What It’s Like Spending 8 Days With Monks at a Silent Meditation Retreat in Thailand for Free
Of all the experiences I had during my year of solo traveling throughout Asia, none were as personally transformative as attending a silent meditation retreat in Thailand. Living in silence among Buddhist monks, completely disconnected from the outside world, meditating for hours a day… It’s an experience I will never forget! One that I hope to repeat in the future.
There are a few different types of meditation retreats in Thailand, but this article is specifically about Vipassana retreats. If you’re considering attending a Vipassana retreat in Thailand, this article will tell you all you need to know and what to expect.
Meditation Retreat in Thailand: What It’s Really Like (TL;DR Summary)
Interested in what it’s like to attend a silent meditation retreat in Thailand, but don’t have time to read through all the details? Here’s a TL;DR summary of what it’s like to spend over a week in silence.
Click the links below for more details on what to expect at a silent meditation retreat in Thailand. If you already know what to expect and are more interested in my experience, skip to this section.
Which Meditation Technique Is Practiced?
There are different types of meditation retreats, but for the most part, the meditation retreats in Thailand practice Vipassana meditation. Vipassana translates to “seeing things as they really are” in Buddhism and the practice is all about mindfulness. It’s an ancient meditation technique, tracing its roots back over 2,500 years to India.
You can find Vipassana retreats all over the world, and many of them are 10 days long with only seated meditation in groups. Meditators are asked to remain silent throughout the retreat and refrain from reading and writing. The intent is to stay mindful at all times, even when not practicing meditation.
In Thailand, Vipassana retreats tend to be more flexible. Some retreats I encountered followed the familiar 10-day routine with group meditation. However, many retreats are much longer, some up to 26 days. And many retreats allow attendees to stay for far fewer days, some as little as 3 days. Another difference is many Vipassana meditation retreats in Thailand are self-practice and combine walking and seated meditation.
How Long Is a Meditation Retreat in Thailand?
From my research, a typical Vipassana retreat in most parts of the world is 10 days. But in Thailand, I found meditation retreats ranging from 3-day trials, all the way to hardcore, 26-day programs.
The retreat I attended at Wat Chom Tong in Chiang Mai markets a 21-day Foundation Course and a 10-day Advanced Course for those who have already completed the Foundation Course. But they also market 7-day “trial” retreats. In reality, you can stay as few as 3 days, though they recommend at least 7 to 10 days to experience the most benefits. For what it’s worth, I agree with their recommendation of staying for at least a week based on my experience. I registered for the 7-day trial and ended up staying an extra day.
Is a Vipassana Mediation Retreat in Thailand Really Free?
While there are plenty of luxury meditation retreats all over Thailand at different price points, a typical Vipassana retreat is FREE! That’s right, free meditation lessons with room and board. Hard to beat that!
Though the retreats are technically free, they do accept donations. Based on reading of others’ experiences, it seems the typical donation is 500 Thai baht (~$14) per day. Remember, they’re not only using their time to facilitate the retreat, they’re also feeding you and providing shelter. Keep this in mind when deciding how much to donate.
Do You Need To Register for a Vipassana Retreat?
Based on my research, it’s a mixed bag. What I found is that you don’t need to register for many Vipassana meditation retreats in Thailand. You can just show up on your first day and indicate how long you plan to stay. That said, some of the bigger monasteries, especially in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, can fill up well in advance. Also, some meditation retreats that are geared toward a luxury experience typically require reservations.
Even if the retreat you hope to attend states that reservations aren’t required, I would still recommend reaching out in advance to confirm availability. I contacted the reservation office at Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai a month before my planned arrival and they were already fully booked for weeks beyond my date. On the other hand, I was able to snag a spot at Wat Chom Tong less than a couple of weeks before my arrival.
Do You Need To Prepare for Your Meditation Retreat?
If you plan to attend a Vipassana meditation retreat in Thailand, you do not need to prepare much in advance. An instructor will teach you the proper meditation techniques the day your retreat begins. Of course, if you have back pain or difficulty sitting still on the ground for any period of time beyond a few minutes, you will greatly benefit from some meditation practice before attending.
Outside of Thailand, I have seen it’s common only to practice seated meditation during the retreat. In this kind of retreat, you spend over an hour at a time seated on the floor. If you have back issues or aren’t used to sitting for prolonged periods, it’s a good idea to practice before you attend this kind of retreat.
What Do You Need To Pack for a Meditation Retreat in Thailand?
The packing list for a meditation retreat in Thailand is very simple. Besides a couple of all-white outfits, your phone and charger, a towel, and some personal necessities (toothbrush, body wash, etc.), you don’t really need to bring much else. Make sure your personal necessities include bug spray, the mosquitos in Thailand are notoriously brutal. If you plan to put your phone away completely to avoid temptation, you need to bring an alarm clock instead. You may also want to bring some instant coffee or tea if you think you’ll need caffeine to power you through those early morning starts.
Here is a full list of what I brought with me:
Most meditation retreats in Thailand have white clothes to rent or buy. I suggest checking in advance to find out if you need to bring your own.
What Are Rooms Like at a Meditation Retreat in Thailand?
Based on my research, accommodations at a meditation retreat in Thailand vary widely. Some meditation retreats in Thailand only offer shared dormitories, while others offer private rooms. Some even offer rooms with air conditioning and private bathrooms. When it comes to Vipassana meditation retreats in Thailand, having AC and your own bathroom is about as luxurious as you can expect.
Whether you have a shared or private room, you should expect a few similar characteristics. One of the rules (or precepts) you undertake at the retreat is to abstain from using luxurious furniture. The “bed” (if you’re lucky enough to actually have a bed) isn’t going to be comfortable. At some retreats, your “bed” is just a mat on the ground. My bed was a couple-inch thick pad on a wooden block. Beyond the bed, the furniture, if any, is also very basic.
One of the reasons I chose Wat Chom Tong is they offer private rooms with private bathrooms, and some rooms even have air conditioning (subject to availability). I was able to grab one of the air-conditioned rooms, for which they ask for a minimum daily donation of 300 Baht (~$8). I had my own bathroom and the shower had hot water. The room also had a small fridge and an electric kennel.
What Are the Rules at a Meditation Retreat in Thailand?
I went into my meditation retreat knowing about some of the rules and guidelines, but I didn’t realize how many there were. Each retreat seems to have some differences, but for the most part, Vipassana meditation retreats in Thailand follow the eight precepts of Buddhism. I undertook these eight precepts during the opening ceremony:
- Abstain from killing.
- Abstain from stealing.
- Abstain from sexual activity.
- Abstain from telling lies.
- Abstain from intoxicating drinks and drugs.
- Abstain from eating after noon.
- Abstain from entertainment and beautifying the body.
- Abstain from using luxurious furniture.
What Are the Other Rules?
In addition to the eight precepts, each meditation retreat in Thailand has additional rules. Some rules, such as wearing white clothing only, seemed to be consistent across each mediation retreat in Thailand. Other common rules include no smoking, no reading or writing, no physical contact with other meditators, and no napping. Check in advance with the retreat you are planning to attend for a full list of rules and guidelines to ensure you have a good experience.
What Do You Wear During a Meditation Retreat in Thailand?
If there’s one thing you don’t have to worry about when attending a meditation retreat in Thailand, it’s picking out clothes to wear each day. All meditation retreat attendees must wear white clothing that covers both the knees and shoulders. Some retreats have clothes on hand that they provide or rent to you. Others have markets on-site or nearby where you can purchase white clothes.
The footwear you choose isn’t as important since you will remove your shoes before entering any meditation hall or room/dorm. That being said, you will have some downtime and may choose to use it going on walks in nature. I recommend bringing comfortable sandals that are easy to slip on and off to your meditation retreat in Thailand.
What Is a Typical Day Like at a Meditation Retreat in Thailand?
You don’t really have much to think about when it comes to planning your days at a meditation retreat in Thailand. All the planning is pretty much done for you and there is a fairly strict daily routine to follow. Expect to rise grossly early, 4 AM at the retreat I attended at Wat Chom Tong. After waking, you practice meditation until they serve a very early breakfast. At retreats in Thailand, meditation consists of alternating between rounds of walking and seated meditation.
After breakfast, you wash your dishes and head back to your room or a meditation hall to practice more meditation. This practice continues until they serve an early lunch. After lunch, it’s back to your room or halls to continue practicing meditation, taking breaks as needed. You will also turn down for bedtime early, 10 PM at Wat Chom Tong.
Some retreats also include Dhamma talks (Buddhist sermons/teachings) and chants with monks. These talks and chants can take place in the morning or evening. At Wat Chom Tong, there were no Dhamma talks, but there were optional evening chants with monks. They did ask all attendees to attend a special ceremony, which included the evening chant, during each half-moon and full-moon.
Self-practice retreats, like the one I attended at Wat Chom Tong, also include daily check-ins with an assigned Buddhist monk instructor. Check-ins were first come, first serve over an assigned time block in the morning. Outside of this daily check-in, you remain in silence until your closing ceremony on the day you leave.
What is the Food Like at a Meditation Retreat in Thailand?
Almost every meditation retreat in Thailand provides two meals per day. They serve one meal for a very early breakfast and then another for an early lunch. At Wat Chom Tong, they served each meal buffet style, usually with a rice or noodle base and a couple of different accompanying meat or vegetarian options.
I can only speak for the food at Wat Chom Tong, but I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty the food was. I had read that only vegetarian meals are provided at Vipassana retreats, particularly in the Western Hemisphere. So, I went into my experience fully prepared to forgo meat for the duration of my retreat. However, I was delighted to find out that many meditation retreats in Thailand serve meat alongside vegetarian options.
Remember, one of the eight precepts of Buddhism that you undertake is to abstain from eating after noon. You can consume liquids after noon, so fresh fruit smoothies will be your best friend if you have access to them. I was fortunate to attend a retreat at a popular temple with a small night market in the parking lot. I had different fresh fruit smoothies for dinner every night and between the smoothies and two buffets a day, I was rarely that hungry.
What To Expect During the Daily Check-In With a Monk
For self-practice Vipassana meditation retreats like those offered at Wat Chom Tong, the retreat will assign you a Buddhist monk instructor to meet with daily. The meetings typically last 10-15 minutes and are private. Your instructor will typically ask simple questions like how your meditation went and how many hours you practiced.
Depending on your responses, he will either offer advice or wisdom to help you through the experience. If you tell him you experience back or shoulder pain, he’ll claim that pain isn’t real and only in the mind. If you tell him your mind wanders, he’ll remind you that you aren’t focused enough on your breathing. Based on your conversation, he may give you new instructions for the next 24 hours or have you repeat the prior day’s instructions.
I don’t know why, but for some reason, I was nervous about my first daily check-in with my Buddhist monk instructor. Maybe because I was embarrassed to admit that I was struggling to sit still for only 15 minutes at a time. There is of course nothing to be nervous about and Buddhist monks are most certainly not judging you. I quickly grew to appreciate the opportunity to soak in so much wisdom from a Buddhist monk.
Is There Any Downtime?
Most meditation retreats in Thailand build in plenty of downtime, but it’s completely up to you whether you use that downtime. It’s also up to you how you choose to use the downtime. Remember, the intent is to meditate during most waking hours, with short breaks when needed. And you should stay present and mindful during all waking hours, even when you aren’t practicing meditation. But nobody is babysitting you or forcing you to do anything.
Like anything in life, the more you put into your meditation retreat, the more you’ll get out of it. Force yourself to disconnect, follow the rules, and limit your downtime. When you do use downtime, go for mindful walks in nature, watch the sunrise or sunset, or stretch. Anything beyond that will end up distracting you and limiting the benefits you get from attending the retreat. Remember, nobody is forcing you to do anything; it’s all about self-discipline during your meditation retreat in Thailand.
What My Experience at Wat Chom Tong Was Like
While much of my experience was deeply personal, I will share a bit about what my meditation retreat in Thailand was like. I’ll be honest, I was extremely nervous heading into the retreat. I figured I would constantly be starving, that the silence and isolation would drive me crazy, and that my back would be in pain all day. Having all that time alone with only your thoughts is a scary thing, believe me!
Some of what I feared turned out to be true, but not nearly to the extent that I worried about. To be honest, the silence and time spent disconnected from technology were my favorite parts. And I was rarely that hungry since I ate so much during breakfast and dinner. I did have to really work through some issues with back and shoulder pain, but each subsided a bit as the days went by.
What My Days Were Like at the Retreat
I tried my best to adhere to the daily schedule, but I’ll admit that I took long breaks between meditation sessions. While I did some meditation in the privacy of my room, I did most of my meditation sessions in one of the halls. I spent between 5-7 hours meditating each day, which may sound like a lot but it never felt like it was too much. After my closing ceremony, I chatted with others who reported meditating up to 10 hours a day. Being a rookie at this sort of thing, I was proud of myself for getting in as many hours as I did though!
I also took advantage of downtime, making an effort to watch sunrise and sunset over the nearby pond every day. I used this downtime to do a lot of self-reflection and introspection. And some mornings and evenings, the local stray dogs would pop over to say hi and watch with me. Those moments by the pond were some of my favorite moments during the retreat.
Every evening after sunset, I would walk to the market in the parking lot to grab my liquid dinner. This retreat considers ice cream to be liquid, so my daily dinner consisted of some ice cream and a fresh fruit smoothie, usually mango. The last meditation session after dinner was always the hardest for me given how exhausted I was by that point in the day. I even fell asleep sitting up while meditating the first couple of days, which my monk instructor was not pleased about.
How I Felt During the Retreat
I’ll be honest, I seriously questioned what I was doing there for the first couple of days. The opening ceremony felt a little “culty” as I was dressed in all white, kneeling while chanting things in another language with monks. My back was hurting, my knees were hurting, and my mind was constantly wandering. I felt pretty anxious, especially the first 36 hours or so.
But as the retreat went on, I felt more present and in tune with my senses by the day. On day 4, I really felt a breakthrough. I got to the point where I could completely ignore an itch while meditating until it eventually went away. That evening, I also noticed the sounds of the birds chirping and the monks chanting in the distance much more than normal. The contrasting colors of the trees and pastel sky also appeared much more vividly. It felt like I was high, and it reminded me how numb we become to simple things when we are constantly flooding our minds with inputs.
Meditating felt easier and easier once I made it to that point of breaking through. I was getting much better at staying focused and mindful and the days started to go by faster. Things were going so well that I even decided to stay an extra day! Had I not had to get back to Chiang Mai to meet a friend who was visiting, I may have stayed even longer.
Closing Thoughts
Attending a Vipassana meditation retreat in Thailand is a life-changing experience! Knowing what to expect before arriving at your retreat can help ensure a positive experience.
I hope you found this article on what it’s like to attend a silent meditation retreat in Thailand helpful. Love my advice? Completely disagree with me? Leave a reply below and let me know your thoughts!