Suan Mokkh - Logistics
at 4:00am it tolled for me!
Daily Schedule
The schedule during the retreat was the same every day. Although we technically didn't have to attend all the sessions -- indeed, there were several people who seemed to be following their own schedule ( I think they had attended previous retreats) -- skipping sessions was frowned upon.
The day was broken up into four sections; these were divided by breakfast, lunch, and tea.
4:00am: We are woken by a very persistent bell toll-er. He started slowly, almost gently, but gradually picked up in both frequency and intensity.
4:30am to 5:15am: morning reading + sitting meditation
5:15am to 7:00am: yoga
7:00am to 8:00am: Dhamma talk + sitting meditation
8:00am: breakfast + chores
(We usually had about one hour after breakfast and chores -- between 9:00am and 10:00am -- for 'leisure' activities such as doing our laundry, washing up, etc.)
10:00am to 11:00am: Dhamma talk + sitting meditation
11:00am to 11:45am: walking or standing meditation
11:45am to 12:30pm: sitting meditation
12:30pm: lunch + chores
(Again, we usually had about one hour after lunch and chores -- between 1:30pm and 2:30pm -- for our own 'leisure' activities.)
2:30pm to 3:30pm: meditation instruction + sitting meditation
3:30pm to 4:15pm: walking or standing meditation
4:15pm to 5:00pm: sitting meditation
5:00pm to 6:00pm: chanting + loving kindness meditation
6:00pm: tea + hot springs
(I started skipping tea in order to have the hot springs and the nearby shower to myself ... which meant I didn't have to use the communal tub and bathe wearing my sarong.)
7:30pm to 8:00pm: sitting meditation
8:00pm to 8:30pm: group walking meditation
8:30pm to 9:00pm: sitting meditation
9:00pm to 9:30pm: get ready for bed
9:30pm: lights out (literally ... the power went off)
An Index of Sorts
1. sitting meditation: literally meditating while sitting; usually in the 'lotus' (crossed legs) position, but the instructors weren't too fussy about body positioning; the type of meditation taught at the retreat is called anapanasati (mindfulness with breathing in and out)
2. Dhamma talk: instruction about Dhamma, a Buddhist concept regarding stress and sacrifice
3. chores: everyone signed up for a chore (e.g. cleaning toilets, sweeping the meditation hall, etc.) when they registered; I signed up for clearing food after meals (a very easy job) and Ulrik had to clear fallen palm leaves (a big more difficult)
4. standing meditation: meditating while standing; like sitting meditation, the object is to focus on the breathing
5. walking meditation: meditating while walking along a 'meditation path' (usually only about five metres in length); the idea is to meditate while being mindful of the movement of your body; therefore, you walk with slow and deliberate movements
6. meditation instruction: we were taught techniques on how to improve our meditation, such as overcoming the hindrances to meditation
7. chanting: we were taught the chants the monks usually use; while it was nice listening to our teacher-monk chant, I found chanting together to be a bit too cult-ish to feel comfortable joining in
8. loving kindness meditation: you concentrate on sending loving kindness to yourself, your family, your friends, your enemies, world leaders etc., etc., etc.; the idea, obviously, is to send positivity out into the world
9. group walking meditation: similar to individual walking meditation, but you can move a bit more quickly and you don't have to follow a short meditation path; this is something you could technically do anywhere and anytime
The Rules
- Keep complete silence throughout the 10 days.
- Refrain from destroying all forms of life. (This includes not killing mosquitoes which, as Suan Mokkh is surrounded by woods and freshwater ponds, was very challenging indeed!)
- Refrain from taking things without permission.
- Refrain from any sexual activity, mentally, verbally, or bodily.
- Refrain from smoking or intoxicating oneself with any intoxicant.
- Refrain from having dinner (last meal is lunch).
- Refrain from beautifying or entertaining oneself. ("Entertaining" oneself includes reading or writing in journals, both of which were forbidden.)
- Refrain from sleeping or sitting on luxurious beds or seats. (Hence the concrete bed and wooden pillow.)
For more photos, see our Thailand photo album.
