Daily Lino: India-2

Inspired By:

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This one is a little unique as it was from the time period of my Vipassana Meditation stay at Dhamma Setu in Chennai, India. I was not to speak or acknowledge others, which they called Nobel Silence. No meals past 12, but we could have some chai and fruit.  Plus no reading, writing or listening to music, which clearly meant no carving or sketching either. We sat for ten hours a day meditating and on the fourth day they introduced a new technique that required three hour long sessions of determination per day, which meant no moving at all - period.

There was/is a lot more to it then that and if you'd like to read more about it, here is a link VIPASSANA. They have centers all over the world. They are free ~ and some find this to be a wonderful life changing technique. I wanted to be one of those people, but, I'm afraid, at least this round, it simply is not for me. Rather humorously, at the end of the meditation the teacher came up to me and told me I was the happiest one there ~ always with a smile on my face. . . Ha ha, just wait till you read the days musings! 

Anyway, it was a challenge deciding how to represent these days. I decided that simplicity was the best option due to the nature of the meditation and choose the typical marking of days - a strike. The length of the strike depended on how I was feeling.  Can you take a guess, from the random musings, or at least the ones I could remember, what the different lengths mean?

1. DAY ONE : Crap! I'm late for my first meditation. Totally didn't hear the bell when they rang it at four! Okay, this feels like it's going to last forever.

2. DAY TWO : Dude, I am not okay with all of these mosquito bites. I've already counted twenty seven and the day isn't even over yet. Sweet - come for enlightenment, leave with malaria. So fun. "Oh hello little friend!" (oops, i broke the no speaking rule - does speaking to the little frogs living in my sink count?) What's this non-secular crap? All were talking about is Buddha. Not that I'm not into Buddha, but I'm really not into joining some ridiculous cult.

3. DAY THREE : Hmm, this isn't too bad, meals are tasty and I'm lovin' that chai! "Ah, Hello Mr. Lizard, welcome to my humble home." (failing miserably at this nonspeaking bit.)

4. DAY FOUR : Yes! First three days of training over! Bring on this new technique! I've already mastered the other. Vipassana, Vipassana, Vipassana ououou! Sounds like Mufasa, Mufasa, Mufasa (from the Lion King!) Oh yeah man, this is totally making sense now. It's not about becoming a Buddhist. Yeah, I'm totally into this now - makes so much sense. Everyone really should be doing this - Peace, Harmony, Love ~ Oh how I love the way he says it!  He has such a wonderful voice. Though, sometimes I would really prefer riping the speakers off the wall and smashing them - mmm, but that is only because I feel like I'm going to explode from sitting two more seconds.  Look, see, right!  The problem is not him, it is me! I am such a problem.

5. DAY FIVE : Determination meditation epic fail. So in pain, tears were streaming down my face - do I mention a little snot too, and because I couldn't move. . . Well, it wasn't pretty. Whoa man, this just broke me. Unable to walk for a few minutes afterward and in agony. Packing the bags, I am so out of here. So many other places in India I want to see. Maybe I'll wait around for my last free chai first. Yum! Hmm, maybe it was just the position I was sitting in. I should try to stick it out - I am already halfway. Huge grin, success round two!

6. DAY SIX : Excellent, just day dream and the time passes like a river flowing by - always changing - just as he says!

7. DAY SEVEN : I really shouldn't be daydreaming. It's really not what I should be doing, but dang, I am enjoying myself. Oh man that chai smells so delicious!

8. DAY EIGHT : Okay, I must try to get more serious. I will only daydream for part of the time. So failing at this. . . So sick of this crap. That lady needed help just now and I could help because I'm supposed to ignore her. This sucks. I want to be able to help people if they need it. This is such a selfish meditation! Freaking mosquitos!

9. DAY NINE : Oh dear God this is so hard. . . Is it almost over yet? I am totally failing this miserably. I don't know If I really believe this is helpful or not. Man oh days my back hurts! Screw this, I'm gonna help that lady. You know, I think I already feel the things he's talking about.  I think I don't really need this - I've already found ways to balance myself in the ongoing flow.  Huh, but I definitely could use some work in some ares. . . Too bad I wasted most of my time daydreaming. Ah, but that was helpful in other ways.  Well, I guess I got what I needed for the time out of this.

10. DAY TEN : Whoa. Wait. What? Speaking? Do we have to? I'm not ready yet. I don't wanna go yet! Thank God we can stay one more night and pretend the real world doesn't exist. Bring on the morning chai!