Buddhist Adventure

So after filling up on meat I returned to the "temple" and killed some time talking to others who had arrived early and waiting for the four o'clock check in time. A young lady finally set herself up at a card table and we waited our turns to validate our preregistration, done thoroughly many weeks before when we filed our written applications, responding to questions about our previous meditation retreats and medications we took.

As directed I parked my car in a neighboring field, warned that I should remove anything I needed diuring the retreat because I would not be allowed access to it until the retreat ended. A young man then showed me to my "room," created in a large cement block building with drapes hanging from ropes strung across giving each of the participants a private area. Mine was just large enough to contain a cot with space for me to climb into it and a place to set my unopened suitcase. But it was located close to the shower room and toilet comforting me with the thought that someone was aware of the needs of an elderly person.

Supper was in another dimmly lighted cement block building on the other side of the breezeway served buffet style with picnic benches to sit on. Strung across the room was a canvas curtain screening us from the women whose chatter we could hear on the other side. Their sleeping accomodations were on the other side of the building in the old farm house. Great pains were taken to keep us separate at all times during the retreat.

After supper another young man told us how this world wide vipassana organization was created through the efforts and financial resources of S.N. Goenka, an Indian industrialist who suffered from migraine headaches and finally found relief through this particular method of meditation. He also informed us of our ungodly hours, rising early in the morning with a half hour for getting ready, meditation before breakfast served at six, lunch at eleven and a piece of fruit or juice in the evening. There were rest periods after the meals, but most of the time was dedicated to meditation. (to be continued)