Summer Vacation Part One: Dipabhavan Meditation Center, Koh Samui, Thailand

It’s early August now, and in-service training has just begun. APIS has been on summer holiday for almost eight full weeks, and soon my grade 4 classroom will be filled with new students, fresh from trips to the beaches in the south, Singapore, Hong Kong or further abroad. Before this happens, I want to take some time to reflect on the two months past.

Shortly after school finished in mid-June, I met Brooke in Bangkok for a few days of shopping, movies, food and friends. Then we embarked on a bus journey to Koh Samui via the infamous backpacker area, Kao San Road. Although the bus trip and ferry to Samui cost only 750 baht per person (about $23USD), if you ever intend to travel to the islands via bus, we highly recommend you don’t take this one. There is a complete lack of communication, service and speed. The VIP service, at less than $10 more per person, is smoother, cleaner, and a much better deal. We chose this option for the return trip from Samui and were much happier, as the bus drives directly onto a ferry, passengers are given air-conditioned seats on the boat in a lounge-type setting, and snacks and drinks are provided on the bus, as well as an included dinner stop.

View from Raja Ferry

Koh Samui is known for its beautiful beaches and somewhat pricy resort-style lodging, but we were going there for a completely different experience. Brooke and I registered for a 7-day silent meditation retreat in the tradition of Ajahn Buddadhasa Bhikku from Wat Suan Mokkh, overseen by Ajahn Po. While Brooke has attended several retreats over the past 12 months, I had only attended one retreat previously, so I was looking forward to seeing what progress I could make in my meditation. Brooke has already written about this course in depth on her blog, Wandering Dhamma, so I will focus on my experience here.

We arrived at the center, situated high up on a hill off the beaten path from Lamai Beach, in the early afternoon. The view was unbeatable, with a forest of palm trees leading down to the fishing village at the port of Lamai, and the Gulf of Thailand sparkling in the mid-day sun for as far as we could see. We were 2 out of only 3 registrants at the time, in addition to two volunteers who would assist us and meditate with us throughout the course. Within the first few hours, I had agreed to lead hour long yoga sessions each morning of the course. Later that evening, and into the next day, 5 more students registered, bringing the class total to 8 people. At first, I was a bit reticent to teach the yoga, as it had been almost two years since I had taught, and because I was not quite sure how to modify the teaching style from the powerful vinyasa that I knew for an audience of people who had come to meditate. After all, this was not a yoga retreat.

Dhamma Kitten!

It didn’t take long to become accustomed to the silence, which begun in the evening of the first night, after an introductory meditation session and familiarization with the course guidelines and physical layout of the center. We were encouraged to smile to one another, or to look down if we wished to stay inside ourselves and avoid contact. As the week went on, we grew familiar with the routine: waking at 4:30am to the sound of a large bell, arriving at the meditation hall by 5am to listen to a morning reading, sitting in silent meditation from 5:15-5:45, then practicing yoga from 5:45-6:45. I had a few consistent students, including Brooke and the 2 volunteers, and some others who came in and out as they wished, choosing to follow some of the routine. I was able to vary the routine enough so that students were learning new poses each day, and I could challenge those few students who were ready to push themselves a bit harder and get a bit sweatier. I found that I really enjoyed teaching, although it was odd that I would talk for one hour each day, in the midst of a silent retreat. I was not as interactive as I would have been in a more lively class.

Following the yoga session we had another 30 minute meditation sit, followed by vegetarian breakfast at 7:30. The idea was to eat mindfully while considering each bite of food and maintaining the silence. After breakfast we had free time to rest until 9:30, and from 9:30 until 11:30 we listened to Buddhist talks, did sitting and walking meditation, and then had lunch, the final meal of the day. The afternoon consisted of periods of rest, walking and sitting meditation, talks by monks or other dharma teachers, 5:00 evening tea, rest, and then more meditation from 7-9pm. The main meditation technique at Dipabhavan was to focus on the breath as it enters and exits the nose, or to “chase after” the breath, following it from the time it enters the nose, down into the lungs, until it comes back out. I found the main distraction was thinking about the next day’s yoga class, planning it out while I was trying to focus on the breath. Upon reflection, I shouldn’t have worried about it, since the class evolved naturally as I taught it anyway, and I often did not teach what I had planned. Sleepiness was my second distraction. I found that I was extra sleepy after doing yoga, because I breathe quite deeply encouraging a lot of sweat. Sleepiness makes it difficult to follow the breath carefully.

in the "hot seat" at retreat's conclusion

In the end, I felt calmer and more aware, but I didn’t make any meditation breakthroughs. I think that maybe the 7-day format may be too short for sufficient progress for me, since I was just starting to feel more concentrated by day 5, but then we took a day trip and the rhythm was lost. However, the trip was nice as we traveled to another meditation location on the island which has views of neighboring islands and is at a much higher elevation than Dipabhavan. This place is called Suan Dhamma Bheri, and can be accessed by car if one chooses to go there outside of the retreat to take advantage of the peaceful setting, expansive views and numerous meditation platforms.

The Dipabhavan monthly 7-day retreat in English is a donation-based program, beginning with registration on the 20th of each month. I would recommend this retreat to people with a background in some form of Buddhist meditation who are willing to sit with their thoughts in silence for one week while living in sparse accommodation without air conditioning, hot water, or access to the outside world. It is not the strictest center one might find, but it is also not a spa or a place where one can “forget about one’s worries” and receive advice on how to deal with the stresses of daily life. It is a Buddhist meditation center with an emphasis on the teachings of the Buddha, such as the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path to Enlightenment and others. There is one interview with a teacher on day 3 or 4, but the conversation should be limited to meditation technique and progress, nothing more. It is, however, an unbeatable location with a view that calms the heart, especially during the time of a full moon. And if you’re traveling from Bangkok overland, avoid the Kao San Road bus and head straight for the VIP bus to Samui at the Southern Bus Terminal.

our group with a resident monk

See more photos here.

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