The final morning began with a mandatory meditation session from 4:30 am to 6:30 am, practicing Metta once again. After meditation, we went to the dining hall for coffee and bread, as many participants had long journeys ahead. The kitchen closed at 7:00 am for cleaning, and everyone moved toward their assigned service areas. Those … Continue reading Final Day — Day 11 (Blog #13)
Day 10 — Noble Silence Ends (Blog #12)
After 10:00 am, Noble Silence was to be broken so that returning to the outside world on the next day would not feel overwhelming. That morning, we learned Metta meditation.Metta comes from the Pali language and is translated as: Loving-kindness Universal goodwill Compassion without attachment In the tradition taught by Guruji (S. N. Goenka), Metta … Continue reading Day 10 — Noble Silence Ends (Blog #12)
Day 8 & 9 (Blog #11)
Again, no sun. The mornings were foggy and quiet. Let me shorten the routine part now, because by this time the daily schedule had completely settled, and you already understand how the days were flowing — meditation, meals, walking, rest, and again meditation. But I still want to mention one small thing. I saw a … Continue reading Day 8 & 9 (Blog #11)
Day 6 & 7 (Blog #10)
Today the sun looked like the moon. There was a very pale yellow aura around it, but mostly you could see dark greyish-blue clouds moving above it. The entire sky was covered. The color of the sky felt heavy — dark, grey, blue — almost dramatic. For breakfast we had vermicelli — a bit salty … Continue reading Day 6 & 7 (Blog #10)
Day 5 (Blog #9)
Looking at the sunrise and feeling the cool air every morning is just wonderful. The scenery of cows in the fields on the other side has become part of my daily view now. Whenever any cow looks in this direction, I start waving at them. This simple morning scene is so soothing. When you admire … Continue reading Day 5 (Blog #9)
Day 4 (Blog #8)
Now same routine. No talking to anyone and everything is completely settled. Silence is now normal. The schedule feels fixed inside the body. In breakfast I was curious because yesterday we got Upma. Today it was white dhokla. Nice to have an Indian food again. It gave me a break from toast. Now almond milk … Continue reading Day 4 (Blog #8)
Day 3 (Blog #7)
By now, I was settling into the routine. I still chose to do the first morning session in my room instead of going to the hall. It was raining that morning, but we still had to walk to the dining hall. The umbrellas provided by the center were very helpful — big and sturdy — … Continue reading Day 3 (Blog #7)
Day 2 (Blog #6)
Even though I woke up at 4:00 am when the gong rang, I decided to skip the morning session in the meditation hall. Instead, I chose to do it in my room so that I could stay focused for the rest of the day’s sessions. I had already realized on Day 1 that exhaustion could … Continue reading Day 2 (Blog #6)
Day 1 (Blog #5)
The first gong rang at 4:00 am to wake us up. The second gong rang at 4:20 am, calling us for the 4:30 am meditation session. The first session lasted from 4:30 to 6:30 am. Although this session was not mandatory in the meditation hall (we could meditate in our rooms), I couldn’t imagine missing … Continue reading Day 1 (Blog #5)
Day 0 – Arrival (Blog #4)
I was so excited to go. And also a little nervous. Excited for the experience. Nervous about facing silence. That morning, I was doing last-minute packing. Reporting time was between 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm, and orientation would begin at 5:30 pm. They had mentioned that if anyone was running late, they should inform management … Continue reading Day 0 – Arrival (Blog #4)
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