From November, 2015, until May, 2017, I lived in two forest meditation monasteries in Sri Lanka.
The first monastery, Nissarana Vanaya, is considered deep forest. I lived in a kuti (hut) with no electricity or hot water, and slept on a 'bed' that was actually a door frame with a mattress. I washed clothes by hand, which never dried, and therefore became covered in mold. Ants, mosquitoes and leeches were frequent companions.
I awoke at 4:00 AM each day, and did about five hours of meditation, in addition to daily chores. I asked the teacher if this was adequate, and he said “In New York, you worked eight hours-per-day. So, you should be doing eight hours of meditation every day.” I soon increased my time to comply with his directive.
In the forest tradition, eating after noon is prohibited, as it hinders one's ability to meditate at night. The same clothes – a sarong, shirt, and sash, all dyed reddish-brown - are worn everyday. There is no access to TV, radio, or outside communication. Leaving the monastery is only allowed for medical emergencies.
After seven months, I left Nissarana Vanaya and went to Sumathiphala Aranna. This monastery was considered much more laid-back compared to the austerity of Nissarana Vanaya. It was up to the individual to practice as diligently as they deemed necessary.
During my first meditation interview at Sumathiphala Aranna, I asked the meditation teacher – a Buddhist monk of 55 years – if the eight hours of meditation I was currently doing was enough. He replied “A good yogi (practitioner) does 10 – 12 hours of neditation each day.” By July, 2016, I was meditating for a minimum of twelve hours everyday.
I started waking-up at 3:00 AM, as the more I meditated, the less sleep I needed. Quite often, I would only eat once-per-day. I never felt more alert or energetic in my life.
I continued meditating for a minimum of 12 hours-per-day for six-and-a-half months, then 13 hours, then 14 – 15 hours-per-day. For ten-and-a-half months, I never did less than twelve hours of meditation each day. I lived in the meditation hall.
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