The road forked on the way to the islands

I'm doing a Buddhist (with Tao & Zen influences) retreat for the next ten days at Suan Mokkh Monastery near Chaiya. There will be some posts that will continue while I'm away but no narratives for a while. Just so you do not worry. I am not dead. I am just enjoying (hopefully) the calm and nature and trying out my first long retreat. Should be an experience and I will surely share with you all on December 11th, at which point I will be off to the islands...

I'd planned to go to the islands today, but after looking weather forecasting seven days of thunderstorms last night, I decided I should look for alternate plans. It just so happened that there was a ten day retreat starting the first of the month and the only pre-registration requirement was to show up the day before (on which I'd already had a train booked- just had to get off one stop early.) It just seemed to line up. So here I go...


Typical day schedule:
04:00 Rise & Shine
04:30 Reading
04:44 Sitting meditation
05:15 Yoga / Exercise
07:00 Morning Talk & Sitting meditation
08:00 Breakfast & Chores
10:00 Dhamma Talk
11:00 Walking or Standing meditation
11:45 Sitting meditation
12:30 Lunch & Chores
14:30 Meditation Instruction & Sitting
15:30 Walking or Standing meditation
16:15 Sitting meditation
17:00 Chanting & Loving Kindness Meditation
18:00 Tea & Hot spring
19:30 Sitting meditation
20:00 Walking or Standing or Sitting meditation
21:00 Bedtime Goodnight ... (the gate will be closed at 21:30)
22:00 LIGHTS OUT