It was one long tiring day of running around to finally arrive at the Suan Mokkh monastery in Chaiya. This monastery was founded by Ajahn Buddhasa, an important influential figure in Thailand and represented by UNESCO as an international personality. He built the monastery in a forest, with coconut groves and natural hot springs for people to come and learn about the Dharma, with no religious ties. He is still a very respected and somewhat a controversial figure in Thailand. After my long day, I figured it wasn't a big deal to get there exhausted, all I'm going to be doing is sitting and meditating, how draining can it be. Well, I can't even begin and probably will never fully grasp how demanding body and mind those 10 days were. It was a strict schedule to follow, there were no leeways, no exceptions. Very challenging after being free from anything remotely constructive over the past 7 months. Worth it..? 100%! To give you an idea of what life was like. This was the schedule...every change of 'activity was announced by someone ringing this giant bell. I don't think I need to describe how I felt about the bell... 0400- wake up (no snoozing:( ). 0430- sitting meditation. 0530- yoga. 0700- sitting meditation. 0800- breakfast ( rice soup every day). After breakfast, time for chores. 1000- Dharma talk ( lessons on meditation 1100- sitting meditation. 1130- walking/ standing meditation. 1200- sitting meditation. 1230- lunch ( last meal, except on day 9, it didn't exist). After lunch chores, laundry, shower..that kind of stuff. 1430- Dharma talk- lessons usually about Buddha and Dharma 1530- sitting meditation. 1600- waking/ standing meditation. 1630 sitting meditation. 1700- chanting Buddhist passages in Pali then in English. It was as fun as it sounds... except one day when she made made the women sing one vers then the men. The Pali was so brutal, it was funny. It had been a long time since we all laughed. 1730- love and kindness meditation. 1800- tea time and hot springs- 5-10m 1930- sitting meditation. 2000- group walking meditation around the ponds. 2030- sitting meditation. 2100- bedtime! In addition to having to keep complete silence, the women and men were segregated and were highly recommended not to make eye contact. We also had to follow the eight rules of the monastery. Which went as follows. 1- I intend to not take away any breath ( no killing, not even the mosquitos or ants when they bite). 2- I intend not to harm others with my words ( couldn't talk anyway..). 3- I intend to keep my mind and body free from any sexual activity. 4- I intend not to eat after noon and before dawn. 5- I intend not to sleep in luxurious beds or seats ( the pics will explain). 6- I intend not to beautify myself with ornaments, make up or perfumes, sing, play, dance, listen to music or watch shows. 7- I intend no to harm one consciousness with substances that intoxicate ( smoking, caffeine, drugs...) 8- I intend not to take away what is not given. The unwritten rules that you made for yourself to obey... 1- I intend to check my room/ bedding for scorpions,poisonous centipedes, snakes and other critters. 2- I intend too spends every free moment to work out knots out of my back to reduce the crippling pain I have caused as a side effect from meditation postures. 3- I intend not to face anyone directly during meals or tea time, because after day 5, keeping silence was not an issue. Not getting the giggles over nothing, impossible. 4- I intend to keep my tiger balm and mosquito repellent on my person all times. It's the only way I could obey monastic rule number 1. 5- I will give 100%, even when I have 'monkey mind' and my body is in zombie mode. To explain much more about this experience is basically impossible. I have been asked by a few friends what it is you gain from this experience. I can say that you gain nothing. You just let go. Not that you let go of perceived problems or stress, that's not what I mean by 'letting go'. When you are in complete silence and have only your conscious and subconscious to hear and you environment to watch. You let go of distractions, both real and made up that are present in the world we live in. It's refreshing, strange and insightful. You defiantly have days when you think your going crazy when you find yourself having full philosophical conversations with insects and plants... But on the last day when we were able to speak with the other participants, it was comforting to hear that we all had those moments, and actually gained a lot of information from it. You had made so many friends though presence and minimal eye contact, some impressions you had we're completely false and some were spot on. It was very interesting to see what others had figured out about you, people you had never noticed. The teaching were done by four monks, one who was British. They were good talks, some lessons to take from and others not so much... I would suggest it to anyone. It was strange. Impermanence...says it all