Woohoo! (I think)

Satori, Stephen on 6 January 2007 @ 6:15 PM — 2 comments

I just got great news. I was accepted at Igatpuri Vipassana Meditation Center. That means I am going to do a strict 10 day meditation course. It costs nothing although donations are accepted to support the center. I will be at the center from the 27th of Jan to the 7th of February. There will be NO communication of any sort during that time. From the website and acceptance email:

You should have gone through the Code of Discipline of the course carefully. You are required to abide by the same very scrupulously, most important of which are :

1. To remain in the Academy till the course ends, even if difficulties arise during the course
2. To maintain complete silence from the beginning of the course upto the breaking of silence on Day-10 of the course
3. To set aside all other meditation practices, rites, rituals, recitations and prayers during the course
4. To maintain complete segregation of sexes while in the Academy
5. To abstain from use of any type of intoxicants during the entire course
6. The playing of musical instruments, radios, etc. is not permitted. No reading or writing materials should be brought to the course. Students should not distract themselves by taking notes. The restriction on reading and writing is to emphasize the strictly practical nature of this mediation.
7. Please note that shorts, half-pants, and transparent clothes are not permitted on the campus

Summing up in response to the above, my current feelings are:

1. I think I can handle that.
2. If anything could send me on a serious rampage, this is probably it. But I need to try it.
3. not having any, this should be a breeze.
4. I guess they haven’t counted on gay people.
5. What if I am high on life?
6. Dear lord! No ipod? No books? No journal? NO BLOG?!!
7. How about chaps?

Still, I have to admit that I am excited by the challenge. It doesn’t start til the 27th, so I should have plenty of time to spill my guts on these pages before then.