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Sunday, January 1, 2023

BRB, Sitting in Silence for 10 Days (Happy New Year!)

Happy New Year folks! Whether you partied hard or took it easy, I hope you had a fun New Year's Eve. My night was wild! I was in bed by 9pm and asleep by 10. Though I just posted a lengthy blog, I wanted to make a separate one to talk about how I'll be starting 2023. I also want to thank you all once again for being part of my 2022, a year full of excitement and growth that I'm sure will only be outdone this year. It doesn't really feel like a new year but that's probably because its 60 degrees and sunny in Easton. Nevertheless, today is as good a day as any to 'start fresh' and start writing a new story -- the story in which you (and I) are the protagonist. Let me stop here before I start giving a lecture no one signed up for and instead focus on myself :)

In the last post I said that 4K has helped rescue me from my comfort zone, which I must admit I've fallen back into as of late. Luckily I was still well outside it in early November when I registered for a 10-day Vipassana Meditation retreat that will commence in 3 days. Vipassana, an ancient meditation technique born in India,  means to "see things as they really are". I learned about Vipassana on the Rich Roll Podcast* last Summer. I think the first endorsement I heard was from Colin O'Brady. I didn't really think much of it until I listened to an episode with Mike Posner who also gave high praise to the technique. Then Jack Dorsey explained the profound benefits he experienced at a 10-day retreat. The diversity amongst the individuals who reaped benefits from Vipassana is also worth noting. Colin O'Brady is an adventure athlete who, as I've mentioned in previous posts, helped inspire my 450 mile week in August as well as my 12-hour walk in September. Mike Posner is a pop music artist most famous for his song, "Cooler Than Me". And Jack Dorsey used to be the CEO of twitter. These are just the three names that I remember of the many other men and women who shared their fondness of Vipassana on this particular podcast. After hearing them label it as their most difficult but rewarding experience over and over again, I decided to look into Vipassana myself.

First off, it's not what you might think of when you read the word 'retreat'. I'm not going to be sitting by the beach getting fanned by a big leaf while underpaid employees in impossibly unbreathable collared shirts bring me drinks. Instead, I'll be in complete silence for 10 days. No phone, no reading or writing, no communicating with the other attendees, and apart from short walks around the property, no exercise. There will be some times where I can ask the teachers a question or two, but otherwise my lips will be zipped. My days will start at 4am with a two hour meditation followed by breakfast and more meditation, then lunch and more meditation, then a tea break and more meditation before lights out at 9:30pm. Sounds fun right!? Not counting my 12-hour walk, the most I've meditated in one sitting was roughly one hour. The most I've meditated in one day is maybe two hours. This will be an experience like no other and I really don't know what to expect. I'm intimidated but thrilled to see what comes from it. The 12-hour walk was difficult and incredible so I imagine this will be the same times 10. 

The website includes two lists to describe what Vipassana is and is not:

  • It is not a rite or ritual based on blind faith.
  • It is neither an intellectual nor a philosophical entertainment.
  • It is not a rest cure, a holiday, or an opportunity for socializing.
  • It is not an escape from the trials and tribulations of everyday life.
  • It is a technique that will eradicate suffering.
  • It is a method of mental purification which allows one to face life's tensions and problems in a calm, balanced way.
  • It is an art of living that one can use to make positive contributions to society.

My parents think it's weird and extreme (hi mom, hi papa) and I can't really argue with that. But just as with 4K, it feels right for me. The past two-ish months I've been feeling overwhelmed with information and out of touch with what is most important to me. Life is getting real (I mean, I'll have a bachelor's and be on a bike headed for the West coast in 6 months) and although I'm aware of what I need to do to deal with it, I'm struggling to put knowledge into action. I'm sure many of you, especially anyone older than me, are scoffing at my "struggles." I admit they are mostly trivial, but I want to take charge of my life before it's too late and as the name suggests, I believe Vipassana will help me see things as they really are. At the end of the day, I just want to a better human and I think weird, extreme experiences are going to be crucial to my development. I also want to recognize the great privilege it is to do this and express my gratitude for friends and family who make my life amazing <3

If this sounds like something you want to try, check it out! There are locations all over the country and the whole thing is free. I believe most, if not all staff are volunteers and they operate on donations from previous participants with a pay-it-forward model. 

Again, I apologize for my lack of brevity but I thank you for reading and hope you enjoyed! I'll be back to tell you how it went in a couple weeks.


Happily,

Hayden



*If you're looking for help/education/inspiration/tools/etc. to become the best version of yourself, I highly recommend checking out this podcast. I started listening early last Summer after hearing Rich speak on a different podcast and when I think about how much I've learned from him and his guests since then, I realize how grateful I am for the way they have changed my life. He speaks with a wide variety of incredible people who share their wisdom on topics like athletic performance, nutrition, spirituality, mental health, addiction, writing, politics, social justice, and the environment, among others. Try listening to an episode or two with and let me know whatcha think!

Here are some of my favorite episodes:

Well, that got out of hand... I just kept remembering so many profoundly impactful episodes! Also, in compiling this list, I realized that I listen to a disproportionate amount of episodes with male guests compared to female. I'm going to change that this year!

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