Ahhh Vipassana

Vipassana Meditation retreat in Dharmsala. What I have needed most in my life for so long and I am so lucky to have taken myself there. And it was a trek. Literally up a massive hill in altitude sweaty and full of amoebas in my tummy. But after a ridonculously horrific and painful knee throbbing busride I just wanted to move. I spent day zero weak and tired and hoping that my stomach would heal so I could meditate. Dharmsala is where the Dali Lama lives and many other Tibetans refugees. It feels like Tibet. It feels like a new world. The air is cool and the trees are piney and tall and the monkeys swing from them like its a branch grabbing relay. The himalayas surround the valley and villages perch atop winding cliffs and spread out into valleys scattered with Tibetan prayer flags. Its just what I've needed. Theres so much to write and so little energy I have now so I'll just do a little at a time.
Day Zero: May 1st I arrive and register, and hand over my money and passport and camera and books and writing materials. I am given a double room which I share with a lovely Canadian yoga teacher named Maryanne. I take a freezing shower and go to the mingling area. Tony and Lucy from Sadhana are there as well as Tony's friend Maddie. And we chat about the upcoming who knows what for a bit and then go our seperate ways. I take a massive nap and wake in time for the orientation talk and the first meditation.
Now I've never meditated in my entire life. First of all.
The rules are pretty simple. Follow the schedule. Maintain Noble Silence. Don't leave early.
The schedule for the next ten days is as follows:
4am wake up bell
430-630 morning meditation in the hall
630-800 Breakfast break
8-9 Group Meditation in hall
9-11 Meditate in the hall or residence as per teacher's instructions
11-12 Lunch
12-1 Rest/Meet with the teacher if you want
1-230 meditation in the hall or your room
230-330 Group meditation in the hall
330-5 meditate in the hall or your room as per teach's instructions
5-6 Tea break
6-7 Group meditation in the hall
7-830 Teachers discourse in hall
830-9 group meditation in the hall
9-930 question time with teacher in the hall (if you want)
930 retire to own room lights out.

After some milk tea and polenta which i struggle to eat and can immediately feel the amoebas dancing it out on we have the first meditation. We crowd into the calming and peaceful meditation hall and are given our seat assignment, a meditation cushion, and begin? I cant even remember what happened that night but when the hour was up you hear this auuuuugggggghhhhbbbbbbrrraaaaaaaaa like froglike weird noises which turn out to be the teacher Goenka singing. And he gives this long chant and I sat there like what the hell is going on this is SOOO not singing. This is like a groan you make when you ate too much. We are told to sit in silence and focus on our breath. Easier said than done as my mind starts going a million miles a minute.
We are shown a discourse and Goenkas poo bear face shows up and gives us a little more info.
Then off to bed and the silence begins.
Which I was totally cool with until I close the blinds and this massive TARANTULA is on the window next to where I'm sleeping. And I can't kill it. I motion to my roommate and we ridiculously and silently try to maneuver the beast out of our room. It was hillarious. But i just laughed to myself and totally crashed.

more later. i'm exhausted

http://www.dhamma.org/