a thing in 11 photos
meditation
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- no killing any living thing.
- only two simple meals a day (tea and a piece of fruit was served as a snack in lieu of dinner).
- separation of men and women.
- no sexual or sensual touch (no masturbation).
- no intoxicants of any time.
- no touching any other person
- no music, books, magazines, etc.
- NO TALKING or eye contact for the entire 10 days.
Pretty hardcore, right? Well, wait to you see the schedule that we followed for 10 entire days:
4:00 a.m.---------------------Morning wake-up bell
4:30-6:30 a.m.----------------Meditate in the hall or in your room
6:30-8:00 a.m.----------------Breakfast break
8:00-9:00 a.m.----------------Group meditation in the hall
9:00-11:00 a.m.---------------Meditate in the hall or in your room according to the teacher's instructions
11:00-12:00 noon--------------Lunch break
12noon-1:00 p.m.--------------Rest and interviews with the teacher
1:00-2:30 p.m.----------------Meditate in the hall or in your room
2:30-3:30 p.m.----------------Group meditation in the hall
3:30-5:00 p.m.----------------Meditate in the hall or in your own room according to the teacher's instructions
5:00-6:00 p.m.----------------Tea break
6:00-7:00 p.m.----------------Group meditation in the hall
7:00-8:15 p.m.----------------Teacher's Discourse in the hall
8:15-9:00 p.m.----------------Group meditation in the hall
9:00-9:30 p.m.----------------Question time in the hall
9:30 p.m.---------------------Retire to your own room--Lights out
If you look at the daily schedule, you'll
realize that (in addition to being woken up at 4am!!! Whaaaa???)
we also spent no less than 10 hour and 45 minutes each day practicing
the meditation technique. So while the no talking and no eye contact
part was difficult, it was spending over 10 hours a day, in one hour
increments, not moving at all and working on the meditation technique
that was one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life.