Long Term Service - FAQ

A number of people have asked me questions about my experience living at the Vipassana center in North Fork, so I wanted to do a follow up to one of my original posts.  I know that it can sometimes be hard to get a hold of anyone at the center to answer your questions (after all, they are all volunteers.)  So, here are my answers.  I will try to update this if I get more questions:

Q: I have sit a couples of course and recently I have been thinking about staying there and serving the the center on a long/short term basis... I would like to know when you are not serving or sitting the course.  Do they have a fixed schedule for you to follow?  Will they allow access to the internet etc during those times or even when you were serving?

A: If you are staying at the center, here are the rules as far as I know.  This is UNOFFICIAL... so I will always defer to whatever they tell you:
1) You have to stay on the five precepts and meditate a minimum of 2 hours per day no matter what. Even if you take a day trip up to Yosemite, there shall be no boozing and fornicating.
2) When serving a course, you are expected to follow the server schedule which includes six hours of work per day and 3 hours of sitting.  If, for some reason you need to sit or rest more and work less, they usually can accommodate that.  Internet use, phone calls, leaving the center, etc. are all discouraged while a course is in progress, but sometimes they will make an exception if you ask and it seems reasonable.
3) Courses generally end on a Sunday morning.  That Sunday is considered the day off.  (Yep, one day off every 2 weeks.)  You still need to meditate 2-3 hours, but otherwise you can do whatever you want: internet, yosemite, skinny dipping in waterfalls, hiking, movies.  One time, a group of servers went to see the latest horror movie which just came out (I declined the invitation.)
4) From Monday until the next course is considered a service period which has it's own rule.  Basically, you will follow a schedule similar to the server schedule (6 hours of work, 3 hours of meditation)  except with a bit more lenience about leaving for day trips or using internet, etc.
5) In general, at no time are you supposed to do anything other than practice dhamma or do dhamma service on center grounds.  So, that means no reading (other than approved dhamma books.) No listening to your ipod, no playing guitar, etc.  If you want, you can just drive down to the end of the driveway and play your guitar by the street for an hour and then return.  Personally, I kind of like this rule, because it really keeps the intention crystal clear about the purpose of the center.
6) One more note: the time after lunch clean up, from 1:00-2:30 is considered break time and it is highly recommended to get in bed and take a nap.  This is great rest, and you will probably need it. If a there is no course going on, it can be a good time for a quick email check, as well.

Q: Anyway, it is great to know that I am not the only one want to live the dream of staying at a center.  It seems a little scary but at least now I know someone else has done it.

A: You are definitely not the only one.  I met dozens of servers staying anywhere from 2 days to 2 years or more.  The scariest part is taking the leap, but actually there is nothing to be afraid of.  It will take some work to return to your householders life after your stay at the center, but Vipassana meditators never shy away from a little work, right?