10 DAYS LIVING LIKE A MONK

On the hinterlands in the outskirts of Madrid, surrounded by mountain peeks and embraced by the stars and moon at night – I took part in a silent meditation course for 10 days. In this post ill share my experience with you.

The what, why and how

Vipassana – the meditation technique as taught by the Buddha.

The gong wakes me up at 4.00am to get ready for the first meditation sitting of the day. Its still dark outside as I walk from my room to the meditation hall (entrance in the pic below). Together with 139 other students I sit down in a meditation posture, close my eyes and start the more than 2500 year old meditation technique of Vipassana. The technique that Buddha practiced that ultimately led to enlightenment. Ultimate freedom from suffering.
The aim of the meditation is to purify the mind and let go of old habit patterns and responses that causes misery namely the addiction we have to craving/clinging or aversion/dislike. One learns to become equanimous to all circumstances, weather good or bad and this starts through observation of the bodily sensations. Everything is stored in the body – this becomes very evident.

Each one of us had a little throne made out of a thick cushion, pillows and blankets (see pic below). We meditated from 4.30am til 9pm in the evening with breaks for breakfast, lunch and lemon water in the evening. I have attended 7 Vipassana courses since my first one in 2011 and each time come out with so much clarity, experiential wisdom and what feels like a much lighter being, as if I lost weight. As an old student you fast for 19 hours per day as this helps the meditation and creates more discipline. Adhiṭṭhāna is the term for strong determination in Buddhism and this is specifically practiced during 3 group sittings where students are not allowed to move. Needless to say we do not have our phones, writing or reading material and restrain from all kinds of communicate during the course (unless we have to with the servers), noble silence is a strict precept until the last day when we gently come out of it and prepare for life outside.

Im sure you wonder why on earth I would put myself through this for the 7th time. The benefits are endless and different each time aswell as for each student. I find having an intentions before the course guides the inner work and purification but having that said we always get what we need and not what we want. For example this time around I was sick for most part and had to work on a deeper level to remain equanimous even when I felt I was gonna suffocate from snot and flem. The hurdle was real and yet so rewarding. One comes to realise how much suffering there is within and thus outside in the world and how each of us spread this misery to our environment like the pest.
As I sit down to start meditating day one its obvious how wild my mind is and how unaware I have been of what it is doing. Jumping from one thing to the other completely incoherent, like a mad person. Either in the past and a memory or in the future with perfectionism planning, control and desires. The art of living truly is in the moment. All that we have that is real is in the present moment yet our habit patterns wont allow us to be there for even a minor part of our day. The main teaching of the Buddha is Dhamma, the law of nature – impermanence. Like the seasons and the lake, the clouds and the leafs everything is in movement and in constant change. It is this that is observed through Vipassana, the arising and passing away of sensations on the body, the changes as they happen. Weather painful or pleasant one observes through a balanced and non judgemental mind. One meets life while sitting in meditation as this is experinced through the body. The equanimity one masters is applicable to all of life’s event. Each time you face something difficult or pleasant there is a reaction in the body that is programmed to be “good” or “bad”, through awareness and equanimity one breaks free from this habit pattern. The stock of defilements collected in our subconscious that causes misery are in the Buddhist tradition referred to as Samskaras. It is the Samskaras that are slowly but surely through observation becoming weaker and getting irradicated. Liberation, peace and harmony is a consequence. Meeting reality as it is, not as we want it to be. Living in the present moment with the notion that this too shall pass is empowering and brings so much ease. There is no anticipation nor disappointment, just acceptance. Breaking free from the habit patterns and bondages of the mind is truly a recipe for living a peaceful and happy life. If there is anything the world needs right now, it is peaceful humans. And these merits to be shared to ones surrounding. What I really love about Vipassana that stands out to other “spiritual” teachings I’ve taken part in over the years is that it is not based on intellectual or philosophical teachings or blind faith, rites and rituals but rather experiential wisdom that you gain through your own body and psyche. Truths pertaining to you, that you quickly realise are universal. If you have the opportunity, I fondly recommend you to attend a course, it will change your life in the best way. There are centres and courses offered all over the world and they are donation based –

https://www.dhamma.org/en/locations/directory.

Shoutout to my dear friend and mentor Pete that in 2010 wrote Vipassana on a note and gave it to me to look up when I was ready.

Forever grateful!

My bedroom throne for certain hours of the day.