On this 3rd day, my mind is a bit calmer. Such a huge change in lifestyle. It’s not yet 11am, and I’ve been awake for 7 hours. Whereas just 3 days ago, 11am is the time I got out of bed. It seems that the 6 hours of sleep are sufficient, because I feel fine during the day and do not take naps.

I did the laundry by hand and hung the clothes on the clothesline between the 2 big oak trees outside of my room. It’s so quiet here, except for the birds singing and the gong strike to mark the start and end of meditation time. I doubt I could be a nun. This is way too strict, too calm, too quiet for me. Noble silence, absolute refrain from all kinds of communication, to attain mental silence. There is no reading materials, no newspaper, no magazines. The place is so serious about cleansing our minds, they remove all possible mind pollutants and influences. Eyes cast down during walks, in dining hall, everywhere so we can’t even communicate through glances.

I wonder what would become of me after the 10 days here. Will my hair turn all white? Whose mind will I have? Hopefully still mine, and not Buddha’s. Will I become happier and enjoy every way I can out of this life? Or will I possess the pessimistic view of the existentialist knowing that life is just an illusion of the see-er?