While going on a yoga retreat or a spa junket is a popular way of using your vacation to chill out and go deep, a growing number of stressed-out Americans are spending anywhere from a weekend to two weeks in total silence on a Vipassana insight meditation retreat. The practice of staying silent has long tradition in Eastern philosophy, and it has very relevant modern-day application, explains Massachusetts Insight Meditation Center’s Gyano Gibson. (And not just because there’s no texting, emailing, or reading novels permitted.) “Refraining from chatter forces you to become aware of the mind and its inner-terrain, becoming more present,” says Gibson. Of course, many go into silence seeking a way to deepen their spiritual practice. But it’s also becoming a popular way to deal with life transitions, such as breakups, loss, and career changes. Leslie Hendry, a former attorney, did her first silent retreat in India after going through a painful breakup. “I was really in a transitional period and hoped to get some clarity. Though I almost missed ‘talk day’ because I didn’t know we were allowed to speak again!” says Hendry, laughing about the language barrier. So, what happens on a typical retreat day? The silent retreat day begins early—don’t expect to sleep past 6 a.m.—and includes a day-long series of “sits,” or meditations, usually broken up by work practice, like preparing meals or cleaning, or a talk given by an instructor. Many centers, like the Insight Meditation Center in Massachusetts, or Spirit Rock in California, also allow for one-on-one discussions with an instructor “to make sure we’re not losing our minds,” jokes writer Valerie Reiss, who completed a 9-day Vipassana. (Apparently that’s a common feeling before the peacefulness kicks in.) For more on the benefits of silent retreats, check out the full story from Well+GoodNYC.
