Atlas Franklin Alexander on completing a silent meditation retreat
“Ten days, no talking, phones or anything. Just you and your thoughts.” Post-punk artist Atlas Franklin Alexander shares advice and stories on completing a 10-day Vipassana silent meditation retreat:
Attending a 10-day Vipassana meditation retreat is unbelievably intense. There are Vipassana centres worldwide; the ones I’ve been to are up in the Blue Mountains and on the Sunny Coast. I’ve sat four 10-day courses and also served two courses. It’s basically a meditation retreat based on the traditional Buddhist meditation practice of Vipassana, which means “insight” or “clear seeing.” It’s hard but also beneficial if you can get to the end of one of these. This practice involves developing a deep awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, and sensations in the present moment without judgment or attachment. Ten days, no talking, phones, writing, reading, or anything. Just you and your thoughts.
No alcohol, no coffee, no vaping, no cigs, no Nordy stuff! So I’m a sucker for vices, as most people are. Be prepared to have nothing to soothe your weirdness. I’m a complete novice in meditation, but I can safely say I have had a crack at it. The retreat typically consists of long periods of silent meditation, cultivating mindfulness and wisdom, leading to self-discovery and personal transformation. The retreat is in a secluded and quiet location, away from distractions. Participants are required to follow strict rules and guidelines during the retreat; this means zero caffeine, zero alcohol, zero zero zero.
So, there is no talking whatsoever, like none. My first retreat, I literally thought I was going insane. I wanted to leave on the second day; it’s sometimes brutal. But if you persevere, after ten days of not talking it’s really quite difficult to explain what happens to oneself. It may feel challenging at first, but it can also be a very transformative experience.
In saying this, you may be stuck in a room with people who are snoring. I’m a very light sleeper, and if you value your sleep to function during the day, I highly recommend bringing earplugs to get some well-deserved rest. Familiarise yourself with the schedule, Vipassana retreats typically follow a strict daily schedule of meditation, meals, and rest periods. The schedule may vary depending on the centre, but you can expect to have an early morning wake-up calls and long periods of sitting meditation.
With the early morning wake-ups, after sitting from like 4 am-10 pm meditating, your legs and back are absolutely fucked. Also, dress in super loose, baggy clothes. As vipassana retreats are based on traditional Buddhist principles, it is recommended to dress comfortably. It’s also a good idea to bring your own meditation cushion or pillow and a water bottle. They provide additional pillows so you can build the most comfortable meditation/sitting area.
With these retreats, often when you’ve got no vices to distract you, the only thing you’ve got is food and eating there. Don’t get turbo on the breaky and lunch meals. The first one I completed I ate so much food I felt sick after every meal. Vipassana is a form of meditation that involves observing sensations in the body and developing mindfulness. If you’re super full and feel gross, it makes it way harder to sit and meditate. It is a technique taught by the Buddha to purify the mind and attain inner peace and happiness. I’m not trying to be all hippie dippie here at all; if anything, I don’t get down at all with that stuff. But I can def tell ya that doing one of these retreats will change the way you perceive everything.
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Atlas Franklin Alexander has recently shared his latest single Young Love:
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