Posted on January 10, 2019 by Emily Forbes

And now, the moment you have all been waiting for. The gym-hippie has returned to tell her tale. If anyone read my previous blog, I explained how I would be spending my New Year at a 10-day silent meditation retreat. Not for the weak minded. This was one of my biggest challenges yet. Described to us on the first day as a deep surgical operation of the mind.  But with practice, a technique which works to purify the mind. It will remove suffering and what you are left with is pure happiness and compassion. It is not just meditation but “an art of living”.

The daily schedule:

  • 4 am Wake up
  • 4:30-6:30 am Meditation in the hall or room
  • 6:30-8 am Breakfast and morning rest
  • 8-9 am Group meditation in the hall
  • 9-11 am Meditation in the hall or room
  • 11-1 pm Lunch and rest
  • 1-2.30 pm Meditation in the hall or room
  • 2:30-3:30 Group meditation in the hall
  • 3:30-5 pm Meditation in the hall or room
  • 5-6 pm Tea break
  • 6-7 pm Group meditation in the hall
  • 7-8:15 pm Evening discourse
  • 8:15-9 pm Group meditation in the hall
  • 9-9:30 pm Teacher meetings and retire to bed

Noble silence:

We arrived on day 0 and left on day 11. Noble silence was started at 9 pm on day 0 and broken at 9 am on day 10. Noble silence incorporates silence of speech, mind and body. We didn’t talk to anyone for this duration except when you would check in with the teacher. This was usually every other day and was a few exchanged whispers. There was no facial or body communication, no writing, reading, music or exercise. Just 10 days to sit with yourself and your internal existence. As this is an experiential exercise, not communicating means that you can’t be influenced by others. The noble silence was the easy bit!

The meditation:

What was hard was sitting in meditation for 10 hours a day. Sitting for that long (and still) takes its toll on the body. But sitting with the mind to keep bringing it back to the present for it to focus on breath and sensations from moment to moment was the biggest challenge. The monkey mind wants to constantly swing from branch to branch. You must also remain equanimous to this experience and not react. Accept reality as it is. Bring the mind back and start again. And again. And again. “Practice is the key to success”. Then you go to bed and your mind is so rested you lie there awake. Still, you must remain aware and not allow the mind to get tired by wandering off again. But you must rest your body during this time.

The aftermath:

As the week progresses, you can hear everyone progressing in their practice too. The Dhamma Hall is getting more and more silent. Less coughing, sneezing and shuffling. When noble silence ends, there is still no talking in the hall but everyone looks up and smiles at each other. We each survived. Everyone has had a unique, individual experience yet at the same time it was all shared. It feels emotional. The talking commences on exiting the hall. Some women came with partners and the male and females are now able to mix. It wasn’t the re-talking I found hardest but the noise in the dining room was immense. After a while, I have to go and lie in my room because my head is ringing.

Back to reality:

I got back to Leeds and the first thing I did was have a 3-hour lunch with a friend to catch up on the 2 weeks we had been apart. The real shock was the 6:30 am start on Tuesday, and full of cold too. I had managed about 3-hours of sleep and suddenly I was catapulted into 2019. My brain was definitely not connected. Luckily, I didn’t have anything too taxing to have to deal with. But another day later and I’m settling in. I have a sense of calm. Life is good. And I am happy. Would I do it again? Yes, definitely. And I will try to keep up my twice a day meditation practice too. That is my New Years intention.

May all beings be happy 🙂

P.S. I have now discovered what it feels like to be a desk worker who sits down all day. My advice. GET MOVING PEOPLE!