The Adventures of Maddie and Clay & Silent Retreat

Saturday, November 16, 2013
Dharamsala, McLeod Ganj, Himachal Pradesh, India
This week Clay and I were separated from the rest of the family due to the fact we chose not to take part in a 10 day silent meditation course (prison camp!). Instead, we chose the small mountain town of McLeod Ganj (just above Dharamsala) as our home away from home.

We got to stay with wonderful Tibetan host families, who were incredibly hospitable, and welcomed us into their quaint mountain dwellings with open arms, warm cups of chai, and soft Tibetan bread .
 
Most mornings, Maddie and I chose to hike up to the Tushita meditation center for an hour long guided meditation. These sessions were surprisingly enlightening and gave us an insight into what our peers were experiencing, although on a much milder level.

During the afternoons, we often chose to educate ourselves on Tibetan history and culture. Some of the things we did included: watching documentaries, visiting His Holiness the Dalai Lama's temple, and visiting various museums and image galleries on the Chinese oppression of Tibet. Since we had no previous knowledge of the current status of Tibet, we found the oppression of Tibet to be surprising, and incredibly brutal.

On a much lighter note, we also filled our days with some fun activities including: visiting our favorite Tibetan Bakery, shopping in the local markets, meeting fellow travelers and locals, hiking, and partaking in a Tibetan momo cooking class! The food here was unreal!

To give back to the community that so generously welcomed us, we volunteered at a non profit organization which aided Tibetan refugees who wanted to improve their english speaking skills . This class was structured as a seminar-type hour in which we (english speakers) were grouped with 3-4 students. We were given topics to speak on, but we were not confined to them, and were encouraged to converse freely. It's great to have programs in place which allow for travelers, like ourselves, to help within the community.

The highlight of our experience in McLeod Ganj was having the opportunity to be present for a teaching from His Holiness the Dalai Lama himself. Being in the presence of such a prolific figure was an experience we will remember for the rest of our lives.

Maddie and Clay


Hello from McLeod Ganj (again)!

While Maddie and Clay were hanging out down here in society with, you know, noise and all that, the rest of us were up at the peaceful Tushita Retreat Center, meditating in silence for ten days .

I think it's pretty safe to say that for most of us, it was an experience quite unlike anything we had ever done before. Every morning we were woken at 6 AM by a gong, and had our first mediation session a little earlier than most teenagers are accustomed to being awake. Breakfast, then lectures on Buddhism until lunch. After lunch was discussion group for an hour, which was always very exciting because we were allowed to TALK! But then, alas, back to the silence for another lecture on Buddhism, followed by a yoga session taught by our very own leader, Daniel, followed by dinner, followed by another meditation session.

Don't worry, we had some free time in there too, during which we sat--huddled in coats upon blankets upon more blankets upon scarves and hats and sipping literally countless cups of hot tea--and stared contemplatively into the distance. It was all very dramatic. The caffeine from the tea and the silence did not mix well though, I can tell you that .

I think everyone had at least one or two realizations about life, happiness, love, etc. while we were there. I certainly did. Many of the guided meditations focused on the value of the precious human life we have been given, and told us to think through all of the wonderful things and people that we have in our lives, and to realize how fortunate we are to have these things. For me, really recognizing that made a big impression, and helped me to realize that I have been given such a wonderful life that there's really no reason to be unhappy--even if I may come upon difficulties here and there. As I see it, I should be happy, because....why not?

It was also a highlight of our time up at Tushita when they announced that on the ninth day, instead of mediating all day, they were bringing us down to McLeod Ganj to see His Holiness the Dalai Lama teach! We were all very excited. I may or may not have clicked my heels after hearing the news . We ran into Maddie and Clay there and got to catch up a little with them, which was nice, and meeting the Dalai Lama was an incredible experience that I can now cross off my bucket list. 

After we were released, we stayed in a hotel for one night, and then were assigned to Tibetan host families that we will stay with until we leave. Everyone loves their host families, because the people here are all wonderfully hospitable and kind. They never let us help them with anything around the house. My host mom is the best--it's a great feeling when you really connect with a host family. I also have a six-year old host brother who is an adorable cyclone of never-ending energy.

Basically, we're having a great time in Dharamsala, eating more than our fill of delicious food, making awesome Tibetan friends, and admiring this amazing culture.

Hope everyone at home is well!

-Claire


P.S. We love Nicola

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