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My 10 Day Vipassana Silent Meditation Retreat Experience

Writer's picture: Marina KayMarina Kay

In today’s fast-paced world, the search for tranquility and self-awareness often leads many of us to explore mindfulness meditation. I myself have been on this quest for over a decade, and it led me to doing my first Vipassana retreat, which is a 10 day immersive silent meditation experience. 


Among the many approaches to achieving mindfulness, Vipassana retreats stand out as a profound and transformative experience for many people. I’ve heard of them for many years and have had several close friends go through them, so I decided that the beginning of 2025 would be my time to go. 


Before I dive in further, I want to mention that I consider myself an experienced meditator. I’m certified in yoga (part of which includes training in pranayama which are ancient yogic breath and mindfulness practices) and trained in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction through Insight Meditation. I’ve also been meditating for well over 8 years, and before signing up for Vipassana I felt fully confident in my ability to practice meditation without interruption for a full 60-90 minutes at a time. 



woman sitting and meditating in a lotus yoga pose; calm, tranquility, mindfulness meditation


What is Vipassana Meditation?


Vipassana, meaning "insight" in Pali, is one of the oldest meditation practices in the world. It dates back to the teachings of Buddha more than 2,500 years ago. Vipassana meditation focuses on self-observation and the cultivation of insight into the nature of existence.


Unlike other forms of meditation that might incorporate chanting, visualization, or external aids, Vipassana is a silent practice. It emphasizes observing bodily sensations, thoughts, and emotions with equanimity. This practice fosters mindfulness—a heightened awareness of the present moment—and allows individuals to break free from habitual patterns of reaction.


The practice begins with 3 days of breath awareness, called Anapana Meditation, and continues into deeper layers of observation of bodily sensations first on the surface of the body, part by part, and later with the viscera of the body as well. An example of what you can expect to observe would be noticing an itch on your scalp while avoiding the desire to scratch it, which would disrupt the practice, or noticing your stomach churning or the beating of your heart.


Vipassana encourages each one of us to recognize the impermanence of all things - both the positive and negative sensations on the body will all pass and change, so there is no need to react to them. The simple act of observation without taking action helps us get out of the pattern of reactivity many of us live with today.  


The Structure of a Vipassana Retreat


Vipassana retreats are immersive experiences lasting 10 days. This is the length of time noted as being most effective over decades of these retreats being popularized. Here’s what to expect during a retreat:


1. Noble Silence


Participants are required to observe "Noble Silence," which means refraining from speaking, making eye contact, or engaging in non-verbal communication. This silence helps individuals focus inward and reduce external distractions. Men and women are also separated for the duration of the retreat.


2. Daily Schedule


Retreats follow a schedule that begins with an early morning meditation at 4:30 AM, and ends by 9:00 PM. The day is filled with periods of seated meditation and instructional talks called discourses by S.N. Goenka who is the founder of the Dhamma Vipassana retreat centers. This is the Dallas center I participated in, and there are 300 such centers all over the world. 


3. Teacher Q&A


Although Vipassana is meant to be completely solitary, the retreats do have a male and female teacher who are available for questions. There is an hour a day with 5 minute time slots that you can sign up for to ask questions 1:1, or you can ask them at the end of each day in the meditation hall. 


4. Simple Living


Accommodations are meant to be basic, and all meals are vegetarian. This is designed to keep the focus on detachment and mindfulness. New students are allowed to have a light breakfast, a lunch, and fruit and tea during the dinner break. There is no actual dinner meal provided since keeping digestion very light during the retreat supports deepening the meditations. 


Benefits I Experienced During and After


The primary goals I had going into the retreat were: deepening my meditation practice, resetting my circadian rhythm and getting into a consistent sleep / wake cycle, and resetting my adrenals and digestion from caffeine and heavy foods. I would say all of these were achieved by the end of the 10 days, and lasted afterward. Because the nature of Vipassana eliminates all stimulation (you are not allowed to read books, engage with any technology, read, write or listen to music during the retreat) - bringing yourself to an environment like this eliminates all distractions and helps the mind and body settle. I got some great sleep during the retreat and the sleep / wake consistency was very welcome and helpful for my body. 


I also noticed a calmer nervous system at the end of the retreat, due to the sheer volume of how much you meditate, which can be up to 10 hours a day. Breaking the habit loops around technology and social media was also helpful - at the beginning of your retreat you give up your phone during check-in, so you are disconnected for the duration of the 10 days. 


As I had already practiced mindfulness and various somatic therapies for many years, I didn’t have challenges with noticing emotions or sensations arise and pass away without reactivity, but I did have new emotions and memories surface which I was able to process and release due to the lack of external stimuli and inputs throughout the week. I do believe a retreat like this can help many people go into much deeper layers of the self that modern life often prevents us from accessing. 




woman's hands holding mala beads, mindful meditation


Common Challenges During a Vipassana Retreat


While Vipassana retreats can be rewarding for many, they are also extremely challenging. Here are a few things I wish I had known and better prepared for - 


  1. Daily Discourse - I did not realize the volume of Goenka teachings we would be consuming, which adds up to 2+ hours of discourse, chants and explanations per day. I found his delivery extremely challenging and irritating, which created a new barrier for me to overcome in order to deepen my meditations. Going forward I would prefer to find a Zen Buddhist retreat with as few inputs as possible. 


  1. Not for those living with trauma - As a trauma-informed somatic coach and practitioner, one of the first things that stood out to me is how the nature of the retreat would be deeply contraindicated for anyone having gone through even mild trauma or mental health challenges. While the intake form asks participants to describe their history of trauma, I did not find there to be enough disclaimers or education sharing what someone might experience. There are many cases of participants experiencing psychosis as an outcome of a retreat like this, and I think it’s extremely important to discuss the dangers of going through the experience to weigh the pros and cons and for each individual. 


  1. Tradition Cannot Be Modified - One of the biggest contradictions I found at the retreat was the unchanging nature of the Vipassana tradition and the retreat structure. Throughout the retreat, we come to learn and accept a core Buddhist premise of anicca - the impermanence of all things in life. We learn that the only constant in life is change, and that everything changes and goes through cycles of death and rebirth. 


    It feels contrarian to say that Vipassana itself must remain completely unchanged. Before his passing, Goenka recorded his discourses and my understanding is that these cannot be altered in the future, and all teachers are known as “assistant teachers” leaving him as the main teacher of the tradition at his retreat centers forever. It feels hardly acceptable that a tradition that’s already 2,500 years old will hold up, forever, for all future generations of humanity. I did not, and still do not, agree with this thought process. What’s more, any time we state that a process works perfectly and cannot be edited, it may be taken to mean that if a participant finds challenges or flaws in it for themselves - that the participant himself is flawed in some fundamental way. This thinking can perpetuate a notion that participants must come back, year after year, to work through these flaws. 


  2. Physical Discomfort - this one might be obvious, but should still be mentioned for anyone with injuries or other health challenges. If deciding to participate, be prepared for approximately 10 hours of seated meditation per day. While there are a number of cushions, blankets and other props available, by day 4 participants are discouraged to shift position once one of the 3 main meditations in the meditation hall begin. Come prepared with your own cushion that works best for your body, but be prepared that by middle and end of the retreat, most will develop some pain in the body, primarily in the knees, hips and lower back. I brought a Theragun-like massager with me and used it during the breaks which was a huge support. 


Preparing for a Vipassana Retreat


If you are considering participating, here are a few things I would suggest doing at least a month leading up to the retreat start: 


  1. Begin a daily meditation practice if you don’t already have one, and I would recommend getting comfortable with a few hour-long meditations per week. Become comfortable with unguided meditations where you focus on nothing but the breath and body, without background assistance or music. 


  1. Set your goals. Days 4-9 of the retreat can be extremely challenging for many who are not used to being with themselves and being disconnected from the external world. Having a clear goal and direction for showing up can be your anchor during the challenging days and times when you want to give up and leave (I found that most participants will seriously contemplate leaving the retreat at least once). 


  1. Find your ideal meditation posture and setup. Everyone’s body is different, with unique structural challenges and injuries. The posture I found best for me was seated on a firm, very thick cushion (that I brought to the retreat) in hero’s pose, although this worked well until only day 5 when my knees started to hurt and a change was needed. 


Overall, Vipassana does offer a unique opportunity to disconnect and go inward, unlike many other retreats I’ve found, due to the sheer volume of how much each person is required to give up to participate. Alongside the numerous physical, mental and emotional challenges I experienced, I did also find a new level of calm and non-reactivity, better boundaries with technology, and a stronger daily routine upon returning to daily life.


My hope with this article and in sharing my experience with others in my life is that everyone may enter the space better educated on what to expect and be better prepared for the challenges you will undoubtedly face, while making the best choice for them among the many meditation retreat options available now. I hope your choice leads you to the insights and clarity you are looking for. 



Meditation in nature

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