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<\/p>\nAfter scuba diving and a relaxing month living in Ao Nang, Thailand, I was becoming too comfortable and thought it was time to move north to experience Chiang Mai and its temples and sights near the Laos border.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t have much of an itinerary, but I had met a pretty cool French guy who highly recommended a Buddhist meditation retreat called Pa-Pae.\u00a0 It was about an hour\u2019s bus ride north of Chiang Mai.\u00a0 Having never experienced meditation before, this seemed like a great opportunity.<\/p>\n
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I was surprised at how well organized the retreat was. It was adjacent to a small village with its own store and a local restaurants, but otherwise this retreat was in its own world separated from everything else. This was the perfect location to practice meditation. Wanting to experience this retreat even deeper I chose to perform a fast (water only) and not speak throughout the four days (the silence was the world\u2019s loss for the four days).<\/p>\n
Once settled into my little cabin on the mountainside and changing into the white pants and shirts they provided, it was time to relax until the evening meditation class.\u00a0 The class would cover the basics of meditation in an attempt for me to clear my mind (never an easy task) and try to find some peace within myself.\u00a0 Meditation isn\u2019t easy for me.\u00a0 It took a lot of work to focus on a mantra or an object within my mind and remove all the static from the outside world.<\/p>\n
With there being three meditation classes daily and without speaking, I was able to silence my mind, if only for a few moments each class.\u00a0 In between the meditation classes there were monks who would share their illuminating life stories and also provide answers to the many questions we first timers had.\u00a0 With not being able to speak, the question-and-answer sessions were my only source of social activity.<\/p>\n
Our final meditation ceremony was held around a fire pit.\u00a0 This is where I almost broke my silence as the wood for the fire was quite wet (we were in a rainforest, after all) and I had an extremely difficult time pantomiming \u201cget some gasoline to get this fire going!\u201d\u00a0 I did finally manage, though, and the fire was lit. When that evening\u2019s meditation ended, we lit paper lanterns to release into the sky.\u00a0 My lantern in the photo is the one stuck in the tree. Slip away!<\/p>\n
Upon leaving I felt refreshed, rested, and almost ready for the next part of my adventure. I successfully completed the classes, my fast, and even my 92-hour silence. Later that evening I celebrated by stuffing my face with some Pad Thai and talking with my mouth full. \u00a0My next retreat should be one that involves learning proper manners.<\/p>\n
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