Summer Retreat

The summer retreat started on 20^th September and the participants gathered at four o’clock to see the organizer from The Lay Buddhist Association, and to be allocated their accommodation.

They were dressed in white, which is a requirement for the retreat. On retreat they live as the monks, eating two meals a day, no food later than noon each day. It is a silent retreat, except for an interview with the Abbott each day. This interview is a time when they can discuss any problems or questions they may have.

The meditators took the eight precepts in the basement of the temple at six on the first evening. Silence was to begin the following day. The programme is an intensive one, beginning at five thirty each morning, for morning chanting and walking and sitting meditation. After a break for breakfast there is more meditation until ten. Meditation masters join all scheduled practices; however it’s up to the individual how much private practice he or she does.

Lunch is served at eleven and this is an eating meditation. In fact the whole weeks aim is to have mindfulness in every action that is undertaken. There is then free time, this can be used for private meditation in the gardens or in the meditation hall or the maim temple.

At four pm the Abbott interviews the meditators after which there is a break for refreshments. Six o’clock sees chanting and a Dhamma talk before walking and sitting meditation begins again. After a long day its bed and lights are out at ten. The retreat is an intensive one and each individual will have had a different experience of the week’s practice.
It ended on 26^rd September and the participants took the five precepts and went back into their world. Richer or wiser by the experience, only they can know. Phrarajbhavanavimol led the retreat, assisted by Prhamaha Sawat.