I LIVED LIKE A MONK FOR 10 DAYS AGAIN
This blog post is a little different... I won’t be sharing my usual business tips etc. but rather, I’ll share a personal experience with you.
It’s been an interesting month for me so far. I had decided that this year was time for me to go on another 10-day silent meditation course. And so this February, I went.
If you haven’t heard of Vipassana, it’s one of India's oldest techniques of meditation, first taught 2,500 years ago by Buddha. It is a practical method of self-awareness that allows one to face the tensions and problems of daily life in a calm and balanced way. To learn Vipassana Meditation one needs to develop one's own experience during a residential 10-day course.
There happens to be a convenient location in Ontario, which is not too far from the city, making it accessible for many people.
I first learned about this Vipassana center many years ago. And so back in 2015, I took my very first course. It was simultaneously the most difficult thing I had ever done but also the best thing I had ever done for myself as it was truly life-changing.
When I first announced that I was going to be at a secluded location in the woods, giving up my phone to be locked up for the duration of my stay and taking a vow of silence for nearly 10 full days, some of my family members were convinced I was joining some kind of a cult. It definitely wasn’t the easiest thing to explain to people. However, I had done my research and heard plenty of stories from others who had done it before, so I felt safe going in.
The experience I had during the course was unlike any other. There’s nothing that I can possibly compare it to. When you go to this place, you have to follow a strict schedule and adhere to all the rules of the center. They wake you up with a gong every morning at 4 am because the first round of meditation starts at 4:30 am. Yikes! Pretty tough for anyone who’s not a morning person.
In total, there are 10.5 hours of meditation scheduled per day! You eat a vegetarian/vegan diet while you’re there with breakfast, lunch, and nothing but fruit and tea for “dinner”.
You’re not allowed to bring a book or even a journal. The only reprieve you get is taking nature walks in the woods, which by the way, are stunning in the winter.
The idea is that you go and live like a monk/nun for 10 days to purify your mind.
Every single day of my first course was a mental roller coaster. I experienced every emotion there is in super high intensity. From anger to frustration, to extreme happiness, to depression, and ending in massive gratitude. Each day brought something new and I was never quite prepared for it. But I managed to get through it and was so very glad that I did.
The benefits of an experience like this are enormous although they vary for everyone. For me personally, it helped me deal with everyday stresses in a more relaxed way, it made me extremely peaceful inside, it reduced my worrying by a ton, it helped me develop more compassion towards others, and...it cured my insomnia! I learned how to be happier and remain equanimous in tough or stressful situations. Perhaps the biggest lesson in all of this was equanimity.
Equanimous means having emotional stability and composure, particularly in times of high stress. A very useful tool for just about anyone on this planet.
By the way, the whole thing is absolutely free to join. At the end of your stay, you can choose to leave a monetary donation (however much you desire or can afford). Every server and teacher there is a volunteer, and nobody gets paid for anything. All expenses are paid by donations from previous students. The year of 2015 in October, I also went back to serve as a volunteer for four days because I felt very grateful for my experience and wanted to give back, not just by leaving a donation but also by giving my time.
Fast forward to 8 years later and I felt the need to go back again for another 10-day course. Why? Because even though I still remembered all the lessons, I started going back to my old ways of stressing over all the little things. So I felt like I needed a reset.
What I can say about doing it all for the second time is that while it was slightly easier this time around, it was still extremely difficult and I still can’t believe I got through it without running away halfway through! Let me tell you, it feels like time stands still while you’re there so it’s very different from the usual “time flies” feeling back at home.
After talking to some other “old students” (meaning those who’ve done it before), I found out that some people do this once a year or in some extreme cases, twice a year! Now that’s way too much for me personally but to each their own.
In the end, I enjoyed the quiet time, the break from social media, and the everyday thoughts of growing my business. I’m hoping it will give me some relief from stress and help me live a more harmonious life again.
I don’t like to preach, it’s not my style at all, I just like to share my experiences. But if you ask me, I would definitely recommend it to everyone.