Meditation

[Faun]

On the topic of Vipassana Meditation.


I’ve just come back from the 10-day course in Bogor, Indonesia. It was a great learning experience. I wish I had done it 2 decades earlier. The wisdom learnt was experiential.

I hope those of you who had the seed of thought to take up the challenge will do so. It will definitely make your life better. Your body will have better vibrations. You’ll become more aware of your cravings and aversions that brings so much miseries to our lives and learn techniques of how to let them pass instead of clinging on to them.

I went to Bogor because they run 2 courses per month, unlike Singapore only twice a year. Also, the weather was lovely, 20-24 degrees and not humid.

The meditation centre was perched on a mountain overlooking a valley of vegetation. I had a lot of time for reflections. We meditate a total of 10 and 3/4 hours a day over 6 sessions. Over the 10 days, we practice noble silence in order not to disturb our mind with too much food for mental chatter. We talk only to administrator when necessary and also when having interview with the teacher. For fellow students, we treat each other like transparent.

A lot of time for introspection and self observation. Through the course, I
really got to dig deeper to understand many issues that had be locked inside for ages. Also learnt how to release these impurities in the mind.

There were 10 of us foreigners, rest were locals about 40 of them. I was the only Singaporean. It was nice to see people of different religions, Catholics, Hindus, Christians, Muslims and Buddhist all coming together to help themselves to learn something so universal, liberate oneself from sufferings.

I recommend those who wants to do this to try Bogor. The weather and scenery is beautiful and facilities is good. Food was really yummy even though vegetarian everyday.

May you have the opportunity to try it at least once. It’s a life changing
experience.

I plan to do this retreat again next year, perhaps in Kanchanaburi, Thailand.

Insider, remember you mentioned about your leg problem. You need not
worry, they have special low chairs for those with sitting problem. In the course, there were many old folks, some had fractured legs before. One lady was 8 month pregnant. She was doing the meditation for her baby. What a great gift for her child!

[ppnqq]

All posts are very insightful and quite enlightening in some ways. Thank you!


Btw, wish to know if there is any meditation class in Yishun area for adults and children? TIA.

[Faun]

Hi ppnqq


How old is your child? If she’s too young, you can just do it with her at home, just 5-10 mins.

If she’s older, you can try Yoga.

My girl is 11 and joins me for Yoga this School Holiday. She’s the only child in the class but she is quite matured and can follow the session well.

In the class, she learns the 5 pillars of a healthy life. We do pranayama (breathing exercise) and asanas (postures) and short meditation (with commentary). It is very good for her as she is going through puberty. The Yoga helps to regulate the hormones and balance the moods. Also teach her how to handle stress.

I think Yoga is very good for teens as it teaches them how to take care of their mind. I feel that in Singapore, we bring up our kid’s emphasizing too much on their intellectual development and not enough their mental well being. It is very important to teach them how to relax, how to use the breathe to bridge the mind and body so they can better handle the feelings inside them. Yoga also massages the internal organs and glands and increase body flexibility and better one’s posture.

[Faun]

insider:

Faun


Just read your post!

Yes! I will go by your recommendation and that'll be my next personal activity after Nanjing (and I hope to go before June next year).

Thanks for sharing. Greatly appreciated!

Insider,

You're very much welcome. Just a few other tips for you. The Centre in Bogor has rooms for single, double, fours. Bathroom is common. I was lucky I was given single room. If privacy matters to you, you can try the one in Malaysia or Thailand (Kanchanaburi). I heard these centers facility are good, all rooms are single with bathroom ensuite.

Cheers!

[Faun]

insider:

Thanks again for your tips!

Privacy doesn't really matter much to me actually for this kind of personal retreat. Will still go even have to sleep in a barrack-style room...

That Indonesia sounds better to me coz of its cooler weather (my body is a super 'heated' one like a radiator which then makes it a 'magnet' for mosquitoes and so minimal risk of mosquitoes attack if possible).

You may want to change your trip to OCT or later. June time could be warm for Bogor too, according to the old students. There are a lot of mozzies but surprisingly, not in the meditation hall (Thank God!) I had a couple in my room but I found a way to chase them out so I can sleep in peace.


Over and Out.

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