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10-day Vipassana (insight meditation) Silent Retreat January 2018 in Het Land van Nu, Groningen

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This classical 10-day vipassana meditation retreat has been developed in Hinduism and Buddhism to teach your mind first to become silent and then by self-study to increase your self-knowledge of the 4 bodies: physical, emotional, mental and energetic. There is no difference in Hindu and Buddhist methods. This retreat will help you in your mastery in the trials you have to resist on your path of life. 

You leave the retreat as a new person!


My first teacher, Lama Karta, wrote a beautiful booklet: the way of trust. The bold or illuminated Buddhist state is described by him as follows: "Every trace of negativism as ignorance and disturbing emotions has been eliminated and all inherent positive qualities are maximally developed." Disturbing emotions are ignorance, fear, doubt, pride and jealousy. Positive qualities in the mind are: love, compassion, joy and equanamity. External enemies are sometimes easy to avoid but internal enemies do not. It is therefore advisable to take the time to think about the following: just as I want all living beings to be happy and also try to eliminate all life beings from any kind of suffering.

Meditation is a method of cultivating certain thinking, emotion and behavioral patterns and to learn another. There is a clear and stable mind and a fundamentally positive attitude to life. Your karma evolved positively when you think and act positively for yourself and yourself. The outside world is a projection of ourselves. If your inner world changes, then your outside world also changes. This calls for action!

During the retreat you will get an explanation of the 3 meditation forms: shamatha, vipassana and dzogchen, and you will also learn about purity and impurity and moral conduct during this vipassana retreat:

- Refrain from killing any living being
- Refrain from stealing
- Refrain from all sexual activities
- Refrain from lieing
- Refrain from alcohol and drugs

What's in for you? 

- In touch with your inner joyful silence.
- Increase off your awareness, balance and insight
- Greater sense of balance between your physical, emotional, mental and energetic body
- Methods to bend unpleasant sensations to neutral and then to pleasant.

The whole retreat is supported by a delicious vegetarian cuisine, nature walks, poems, Buddhist philosophy, rebalancing massages, singing mantras and a lot of humor. Life is sometimes heavy enough!

You can get a room separately or share your room with somebody. Each room has its own shower and toilet. The beds are already made up and towels are ready. The country of Now has 19 rooms: 6 single and 13 double. 

In the yoga hall with views of the farmland, the yoga mats, pillows etc are present.

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The Teacher

Hans Kloosterman is a Tibetan Buddhist and studied at the Tibetan Kagyu Vasjrayana Institute in the Belgian Huy, which has a small monastic community with some lama's, monks and nuns. He lived for six years as a monk in education and has studied Buddhism since 2005. From 2000 to 2005 he has followed 3 years of Hatha yoga education and 2 years of meditation training at Osmose in The Hague. He teaches classical classes in hatha yoga, Chi Kong and silence, analytical and non-dual meditation, namely shamatha, vipassana and samadhi.

In mindfulness training, he teaches people to be present at all times in everything they do and become aware on four levels: physical, emotional, mental and energetic body. Hans is teaching the 8 week mindfulness training 1.0 for beginners -  MBSR training by Jon Kabat Zinn. Hans himself wrote a follow-up: Mindfulness 2.0, with Vipassana meditating and developing the 10 virtues, including compassion.

He organizes yoga & mindfulness retreats, workshops, trainings and retreats in the Netherlands and abroad.

Hans is the author of the recently published autobiographical book "From Snob to Monk". His calling is: All people experiencing enlightenment in 2035 . See also at www.hanskloosterman.com.

Read more about Hans Kloosterman

About Erna Vonck

Erna Vonck

Erna Vonck (1959) gives hatha yoga, dru yoga, ayurvedic massage, ayurvedic cooking. As a teacher Sport in Motion, there was awareness of the importance of relaxation.

She first followed the Astanga Yoga training at Tony Goes in Montfoort, after which she followed the Saswitha Yoga teacher training in Bilthoven. The specialization year was devoted to yoga for the elderly and teenagers. Additional modules included breath therapy and ayurveda. 

Erna has been associated with a school community in Laren for several years, giving her yoga to teens. She has completed the Ayurvedic massage course at Jade in Utrecht and is also a masseuse. 

All things share the same breath, the beast, the tree, the man ... the air shares its spirit, with all the life it supports. ~ Chief Seattle

www.ernavonck.nl

Het Land van Nu in Groningen

In the calm and space of the Netherlands in the North, lies Het Land van Nu (Land of Now). Here you can still hear the grass grow and see glorious stars. On the spot is an authentic and atmospheric Oldambtster farm dating back to the beginning of the last century. An inspiring location and a living place that offers space for essence & Inner peace.

You're welcome!

Also useful to know: Public transport

Het Land van Nu is also accessible by public transport.
You should enter 'Veenweg, Hellum" as your destination in the public transport planner 9292.nl, and not our address!
From the train station of Groningen you will need to travel with bus line 178 or 78.
Once you arrive at the bus stop it's 2.5 kilometer walk to the retreat centre, but if you let us know in advance we will come and pick you up at the bus stop. 

Free of shoes
Because our location is free of shoes, it is nice to bring thick socks, skirts or slippers.

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The Programme

 

Arrival is on January 1st;
20.00-21.00 - Tea, Teaching, Meetings and questions
21.00-21.30 - Good night

The 1st to 9th day will be done in silence without contact with the outside world and without contact with fellow participants. No eye contact, hand gestures and no use of phones and computers.

The first three days consist of Shamatha concentration meditation on the Breathing to distress the mind. The body may get used to the meditation posture and your ability to sit but you can adjust your posture when you experience any inconvenience. A chair can also be used.

From the 4th day we will be in the 3 group moderation sessions and will take a completely silent attitude in the first hour so that determination in the mind can be trained.

The other days, through Vipassana insight meditation, the physical, emotional and mental sensations are followed. Through these meditation techniques, the cause of suffering = attracting (desire) and rejection in the mind will be observed. Through these methods you will notice and accept this perceptions are temporary, the law of impermanence. You learn Noting and accepting the sensations. Slowly we go over to the Third form of meditation which is the non-dual form of meditation. You learn to detach from attracting and rejecting sensations in the mind and senses. So that the great virtue equanamity can develop. This way you fall back in a deeper consciousness where compassion, love and kindness, joy and a great sense of silence and peace prevail = The experience of the original state of mind, the natural state of mind, buddha nature. In this meditative state there is no realization of time or concept and becoming everything of 1 taste.

The 10th day we will talk again to let you go gradually get used to having contact with the outside world.

The schedule on the 1st to 10th day:

04.00-04.30 - Gong, get up
04.30-06.30 - Meditation in your room or in the temple
06.30-07.30 - Yoga
07.30-08.00 - Breakfast and rest break
08.00-09.00 - Walking in nature
09.00-11.00 - Meditation in the temple
11.00-12.00 - Rest or questions to the teacher
12.00-13.00 - Vegetarian warm lunch
13.00-15.00 - Meditation in your room or in the temple
15.00-16.00 - Tea break - walking in nature
16.00-18.00 - Meditation in the hall or in the room
18.00-19.00 - Light meal + soup
19.00-21.00 - Teaching + Meditation in the temple
21.00-21.30 - Good Night

The retreat ends on January 11th at 17.00

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Extra Info - Questions & Answers

Why does the retreat take ten days?
Actually, the 10-day retreat is the minimum; A 10-day retreat forms an essential introduction and the basis of meditation techniques. Developing this in practice is a lifelong task. Experience through generations have shown that when Vipassana is taught in periods less than 10 days, the student may not have enough experience to learn the technique. Traditionally, Vipassana was taught in seven week retreats. At the beginning of the 20th century the teachers of this tradition taught with shorter periods to attend to the accelerating pace of life. They tried thirty days, two-weeks, ten days, then seven days - and they noticed that less than ten days was not long enough for the mind to come to rest and in to work in-depth with the body-mind phenomenon.

How many hours a day will I meditate?
The day starts at 4:00 in the morning to be awoken with a gong and the day lasts until 21:00. There are about ten meditation hours a day, Alternated with regular breaks and resting periods. Every evening at 19:00 Hour there is a teaching, which provides the meditators a context to understand their experiences of the day. This timetable is workable and proved useful to hundreds of thousands of people for decades.

In what language is the retreat given?
The teaching is given in Dutch and/or English depending on the students.

I can not sit with crossed legs. Can I meditate?
Certainly. There are chairs available for those who are not comfortable at sitting on the floor because of their age or physical problem.

I am on a special diet. Can I bring my own food?
Students are asked to choose from the food available, since it does not take into account a diet you are allowed to take/have your own food with you.

Can pregnant women attend the retreat? Are there special arrangements or instructions for them?
Pregnant women can certainly participate, and many women just come during the pregnancy period to benefit from the opportunity to deepen themselves and to be silent during this particular period. Before signing up, pregnant women should be sufficiently informed and trust that their pregnancy is stable. We take care of the extra food they need and ask them to participate in a relaxed way.

Why is the retreat in silence?
All participating students required to adhere to "noble silence" - meaning silence of body, speech and spirit. They agree to abstain from communication with their fellow meditators. Students may have contact with management regarding their material needs and they can also speak to the teacher. Silence is observed during the first nine full days. On the tenth day, speaking is resumed, as a way to return to the normal pattern of daily life. Continuity in practice is the secret to success in this retreat; silence is an essential part of maintaining this continuity.

How can I be sure I'm able to do the meditation?
For a person in reasonable physical and mental health who really is interested and sincerely wants to do this, meditation (including "Noble silence") is not difficult. If you are able to follow instructions patiently and diligently, you can be sure of tangible results. Although it seems overwhelming, the daily schedule is neither too heavy or too relaxing. In addition, the presence of other students who are practicing dilligently and the peaceful and stimulating atmosphere, is highly supportive to someone's efforts.

Who should not participate in a course?
It is clear that someone who is physically too weak to follow the schedule will not benefit from the retreat. The same goes for someone who suffers from psychiatric problems, or someone in a state of emotional dislocation. Through a process of questions and answers we can help you in advance to decide clearly whether you are fully ready for the retreat. In some cases, one is asked before signing up, to seek permission from their doctor before they could be allowed entry to the retreat.

Can Vipassana heal physical or mental illnesses?
Many diseases are caused by our inner turmoil. If the turmoil is removed it can reduce or disappear. However, learning Vipassana with the intention of curing a disease is a mistake and never works. People who try to do this waste their time because they are focused on the wrong purpose. It can even be detrimental to themselves. They will not understand the meditation methods properly, nor succeed in losing the disease.

And depression? Can Vipassana make that better?
Again, the purpose of Vipassana is not to cure diseases. Someone who really practices Vipassana is taught to be happy and balanced in all circumstances. But someone with a background of severe depression can maybe not apply the technique correctly and may not get the desired results. The best thing for such someone is to work with a healthcare professional. Vipassana teachers are specialists in Meditation, no psychotherapists.

Can Vipassana spiritually balance people?
No. Vipassana teaches you to be conscious and humble, that means being and staying balanced despite all the highs and lows of life. But if someone comes to the retreat and hides serious emotional problems than that person may not be able to understand the technique or get the desired results. That's why it's important to us that you inform us of your history so we can judge if you can benefit from this retreat.

Should I be a Buddhist to practice Vipassana?
People of many religions and without religion have followed the meditation retreat and experienced it as useful and valuable. Vipassana is a life art, a way of life. Although it is the essence of what the Buddha taught, it is No religion; It is rather cultivating human values which leads to a life that is good for ourselves and for others.

Why should I stay the full ten days?
Vipassana is taught step by step, every day a new step will be added towards the end of the retreat. If you leave prematurely, you will not get the full instruction and therefore will not give yourself the opportunity to let it work. By meditating in-depth, the student also puts a process in in motion that satisfies completion of the course. Interruption of the process of completion is not recommended.

Is it dangerous to leave the class prematurely?
What matters is that, with premature departure, you are deficient. You don't give yourself the opportunity to learn the full technique and you will not successfully apply it in daily life. You also interrupt the process half way instead of completing it. By going home one or two days before, you will waste all of your invested time.

And on the tenth day, when speaking is allowed again and serious meditation stops? Can I leave?
The tenth day is a very important transition to normal life. It is not allowed to leave on that day until the program is finished.

Experiences

It's just a week since I came back from my 10 days silence vipassana meditation retreat. Words like sex, health pain, glory, calm and a few kilos lighter describes my experience very nicely. Since I'm still in the middle of the bliss of the retreat, I have time to share my experience.

Background Vipassana Meditation

Before i speak about my own experience, I would like to share some background Information with you. Vipassana literally means "seeing things like they really are, "it is one of India's oldest meditation techniques". More than 2,500 years ago it was rediscovered by Gautama the Buddha, it became an universal remedy for universal ailments, as * The art of living *. This non-sectarian technique aims at the total elimination of mental impurities and that results in the highest form of happiness (bliss) and complete liberation. Healing - not just the healing of diseases, but the essential healing of all human suffering is the goal of it. So you can really see it as a course to learn to focus much more on and to live in it now. This course can be done by anyone with any or no religious background.

My experience

Once arrived at a beautiful quiet location we had to check in. I noticed that I was clearly asked again not to leave within the 10 days. This was also mentioned during the online registration. It couldn't be so hard right? After placing my luggage on the room I participated in the introduction meeting where we could still talk. From the start of the retreat we were obliged to adhere to the following rules:
- Refraining from killing any living being
- Refraining from stealing
- Refraining from all sexual activities
- Refraining form lieing
- Refraining from alcohol and drugs

In addition, noble silence was required which means not to communicate for 10 days. No talking, looking at eachother, write, read etc. Ultimately, that was still the easiest of the whole retreat.

Our days consisted of a strict daily schedule.

Day 1 was the to get up at 4:00. Pfffff that's dfficult, but fortunately, I'm a morning person so I did not really think that was a problem. We gathered in the meditation hall and we had to repeat a number of things which we had to stick to during most of this retreat. And again our teacher asked us not the leave the retreat prematurely...strange...

At the start of day 2, I understood why they made us promise three times not to leave. That's because after the first day of Vipassana meditation you get an incredible amount of physical pain, which leaves only 1 thing on your mind and that is: LEAVE. In addition, you notice that it is so difficult to focus on your breathing because your thoughts constantly go in every direction. And the days seem to take so long because of the rhythm of the schedule: sleep, meditate, eat Etc etc.

Day 3 was the start of a special experience. From that moment I was constantly thinking about sex. At other courses I have heard that when you have sex with someone you have an energetic bond with someone for three years. Then you think well that sounds plausible. Well in 10 days your whole sex life over the last 3 years will pass by. The same applies to movies you watched. You mix everything in your thoughts. An interview with the teacher gave insight. He told that your body works as a hard drive. Everything you do, watch, communicate is saved. If you do not save any new input in those 10 days, everything comes by again. I love such simple metaphors.

Day 4 was the start of the Adhitthana sessions. This is also called a session with strong determination. This means you spend an hour sitting in complete stillness. A big challenge because after half an hour you actually want to move your leg, foot or something else. The purpose of this session is creating more determination and sharpness of mind. Every day there were 3 of these sessions. If you read it like this it sounds difficult. however, I found it the most enjoyable session every day. You really could go deep into the meditation and being less distracted with thoughts.

From day 5/6 I noticed that I was getting in rhythm more and more. In addition, the chaos of constant thoughts became less and I became sharper on experiencing the sensations. When I tell others I think it sounds strange but with my mind i walked like a barcode scanner over along my body and could sense sensations all the time. Important here is to remain silent. So do not adhere to the pleasant sensations and do not create any aversion to the painful sensations. Like everything in life things come and they go. Those nice sensations can also be compared to light shocks on your body. Others I spoke went all from their spinal cord to their brain. I know it sounds crazy but realize that I'm down to earth in this area. I see myself as a researcher and try to look at these things sober and neutral.

The rest of the days you get more and more in your rhythm of vipassana meditation because your focus is improving. The silence in your head and the delicious tight regime worked somewhat addictive for me. 

On day 10 you can speak again so that you gradually get used to 'real life'. Pfffffffffff that hit me hard. Astonishedly I was looking to the clouds. Then someone spoke to me  "how did you have it? " and then you slowly come back on this planet and you can share your experiences with each other. What is funny is that many experiences you thought were crazy were also experienced by others.

Conclusion
A fantastic experience that I would do again without a doubt. Yes you experience unpleasant sensations, however, creating so much focus and silence leaves you wanting more. In my daily practice of MindfulnessvMeditation, I also apply techniques from this experience. Whether these 10 days are suitable for everybody, I don't know. If you ask me honestly, I think that some people are so much up in their minds that mindfulness meditation is more accessible.


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Investment

Your investment for this exceptional full board 10-day retreat is: € 1395,- per person.

Everyone will get their own bedroom with shower and toiler. The bed is already made and there is a towel present.

Sign up

You can sign up for the following dates;

10-day Vipassana (insight meditation) Retreat from 1 january - 11 january 2018

Sign up

There are also other dates this life-changing 10-day Vipassana Retreat will take place;

- 23 july - 02 august 2018 in Heerde, Veluwe

- 7 - 17 january 2019 in Heerde, Veluwe

01 - 10 august 2019 in Willibrord Monastery Doetinchem 

Way of paying

You can wiretransfer the amount to the bankaccount noted in your confirmation e-mail after you have signed up.

If you are in possession of a dutch Bank account, you can pay through iDeal. After you've signed up you will receive an automatic confirmation email in which the payment details and an iDeal payment link is included. If you can, please try to pay with iDeal as it diminishes the administration time. Using iDeal will automatically process your payment. If it's not possible you can wire transfer the amount. See the bank-details on the invoice or watch under my website/contactdetails. Many thanks.

Click on the Sign up button to proceed to the sign up form.