Written by Nivita
Don't travel. Experience.
If you ever decide to explore Nepal or India, your exploration will not be complete without a meditative retreat.
Meditation and mindfulness are foundational to the history and spirituality of both these countries, specifically to their religions of Hinduism and Buddhism, to such a degree that Westerners have started flocking to these practices like bees to honey. Even in India and Nepal, countless monasteries and meditation centers are opening up to allow visitors to learn and experience the practices in an immersive way. Unfortunately, such an experience requires time and some money, but if you are travelling, you'll already have at least a bit of both those things. Having the opportunity to learn and practice meditation in this part of the world is the opportunity of a lifetime, and if possible, you must not miss it.
At the end of my six weeks in Kathmandu, I was convinced by a friend to spend my last week at a monastery called Kopan Monastery, where they were holding a one-week Introduction to Buddhism meditation retreat. This monastery is the most popular in Kathmandu for Buddhist courses and retreats, and at any given point during the year they are most likely holding a residential course. The only way I can describe my experience was as if walking through a one-way revolving door, and never going back. I left a changed person, incredibly stable and meditative, and feeling profoundly more prepared to return to my samsaric life in New York City. The seven days, including the one day of complete silence, were so deeply healing and uplifting that I decided to extend my India/Nepal trip to do a longer, two-month course at Thosamling Nunnery in Dharamshala, the spiritual capital of India situated near the Himalayas.
I wish I could say more about my experience, but honestly, words will not suffice. You'll just have to experience it for yourself! And if you cannot make it to Asia, there are countless ashrams and meditation centers around the world, the most well-known of which is called Vipassana. I hope you'll take the time out of everyday life to attend one. You will not regret it.
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