author: Arian Levanael
Source: https://ari.yoga/2020/02/13/yoga-music-the-art-of-listening/

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