Chiang Mai, Thailand
18° 47' N 99° 0' E
Jun 14, 2004 04:14
Distance 3km

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26 days at Wat Ram Poeng

Vipassana Meditation at the Northern Insight Meditation Center

The basic course is 26 days long and Wat Ram Poeng is definitely a nice place to do it. Great teachers and friendly people at the Foreign Office.

I won't write much about it so I don't spoil your experience of it, should you decide to try out someday.
This is definitely a good way to unplug from the Matrix ;-)

More infos at
http://www.palikanon.com/vipassana/tapotaram/tapotaram.htm

And just for fun a top 10 list of things I never thought I would do
- waking up everyday at 4am
- sleeping on a bed with no mattress and taking cold showers
- turning vegetarian and sticking to 2 meals a day
- sitting legs crossed and standing still during 1 hour
- walking at the speed of a snail during 1 hour
- doing it all over again during 18 hours
- not sleeping for 3 days
- and despite all of that, feeling moments of deep happiness

The top 1 list of the rules that I was not able to follow
- remain silent ;-)


PS to all the yogies met at Wat Ram Poeng:
It has been a great pleasure for me to get to know you and share this unique experience. Should you want some pictures to be removed from this site, just let me know.

PS to all:
Happiness to everyone :-)

Photos / videos of "26 days at Wat Ram Poeng":

Ann always smiling Day 1, entering the temple First Buddah day, the enlightened stupa What has this guy done to be reincarnated in that ??!! Probably an ex-rockstar, the fans are there to take pictures of him ! The stone Buddah in front of the stupa GonG (Baju got the private joke ? ;-) ) No no we can't tell you what's going on here ... 6 meters long to do walking meditation in your room Lovely bathroom, try and you'll see you don't need more Bosley and the Angels ;-) One picture can make us happy Yes you can sleep well with no mattress ... ... and shower with cold water Fortunately there is a fan ! :-) The kuthis for the foreign yogis Room 3 ! Saul caught in an illegal meditation position You can't see it but it is the butterfly tree The library where I preferably used to meditate Dogs at work Dogs at work Hedi shooting the stone Buddah Yogies in the waiting room before reporting to the Ajarn.LEft to right: Simone, Jackie, Rachel, Hans Stupa by daylight Heidi and Jake in front of the main temple Spike your roomate, always willing to help you and rub your back when you take a shower ;-) He is supposed to be a baby ! Saul in deep meditation ... Yes lying meditation does exists but maybe not that one ;-) The bronze Buddah of the library Yogis at the daily forbiden 4:30 pm chat session ;-) Marianne, Julia and Saul Marianne posing in the library Ann and Marianne Another try with a new flash setting. This Buddah just don't want to be on picture No english on one side, no thai on the other side. Smiling and signs are enough Ann The main gate of Wat Ram Poeng The office of Ajan Suphan where we come daily to report on our progresses Yes you too can go and try for yourself ! Walking meditation at the racing speed of 1 to 3 meters per minute Second floor of the library where the monks usually go. Forbidden to women. Second floor of the library Terrace on the second floor of the library Saul figuring out whether the wooden doors and windows are hand made. There is supposed to be a squirrel somewhere ... The waiting room of Ajan Suphan's office The head of the stupa behind the trees Saul mesuring height through the power of thinking, thinking, thinking, ... Second floor of the library The library Kids in the main meditation room during Buddah day ceremony Saul in another freestyle meditation demonstration climbing down the stairs Lotus position Saul's style Life can be found only in the present moment ;-) Marianne and Julia at Buddah day ceremony Group meditation at Buddah day ceremony Preparing to do the 3 rounds around the stupa Turning, turning, turning, ... Barry surrounded by kids Sitting, sitting, sitting, ... Turning, turning, turning, ... The cat climbing the stupa Julia Offerings after turning around the stupa Offerings after turning around the stupa Marianne Glenn and Ann Margarita and Gabriela Saul and Margarita Chai Ko Saul, Margarita and Gabriela Ann Barry and Saul Determination do not disturb ! Last phase of the meditation course, you stay 3 days meditating in your room without sleeping. But you get good food. My walking and sitting meditation zone Food is brought to you once a day. Breakfast at 6am, lunch at 19:30am and no eating after noon. After day 2, the master gives you fruit juice to go through the last night. Compassion ! Yes ! I went through Determination ! So you would like to know whether I took the blue pill or the red pill wouldn't you ? ;-) Day 25, my day off after Determination and a good night of sleep. Waiting for the return of the Abbot Ajan Suphan from his worldwide tour to teach Vipassana Marianne, Barry, Martin and Marjo Marjo, Stephan, Anna, Marianne, Barry, Isabelle and Martin Marjo, Saul, Anna, Marianne, Barry, Isabelle and Martin Ajan Suphan the great and respected Abbot of Wat Ram Poeng 25 days sitting on the floor. My body aches, I am trembling and can't shoot a picture anymore ... :P Ajan Chaiwood our Teacher and Saul an inspired yogi sitting right next to the all the venerable monks At last one good picture of the Abbot Ajan Suphan Marianne Isabelle Margarita and Gabriela Martin Turning, turning, turning, offering, offering, offering ... Marianne and Anna Our Teacher, the venerable Ajan Chaiwood and yogi Stephan Ajan Suphan
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