The Meditation Centre is open throughout the whole year to everyone interested in getting to know Vipassana mediation in the tradition of Most Ven. Ajahn Tong. |
Basic course
14-day (15 plus departure day) personal course during which each student lives in his own room and practices independently of the other practitioners.
11- 12 day retreat
(12 plus arrival and departure day) is open to all meditators who have already completed the basic course.
Individual days of practice
It is also possible to come for a few days of meditation. However, please note that we give preference to meditators signing up for a basic course or a 10-day retreat. we can take reservations for individual meditation days on short notice only.
You can start your retreat at any time, as long as there is space available.
Course description
The Vipassana meditation technique tought in our courses is passed on the same way it is traditionally practiced in the temples of Northern Thailand under the guidance of the Most Venerable Phra Phrom Mongkol Vi Ajahn Tong Sirimangalo. It is an intensive form of the Mahasi Sayadaw technique which includes both, walking and sitting, and is a traditional form of Buddhist meditation.
Every day starts at 4 a.m. and ends at 10 p.m. During that time one practices continuously the meditation exercises. Participants receive individual guidance in daily reports with the teacher.
Part of the course is one hour working meditation per day.
During the course the focus lies on formal meditation practice in order to use the opportunity of gaining experiences directly from the practice. Participants refrain from reading, even Buddhist literature, as well as from mobile phones and other media.
Breakfast is served at 6.30 a.m. and lunch at 11 a.m. All meals are vegetarian.
The food is vegetarian.
During the day drinks such as water, tea, hot chocolate and coffee are provided.
During the entire course the participants should commit themselves to adhere to the eight Buddhist rules of moral conduct:
- To abstain from killing any living creature
- To abstain from taking what is not given
- To abstain from all sexual activity
- To abstain from speaking what is not true
- To abstain from all intoxicants (alcohol, drugs)
- To abstain from eating solid food after 12 noon
- To abstain from sensual entertainment (dancing, singing, reading, listening to the radio),
and bodily decoration (jewels, perfume, cosmetics) - To abstain from sleeping on high or luxurious beds
The course is conducted in Noble Silence.
We subtract three elements:
Food – We do not eat after half the day (12 noon).
Sleep – we do not sleep from the time of waking until ten at night (although we can rest, lie down, and extract bones as much as we want).
Speech – We maintain the principle of noble silence – we do not speak during the course, when necessary and personal conversations can be spoken to the teacher or with the staff.
Clothing: Meditators should wear white clothes and should cover the shoulder and the knees and not be see-through.
Meals: You are not allowed to eat after 12 o’clock. Nevertheless there are some things which are allowed in the afternoon (i.e. yoghurt, chocolate, honey) and will be provided for you in the fridge for the meditators. Hot and cold drinks are allowed all the time.
Dinner is only allowed to people with special needs.
Telephone: Meditators are not allowed to use their mobile during the course and need to give it to the staff in the beginning. If necessary relatives can call to Liora.
Working meditation: The meditation retreat includes one hour (not more) of working meditation each day. This is to help us with the daily maintenance of the house and the garden, and also helps you to develop mindfulness when carrying out daily tasks. You can dress non-white working clothes for this period of time. The staff will inform you about your daily task.
If you have any special needs regarding food or anything else, please let us know as soon as possible and before starting the course.
Payment and donation
In the spirit of the Buddhist tradition, the Vipassana Center, which is open all year round, offers and provides guidance and support and allows practitioners to come at any time out of the generosity of the heart and on the basis of Dana. The staff and teachers are not paid. At the end of the course, you will be given the opportunity to make a donation/dana to cover the expenses of the course and a donation to the teachers.
However, we are a private center with a limited number of rooms. We do not have any financial support from other sources. The nature and personal nature of the course in which each person in the room does not allow us to rely on Dana alone, therefore we ask for a registration fee which is also a seriousness fee and partial participation in the expenses of the courses and the center.
The registration fee is intended to ensure registration and covers only a small part of the costs of the course and the center, upon completion of the course the participants will be invited to support the continuation of the activities at the Dana practice.
The full amount to cover expenses only ranges from NIS 200 – 250 per day for full accommodation in a single room and includes 17% VAT as per the law.
Donation to teachers are not related to the center expenses at the end of a course, Dana can be left to a teacher who devotes his life to the teaching and shares his knowledge with love, kindness and compation without consideration or for-profit.
The center as well as the meditation teacher and the staff cannot accept any liability for physical and psychological damages, which may arise during the participation in one of the courses.
registration
please let us know which dates you would like to come. We will check for availability and get back to you.