Mercedes Girl has arrived back in Thailand much to my dismay, so I've been trying to avoid her. Anyway I ended up feeling guilty and she asked me if I would like to go away for a few days with her, so I duly agreed.

Off we went in her pals pick up truck, I don't mind slumming it but I do prefer the Merc, and we went to a retreat thing at Baan Muang Na. I must say it's a truly beautiful area however that tropical storm was going through so I didn't get a chance to wander about.

When we got there I was handed a rattan mat, a stupid little pillow thing and a blanket, and was sent to a room all by myself, which wasn't what I had in mind. Even more shockingly there wasn't a bed in the room!! I was to sleep on a concrete floor all by myself!!

Then it got worse, I was instructed to not talk for three days!.

At this point I glared at Mercedes Girl who was looking very appealing all in white, but she just gave me a smart *ss smirk. Anyway being a man of patience and virtue, as I obviously am, I went along with the instructions as given to me. So duly I attended the meditation sessions at ( get this ) 6.00am, 1.00pm, 6.00pm and 8.00pm, each one lasting an hour.

I looked on rather than chanting, interested to understand a bit more of what was going on around me, and I was particularly interested in the history of the cave and of the Shan people in the area. I also went along to watch the meals being served to the monks and that was a pleasure to watch as people of all ages turned up to assist and bring food.

I did go for a walk when the rain abated and the little of the area I saw was fascinating, and yesterday morning I was invited to assist in preparing the food for the monks and giving it to them. On the one hand I felt a bit of a fraud doing that as I felt I didn't deserve any recognition whatsoever. If I was to go back into to the retreat I would participate more fully.

In saying that though it was tremendous experience, this was real rural Thailand, I was the only farang in the village, and I got to meet several people who went out of their way to make me feel welcome.

I'm pretty sure that several members will have experienced these types of retreat before, is it something you do on a regular basis? and do you continue with the meditation when you get home? It's brand new to me and I'm not sure about some aspects of this. I have a few friends here that would like to try it to but I'm not keen in recommending something that I know nothing about.

ps Mercedes Girl couldn't believe that I managed to be silent for three days, she reckoned that in itself was a miracle.

Medication is much more fun

Unless I see pictures I can't believe you were quiet for three days

Blether: You are supposed to live in Scotland. What are you doing here? Hanky Panky and Bunga Bunga? Who is looking after your sheep? Shame on you!

Cheers.

Meditation techniques of the Kama Sutra have strong appeal for me... and can also be done without talking... so not always silent...

After that lot I think from now on you will consider my truck a Mercedes eh.

PS. I meditate every day, or is it levitate, hmmmmmmm, the latter l think.

Edited August 12, 201312 yr by transam

Dont believe a word, "the blether" quiet for 3 days, no drink, no thai visa, really? Nahhhhhh Sorry think you are delusional or hallucinating after a good session and have serious withdrawals.

Often thought you need therapy mate, but thats not it!, cant see it and wont believe it !

Edited August 12, 201312 yr by CharlieH

Nice story ... and I'm sure there's a lot more to it.

How about sharing a bit more?

I could use the relief after some of the recent OP's in General ...

Not having spoken for 3 days ... I wonder about the conversation with Mercedes Girl on the way home.

Did she get an ear full or what ...

Nice story ... and I'm sure there's a lot more to it.

How about sharing a bit more?

I could use the relief after some of the recent OP's in General ...

Not having spoken for 3 days ... I wonder about the conversation with Mercedes Girl on the way home.

Did she get an ear full or what ...

Nah I went in the back of the pick up and ignored her, I've still not spoken to her. She phoned my yesterday and asked if I wanted to go out but I said I couldn't as I had to meditate.

That'll teach her for being smart.

Here's a subtitled documentary about the Temple.......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcC1XkapVrc

Luang Ta Ma is extensively featured in the documentary, he's a very busy man and always travelling to spread the word. I did meet him on Saturday but it was literally to be given one of the amulets and then he was off.

I used to meditate a lot for like 10 years ago but like i often do with new things i learn i overdid this and it got boring. I recomend you try a couple of times at home but then on the other hand you might be a person that has no urgent need for meditation. I find my calm and relaxed life here in Thailand rather meditaive. I think you could recomend your friends a visit to the retreat, it is usually good to try new things sometimes and who knows they might need it.

I think that we as individuals are all different regarding whats between our ears. If someone whose grey cells are ''over'' active on a daily basis then perhaps the place where the OP spent some time could be beneficial to calm things down a bit.

Me, I am so laid back I could fall over and feel I am always in a semi meditation state . The OP knows me and can vouch for that.

That's a fact Transam

Good point Indrid Cold, I lot of people have asked me about the retreat and expressed interest in going there. What I don't want to do is to make it into a tourist destination. There are people living there, sleeping in the caves, and living a simple life. It doesn't need bus loads of tourists showing up and pretending to be interested.

On the other hand they are reaching out to people to visit and to gain the benefit of the meditative programme there. The youtube clip is worth watching.

I went for a look, I learned a lot. I'm not at a point where I will take it up however I would certainly consider going back for a longer visit and participate more. Maybe I would grow into it, time will tell.

So, did you find the experience one of ...

• self discovery

• calming

• enlightenment

• reflective

• numbing

• boring

• relaxing

I just used the descriptors as what maybe I might feel.

Though theblether ... you are the only one I know who has done that ... so I'm curious to know how it was.

.

Ehm......Interesting, relaxing, thoughtful, and food for thought.

Remembering that I'm not in a stressful daily routine as it is I maybe didn't get the calming effect that others would. I can see it being a very useful reboot for many people, I can see why Thais retreat to the temple every now and then.

It was said to me that people don't normally show up unless something has gone wrong in their lives, those people do get a benefit from it. The people that show up when on an even keel seem to get more from it.

I think it's a 3 day trip that I'd recommend if you arrive with an open mind, an ability to rough it a little bit, and an ability to spend time in your own company.

Some people can't stand their own company so they wouldn't be suited to it.

If you're in the right frame of mind, I say try it. You'll get something from it, even if it is a realization that it's not for you.

I've recently been making inquiries as to where to learn meditation myself.

I found these articles to be an interesting part of my research so far . . .

" . . .The first morning’s meditation was a struggle, not just because of an overall grogginess but also because of a never-ending stream of reminiscences, regrets, recriminations, resentments, assessments, aspirations, apprehensions, speculations, machinations, anxieties, fantasies and other errant thoughts–one after the other. . . ."

LINK : What I learned from 10 days of silence and meditation.

" . . . Most every day, sometimes for one hour, oftentimes for two, I would sit on a cushion with my eyes closed and attend to any sensation, be it painful or pleasant, that manifested in my body, and would endeavor to remain detached from them. If a certain area in my lower back ached, for example, I focused all my attention on the ache, and tried to experience the pain without labeling it as either “good” or “bad.” In the clearest moments, thoughts and judgments about the pain became hushed and subdued to the point that I could regard the pain as nothing more than what it was: sensation. Although it wasn’t the goal, the pain itself would often subside not long thereafter. . . ."

LINK : Looking back : My first year as a meditation practitioner

If I'm not mistaken there is an S. N. Goenka free retreat with English speaking instructors in Prachinburi, among others.

Edited August 13, 201312 yr by Trembly