My first sight when entering the Thai monastery was the brilliant gold temple that sits at the center of the complex. It's perhaps the most impressive temple of all the different traditions which have monasteries in Bodh Gaya (Japan, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, China, Myanmar, etc.) With the surrounding garden, kept finely manicured, it was an incredible backdrop for
the retreat, and like a small teleport into Thailand itself.
Despite the welcoming temple garden, the accommodations were a bit more modest.
Christopher Titmuss (the main instructor for the retreat and a former monk in Thailand) referred to the retreat facilities as "almost one-star." But, I've got to say, it was cleaner and quieter than most everything else in Bodh Gaya.
Check-in was at 2PM, and everything was quite straightforward. A group of western travelers, looking a bit weary from their adventures on the road gathered in front of the meditation hall for a first interview with the teacher. After that, we were given a tour and asked to find our spot in the dormitories.
The men were mostly put into the large basement underneath the temple itself! What an auspicious location to have monks chanting twice a day, and pilgrims coming to pay their respects - all just above our beds. We were each given a nice cot, a mosquito net, and a blanket, and everyone started to assemble their little nest.
We were shown
the schedule, the dining area, and then left to settle in before that evening's opening talk.
Much of the garden and monastic complex was open for our wanderings, and also for our walking meditation throughout the course. There was even a rooftop terrace which gave a little peak out into the rest of Bodh Gaya, or a great place to enjoy the sunset.
The first 10 days were led by
Rada Nicholson, who also co-lead the second 10 days with
Christopher Titmuss. The teachings were diverse and rich with many different approaches, not only from Buddhism, but paying homage to much of the diverse Indian and Hindu contributions to spirituality. It's hard to put into a few words the teachings of 20 days, but I'll try my best to say a little bit.
If I were to sum up the teachings, I'd say that Rada's main message was simply to free the mind and find the state where death no longer exists - "no more coming and going." Perhaps it was a bit abstract. I just let the teachings sink in and rest in the depths of my mind wherever they landed.
I'd summarize Christopher's main message as "take a deep and genuine interest in life. No stone left unturned." I found this message to be incredibly inspiring and practical. The invitation was to really savor, explore and question every experience as it is, without placing any demand on reality to be anything other than simply reality.
But, of course, they said much more than that. The meditation techniques were based loosely on
the Great Discourse on the Establishing of Mindfulness. The teachings were held loosely with the responsibility being on the meditator to find what's best for him or her. This was definitely different from my past experience with Goenka where he tells you exactly what to do and when, but I must say that now I have a great appreciation for both approaches. I can see the benefits of both, and I really appreciate how the greater freedom of this retreat actually sets a high bar for the meditator to be able to call on his own wisdom.
I think this was Christopher's aim: to encourage the meditators to become responsible and conscious human beings who don't need to rely on one technique, one teacher, or one instruction. But rather, that a conscious human being has the insight, the patience, and the wisdom to be able to navigate every circumstance of life in a fresh, creative, and lively way.
When the retreat began, we were given a
thali plate to use for the whole retreat and the food was great. Porridge and bananas for breakfast every morning with a little variation, and about 4 different Indian dishes everyday for lunch. They served some fruit with tea in the evening, as well. And, lots of chai! It was all quite delicious, but after 20 days of Indian food, I'm ready for something a little different today.
The fellow retreatants were an interesting mix, and Christopher had to make a statement at the end explaining that it was actually a much different retreat than ever before. He referred to it as the "most unsettled retreat in 36 years of doing the Bodh Gaya retreats!"
People were having little whispers and conversations here and there. Couples were hanging out together. Some were reading books or doing paintings in the garden. Some took long naps with the puppies on the lawn. A few of the students got quite angry at the teachers at a few points. And to top it off, Radha's daughter got malaria at the beginning and nearly died in one of the monk's huts during the first 10 days. But, when it comes down to it, there's something about a retreat that makes it hard not to just love everyone else there. They are the Sangha - the brothers and sisters in practice. Nothing would be possible without the community.
I got pretty sick myself, with a high fever on day 2, and I spent most of days 3 and 4 in bed. Luckily, they had a nurse there who had volunteered to be the "medical manager" for the retreat, and they even had a couple cozy rooms reserved as sick rooms especially for us.
On day 4, a Hindi festival began and I awoke from a nap to blaring Bhangra music from a nearby sound system. I mean loud! Radha even decided to include it in a guided meditation on "just hearing, just listening." One of the many fun benefits of meditating in India. There were quite a few days of this music, as well as a parade that past by the monastery one afternoon, barking dogs, singing roosters, and more.
The animals were fun, but we were told that touching them was strictly forbidden, and for good reason. They were not clean, and I'd often see a dog vomiting on our walking paths, etc.
Perhaps one of the most inspiring parts of the retreat was the emphasis on Buddhism in action. They were insistent that we don't just sit on the cushion, but that we actually bring whatever wisdom we gain out into the world and share it with others. Christopher hit hard on topics like politics, economics, education, and false spirituality with hopes of shaking up our rigid world views a little.
It wasn't just talk, however, they also introduced a number of local charities that have been greatly benefited by the retreatants over the years. When the retreat finished, I took part in some of the activities sponsored by these charities, so I'll write more about that soon. It was great to see this kind of community involvement, and I think it should be an inspiration for other meditation retreats worldwide to really question how they can benefit their community in more ways than just offering dhamma teachings.
There was a lot of love, and I felt inspired seeing how happy everyone on the retreat was amidst all the craziness of India.
I hope to go back someday for perhaps a more "settled" retreat, and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone else looking for a taste of the Dhamma at it's very source.
On the way not far from Gayâ the Buddha was met by Upaka, an ascetic who, struck by the serene appearance of the Master, inquired: "Who is your teacher? Whose teaching do you profess?"
I'll be moving back into monastic living conditions, but won't be living in strict silence. I'll also have some time to see the town. I plan to spend about 9 or 10 days in Sarnath, just relaxing a little, meditating and taking my sweet time with life.
