Retreat Guidelines

For people who have never meditated before, this will be a unique experience. Even those who have done some meditation will find that the approach followed here offers perspectives unlike any place else. Because meditation explores the human mind (or heart, or whatever we call it) which is vast, profound, and complex, there will be beautiful moments and very difficult ones. You will be challenged deeply within yourself. If you keep trying to practice meditation, you will realize the happiness that is beyond conventional happiness. We hope you could discover the most important thing in your life and a happier and more peaceful world which is free from suffering and attachments, which is quiet and harmonious, where the person is inseparable from the environment.

Each day there will be a session on the theory and practice of mindfulness with breathing.Monks accompanying the group will address the group regularly, talking about meditation and the Dhamma. There will be other speakers throughout the retreat who give Dhamma talks that reflect upon important teachings of the Buddha.
Here they not think of themselves as teachers; rather they try to be good Dhamma friends. The Dhamma friends who will be giving talks and helping in other ways are all practicing mediators. During Dhamma talks, they will share their life experience and lessons they learned during a study and practicing meditation. We are asking you to listen carefully and try to understand the meaning of their speeches.  
We do not expect, however, that you believe everything they say. To blindly accept or reject the Dhamma talks is a waste of your time here. Please listen and consider what you hear. Then experiment with it – try it out for yourself. The retreat is a trial to see if things work for you. If things work, then you can believe in what works, and only that, as your experience allows. In short, we ask you to talk full responsibility for your own learning and training.

Nonetheless, we must ask you to follow the instructions given. To do otherwise will lead to confusion for you and others. It might even lead to more significant difficulties. Questions or problems about the meditation can be discussed after a few days with a Dhamma speaker in a private interview (see the ACTIVITIES section). Otherwise, stick to the instructions. If you have been practicing other meditation techniques, we ask you to put them aside for the retreat. It is important not to confuse different techniques and approaches. This retreat is solely for the purpose of learning what we have to offer here. If all you want is to sit in yet another retreat, this is not the right situation for you.

Activities

Meditation and Dhamma talks are the main activities on retreat. During these sessions, we will introduce you to the basic principles of Buddhism: the Four Noble Truths, the Law of karma, the principle of “not-self” and others. We will tell you detailed about the technique of meditation and different states of mind that accompany the practice of silence and inner contemplation. During Dhamma talks we will constantly make recommendations how to combine theory and practice of Buddhism in real life.


Chanting
We chant short passages from the Buddhist scriptures that deal with important topics related to meditation and Dhamma talks. Thus, they further support the teachings. When practiced correctly, chanting is relaxing, calming, and joyful. It requires mindfulness and develops a certain level of concentration. It is a good opportunity for reflection and deepening understanding. Some people may feel that "Buddhist" chants conflict with their own religious beliefs. If so, you need not chant along, if it makes you uncom­fort­able. We recommend, however, that you stay in the hall and listen quietly.

Personal Interview (Optional)
There may be times when you have further personal questions you wish to discuss individually with a Dhamma speaker. In that case, you can make an appointment for a personal interview. We ask that the interview questions be directly related to the meditation instruction and personal experiences during the retreat. Philosophy and argument can wait until after the retreat. It is best to wait until there is something personally meaningful to discuss before signing up for an interview.

Precepts (The Foundation of Meditation)
The calming of the mind and an understanding of life that develop in meditation need a firm foundation on which to grow. A calm mind is greatly helped by a peaceful environment, which is largely created by our own actions. Thus, careful living according to principles of non-harming, non-abuse (to self or others), compassion, and unselfishness is vital for meditation. In Buddhism these principles are most easily expressed as the Five Precepts (or Trainings), as follows:

1. To refrain from killing living beings.
2. To refrain from taking what is not given.
3. To refrain from improper sexual behavior.
4. To refrain from false speech.
5. To refrain from the use of intoxicants and mind-clouding drugs

In a retreat like this it would seem that these are kept almost automatically. If we look closely, however, there are many opportunities to break them. The easiest is to carelessly "borrow" someone else's soap, shoes, cushion, walking path, or whatever. Another is to flirt or to engage in sensual games-here we ask you to put aside all sexual behavior. Also, you might want to reflect on your mind state while slapping mosquitoes. We try to be careful about all our actions so that we don't harm or disturb others physically or otherwise.

Living conventions


Voluntary Restraint
A meditation retreat is extraordinary situation (although meditation is actually perfectly normal). A large group of people must live together in very simple condition, while relating to each other in a whole new way. Here, we relate through the common experience of meditation, with all its pains and joys, discoveries and frustrations. For these days our lifestyle is built around a common purpose rather than the more selfish purposes promoted by the world today. To accomplish this in harmony, we must agree on certain con­ven­tions. The most important are mindful silence, giving way to others, sticking to the schedule, following instructions (discussed above), and staying within the boundaries of the meditation environment.

Silence
Much energy and ego goes into our speech. We say things that don't need to be said, are gossipy, or even harmful. This not only makes the world noisy, it makes our own mind noisy. 
We require not speaking or passing notes to each other during the retreat, in order to quieten our mind and maintain a quiet, peaceful environment for everyone. This can be difficult at times, but most people find it a powerful and wonderful experience. Many people travel from far away to Dipabhāvan because they cherish this silence, so we respect each other by maintaining the silence with mindfulness and wisdom. Even training ourselves to walk, move, and do things quietly leads to a calm and graceful experience. It is also important not to judge or project opinions onto others. Developing self–discipline and a compassionate understanding for all things is part of the training.
Keeping silent includes putting away books you've brought along. You will get plenty of information while you are on the retreat. Reading will just be a distraction, or may even confuse you. Please keep your books closed throughout the retreat. You have all the time you want to read when you leave. We also request that you stop writing, except for notes that you take during talks. Letter writing, diaries and creative writing will take the mind away from our purpose here.

Following the Schedule
As discussed before, the schedule we follow is not a heavy one, in fact it is very calming for everyone – you don't even need a watch – the monastery bell will let you know where to be at any given time. We ask that you take part in all the meditation and Dhamma talks. There is plenty of free time at specified times in the day to wash clothes, bathe, relax and reflect on the experience.

Helping Out
This is not complicated help and it promotes a sense of collective responsibility and respect for the work of others. It's not just a job, here you will practice and apply the techniques of mindfulness and concentration in the practical side of your life. Everything that we do in life can be called the practice of Dhamma. Maintaining mindfulness at every movement and every position of your body must become your daily habit.

Staying In
There is no place to go but inward. But at times that can be a frightening journey. Or maybe we just feel bored or restless. These are the most important times to be mindful and aware. It is just these states of mind from which we and learn so much about ourselves. Do not wander outside the retreat center at these times. If we wander off without restraint, pretty soon it becomes difficult to bring ourselves back to meditation. Be sure you have everything you need before the retreat begins. 

Dress
For comfort and convenience in meditation, please wear loose fitting, lightweight clothing (but not see-through). We also ask that your clothes be neat, clean and sufficient to cover your body. Pants must be long enough to cover the knees when sitting in meditation. Shirts must cover the upper arms and the midriff. Please no shorts or sleeveless shirts. It is also unnecessary to wear jewelry or other forms of adornment during the retreat – keep it simple and comfortable. Everyone, men and women, should wear undergarments (bras, underwear, shorts, etc.).

Smoking
Cigarettes are a form of intoxicant. They interfere with the meditation and make it very difficult for you to relax naturally. Everyone must stop smoking while at the retreat.

Giving Way
The ways of the world are self-assertive, pushy, and aggressive. Here, we need to give each other space and quiet. There is nothing to hurry over; we can go about things with a calm and cool mind. Giving way to others is not just in physical acts, but more important is an attitude of friendliness, kindness, and support which we carry in our hearts. Our way of living and being here can reflect this attitude without saying a word.

Smiles
This often forgotten blessing can transform many unpleasant situations. With a smile, silence is wonderful. Without smiles, the meditation hall becomes a tomb. Try out a gentle, knowing, kind smile of the Buddhas.

Miscellaneous
Health
Meditation is not physically demanding, but the mental requirements are hampered by poor health. If you are sick, you should wait for a later retreat. It takes some time for Western bodies, especially older ones, to adjust to the meditation posture and develop a stable one. If you have injured your back, neck, knees, or hips, these may give you some pain and difficulty. Please let us know so that we can help you deal with the situations that arise.

Питание
Vegetarian dishes prepared with great kindness and love, are provided daily for breakfast and lunch. In the evening, you will be offered a drink and a snack. Also, they will be offered fruits and vegetables, but not in high quantities. The whole group eats at the same time and in silence. Dear raw foodists, as well as followers of other exotic food.  Our food menu selected in such a way that we can not provide you with food according to your request. Also, in the retreat center no place to store food in case if you wish to bring it with you. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience caused. 

Lodging
Men and women are living separately in а two dorm rooms with lots of beds, in a simple, ascetic form. Please tidy your bed before leaving.

Valuables
For the sake of safety and convenience, we ask that deposit your valuables in our safe. Then you won't have to worry about them and be distracted from your meditation. Please deposit your valuables, such as money, passports, mobile phones, cameras, radios and music players, watches, jewelry, etc. You can collect them on the last day before you leave. Keep your day to day necessities with you in your room. Also keep a small amount of money in case you need to make small purchases during the retreat.

Caution! The use of cameras, mobile phones, music players and electronic books during the retreat prohibited.