We all have heard something regarding meditation. Have seen those pictures of peaceful monks sitting crossed legs in a mountain top on Tibet and heard about the almost supernatural powers they have. And for many of us it crossed our mind to start practicing meditation one day.
At least for me, it was in the back of my head for many years, since various people I met traveling kept telling me how it improved their lives and I should give it a try. And I actually did, for a few times I tried to just sit still and close my eyes. However, it felt like I was doing something wrong so quickly I lost my patience and interest.
While I was in Thailand, I heard from some travelers about a monastery in the North where they teach you about meditation and you can actually live with the monks for some time. It was a perfect chance to dive deeper. I made an online search about Wat Pa Tam Wua, the forest monastery. It seemed better than what I imagined. The location seemed remote and beautiful while anyone could just walk in the retreat and get accommodation and food for free. You could stay as long as you want up to 10 days, but you must follow a strict schedule.
Few weeks later, I was in Chiang Mai, the biggest city near the monastery, ready to pursue this new challenge. I hope that by sharing it with you, I can offer valuable information on how you can do it as well, and what to expect from this experience.
Getting to the monastery.
After spending some days eating all the delicious food in Chiang Mai’s street markets, I had to take the bus to the monastery. There is not actually a direct bus. You have to take a van in the direction of the city Mae Hong Son, and ask the driver to drop you near the monastery entrance. If you are coming from Pai, take a Prempracha minivan in the same direction.
After a 5 hours drive, and feeling a bit dizzy from the endless turns on the way, the driver stopped the van and said that from now on we have to walk. I was pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Started the 2km walk to the monastery under a hot Thai sun and surrounded by beautiful nature.
First impression & introduction to meditation.
After a short walk from the dropping point, I reached the entrance to the monastery. A monk, dressed in his long orange robe, welcomed me with a smile and showed me the way to the registry area.
Meanwhile, I was astonished with the beauty of this place. A calm lake surrounded by untouched forest, and a huge rock formation standing imposing on the side of Wat Pa Tam Wua. Many pathways progressing through colorful flowers and singing birds. It seemed like the ideal place to keep calm and focus on working inside without distractions.
I arrived at the central hall,where all the main events and the meditation sessions take place. There was a counter where a volunteer asked for my passport and got me registered. Without a valid visa, you are not allowed to stay in the monastery. Then they provided me with the white clothes that all the guests are supposed to be wearing, and showed me the way to my accommodation. They also informed me that tonight was a special celebration and the event takes place at 19.00 in the evening.
After getting some rest I started exploring more of the area, waiting for the time of the ceremony to come. The other guests were also wandering around or chatting near the lake. I found a sign with the rules you need to follow in order to stay in the monastery:
- All our activities are mandatory and cannot be skipped without a serious reason. Please don’t come late, we recommend coming at least 10-15 minutes early.
- Wat Pa Tam Wua is a Monastery and Vipassana meditation retreat, not a relaxation center or resort. Please keep your behavior appropriate
- Male and female dorms are strictly separate
- You can join us just for a morning and afternoon meditation or stay with us for at least 3 days and maximum of 10 nights.
- Passport (not a copy) with a valid Thai visa (Strictly no overstay visas) and TM6 form
The time of the event came and about 30 people gathered in the main hall. They were all holding a little mattress and a book with lyrics of spiritual songs and prayers.
I found a spot to put my mattress on, and soon 5 monks appeared and sat in front of the crowd. The monk that seemed the oldest one, called the abbot, started welcoming new people and giving a talk about the specialty of today’s celebration. He also shared some values of Buddhist philosophy and moved to the first part, which was an hour of meditation. He invited all the participants to close their eyes and concentrate on their breathing. Every time you inhale, you should think of the word bud (in) and every time you exhale think of the word (dho) out.
Complete silence in the hall room.. I closed my eyes and started following the practice described by the monk. However, soon enough my attention left my breath and started running around irrelevant thoughts. I kept bringing it back to my inhales and exhales, but it wasn’t easy focusing for a long time. Through that one hour of constant battle with my thoughts I passed through various emotional states. I didn’t know exactly what, but I knew that something happened.
After the meditation part, we started all singing together the songs from the chanting book. We were singing in all Hindu, Thai and English, and some parts could get a bit confusing.
The special part of the event came, where we all got to hold flowers and candles, and walked on a circle repeating chants and breaking the silence of the night. Everyone seemed peaceful and happy to be there.
After that, there was some more talk by the monks, and the participants were invited to head back to their accommodation. I borrowed a few books from the monastery’s library and headed back to rest. Laid in the dark with a candle burning and started going through the books.. What stood out for me out of those books was that:
- Buddhism is not a religion with a god to adore and pray on, but a philosophy. A philosophy that teaches you how to take the example of the Buddha and find the god inside you.
- In meditation you shouldn’t feel like failing when losing your attention. Actually the most important is the moment you realize you lost control of your focus and you manage to bring it back.
- Buddhism teaches that you are not your body and you are not your mind either. You are something different that is controlling both of those tools.
- There are different steps in your meditation practice. First you can focus on your inhale and exhale. The next step would be to allow your mind to think freely and just observe your thoughts without letting them affect you. The third step would be to understand the distinction between you and your mind, and see that all those thoughts and ideas constantly produced by your monkey mind are not really you.
An early day was waiting for me, so I stopped reading and prepared for the first night’s sleep.
Daily Schedule in Wat Pa Tam Wua
Next day, I woke up at 05:00, as the mandatory timetable asks from the guest. Until 06.30 you are supposed to be meditating in your accommodation, and getting ready for the day.
Monks are not allowed to buy or prepare any food for themselves, but can only accept donations from other people. For that reason, at 06.30 all guests gather in a circle around the main hall and offer the food that the volunteers prepared to the monks.Women are not allowed to touch the monks so they can offer food by putting it in front of the abbot. It felt like a ceremony honoring the Thai Buddhist tradition and culture. The whole process would take about 30 minutes and all the participants tried to be respectful and helpful.
About 07.00 was the time when we could enjoy our first simple meal, and gather around the tables near the main hall to socialize. People who didn’t want to interact with others could use a tag on their chest with the letters ”Silent”. I also tried spending a couple of soundless days and I found it to be a bigger challenge than I imagined.
At 08.00 everyone has to get in the main hall, where the monks will start talking about Dharma (the ultimate truth that Bdhuddha is sharing). They will explain some of the teachings and share with the participants about personal experiences. Then they would give some guidance for the following meditation. The first meditation of the day would happen sitting cross legged and would take about 2 hours.
Around 10:30 is time for the second and last meal of the day. The same way like before, monks get the offerings first and the guests serve themselves after.
After lunch and a small break, it is time for the afternoon Dharma talk and meditation class at 12:45. The only difference this time is that walking meditation is being practiced. And that for many is the best part of the day, since you get to cross for 2 hours all the stunning landscape around the monastery and just be present and focused. Seeing all those white-dressed people walking on a line along this green scenery had a very calming effect on me.
At 16.00 up to 18.00 people get to spend some free time, or help around cleaning and maintaining Wat Pa Tam Wua. Free time is a great opportunity to explore the caves nearby, where monks used to spend weeks meditating in isolation.
At 18.00 was time for our third and last meditation session. The first part would be devoted to chanting and after that, comes sitting or lying meditation for about an hour. The abbot would give a final talk and remind people about the following day’s schedule.
At 20.00 people gather around the common area for one last time, where they can enjoy a hot cup of chocolate and try to forget about their hanger. At 21.00 all parts of the monastery must be empty and everyone should be back in their rooms.
Accommodation and food
I had the chance to experience both the accommodation options offered in the monastery. The day I arrived, all the private rooms were occupied, so I had to spend the night in the shared dorm room. The shared room was pretty stoic since it was mainly just a building where you could put your mattress and blanket in a common sleeping area.
Next day was less busy, so I moved to the traditional kutis. The kutis are little wooden and elevated houses that spread in one part of Wat Pa Tam Wua. They have a wooden bed and a little deck where you can read or meditate. The view from this deck could completely immerse you in the forest.
As I said before, food was served only twice per day, at 07.00 and 11.00 in the morning. It was strictly vegetarian and most of the time was actually vegan.Food was prepared by the volunteers who work on maintaining the monastery into a hospitable place for everyone. Sometimes I got to help the process, and was amazed by how much love and seriousness they were putting into the food preparation. Rice, vegetables, soya and fruits are examples of our diet. Food was simple, but the products were so fresh and the anticipation so high that all the meals were delicious. Actually, after eating like this for a few days, I didn’t feel hungry at any moment, and my energy levels were higher than ever.
Talking with the monks & last thoughts.
During my last day in the monastery I asked if I could have a private conversation with the abbot. He was happy to talk with me using the little English he knew and share some of his knowledge.
He described to me how he walked all around Thailand for seven years while being silent. He spent days meditating in the jungle, coming across various wild animals.
When I asked him how can someone be happy like you, his reply mainly focused on the materialistic way that we build our lives. Some people might own many things but keep on being sad and unsatisfied. They don’t realize that the way to happiness starts by taking care of the “monkey” mind first. Meditation is a powerful tool to do that and we are lucky to have Vipassana, he adds.
We don’t give importance to the tremendous amount of life that happens around us. We walk carelessly through an ants’ path like an ant’s life is not as important as ours. That’s why we train our mind to always be conscious.
I went back to my room full of thoughts, but with a deep feeling of peace. The monk seemed like he knew a simple secret. Through meditation he found a way to control all these chaotic thoughts, ideas and emotions that exist in a human’s head.
I think I got a good taste of this powerful tool. In this seven day journey I spent many hours with my eyes closed, and passed through emotions that I never experienced before. I felt blissful, desperate, I cried, I forgave. I used to say that this experience changed me, but now I realize it just brought me closer to myself. In the end I felt that I learnt something that will accompany me for the rest of my life. And that’s the beauty of traveling. It is the only way to get knowledge and skills from cultures very different from yours. Then practicing and implementing this travel education can improve your life dramatically.
If you are planning to visit Wat Pa Tam Wua, my sincere advice is to get rid of all distractions, and try to follow the practice as deeply as possible.
