Noble Silence

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I did it. I know some doubted... but I did it.

Vipassana meditation school, 10 days of no talking, reading, writing, or eye contact. Just 10 hours of meditating a day. Folks... I don't know if you are aware, but I am absolutely insane. Spend just 10 days alone in my head and you'll know just what I mean. Signs that lead me to the awareness of my insanity:

1. I had internal dialogue with a papaya

2. By day 4 I actually prayed for malaria

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3. My room mates were 2 hairy caterpillars named Pete & Pete, with whom I discussed politics via telepathy.

4. I tried 3 times to jump from my own skin(unsuccessfully)

5. I named every living animal I came across including; homeslice and lil' dude the frogs, freaky deaky the spider, and toby the lizard who feasts on the roaches near my bed.

When I arrived I noticed I was sharing my bathroom with 2 cockroaches the size of raffle tickets. By day 3 I could take no more, I ripped up some paper, soaked it in bugspray and stuffed up their hidey-hole. I then spent the rest of the day in the meditation hall trying not to laugh aloud at the word "hidey-hole."

sunrise on the last day of Vipassana
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You would not believe the things that were still wandering about inside my head. I had events from elementary school come up. It was really hard... really hard, but honestly one of the best things I've ever done for myself.

By the last day I was SO excited to pick up my things. I was surrounded by mountains and butterflies, my head felt clear and my body felt clean. I put my i-pod in and trusted it to break my silence, Louis Armstrong "What a wonderful world" came on and I almost burst.

freaky deaky
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All of these women seemed like old friends to me though we had never spoken, I was told atleast 15 times that I look like a doll. At the end I took a van ride through Igatpuri. I was sitting in the back with chattering giggling Indian women in Salwar Kameez, mountains were rolling past my window, sacred cows were grazing, women were carrying pots on their heads. I thought to myself that this can't get any better, then the driver turned on some Indian breakbeats with beautiful vocals laid over, and it did.

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Bathrooms in India suck... there I said it. Before the train ride home I really had to go. The bathroom was basically a closet with tile floors, no door, and a hole in the ground. I don't know how men do it, but I struggled to get business done with a group of old indian woman watching the act. In the end I left embarassed, confused, and with a soaked left pant leg. Do you know what I miss? Throwing toilet paper in the toilet, none of this wrapping it in newspaper and putting it in the trash. In fact, if you are reading this then do me a favor; Go into the nearest bathrom, rip off a single square of toilet paper, and drop it in the toilet.... for me.