Daily schedule
Meditation and mindfulness is practiced continuously throughout the day in silence.
Most of the day is filled with formal sitting meditation, walking meditation, and awareness in daily activities. There are two sessions of dhamma talks and meditation instructions.
All these activities are formally performed in group.
During the silent part of the retreat, from the 11th until the 19th, practitioners are required to follow the formal daily schedule.
The schedule is designed with a focus on continuous practice, with as little interruption as possible.
There are three breaks which can be used to do chores, bathe, or rest. These breaks can also be used to do individual practice if one wishes.
Before 4 am and after 10 pm, practitioners stay in their rooms.
The days of the meditation retreat
All sitting meditation sessions take place in the Main (upper) Meditation Hall.
All walking meditation sessions take place in the large sandy area between the Main meditation Hall and the Sleeping Buddha Temple.
Breakfast, Lunch, and Drinks are taken in the Dining Hall.
the schedule |
||
|---|---|---|
| 4:00 – 4:30 am | Wake-up bell. | Dorm |
| 4:30 – 5:15 am | Sitting meditation | Main Meditation Hall |
| 5:15 – 6:15 am | Chanting / Mindful Yoga | |
| 6:15 – 7:00 am | Sitting meditation | |
| 7:00 – 08:30 am | Breakfast / Chores / Bathing | Dining Hall / Chore area / Dorm |
| 8:30 – 9:30 am | Meditation instructions | Main Meditation Hall |
| 9:30 – 10:15 am | Walking meditation | Walking grounds |
| 10:15 – 11:00 am | Sitting meditation | Main Meditation Hall |
| 11:00 – 1:00 pm | Lunch / Rest / Open Awareness | Dining Hall / Dorm or Khao Tham grounds |
| 1:00 – 1:45 pm | Sitting meditation | Main Meditation Hall |
| 1:45 – 02:30 pm | Walking meditation | Walking grounds |
| 2:30 – 3:30 pm | Dhamma teaching | Main Meditation Hall |
| 3:30 – 4:15 pm | Walking meditation | Walking grounds |
| 4:15 – 5:00 pm | Sitting meditation | Main Meditation Hall |
| 5:00 – 6:30 pm | Drinks / Interviews / Bathing | Dining Hall / Lower Meditation Hall / Dorm |
| 6:30 – 7:30 pm | Chanting / Metta | Main Meditation Hall |
| 7:30 – 8:15 pm | Walking meditation | Walking grounds |
| 8:15 – 9:00 pm | Sitting meditation | Main Meditation Hall |
| 9:00 – 09:30 pm | Q&A (optional) / Sleep |
Main Meditation Hall / Dorm |
| 10:00 pm – 4:00 am | Sleep | Dorm |
Formal practice sessions are highlighted; however, the “breaks” are only pauses from structured sessions, not from practice itself. While in retreat, our practice is to be mindful at every moment — and even in sleep.
Hi David —
Your question has a complete match in our new FAQ page — congratulations!
The answer is: Nope, you can’t. 😀
The whole purpose of doing a retreat, is to concentrate fully on the practices of that retreat. Also, doing other practices is distracting to the other retreatants’ concentration, and we surely don’t want to do that.
Thank you so much for the first comment on this site.
— Web Admin
Uh can I do standing qigong at all during any of the meditation sessions (ie walking meditation?). If I could do 2-4 hours of qigong that would be great, but I need at least 1 hour.. ps omg you guys are slave drivers!! I’ll see if I can make it!!