Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.
Monthly private retreats
Earthninja
WandererWest Australia Veteran
Hi guys! How are we all?
I read somewhere a long time ago that there were Buddhists who do silent retreats every month according to the moon cycles.
I was thinking of doing this, every month to pick a day on the weekend closest to the full moon and spend the full day in silent meditation. No speaking to anybody. No looking at anybody or even making gestures to people.
Has anybody done anything like this as a lay person? My next full moon is in early may. I'm thinking of spending the Saturday in a room/backyard.
I read somewhere a long time ago that there were Buddhists who do silent retreats every month according to the moon cycles.
I was thinking of doing this, every month to pick a day on the weekend closest to the full moon and spend the full day in silent meditation. No speaking to anybody. No looking at anybody or even making gestures to people.
Has anybody done anything like this as a lay person? My next full moon is in early may. I'm thinking of spending the Saturday in a room/backyard.
2
Comments
As a layperson it might be tricky, if you have a family.
But then again, I did a whole week's sponsored silence, even though admittedly, I kept to it only during "working hours" (08.30 - 18.30).
The 'not looking at people', again, in a domestic environment, may need adaptation....
Adapt. Do what you feel is appropriate, but ensure your family fully understands your practice and motive.
Oh and when that baby arrives.....
such privileges will become even rarer....!
Silence is a cool practice.
When I go on retreat I sit, eat and prefer silence if available. It is not unusual to do part or all of retreats in silence.
On a personal level I feel reciprocated expression is a human need. Hence hermits speak to C-d. However that is fishy dharma.
We live in a noisy, connected, facebooked, online chatter world. For some that continues into monkey mind on a cushion.
Silence is rare. Wonderful though.
Thinking of listening to a morning lecture, meditate all day. Then a night time talk.
@lobster yes it's hard, bit i believe it can be done in modern times without a cave. I think silence is so useful as well. Thanks.
I look forward to hearing how you go @Earthninja.
There are caves on the island where I live. They face the Atlantic, and sometimes I take myself there for half a day or occasionally an overnight. The greatest peace I've ever known. One of the big plus points is that where I go is virtually inaccessible other than by sea, so there is virtually zero chance of seeing anyone. The stars at night are a wonder. I must do it more often.
I would like to rent one of those caves, but could we fit a wide-screen TV?
Dharma troglodyte's!
You could watch The Sky at Night.....heheh
I've done this but not according to any moon cycles, etc. I would just follow the same schedule and do the same thing that is done when you do a retreat at the temple or zen center.
http://www.musangsa.org/english/sub04/sub04_4.php
It's a very good practice to do! It's no replacement for an actual group retreat, but it's still better than playing video games all day, or something like that.
Also, the periods of "sitting zen" is not a continuous sitting for 2-3 hours. There is 30-45 mins of actual sitting meditation, then 10 minutes of walking meditation in between.
Very good! How I long for a clear sky and a 10" reflector!
All of the above here on Fuerteventura in a proper little observatory, which is next to a restored windmill.
I live about 10 minutes away.!!
Love the windmill observatory
Guys,
Retreat - Silence of mind, move into the Inner Now. Why wait for the connected cave, bestest cushion location, time of the month etc.
Retreat for a second and then second that ...
At some point in your practice, if you persist, you will feel the necessity to do solo practice of some variety or another. This is perfectly natural because you will probably want to sit for longer and longer periods. You might also feel the usefulness of not having to speak. Remember, when the Buddha speaks about mediation he invariably talks about a practitioner who 'withdraws', who enjoys 'solitude' and 'silence'.
I'm an anti-social git, so Buddhist practice suits me very well.
(you wouldn't know it....
)