My Vipassana Experience in Ladakh: Free food and accomodation? Sign me up!

This time last year, I was at the altitude of 5000m of the “Land of High Passes” or Ladakh, a region in the Indian Himalayas known for its stunning landscapes that reflects its harsh environment. During my stay there, not gonna lie, there were more than 10 times I secretly hoped for a strike or some natural disasters to hit the place, so that I could flee! Everything is much more complicated, but let me walk you through slowly: the Vipassana course. 

Me literally freezing from the cold in Ladakh

During my travels, one of the most transformative experiences was my 10-day Vipassana meditation course at Dhamma Laddha Vipassana Meditation Center. The experience was initially bizarre and overwhelming, but ultimately, it left me with a lasting and entrenching impact.

A Vipassana course involves spending up to 10 hours a day meditating for 10 consecutive days. Participants are required to abstain from alcohol, tobacco, phones, books, or even speaking. All aspects of the course, including accommodation and food, are provided free of charge thanks to donations from old students (those who have sat at least for 1 course). This makes Vipassana accessible to people from all walks of life.

I first heard about Vipassana while staying at Jawaharlal Nehru University, from a PhD friend who couldn't stop raving about its miraculous effects. To be honest, the only thing that initially caught my attention was the promise of free food and accommodation. As a broke backpacker, the idea of not having to worry about food or lodging for 10 days was incredibly appealing. I did apply that time, but unfortunately, I had to cancel it later on due to an overlap in schedule. I then also returned home, leaving Vipassana courses a story of the past. 

A few months later, while attending an advocacy training in Thailand, my mind kept wandering back to the Vipassana course. Impulsively, I decided to register, even before fully considering the implications. I then had to cancel again, not the course, but the traveling itinerary with mom, for the course. And on October 14th, I already found myself at Ladakh airport, bedazzled. 

While there were many locations offering Vipassana courses, I chose Ladakh because I had never been there before. Growing up near the beach, the thought of experiencing a cold desert was incredibly appealing and exciting. The allure of exploring such a unique and beautiful landscape, combined with the promise of free food and lodging, was too much to resist!

Even as I signed the commitment form and handed over my electronic devices, all I had in my mind was the exhilaration to experience nature and see new people. It wasn't until I read the course agenda that something started to crack: why are there so many hours of meditation? Regardless, I reassured myself, “They surely will spice things up to make it less boring, otherwise people would have left, right?”

No, I was wrong, tremendously. 

Soon after the end of day 1, I learned that we truly spent 8+ hours a day for meditation. Just sitting, closing our eyes and focusing on our breath! Meals were served at specific times, and activities were signaled by a gong. To some extent, the experience felt like a military. Spiritual one. 

Surprisingly enough, I adapted to the routine much quicker than I thought. Even during the first few days, when boredom and unfamiliarity are often cited as challenges, I hardly found any difficulties in sitting and focusing on the area down my nose. It's worth noting that I was a complete novice and not the typical type of person you'd expect to find at a meditation center: reckless and always so impulsive with new ideas! This is to say, Vipassana course really doesn’t discriminate against anyone. 

Thanks to such stubbornness, my tears burst out of my physical body on day 6th, when I finally learned how to sweep through my body with consciousness. The experience was weird and definitely surged beyond any words or description. I can simply say that for the very first time, it dawned on me the amount of trauma my body had endured, carrying all the pain I had abandoned and forgotten. It had suffered so much, and so had I. 

In the following days, the experience became somewhat easier, although I occasionally found myself desperately hoping for an excuse to leave, such as a natural disaster or a strike. However, as luck would (or not) have it, such didn’t happen and I successfully persevered through the entire 10-day course, which felt like an eternity.

Look how happy I am!!!

On the final day, when we were allowed to speak, I quickly made very good friends with Shruti and Sizo. I was sitting right next to Shruti for the whole course, sensing something so eerie yet so relatable and connecting about this girl. I came up and revealed this with her, and to my surprise, Shruti was also a backpacker and felt the exact same way about me! Then, Sizo came by in a random talk, and we three became an inseparable trio for the rest of the evening and the following morning. We have yet to meet again, but still remained in contact and followed each other's journey via Instagram. 

At the age of 19, I would never believe to have completed by myself a meditation course in one of the highest-altitude locations in the world. The experience was somehow familiar enough to revoke lots of forgotten memories, but also so promising that it heralded the beginning of my journey with Vipassana and meditation. Ultimately, the most significant aspect of the course was my newfound belief in myself and my senses. As I continue to practice mindfulness in my daily life, I am gaining a deeper understanding of spiritual practices with humility and consciousness.

And that’s how traveling has opened up one of my many doors. 

It’s not weird at all that when I’m in, I want to get out. But now I’m about to get out, I just don’t want to anymore!! (Pic: Our last meal together)

If you're interested in trying Vipassana, I highly recommend doing so as soon as possible. Vipassana centers are now located worldwide, and you can easily reserve a spot on their websites. For more information, please visit the following link: https://www.dhamma.org/en/index.

Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu.