Vipassana Prep: Do you think they will have giant bean bags at the monastery?

In the mornings, I wake up to meditate and quickly sink in to my giant cow print bean bag. It's my favourite thing! Hmm - sadly, perhaps they won't have these in Thailand at the monastery!

So, this morning - day seven of my more serious attempt at preparing for a 10 day silent retreat of 10 hours of meditation per day starting at 4am (!) I thought I better try with just an ordinary pillow (i.e. tiny in comparison!). For some reason the picture doesn't want to rotate!

So far, the week has been really good. I have extended to 1.5 hours starting at 6am and have been really surprised by how alert I have felt all day despite getting up early. I've always been an early person but usually, any earlier than 6.45 and I feel really tired all day. Doing the meditation seems to make me feel really alert instead. I think one of the reasons though is a bit like when you wake up to go on holiday. Even though you are catching a bus at 3am - it is easy to get up because you are going somewhere nice. I feel a bit like that with the meditation - not that the thought of getting up at 4am and meditating for 10 hours will be 'nice' or by any means a holiday - but more that I feel determined and sure that the preparation is necessary to get the most out of the experience and be able to do it (without just feeling like crap for waking up so early and not talking to anyone!).

I have struck by the fact that I know when the time will be up. I can sense when 40 mins is over and when I am nearly done at 90 mins. It is weird how you can quickly tell how much time has passed. So far - for those who are interested in the 'technique', I am doing breathing focus for about 40 mins and then the body scan for about 40 mins. At the beginning of starting the longer practice, earlier in the morning I started nodding off a few times but the last few days I have been pretty awake. But yes, my wind is wandering all over the shop most of the time!

Next week, I start two hours in the morning starting at 5.45 or 5.30am. One of the biggest challenges though - shamefully to say - is putting down my phone. I love my phone! And I love all of my apps. And I am constantly on it. I think it is almost easier to get up at 5.30 and meditate for two hours than not look at my phone for a day! So...dread I say it, from next week I need to start reducing my addiction to my phone. Ouch. But at the same time - how ridiculous!