Meditation in Southeast Asia - Insight Meditation Center
Meditation in Southeast Asia - Insight Meditation Center
Meditation in Southeast Asia - Insight Meditation Center
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observed. You can jo<strong>in</strong> any time. M<strong>in</strong>imum stay is 10 days. For maximum, sky’s the<br />
limit.<br />
Lodg<strong>in</strong>g: Foreigners live <strong>in</strong> the new four-floor build<strong>in</strong>g. Clean s<strong>in</strong>gle rooms are<br />
available. Common modern showers and toilets. Wash<strong>in</strong>g mach<strong>in</strong>e. Each room<br />
conta<strong>in</strong>s a bed and a table. Mattress, sheets, blanket, mosquito net and thermos are<br />
provided by the center.<br />
What to br<strong>in</strong>g: Insect repellant (Yangon is malaria-free), personal medication, warm<br />
sweater and socks for the cooler season (November to February), sitt<strong>in</strong>g pillow.<br />
Most articles of daily use (soap, toothpaste, flashlight, batteries) are available <strong>in</strong><br />
Yangon.<br />
Food: Two abundant meals daily. Breakfast is at 5:30 a.m. (full meal with fried rice or<br />
noodles and noodle soup as well as fruit, cake, coffee, tea) and lunch at 10:30 a.m.<br />
(rice with five to seven different curries, fruit, desserts). You can choose between<br />
vegetarian and nonvegetarian food. Even<strong>in</strong>gs, fruit juice around 5 p.m. You can fill<br />
your thermos with hot water dur<strong>in</strong>g mealtime. Clean, filtered dr<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g water is<br />
available.<br />
Costs: The center is supported exclusively with donations.<br />
Medical care: Medical doctors visit the center regularly to treat the meditators for<br />
free. Western and traditional Burmese drugs are available.<br />
Rules and cloth<strong>in</strong>g: All meditators practice from 3:30 a.m. to at least 9:30 p.m. and<br />
must observe the eight silas. Temporary ord<strong>in</strong>ation is possible for women and men.<br />
Dur<strong>in</strong>g the retreat meditators keep noble silence and do not read and write (except<br />
short notes for the <strong>in</strong>dividual <strong>in</strong>terviews). Walks outside the center are prohibited and<br />
the center is left only <strong>in</strong> emergencies. Therefore, you should provide for all<br />
cont<strong>in</strong>gencies ahead of time. E-mail and fax use is also only permitted <strong>in</strong><br />
emergencies. Burmese yogi attire is recommended: white/light blouse or T-shirt and<br />
brown longyi (sarong) for women, white/light shirt or T-shirt and brown longyi for<br />
men. You can buy these th<strong>in</strong>gs there easily and at a good price or borrow them from<br />
the center.<br />
Climate and best time to go: Tropical climate. Best go <strong>in</strong> the cooler season from<br />
November to February.<br />
Immigration: Visa mandatory. Tourist visa is valid for four weeks. If you want to<br />
enter with a meditation visa you must ask for a so-called sponsorship letter from the<br />
center which must be sent to the Burmese embassy together with the visa<br />
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