1997

Insight Meditation

Severnoaks Retreat Center

In early summer Julie and I took a three-day Insight Mediation retreat at the Sevenoaks center in Virginia. Julie had come across a brochure for it and asked if I wanted to go and I said yes. I had always been interested in oriental philosophy and such things like meditation, so I thought it would be interesting. Sevenoaks, located about a two-hour drive southwest from where we lived in Reston, is a retreat center located on 120 acres of beautiful land in the hills of Virginia. We arrived just after lunch for an early check-in and the receptionist gave us instructions about the retreat. What we didn’t realize about it when we signed up, or I if Julie knew she sure didn’t tell me, was that it was a silent retreat, there was to be no talking. The receptionist then said that couples were not supposed to share the same room, but since we booked a room together, she would make an exception and assigned us a room with two beds in the bunkhouse.  The first session would be at five pm, she explained.  Julie and I got our bags and headed to the bunkhouse where we put our things in the room. It was sparse but nice, clean and had a window letting in plenty of sunlight which Julie liked.  We had a couple of hours before the first meditation session so we explored some of the many walking trails, in silence of course.

As five o’clock approached we headed to the meditation room where we found about a dozen or so other students and the instructor who told us to get a medication cushion and have a seat. Well at least the instructor could talk. The first half hour of the first session the instructor described Insight Meditation, what it was, and how to do it, meditation that is. It then came time for us to practice, we closed our eyes and sat there on our cushions trying to let our thoughts go. In five minutes my back was starting to bother me, eight minutes my legs starting to fall asleep, ten minutes my left foot was numb.  I sneaked a look at my watch which the instructor said we were to leave in our room next time, there was still five minutes to go.  I sat there in silence trying to let go of my thoughts of how uncomfortable I was. Finally the instructor rang a little bell, I opened my eyes and immediately stretched my legs. The instructor, without saying word, gets up and leaves.  I took this as the class was over, but it would take me another couple of minutes to get enough circulation in my legs to stand up.

After the meditation session was dinner in the dining hall which could have easily seat fifty people. Food was served cafeteria style, picking up a tray, plate, bowl, and utensils, we proceeded down the line where a sever served the food from heated trays on a table.  Since there was no talking, there were place cards in front of each tray with the description of the dish. “Miso Soup”, the first card said, I had no idea what miso was., The second card “Tofu Loaf”, of course it is all vegetarian, what else would one expect to find at Buddhist retreat. I had had a fair amount of vegetarian food before, Julie had gotten quite into it the past couple years and she made some great vegetarian dishes. [link enchanted broccoli] We took our trays and sat down at a table. Dinner for me has always been a time for conversation, in a group setting like this I enjoyed sitting with different people and talking to them.  Well that was happening, it was a silent retreat. People sat scattered around the room, mostly alone, quietly staring at their food as they ate it in silence. I had never heard such a deafening silence in a cafeteria before.

After dinner, remaining silent, I signaled to Julie using my fingers like a stick figure walking and then pointing down a path, we proceeded down the path for a short walk before returning to our room. There were a few others staying in the dormitory as you could hear doors opening and closing or a thunk of something dropping on the floor, but no voices. As lights were being turned out I crawled in bed with Julie so we could quietly whisper into to each other’s ears hoping we couldn’t be heard.

We got up early the next morning hungry from the light dinner from the night before and went to the dining hall for breakfast. Miso soup again, looked and smelled like it was left over from last night. The granola looked good, I expected there would be yogurt but there was none, not even milk, or real milk I should say, there was soy milk which tastes awful to me. There was fruit, so I got a banana and an apple, and a bowl of dry granola, went to a table and ate in silence.

After breakfast there was a two-hour meditation session. It was much like the first one, the instructor with a lecture which I found quite interesting. After the lecture we did a seated meditation again for twenty minutes, then another short lecture followed by a longer meditation. The knee I injured playing racquetball was killing me and I had to stretch my leg out halfway though the second medication. Again the instructor rang a bell and by the time I opened my eyes he was leaving the room. I guess there is no reason to stick around if you can’t talk.

Lunch wasn’t any better, more Miso soup. At least they put out jars of peanut butter which I spread liberally on slices of apple.

The first part of the afternoon session was much like the one in the morning, it went better for me for I started with my legs stretched out.  Much to my relief, the second meditation the instructor said would be a walking meditation in which we would go outside, find a place, and slowly walk a dozen or so steps, turn around and walk back with your eyes focused on the ground a few feet in front of you.  This would be repeated for the duration of the meditation. I liked it, it was much better than uncomfortably seated inside.

After another pitiful dinner, Julie and I took another whispering walk down a secluded path and turned in. Sunday morning started with as sparce breakfast then a shorter lecture but longer seated meditation and it was over. I was happy to put our bags into the car and head out. Julie and I talked the whole way home.

I can’t say that I learned much about Insight Mediation, but it seem to me from what he described in his lectures I had been meditating for many years, I just didn’t call it that. In spite of the food and not being able to talk, I had a good time. Sevenoaks is a very nice facility, and the surrounding grounds and paths are beautiful.  

Dr. Mixson