Dipabhavan Meditation Center, Koh Samui

Observations about my participation at the Dipabhavan Meditation Center, Koh Samui, Thailand. February 2024

Dipabhavan Meditation Center is a branch of the Wat Suan Mokkh Monastery, Surat Thani founded by Buddhadasa Bhikku. The type of Buddhism practiced is from the Theravada school. Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhadasa

Expectations for the Retreat -

Silence - no talking during the 6 full days of practice.
No phones, computers or similar technology allowed when at retreat.
Attendance at all meditation sessions.
Eat two (vegetarian) meals per day.
Volunteer for one chore per day.

Mediation Practice -

Four 45 minute sitting meditations sessions and four 45 minute walking meditation sessions throughout the day. In addition, there is an hour of yoga instruction in the morning and 1 - 2 hours of Buddhist and Meditation instruction from the resident monk and volunteers through out day.

Meals and free-time:

There were three two-hour breaks throughout the day. Breaks included a meal time (breakfast and lunch) or in the evening (tea). We cleaned our own bowls and cups after meals. Everyone is expected to volunteer for a chore, I chose to clean and wipe the dining room tables after breakfast. This took about 20 minutes to complete after everyone finished breakfast. Break times were used to complete hygiene and personal tasks, clothes washing, as well as rest. We slept from 9:30 pm to 4:30 am.

My experience:

My meditation practice improved as time went on. Best days were day 4 and 5.
I was very comfortable with the silence.
I found that it did not challenge me to have my phone locked up for the 6 days.
The biggest struggle was sitting for 45 minutes without pain and discomfort in my legs or hips.

This type of meditation retreat is not easy. Your mind is like a wild animal needing to be tamed. It wants to look to the future, reflect on the past or simply be entertained. It wants to tell you you have an itch you better scratch it - NOW. Or you have this feeling or thought, you have respond to it (vs just observing it). I found it best to handle this with simple acceptance that my mind will wonder, and when you notice it running away, simply return to the practice meditation. As the practice improved throughout the week, I experienced immense calm relaxation.

Teachings -

Meditation Practice was taught by western volunteers, which included instruction on sitting posture, leg positions, and the meditation practice of breathing. For this course, the instruction started with long breath, then moved to short breath and then focus and concentration on an object. The concentration object was to focus on the tip of your nose and the in and out of the breath. Instruction also included walking meditation, where you tried to be mindful of the foot and leg movement as you walked. There was additional practice information posted for us to read. (I have included some below).

Three Marks of Existence were taught by the resident Monk. His job at the monastery is to help translate Buddhadasa’s teachings into English and provide retreat talks.

Three Characteristics / Marks of Existence that were taught:

Anicca - Impermanence (Everything changes)

Dukkaha - Unsatisfactory, Unease or Suffering. That is, our attachments in the physical world are the cause of our unease, our dissatisfaction and our suffering.

Anatta - Everything is without lasting essence. We are not self. There is no unchanging or permanent self or soul.

The monk spoke several times that the concept of re-birth or re-incarnation was never mentioned in the original Buddha’s teaching. (Buddhasdasa, the Wat Suan Mohk Thai Monk, also taught this).

The monk spoke about Anatta - as non-duality, that the self is not-separate from the rest of our existence. Conversely, when we experience the physical world, we are taught from a young age, about this duality. Such as, this is me and self and that the other, over there and not me. But the Buddhist teaching is that everything is impermanent, and therefore, there is “not self.” It seems possible that this is similar with other religious teaching, such as “God is everywhere.”

Ignorance is when you are not mindful or aware of these three essences or characteristics - Anicca, Dukkaha and Anatta.

We chanted in the Pali language. Chanting was historically started as a way for the Buddha’s teachings to be passed on from generation to generation. The center provided chanting books, that had English translation, while the monk explained the chant in more detail.

The Monk also lead a Metta Loving-Kindness meditation after the chanting. He cited Sharon Salzberg as an example of what he followed. He referenced her several times as a source of this practice.

https://www.sharonsalzberg.com/store/p/lovingkindness-meditation

———

In summary - my learning, the teachings and thoughts are:

A) To be mindful of the three Buddhists essences as I re-enter the physical world. Meditation is the practice that will help clear the mind in order to observe the physical world with more clarity.

B) The experience at the meditation retreat was like living in a bubble. But the bubble was porous and the physical world kept creeping in, as my mind would want to wander.

C) Going forward, I want to be mindful of challenging responses in the physical world. For example when I experience anger, it is most likely a response to an attachment (Dukkaha). Being mindful and aware that it is not permanent (Annica) and that the anger will soon disappear as I observe it. Observing and being aware of difficult emotions as we live in the physical world, in my observation, is similar to many aspects of western mental health practice.

—-

Link to Dipabhavan Meditation Center - in Koh Samui.

https://dipabhavan.weebly.com/

Link to Wat Suan Mokkh Monastery and Organization

https://www.suanmokkh.org/suanmokkh

https://www.suanmokkh-idh.org/

This is a link to Santikaro - the American Monk, who taught at Wat Suan Mokkh Monastery, Surat Thani when I visited it in 1985.

https://cloudmountain.org/profile/santikaro/