Today I want to write a bit about my meditation retreat ‘Disconnect to Reconnect’ experience in Belgium. The retreat took place at the Dhammakaya centre in Benelux, Lede, Belgium, from July 1st to 7th.

What to expect

The training was a preparatory course for the teacher training in Thailand. You can expect a quite challenging schedule with the morning starting at 5 am and the day ending at 21:30. Each day we would have 4 meditation sessions altogether, and lectures about meditation and personal relationships as well. We also had to complete short Peace-In-Action tasks, like cleaning the bathroom, meditation hall, etc. Only 2 meals would be served per day.

However, unlike the Thailand teacher training, some of the sessions were optional. We also did not have anyone checking on our rooms to see if they are tidy. Also, the teacher training in Thailand was more mentally demanding due to bigger adjustments needed in terms of environment, time zones, etc. And we were not obliged to give our phones away.

In terms of personal development, this was a great time to put away the phone and focus on fostering real human interactions. Also, the meditation experience and the way the retreat is set can definitely help to access deeper states of meditation. There were moments when I felt the peace energy expanding from the body or feeling weightless during meditation practice, which are all signs of small yet significant developments of the meditation practice.

Dhammakaya tradition

Dhammakaya is a rather new tradition, originating from Thailand. So you have to be prepared to encounter a lot of cultural elements while being at the temple. Some of the traditions include giving food to the monks and different ritual ceremonies.

Dhammakaya is not the only tradition from Thailand, as forest monasteries and Theravada are also present. So I personally took this more as an experience to peek into the culture and learn something new, without a strict commitment from my side to agree to all of the ideas that Dhammakaya represents.

What next?

Keep your mind open, meditate, travel and live your best life! And take from each retreat the good experience that helped you feel more inspired and aligned with yourself.

See you next time!