Not too long ago, I was able to spend 10 day in silence, training the practice of meditation with Buddhist monks. Though not easy by any means, I felt during the training and feel more so now that those 10 days were one of the best investments I’ve made into my mental health, focus, and productivity. I feel that I’ve walked away with several amazing “toolkits” for maintaining the health and function of my own mind, building better focus, and “controlling” (for lack of a better term) emotions that may run counter to my goals in life.
As excited as I was to take on this challenge, before flying across multiple countries and committing to over a week of vaguely planned time, finding information about the experience and how best to prepare, what to bring, the benefits, and even if the experience was for me, was a challenge. So, I’m remedying that by sharing with you this complete guy to attending a Vipassana meditation training.
In this article, I’ll share everything you need to know or consider when planning to do a 10 day Vipassana meditation.
Contents on this Guide to Vipassana Meditation Training
- What is “Vipassana” and what is a Vipassana Meditation Training?
- Why should you do a Vipassana meditation training?
- What is the difference between a Vipassana Retreat and just meditating at home
- The 10 Day Experience – Why 10 days is so valuable over 4 day and 7 day options
- The options
- At a Buddhist Monastery
- Through the Goenka Facilities
- Beware of cushy and expensive “silent retreat resorts” unless that is what you want
- How to prepare for a Vipassana Meditation
- What to bring for a 10 day stay
- Should you do a 10 day Vipassana experience?
- A guide to the 4, 7, 10, 14, and 21 meditation trainings at Wat Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai Thailand
A few extra opinions
- Why I specifically chose to meditate with monks in Thailand
- Notes for couples and friends doing this together: Try to go alone, and go with your own motivations
What is “Vipassana” and what is a Vipassana Meditation Training?
“Vipassana” is simply a hard earned state of seeing the world around you clearly, while also seeing your own thoughts and emotions clearly.
“Vipassana” is actually the mental state of being able to clearly and purely see the world (the outside world and the emotional/mental world inside of you) that meditators aim to achieve through meditation.
In the ancient Buddhist language of Pali, “Vi” means “clear” and “passana” means “to see.”
Thus Vipassana, the mental state and ability to see world just as it is, no more, no less, and seeing the world untainted by our own prejudices, and no color of emotion. This ability to see things clearly is the target outcome that meditators aim to achieve via such 10 day long “Vipassana meditation trainings.”
Though the state of Vipassana is a Buddhist concept believe to be on one of the many possible paths to becoming enlightened, meditation practice to achieve Vipassana and the state itself is by no means inherently religious.
In my opinion, the best part about Vipassana meditation trainings is that any one of any age, race, religion, nationality, or sex could benefit from seeing and perceiving the world around them a little more clearly, as well as understanding their own thoughts & ideas, emotions, and actions a little better – because unfortunately, most of don’t realize the haze of fog we live in, and how much with think and do out of reaction, not out of intention.
With that…
What is Vipassana Meditation Training?
Vipassana meditation training is any meditation training that aims for awareness, mindfulness, and seeing the world as it is as the ultimate goal.
There a many, many, many different approaches to what kind of meditation to do, and they will vary based on the organization or monastery you go with. For instance, the vaunted international Goenka organization puts meditators through a program involving “body scanning” meditation. Burmese Buddhist monasteries practice multiple approaches (like many monasteries) and mix the practices in their programs. At my 10 day Vipassana meditation experience, walking, sitting, and lying meditation were the specific types of meditation we used as the core tools of our training.
In any case, understand that each organization/monastery rigidly applies different styles of meditation as part of their program, so, research their approach so that you know what you are getting into.
For most places, the 10 day Vipassana meditation experience itself consists of 10 days of silence, practicing the chosen style of meditation from before sunrise to after sunset. In most places, you will additionally check in with a teacher briefly, and have periods where teachings are shared on life advice (applicable regardless of religion) with the ultimate goal of happiness, or, advice on meditation practice.
During the stay, most facilities will only allow for two meals per day, both eaten before noon, and both vegan, with no eating of solid food allowed after the experience.
Why should you do a 10 day Vipassana meditation training?
The value of 10 day Vipassana meditation trainings comes in the form of 1) the isolation and silence which naturally has a rehabilitating and focusing effect and 2) the opportunity to practice a meditation technique repeatedly, for an extended period uninterrupted.
The primary goal of any meditation is to learn how to focus at will, and better strengthen the ability to focus. Within, for lack of better words, the Vipassana approach/goal of meditation, this new found and strengthened focus is used to tune out the noise of the world, to tune out the distraction of rambling thoughts and seemingly uncontrollable emotions, and to use that focus to become aware of what’s really happening in front of you and inside you.
It is important to realize that Vipassana retreats have no magic pill, no super-secret tactic to teach you, and no magic bullet for what ails you.
On the other hand, Vipassana experiences simply box you into a space in the world and get you back to the basics – sit there, breathe, relax, and let things be – with the addition of a teacher of form as a reminder.
What are the benefits of meditation and a Vipassana experience: Focus, awareness, and emotional “control”
After 10 days simply sitting and focusing on what’s happening in your mind, the results will be focus, awareness, and emotional “control” (or controlling how you react to your emotions).
Focus…
In a world of quick everything and goldfish attention spans, the ability to simply focus and stay focused is a dying trait. In this time of “10 seconds or less” we lose what can be learned from just watching from second 11 on. I guarantee that after focusing on just your breathing or a body part for 20+ minutes repeatedly for 10 days, your muscles of patience and attention span will be well trained.
Additionally, with short attention spans and constant sensory bombardment, most of us (myself included) lose sight of the little details and little sounds. Meditation training brings that inherent ability to naturally focus on those tiny details that have big meaning.
Awareness…
Again, in a world of sensory bombardment from 1000s of emails, flashy and loud short videos, constant advertising, and culture pressure to react to so much – a mind can only absorb and process so much, so, we can only be aware so much. So naturally, we miss a lot.
Meditation training not only strengthens focus, intentionally deciding what we give our attention to, but also strengthens our ability to be aware of many factors or elements and dismissing them quickly before they “clutter the mind.”
The result, of increased focus and awareness, is the ability to recognize everything that exists (theoretically) then be conservative with how spend our attention, naturally dismissing thoughts, ideas, and interruptions that don’t serve our purpose, and applying that strengthened muscle of mental focus to the things that matter.
These new skills add up to an interestingly useful side effect…
“Emotional control”…better stated as the ability to control how you respond to emotions, internally and externally.
Let me be clear that I have no idea if fully controlling your emotions is possible. The idea that we could completely turn off the autonomic “feeling reaction” to any stimulus to prevent anger, sadness, happiness, or any other emotion is beyond me.
However, meditation practice does, if trained, impart the ability to recognize when emotions are happening and, within your own mind, give the opportunity to “respectfully distance” yourself from an emotion you’re having. As in, something happens, recognize that its sparking a tinge of anger, then, just let it go. And it does “just go.” However, this happens with training and over time.
The value in this is, imagine if in daily life with all of the frustrating things that happened you could quickly choose to be unbothered, and spend that emotional energy on the things that count? Spend that focus and awareness on the things that matter to your goals an life?
That, is the value of meditation training in general.
However, you may be asking, “is there much value in meditating at a Vipassana retreat for 10 days instead of at home?”
Yes, and here is why…
What is the difference between a Vipassana Retreat and just meditating at home
- Teacher on hand to guide and ask questions
- Setting is quiet and without distractions, which promotes completion
- Solidarity with other students helps through the rough spots
- The change of settings can assist in a change of mental state
You could do it at home, but distractions will be much more significant and common
To quote the monk directly that I was lucky enough to learn from, “there is nothing special here and you could do this at home. However here, there is no cell phone, no children, and no work to interrupt you. That silence is what this center brings.”
That sentiment seemed 100% accurate. While all that most Vipassana meditation centers offer is a distraction free quiet setting, that backdrop is the most pivotal element of making the 10 day experience of meditating valuable. By completely quieting everything outside, it becomes easier to “turn the attention inward” and listening to what’s happening inside (thoughts, ideas, emotions) and tackle though little monsters from there.
For my 10 days, I was lucky enough to be at the meditation center at the edge of a monastery, on a mountain, overlooking a forest. The most noise we had was the singing of the birds (which is scientifically proven to be soothing). No cars. No ringing phones. Nothing. This setting alone made world’s of difference.
At home, generally, there are more noises happening that we are unaware of, but that isn’t a big deal. The bigger issues are the temptation to turn on Netflix, or read, or tackling cooking or ordering a meal
Monks or teachers share helpful tips that keep you on track, without losing focus
Beyond the quiet setting, having an experienced and (mildly) supportive teacher helps. However, to be honest, you will rarely get more than three words out of the monks, and very little warm and fuzzy emotional support. What you will get is a confirmation that when you start meditating and see fireworks or get angry about your ice cream falling on the ground 10 years ago, it’s ok because it’s normal, don’t dwell on it, and add “this specific technique” to your next meditation session.
If you are meditating at home alone, you’ll probably have to search YouTube for the information the monks provided me, and the format of daily check ins with meditation teachers helps stay focused.
Solidarity with other students helps through the rough spots
A meditation retreat is extremely simple. You pretty much just sit there. However, just sitting there, with hunger, urges, antsy feelings, thoughts of what could go wrong on the outside, and the pure tiredness that comes from just waiting prevents it from being easy.
For practically everyone, training to meditation for 12+ hours a day will lead you to a point wherein, “screw this, I think ## days was enough.” At home you will be able to give in and leave, and you actually can at the meditation center as well with no pressure.
However, at any point I was surrounded by between 5 and 20 meditators, many of whom were clearly going through some sh**. However, we all passed each other with the kind of quiet smiles wherein the eyes smile too.
Whenever someone was having a rough moment of restlessness, or fidgeting because of an annoyingly sore butt or foot that fell asleep, we’d generally make eye contact and silently “smile laugh” to communicate “yeah, my butt’s sore too.”
It was impossible to go through a sunrise alone as four to five people stood silently staring through the pines with a cup of coffee or tea. When eyes met, the “why isn’t it this beautiful at home,” was exchanged, quietly.
So, though the Vipassana meditation retreat is very much an individual experience in which no one talks, you are far from alone. You are never disrupted, but, if you’re open to it, you will always find silent support and comradery in a way you will not have at home.
If you read the story of my experience in the 10 days of training, at the end you’ll see I had a rough time “saying goodbye” as I realized how I was far from alone in the experience, and very much surrounded by an uncommunicated warmth.
So, yes, you could for sit days alone at home. However, if this is your first experience, I highly recommend going to a place where you’ll share space on the “struggle bus” with people like you. The silent company may tilt the scales of your experience from unbearable to emotionally memorable.
The change of settings can assist in a change of mental state
Like it or not, being in certain places triggers emotions and mental states. When you sit down at your desk at work, you possibly lock into “down to business mode” or maybe even, “I need to get the hell out of here” mode. When your head hits the pillow at night, hopefully, your body relaxes as you realize the day is done. Even more, scientific research has shown that views, or even paintings, of meadows and forests has a calming effect that lowers the heart rate and pumps of the good hormones while reducing the stress hormones slightly.
With that same logic, I postulate that – perhaps being in your home makes you feel a certain way – amped, creative, depressed, tired, energetic, or whatever.
By starting this adventure in a new place, a quiet place, you start with a blank canvas.
From my personal experience, when I did my meditation training I was in a forest and the only sounds I was flooded by were the birds singing. I am certain this peaceful, natural, and “blank canvas” setting pushed me further along to quieting my mind than I would have been able to, say, in the chaos of Bali or Dallas.
Bottom Line: If you can make it happen, do your meditation training at center isolated in nature, not at home
Any good meditation training is better than no training, so if meditating for 10 days at home is your only option, do it.
However, if you can find the time and resources, aim to meditate in a center, with a monk or teacher, surrounded by other quiet students and surrounded by nature.
The 10 Day Experience – Why 10 days is so valuable over 4 day and 7 day options
Chat with anyone who has done a Vipassana and they will likely, adamantly, say to commit to 10 days at the least.
At the 10 day mark, it feels like the benefits, in terms of insight, comfort with meditation, and the whole new state feeling “normal” far surpasses the 4 day experience.
In 2017, I went to my same monastery for only the 4 day experience. While I was appreciative, the experience felt more like a simple break from the world, a welcomed one, than a meditation experience.
However, this time, on day 5, day 7, and day 8, I had some wild things happen. By day 9 things had settled. By day 10 I’d reached a point of peace, just before I was supposed to go.
You can read exactly what my experiences were on each day in my story of my experience of a 10 day meditation training with the Thai Buddhist monks.
How to prepare for a Vipassana Meditation
So, you’ve decided you want to follow through and meditate in silence for 10 days?
Here’s what I recommend for you
- Choose the right center, with the right teachers and meditation techniques/approach for you.
- Start practicing light meditation now. Aim for sitting meditation of about 15 minutes per day
- Stretch – aiming to be comfortable sitting cross legged for 15 to 30 minutes
- Make a list of things you’ll need, functionally and treats for comfort
- Plan on doing absolutely nothing for a few days when you get back
The options**
**Info coming soon…
What to bring for a 10 day Vipassana Meditation Training
- Good coffee or tea or hot beverage packets: Coffee or tea was the pure treat daily and I drank a lot of it, especially while “recovering” between meditation bouts
- Protein powder (for the fitness crowd): Though solid food isn’t allowed after noon, protein is, and it helps
- Snack treats (if allowed) as treats in the morning: Granola, cookies, chocolates, etc.
- A Lacrosse ball or yoga ball – for stretching and loosening up stiff joints
- Watch with a vibrating alarm (not like my loudly beeping g-shock): In hindsight, the beep was disruptive to me and others. Next time, I will take a watch with a vibrating alarm
- Cash for your donation after: Any good meditation center allows anyone and only runs off donations. You likely aren’t just paying for yourself, you’re paying for someone else going through a rough time who can’t pay and this is their lifeline. So, go if you can’t pay, and if you can, be gracious and generous with your donation. You never know who you’re helping, but you are definitely helping someone
If you will be in the cold mountains somewhere
- Wool beanie
- Long underwear (Longjohns)
- Sleeping bag
Should you do a 10 day Vipassana experience?
For any healthy person that wants to strengthen their mind and take home a tool kit for mental health, “mental maintenance”, and enhance their brainpower, I highly recommend the experience. I specifically recommend staying at least 10 days.
However, I am not a psychiatrist or therapist and I likely don’t personally know you. Be honest with the monks and staff before going if you have any mental illnesses or addictions so that they can advise you on what they are capable of coping with while you’re there.
But, for the majority of the population, your life and the world around us would be a much better, happier place if everyone spent 10 days in silence and came back with more mindfulness and awareness of themselves, their actions, and the world around them.
A guide to the 4, 7, 10, 14, and 21 meditation trainings at Wat Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai Thailand
**Info coming soon**
A few of my additional opinions from my Vipassana experience…
Why I specifically chose to meditate with monks in Thailand
There are many options to choose for a “10 day silent retreat” or meditation training.
Some are strict, structured, and almost corporate feeling with their marketing.
Some are soft, cushy, and essentially just silent resorts.
However, I chose the program I went to specifically because of the Thai Buddhist monks.
By choosing a program at a Buddhist temple, I knew that I would be guided by monks who practice what they teach, with years of dedication to their practice and their religion for most of their lifetimes. They don’t have another job to go back to – they simply the way they are teaching others to live, and with the insight of counseling and observing 1000’s.
Within the Thai Buddhist culture, monks aren’t just spiritual figureheads – they are community members that, in addition to their Buddhist practices, live in their community as observers, counsel, and teachers. Though, yes, there are psychiatrists and therapists in Thailand, going to them is far less common because Thais have been conversing with monks for guidance for years, on life, love, relationships, money, health, etc. The monks in kind offer Buddhist philosophies on healthy living from 2400+ years of teachings, in addition to the insight that comes from being a key support role in your community dedicated to adaptively helping people via teaching, wisdom, and an open ear, for decades.
Thai monks take no pay and are not even allowed to ask for necessities such as food, medicine or clothing. They live their entirely lives as beggars that seek no success but take an active role in observing the lives of others, learning as an outsider (akin to a sociologist) and sharing best practices for living, coping, and healing.
I’ve seen plenty of people professing themselves as gurus after a couple years of doing something.
I’ve never met a more dedicated people to their ethos and willing to share it genuinely as selflessly as I have seen with the Thai monks.
A wise man once said, “never take advice from someone you wouldn’t want to switch places with.”
I have no intention of becoming a monk, however, I almost envy their strength of mind, clarity of thought, and dedication to purpose, so, I will happily take their advice.
That is why, when it comes to learning lessons about life, the Thai Buddhist monks will continue to be in my cluster of preferred teachers.
Notes for couples and friends doing this together: Try to go alone, and go with your own motivations
During the 10 days at the meditation center, I observed several (5 perhaps) couples passing through the meditation center. I also observed all of them in the meditation center office pointing at the reservation board discussing (as is the case when wanting to leave early) and then departing with their bags the following day.
Though I think it’s the best path for anyone who doesn’t feel right at the center leaving when its right for them – I also realize that any good training has rough spots, and experiencing the rough spots grinding you down partially leads to the benefit.
In the cases of couples, lovers, friends, and otherwise, if one of the two has a feeling of “I’m not enjoying this” like all meditators do at some point, if there is the opportunity to look at a partner and say “I’m not enjoying this, are you not enjoying this?” the conversation can lead to a slippery slope of conversation that slides right out of the experience.
Additionally for couples, I did see communicating – which makes sense. In any healthy relationship, communication should exist, and responding to attempts to communication is essential to keep things healthy. Unless you’re in a place that requires complete silence. I honestly enjoyed not having to think or react to anything for a ten day period. Often, I would observe the couples’ restlessness accumulating between the two of them when I was at my most peaceful and carefree times – and I do feel sorry that they did not get to have that same insulated vacuum that I did.
So, to ensure that your experience, and your decisions to stay with it or leave are 100% yours, I highly recommend conversing with your partner about going alone to create that space so you can dig into you and nothing else. You’ll come back better for it.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Carlos is a nomad, slow traveler, and writer dedicated to helping others live abroad and travel better by using his 7+ years of experience living abroad and background as a management consultant and financial advisor to help other nomad and expats plot better paths for an international lifestyle. Click here to learn more about Carlos's story.