Nilambe Meditation Center, February 27-March 3

Well. Having wanted to practice in some Vippassana center or another on this trip, I followed my friend Roger's advice and checked myself into the Nilambe Meditation Center for five days. A bit over an hour outside of Kandy via Mr. Jack (a sweet Tuk-Tuk driver who has been attached for the past several weeks) and a bit higher up in the mountains, Nilambe was founded by Mr. Godwin Samararatne, a lay teacher and student of Ven. Nyanaponika. Mr. Godwin, as he was known, passed away just a few years ago, and today the Center is run by Upul, Rick, Subhuti Bhikkhu (an American monk), and Paul, a Belgium helping out in the office, discussion groups, and a variety of other tasks. The rest of the folks were from all over--Germany, Belgium, France, Canada, Italy. No Asians, and other than Rick and Subhuti Bhikkhu, no other Americans. The group was again different--less yuppie than the Maroonies, and much more contemporary than the Aurovilleans. Most seemed to have a variety of serious "practice" scenes, were close to this or that ashram/guru, some serious and others light, some pious and others just curious or passing through.

Nilambe is truly magical, as my friend described it. Perched on the side of a mountain amid tea plantations at perhaps 2000 feet above sea level, the place is a perfect setting for a mediation retreat. The center is quite open-- just show up, get assigned to a room, and start to follow the schedule. The folks will give instruction in meditation if you wish, but most residents and visitors are just following their own practice, whatever it may be--actually, I have the feeling that when Godwin was alive there was a bit more instruction, particularly in the evening "metta meditations," but nobody seems to be willing (or able??) to follow him. In the meditation hall folks sit in a variety of different ways, kneeling, cross-legged, on cushions or modified kneelers as they like. People also get up up and practice walking meditation or simply standing as they wish. There is no bell or anything to signal the start of a session, though a bell kindly ends it for us after one and one-half hours. I decided to tackle mindfulness or vipassana, something I had never formally pursued. I also did *not* want to be at Nilambe as a Buddhist Studies scholar, so I didn't mention that to anyone-- and, since the rule of the place was "noble silence," I figured that would be OK. After a little discussion with Rick, a longtime resident of Nilambe, and scanning a number of books on vipassana from the well-stocked library (only open during the noon breaktime), I began. 

The daily schedule               4:45  Wake Up   5:00 -   6:00  Group Meditation   6:30 -   7:30  Yoga               7:30  Breakfast   8:30 -   9:30  Working Meditation   9:30 - 11:00  Group Meditation 11:00 - 12:00   Individual and Outdoor Meditation             12:00   Lunch 12:30 -   2:30  Rest/Reading in the Library   2:30 -   4:00  Group Meditation   4:00 -   4:30  Tea/Developing Right Speech (= talking is                            allowed during this period)   4:30 -   5:30  Yoga   5:30 -   6:30  Sunset Watching/Individual Practice   6:30 -   7:30  Chanting and Sitting Meditation               7:30  Snack   8:00 -   9:30  Discussion and Loving-Kindness Meditation

What can I say? I had a good time. Mindfulness practices are actually rather fun, a bit of a challenge as you get used to it and relaxing at the same time. Of course it also no doubt redounds to one's benefit, in terms both of cultivating non-attachment (by creating a sort of "observer" attitude) as well as eventually (according to the theory) leading to a deep experience of impermanence and lack of self. And on top of all that it also hones your concentration, just in case you feel in more in a mood for contemplative analysis. Can't argue with any of that! As always, wouldn't it be nice if I had an hour or so every day for this sort of thing?

Except for a brief quibble with the powers that be about  Buddha-nature (turns out that the place is a hive of Dzog Chen practice) I could have stayed on for some time longer. . . and I can also imagine returning.  I also spent some time playing around with making a birthday video card for Alicia, since she told me to "have fun. . .sure, Dad, you can have fun at a meditation retreat." You probably cannot read the sign, but I am giving her a birthday present of the mountains and "all the tea in China" (well, in Sri Lanka).