04.30h - 05.30h morning chanting and meditation with the monks. We chose this monastery because they welcome beginners. We constantly get emails from people who have read this article and still ask if they need to make reservations. There may be others on her same path as well that they can go together. The Best Meditation Retreats in Thailand - Culture Trip I added this experience to my bucket list and almost completely forgot about it until two years ago - when the pandemic hit the world and shifted our priorities. This means that not only are the meditation retreats silent, but you are expected to live simply, without the comforts of the modern world, and quite frankly, uncomfortably. There was no fear or pain. download Vipassana: How I Spent a Week at a Silent Retreat in Koh Samui, Thailand The meditation venue is far from the village and no shop service in the monastery. At Phun Phin station, ask at the bus stop in front of the station for a Chumpon (no. All courses are run solely on a donation basis. Believe it or not, Siddhartha Gautama is one of many buddhas, or people who have become awakened. I thought Id wait until the right time. Are you interested in meditation? Thanks Ben! This helps us run this website and create comprehensive guides to help you get off the beaten track. As a guest at Wat Pa Tam Wua, you will receive free meals during your stay. In the first 3 days of training, each participant will be assessed whether he is fit to continue his practice or not. Most people use this time to use the hot springs and have a chat. We had planned to return for 2 months this past year but due to the pandemic it was not possible. The courses begin after a 2 - 4 pm registration period and orientation, followed by 10 full days of meditation, and end the morning of the 11th day by 7:30 am. To enjoy one of the most spiritual experiences in Thailand, visit Pa Pae Meditation Retreat. If it makes you feel better, theyre delicious. Hi Ula. The online application form encrypts your information before it is sent from Lunch is a varied mix of curries and soups. Dhamma Kacana - ThaiDhamma - As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. When you arent allowed to do anything besides meditate or be mindful, life slows down a bit. The participant must comply with rule and regulation for the duration of the course under the supervision of teachers. What have YOU been doing with your life? After a few days, I ended up taking morning naps during our free time, which really helped. I am 58 and sleep can be a bit more challenging for me. Ben had his light on at 9 p.m. while reading a book each night and would hear something hitting the side of his bungalow. Whats under the covers, mister? My one set of clothes was rocking the 50-shades of off-white by the end of the course. Dipabhavan Meditation Center is situated on the hillside slope of the high mountain in the southeast of Samui Island. I will say that you will get so much more out of this experience if you have a basic understanding of meditation and have tried it at least a handful of times. Cleaning toilets was not one of the options Hope that answers your question. In all honesty, they sounded terrifying. That said, donations are accepted and greatly appreciated. 2023 Ten Day & Other Courses 30-day Courses are open only to serious Old Students committed to this technique who have completed a minimum of six 10-day courses (one since their first 20-day course), one 20-day course, one Satipatthana Sutta course, and have been practicing regularly for at least two years. Hi Bapu, yes there is an option to be silent. Many westerners came to study Vipassana meditation and way of life under Ajahn Chahs supervision. But people also spoke of the life-changing results. I AM A BUDDHIST FROM SRI LANKA IN MY 60S. secure even though encryption is used. The participant who is interested in Vipassana meditation retreat at Wat Marp Jan for multiple days should contact the monastery via e-mail address marpjan@gmail.com. Like Wat Rampoeng, Wat Phratat Srichomtong also offers 21-day basic Vipassana meditation retreat course for a beginner. Hi this was super helpful, thank you for sharing your experience. Email: reservationchomtong@yahoo.com. Hi, thanks for the info provided. The nearest town of any notable size, Pai, sits roughly 70 kilometers (43 miles) to the southeast. The Vipassana meditation retreat focuses on the activity of sustaining clear awareness on one thing for a purpose of peace and understanding. Dont be so proud, Cathy, just ask us for help. Wat Suan Mokkh is a famous temple in Surat Thani, Thailand. You should wear long, loose clothing. The first time I heard about Vipassana silent meditation retreat was almost 10 years ago from a free spirited traveller on one of the islands in Thailand. Weve had friends attend retreats where up to 75% dropped out. We also made the decision from the beginning not to interact at all as it could detract from our personal journeys. It is possible during these days?. If you get deep enough into the meditation, you can reach some pretty crazy levels. Please carefully read the Introduction to the Technique and Code of Discipline which you will be asked to follow during your course. It was in 3 languages, so much of the time I really had no idea what I was saying. That said, maybe not knowing would be helpful for some in practicing mindfulness. One of the rules taught at Wat Pa Tam Wua Forest Monastery is to respect monks and others by not pointing or having your feet pointed or close to representations on the monk. Applications must be submitted well in advance as processing may take some time. You are presumed to sign up for a chore such as washing the dishes or sweeping the floors and encouraged to do so during a couple hours of free time. I added this experience to my bucket list and almost completely forgot about it until . The application letter should be sent to the following address; The Guest Monk, Wat Pah Nanachat, Bahn Bung Wai, Warin Chamrab, For more information, please click http://www.watpahnanachat.org, Tags: Chiang MaiForest monasteryGoenkaInsight meditationKoh SamuiMeditation retreatRayongThailandVipassana meditation. Neither the Teacher nor the assistant teachers receive remuneration; they and The fee will cover all expenses during 10-day meditation retreat with no additional cost. There are so many different, and personal reasons that lead one to undertake a meditation retreat. It is set up as a course, with each new day bringing a 5-minute consultation with the teacher,during which he discusses the next step for you to add into your growing practice. This is a large cistern full of water and you wash by bucket. Personal donations to the teacher are welcome, to support her works and social projects. Practising Vipassana 10-Day Courses. My sone lives there and is a teacher. There is no easy road, and these experiences have allowed me to learn more about myself. I would agree with this recommendation; especially since it takes some time to get there., As beginners, we thought 3 days was a good amount of time, but I think we would have gotten even more out of it had we been able to stay longer.. Vipassana Insight Meditation Courses and Retreats in Thailand Special 10-day Courses are open only to serious Old Students committed to this technique who have completed a minimum of five 10-day courses, one Satipatthana Sutta course, given Dhamma Service at least one 10-day course, and have been practicing regularly for at least two years. Also, this was my first retreat sleeping on the concrete ground, straw mat, and wooden pillow set-up (admittedly, I switched over to my blow-up pillow) and that was a challenging and uncomfortable adjustment. One staple around the monastery is Pui Dog, and we hope you have the chance to meet him and feed him any scraps at breakfast and lunch. Bangkok Meditation Retreat Teachings are in English, German and Thai . fantastic facilitators, wonderful instruction adjusted to the modern times, yet remaining in line with the original teachings. She should tell the driver to get off at Wat Pa Tam Wua Forest Monastery. your blog has inspired me to participate in this retreat. The beauty of this individual meditation schedule is that you can meditate as little or as much as you desire. The story of Pui Dog is pretty cool, and its fun watching the monks interact with him. My only thoughts were, Oh yes, this will certainly do.. Hi there, As explained in the article you dont need to make reservations. I know its a little scary planning to go somewhere in the middle of nowhere without a reservation, but thats how they do it there! Im just wary of making the long trek only to be turned away. Wise Money Card A Wise money card is an absolute lifesaver when travelling! Hi Jackie. Is she finding it all too challenging? Looks like there arent nets, and I dont have malaria meds. And again. The participant will be taught the concentration meditation by focusing on breathing. Until 2,500 years ago, it was rediscovered by Gotama Buddha and was taught as a mean to reach the resultant highest happiness of enlightenment. This created the added challenge of worrying about Dotti is she finding the experience worthwhile? 1. I am interested if the monastery can accommodate a big group, e.g. Im pretty sure they had toliet paper, but I would recommend to bring a roll up there just in case. The main dorm can sleep many, many more people. The Recluses: the two men that I never saw. The monastery provides 7-day basic Vipassana meditation retreat course and all participants must stay for the entire period of the course. However, its definitely not necessary. Wat Suan Mokkh International Dharma Heritage has offered 10-day meditation retreat course on the first day of each month. It was taught in India more than 2500 years ago as a universal remedy for universal ills, i.e., an Art of Living . Im looking to go there, I just have one question. Steripen Save the planet and never buy a bottle of water again! There are many other places in Thailand where you can do a vipassana meditation retreat. When we stayed at the Forest Monastery in March, Ben had his own private bungalow, but I had shared accommodation with three other women. Meditation Retreats Thailand Clear All Meditation Retreats in Thailand Showing 1 to 30 of 68 results Recommended first 8 Day Meditation Retreat on Koh Phangan, Thailand Koh Phangan, Surat Thani, Thailand Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan, 2024 Love all of the staff, I felt they were very accommodating to everyone's needs in a quick manner. At most vipassana meditation retreats exercise is not allowed, however, at Suan Mokkh they have a daily yoga practice. Today, in regions where centers have not yet been established by local students of Vipassana who live in the area, 10 Day meditation courses are held at non-center course sites. the Internet, do not use this form and instead After every meditation, there is Q&A time with the monk leading the meditation, and anyone is allowed to ask questions then too. 8:00AM: Morning Individual Meditation. Over the period of 45 years, the teaching method of Vipassana meditation from Mr. Goenka has attracted thousands of followers around the globe. VIPASSANA MEDITATION in North Thailand: My Experience However, a donation is encouraged upon the completion of your course. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The word Vipassana has derived from Pali ancient language which means to see things as they really are. Its something youll rarely, if ever, do again in your life. And no talking? They apparently had all meals delivered to their dorms and, for all I know,may have never left their rooms. The mind is not that easily tamed. Dont worry. Thai student please submit the application via www.thai.dhamma.org only. ACCOMMODATIONS: There are individual rooms in separate areas for men and women. For 11 days straight, you will: How often can you say that you endured all those challenges, and made it through? So, this makes it 11 days. By faxing or posting your application form Vipassana Meditation The end goal here in Buddhist vipassana is enlightenment. No registration fee is required. Do they except people throughout the year? An early bedtime is enforced, so by the time I started getting hungry, I was already in bed. Its such an amazing feat and we left with the greatest sense of accomplishment. Some people also bring yoga mats to soften the bed, or blow-up pillows (but note that the latter is forbidden so you will have to be sneaky about this). We then had to get familiar with the rules of the retreat: the main rule is to keep silent throughout the retreat unless absolutely necessary to contact the staff. With discipline and restraint, comes appreciation. 474) or Ranong (no. I guess it was the right time. The participant will be trained under the supervision of the selected teacher on an on-going basis. If your application is accepted then we require you to confirm you will be attending in order to secure your place in the course. I did take the 4 days seriously and feel that I have gotten a lot out of this short period of time in terms of gaining more control of my mind and thoughts. Im in Phuket right now and as a I searched for retreats this is exactly what Ive been looking for. I am interested. an application. If you go, please be considerate of how much you take and save some for others.. A non-refundable registration fee of 2,000 Baht will be charged upon arrival. The registration can be made in advance by phone or in person at Vipassana meditation retreat center, Tel: (66)53-342-184 to 6. The registration is free of charge but it is advisable to make a donation to the center in order to keep this program running for the next group of participants. Having dinner is prohibited by the rule of Vipassana meditation but the participant may drink some light beverages such as coffee or tea. It is a serious retreat. Agreed. Most people find it extremely hard, but for different reasons.