Emerged from the Monastery

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Hello friends and family. I've finished the meditation retreat and am happy to be reunited with Greg. It was good that we each had the opportunity to follow our own interests for a bit. It's true when "They" say, "absence makes the heart grow fonder".

The meditation retreat was momentous for me and has really added value to my travels. I spent 11 days at the monastery and 10 were spent in silence. The buddhists believe that if they deprive themselves of creature comforts it helps them to overcome greed and distraction so they can focus on meditation and ultimately reach enlightenment. To live in the monastery, I had to sign a document stating that I would live as the monks and nuns do. There were a number of sections in the document that stated "this will be a really big challenge. Be sure you are ready for this. Only people in reasonably good shape and with stable mind should attempt the retreat". "Okay", I thought. "What am I getting into???" The rules were as follows: sleep on a concrete bed with one blanket and a WOODEN pillow. Wake up at 4 am. Eat only two meals per day and fast between 12:30 pm and 8 am. Maintain complete silence. Do not interact with others. This all sounds very regimented, but I signed the agreement and just accepted that with suffering there would be reward.

I was a little intimidated to be living near the monks and nuns. I soon discovered though that nearly all of them were instructors in my classes and they were no longer enigmas. They were vibrant, funny, and uplifiting. One monk in particular was originally from England and had a brilliant wit that was both sarcastic and cynical. I quickly realized that monks and nuns cannot be sterotyped as sullen and withdrawn.

My days began at 4 am when a huge bronze bell would gong. Time to get up! At 4:30 meditation began. Mine was always sleepy and pretty uneventful. I was mostly concerned about whether a gecko or frog has found its way between my meditation pillows and had hunckered down for the night. Then, at 5:15 it was time for yoga - this was my favorite aspect of the retreat. We began in the dark and finished with the sun rising. Yoga was taught by a brightly spirited and kind nun. One morning, during yoga, she explained that she was a workaholic until she was about 37 years old. She would work 14 to 16 hour days in a factory and was unhealthy. One morning, while passing the security guard, he asked her "why do you work so early? Are you the owner's daughter?" She replied, "I don't know why I work so much. I just do.". This small conversation was a turning point for her. She took a leave of absence and took a 10 day meditation retreat (at the same place I visted), and became so happy that she never went back to work and became a nun. Nun Ayee is the youngest 46 year old I've ever met and became an inspiration to me during the retreat.

Following yoga class, the day followed a routine of teachings and meditations. I learned sitting meditation, standing meditation, walking meditation and lying down meditation. It was intense to say the least. The teachings focused on how to meditate and the buddhist belief system. The two are so closely connected that one cannot be taught without the other. In fact, to become a buddhist, one has to commit to doing meditation. I suppose the parallel would be for a Christian to committ to praying.

With nearly every possible distraction removed, I was irritable and bored sometimes. In my better moments, I had some profound insights. Having been back in a city environment for two days, I can already feel the experience fading. Fortunately though by learning the skills of meditiation and yoga, I can continue these and help control my state of mind.

As a note of interest for those of you who are curious about meditation - according to buddhists, there are 16 levels of meditation that a person must go through to reach enlightenment. So far, I am somewhere in level 2! Nirvana is no easy achievement. For me, the bottom line is that I'm basically still me but a calmer, clearer and less stressed version. Hopefullly I can keep it this way.

Love to everyone and thanks for reading my blog.

Shannon

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Comments

[Jodi Ostafichuk]

What an experience!!! I can't even imagine. I'm irritable and bored when I'm folding laundry, with the TV on and the kids running around me... Congrats on sticking it out....and finding some enlightenment. You need all you can get, being married to Greg.

[Michelle]

Way to go Shan!
I was hanging onto every word of your description of your temple experience and found myself wishing I could have been there with you. (even though I understand we would have had no "together" time). I'm so glad you took the time to have this experience. Enjoy the rest of your trip. I get onto your blog about once a week so far, and read it all at once when I do. Really enjoying it! I got your phone message the other day. Thanks for trying to reach me. Hopefully I'll be able to pick up if you try again. LOVE, Big Sis.