10 days of silence and 100 + hours of meditation

So, what is Noble Silence and why is it important?

Noble Silence according to S.N. Goenka means no verbal nor nonverbal communication is allowed. No, phones, speaking, gestures, eye contact, reading or writing to anyone but the teacher.

I quickly found out why complete silence was necessary for this practice.

With communication of any kind I noticed it gave me something to add on to my list of recycled thoughts during meditations, from old Tik Tok videos that were stored in my memories to Beyonce’s ‘Dangerously In Love’ album from childhood and every argument or disagreement i’ve had with past friendships.

How did I hear about this amazing opportunity and why did I choose to commit?

I was introduced by a friend of this amazing opportunity at the beginning of my birth month (November). I’d been knowing the entire year of 2022 that I wanted my 24th birthday to be celebrated intentionally, to grow my self in ways I had been avoiding or simply unaware of how to do.

As soon as I heard the details of 10 days of Noble Silence (my birthday being the 7th day of the retreat) and 10.5 hours of meditation each day without my phone or any other distractions, I instantly knew that’s exactly what I needed to do and boy was it the hardest thing i’ve ever committed to. I experienced every emotion you can think of, and I’m not only going to take you along with me through the process. I’m also encouraging you to try it for yourself.

No matter your belief system, religious background or where you’re from. The universal teachings you learn in this course is incomparable. It is a true enlightening experience.

Layout of the course

We drove from Baltimore MD, 7 hours up to Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts and we arrived a little after dark. The main requirements we had to start the course were:

• Negative covid tests and 2 extra tests to take during the course

• No phones, books, journals or writing material allowed

• no fragranced soap and perfumes

• no jewelry or religious material

• commitment

We arrived, ate our dinner and turned in all electronics and went straight to our assigned rooms. Everyone had their own rooms and bathrooms. Men and women were on opposite sides of the compound, and whomever you came with wether same sex or not go ahead and get your hugs and kisses out because remember apart of Noble Silence means no eye contact and absolutely non verbal gestures, like at all. Our dining hall was setup where all meditators faced forward or towards the walls to encourage the Silence. It was honestly pretty triggering but completely understood.

Our days looked like this

• 4:30 am- 6:30 am Group sitting or alone in your room

• 6:30 am - 8:00 am breakfast and rest (rest can include a walk outside in the trails)

• 8:00 am - 9:00 am Group sitting (mandatory meditation)

• 9:00 am - 11:00 am Group sitting or alone in your room and rest

• 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Lunch and rest ( this was our last meal, unless you have medical requirements )

• 12:00 pm - 1 pm Ask your questions to the Assistant teachers (5 minutes) or rest

• 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm meditation group sitting or alone

• 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm Group sitting meditation (mandatory meditation)

• 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm Group sitting meditation or alone in your room

• 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm Tea time

• 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Group sitting (mandatory meditation)

• 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Discourse (mandatory)

• 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm Group sitting (mandatory meditation)

• 9:00 pm Day ends and lights out by 10 pm

My Experience, thoughts and emotions

The first day was the shortest day, we started off with our meditation and I was honestly excited for the next ten days to come. I knew it would be a challenge but I didn’t expect it to be as difficult yet rewarding as it turned out to be. My first ever time sitting in meditation for 60 minutes I felt on top of the world lol.

The first official day comes around and I managed to get up to make it to the 4:30 am meditation, I fell asleep about 10 minutes in and realized I wasn’t alert enough to participate lol (it happens). I went back to my room to nap a little more before waking back up at 6 am for breakfast. I came with 3 others, two being women and we couldn’t speak to one another nor make eye contact and I immediately had triggering feelings of elementary school Noel that had friend groups I’d bonded with that would just randomly stop speaking to me and I felt a plunge in my chest of feeling left out, a sense of abandonment issues took place. My first sense of trauma that related to this moment. (I later embraced this full circle moment in realizing we CHOSE to come here, to not speak to one another to promote GROWTH, which brought us closer.)

Breakfast every day was the same meal, Oatmeal, fruits and prunes if you chose. Lunch was provided at 11 am each day and we had a variety of options Indian based foods that were so good that it made your day each time. We always had the option of hot tea and coffee as well. Everyone sat facing forward and the outer edges of the dining hall faced the walls/windows. I felt like I had chosen to be in a hospital or jail for 10 days… but later in the course you realize you chose to come here for the best thing a human can gain. Experience of Universal Truth. To read about universal law, God, spiritual and physical trauma healing is one thing, but to experience it within the framework of your body is a completely different story. You become your hero.

The staff was amazing, very attentive, caring and giving. Ayesha was the name of our course manager and without her I probably would’ve given up, she was an angel in the retreat that provided a sense of grounding a Mothering nature.

Each day felt longer, I cried a lot. I cried because I missed my family, my dog Nova, I cried because it was so hard to clear my mind the first few days, the pain I felt through sitting for long periods of times and the fact that for the first time I wouldn’t have the choice to celebrate my birthday (even though I rarely ever did anyways). With all of these emotions reaching the surface Vipassana meditation teaches you to view your emotions and your cravings from a place of equanimity. A place of peace no matter how great or unsavory a sensation may be. Carrying this into my everyday life has been a game changer when it comes to Life’s natural way of throwing curveballs.

My birthday came around and I felt an immense amount of emotions wash over my entire body, the entire spectrum.

I sat through my first meditation with a lot of pain in my body from 8-9am and came to the Assistant teacher after it was over and before I could get any words out with my eyes filled with tears she said “Happy Birthday, Im so proud of you for making this choice for yourself at such a young age at this specific time.” I balled tars and she continued to affirm me so deeply in the most needed way. I spent time in nature this day as she recommended, it rained, which was a cleansing sign for me. I spoke to the trees and I had the best meditation experience the ENTIRE retreat this day.

I felt subtle sensations flowing through my body from head to toe, 0 blockages, 0 thoughts. Just me floating in this space at this time allowing myself to BE. At that moment I fully understood what it meant to be at peace, through meditation and how I could remain in this space, and in any instance that I am away from it I accept it with grace for the reality of that moment, to guide me back to this space of full peace. I held my power in the frame work of my body with full consciousness and that is irreplaceable knowledge.

A quote that stuck with me from S.N Goenka was ‘Humans say God made us in the image of his likeness, but I think we made God in the image of our likeness.’

It clicked instantly, every characteristic God has, we have. we give so much power to the word God and I get it trust me, Ive experienced the weight and power of it. Im not taking away from it, but sometimes we put too much power into it and so little in ourselves. We create our destiny, our fate is up to US to decide, it is up to us to act on. We receive assistance from the universal energy (God) its an exchange. But without OUR initial doing we shouldn’t expect any power outside of our selves to do for us. We have to take accountability for ourselves, and what we do with our trauma to progress forward. We shouldn’t just give all of our ‘sins’ unto God and in return have the life we’ve always wanted. We work for it, we earn it, everyday by choosing.

We can talk more about this another time!

To wrap this up, this retreat was an experience I will commit to once a year, once you experience your first retreat, with the right intention and full cooperation you understand this is a practice you have to continue to grow within. Outside the dogmas of religion, and sects you experience your FULL and TRUE power within yourself. You call your energy back, you find love in everything you do, you work on your kindness towards others and yourself, you realize we truly have no place or room for judgement. You realize your life is in YOUR hands, you experience the power in the NOW, in silence, in rest, in stillness.

There are retreat centers all around the world, take your time, plan it out and find one that works for you. I wish you the best of luck on gifting yourself this peace of mind.

https://www.dhamma.org/en-US/index

My Rising Routine

Yes I say Rising, Rich Rising, Abundant Rising, Rising Routine… Ever since I realized the play on the English language I refuse to say Good morning aka (mourning) every day.

When I wake up I speak abundance over myself (sometimes I get caught up in everyday life, I’m working on it) I have no reason to mourn. And we wonder why so many people are dragging themselves throughout the week, and upset at Monday-Friday because you’re speaking mournfulness over yourself as soon as you wake up. Lets release that habit.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way lol, hello beautiful people! I’m Luna!

I decided to do my Rising Routine because this is the most important part of our day, the beginning of it.

I always start by thanking the Most High for a new day and saying a prayer over the day even if its a short one, and straight to taking care of my hygiene, brushing my teeth, washing my face and showering if I decided to go straight to bed the night before.

Then I go straight to my meditation room, sometimes I struggle with grabbing my phone to check emails and or socials/contact my loved ones. but on a great day I go straight into a short meditation (working my way up to 45 mins +) I always greet God when stepping into that room and I check on my snakes. I currently have 4 total :).

Currently im studying a book titled Healing Mudras by Yogi Nataraj, and it has a list of meditation practices I enjoy and apply as much as I can throughout my week.

Following that honey I try my best to drink key lime water but if not I'll ll just drink my spring water and call it a day, pack my lunch get dressed to start off my day.

Im currently working on a schedule to wake up a little earlier closer to 7am instead of 9:30am to practice longer meditation once I wake up, and I easily fall asleep around 10-11pm at night as long as I didn’t stay up on my phone leading up to the time I sleep.

Some Advice I can give if you’re waking up still super sluggish/ hard to fall asleep.

1. Save the hour before sleep and the hour after you wake up for your Self, do not touch your phone, I can’t say that enough. I can understand in todays age its super difficult for most of us to do this but its crucial to our sleep health because having a dopamine rush/ roller coaster of thoughts and emotions right before you sleep and or wake up is just not healthy. Think about it like this, as your mindlessly scrolling or checking your bank account (unless your quickly celebrating your savings) or having an emotional inner dialogue because of something you’ve seen or read you allow your brain, (subconscious and conscious) no time to wind down and refresh before sleeping and starting your day. the thoughts you pick up will carry with you and you can notice this by headaches, lightheadedness, lack of patience, getting angry easily, overly empathetic etc.

2. If not already in place get into the habit of brushing your teeth and washing your face not only when you wake up but before you sleep, not everyone does this because not everyone had the best parental guidance and had certain things instilled and that’s okay. Taking care of hygiene before you sleep promotes a refreshing sleep and wake, wash your pillow cases and covers frequently as well keep the space you sleep as clean as possible. A clean bedroom promotes a clear head space.

3. Always keep lavender and chamomile in your home cabinetry for tea on nights its hard to fall asleep, its even better and most potent when you have the fresh or dried herbs stored in an air tight glass jar. Bring to a boil and sip it with honey or agave before bed. When I tell you chefs kiss good!!! And it knocks you out + it doesn’t matter the age, for children (if you have any) I’d recommend putting this in a syringe like medicine instead of over the counter medicines. I used it on my 3 year old brother and he was out in 20 minutes!

   Lastly try your best starting today to bring yourself into the present moment through out the day, I find being present and fully aware throughout the day allows my body much more peace which in my opinion provides peace when its time to sleep, being on the go and in a rush all day moves along with you at night until your body has no choice but to crash, (not ideal). I pray this helps I’m sure it will! enjoy it remember to breathe deeply, you got this.

Thanks for reading.

love always,

Luna

Productive Habits

You know….. I used to despise the word ‘Discipline’ I used to see it as restraint, a prison, not fun and all the above that relates to those words.

And then I turned 23, 3 months away from 24 years young and it clicked to me that no matter how much I wanted to run and hide in my adolescence, my future self and future goals NEED discipline. Not want, not prefer, but need. The only way to achieve the true genuine happiness within myself, outside of financial goals and traveling the world but for true inner peace, and knowing I did all I could in my time here to achieve the life I dream of that surrounds itself with God, Unconditional Love (by giving it and being open to receiving it), true friendship, confidence in oneself that cannot be destroyed I knew I needed Productive Habits.

I need to wake up in time to not be in a rush through the day, I needed to thank the universe for working alongside me and being so graceful yet so true to me. I need to keep my home clean and make sure my physical, mental and spiritual space is cleansed and protected. I need to make sure to be kind to others even if they do not see the kindness in the world or themselves. I need to remind myself to breathe and remember we are all apart of something much greater and that this world cannot suck me into spiral that that doesn’t control me unless I allow it to.

This is a reminder to you, the reader and myself that we are in control of our actions and how we react to outward situations and we owe it to ourselves to balance that with the breathe in understanding we are apart of a huge consciousness that not only affects us but a ripple affect to everyone outside of us.

Be you, Be kind, Be loving, Be aware, Be authentic, Be disciplined, relax, cry, scream, laugh, dance, work hard, play harder, stay young, age gracefully and ground yourself in what makes you feel the greatest and turn the the Most High, your spiritual and celestial team with gratitude and grace and allow them to guide you through.

Be blessed, Love Always

Luna

Top 10 Places to Visit while in Maryland, Dc, Virginia

If you’re coming from out of town to visit my home town either to share space with me or on your own individual trip here are some reputable spots that I loved while visiting.

Restaurants

*= expensive

• Flourish Greenhouse Juice Cafe (Baltimore) Vegan, Black Owned botanica and food

• Blue Nile Botanicals (DC) Black Owned Herbal Shop with a Botanica upstairs

• La Vie ( DC) * Mediterranean cuisine

• Barcelona Wine Bar (DC) Moderately expensive Tapas cuisine

• Toki Underground (DC) Ramen, small spot but cute

• Nara Ya (DC) Sushi, super cute layout and great for happy hour

• Topside (Baltimore) Seafood, rooftop beautiful view of Baltimore

• Maximon (Baltimore)* Mexican, Southern American really great for the area and the ambiance, small portions!!

• Baltimore Seafood (Baltimore) The best seafood boil spot i’ve been to

Activities

• Kick Axe 21+ (DC)

• Patapsaco State Park (Maryland)

• Great Falls (Virgina)

• Kilgore Falls (Maryland)

• Pottery Classes (Maryland)

• Gun Range (Maryland)

• Sip and Paint (Maryland)