In short: a 10-day silent retreat is about ten hours of meditation a day, from a 4 am bell to 9 pm, in noble silence: no talking, phones, reading or writing. Days 2 and 6 are often the hardest. The courses in the S. N. Goenka tradition are free and run on donations; most beginners finish and find it worth it.
What does a typical day look like?
Schedules vary by centre, but a common 10-day timetable looks like this:
- 4:00 wake-up bell
- 4:30 to 6:30 meditation
- 6:30 breakfast and rest
- 8:00 to 11:00 meditation, including a group sitting
- 11:00 lunch, rest, and time to ask the teacher questions
- 13:00 to 17:00 meditation
- 17:00 tea break (new students often get fruit)
- 18:00 to 19:00 group meditation
- 19:00 evening talk
- 20:15 to 21:00 meditation, then rest
Read the full guide
What are the rules?
- Noble silence: no speaking, gestures or eye contact with other students until the last day. You can speak to the teacher and the course manager.
- No devices or reading: phones, books and notebooks are handed in at the start.
- Precepts: no killing, stealing, sexual activity, lying or intoxicants. Men and women are usually kept apart.
- Simple food: vegetarian meals, and often no solid food after midday for returning students.
- Stay for the whole course: you agree to stay all ten days.
What is taught?
Most 10-day vipassana courses start with three or more days of watching the breath at the nostrils to steady the mind. Then they move to vipassana, insight meditation: observing sensations through the body with equanimity, seeing that they arise and pass away. The last day usually brings loving-kindness (metta) practice and the end of silence.
You can try a short 1-minute breathing practice or metta meditation at home first.
What do the hard days feel like?
Expect sore knees and back for the first few days, a busy mind, and waves of boredom, doubt or old memories. Many people find day 2 and day 6 the hardest. This is normal. Ask the teacher at the midday question time, change your sitting posture or use a cushion or chair, and take it one sitting at a time.
How much does it cost?
Courses in the S. N. Goenka tradition are free, including food and lodging. At the end you may give a donation for future students. Other insight retreat centres usually charge for food and lodging, often on a sliding scale, plus an optional donation (dana) to the teacher.
How should I prepare?
- Sit for 10 to 20 minutes a day for a few weeks before.
- Cut down caffeine, sugar and screens in the last week.
- Pack loose, modest clothes, a warm layer, slip-on shoes and earplugs.
- Tell family how to reach the centre in an emergency.
- Be honest on the application form about physical and mental health.
Full packing list: what to bring to a meditation retreat.
Where can I do a 10-day retreat?
The S. N. Goenka centres at dhamma.org run 10-day courses on every continent. For other insight centres that welcome English speakers, see our list of vipassana and insight meditation centres, or the full directory. If you would rather join monastery life than a course, read how to stay at a Buddhist monastery.
Questions people ask
Is a 10-day silent retreat free?
The 10-day courses in the S. N. Goenka tradition are free, including food and lodging, and run on donations from past students. Other retreat centres usually charge, often on a sliding scale.
Can a beginner do a 10-day silent retreat?
Yes. Most 10-day courses are designed for beginners and teach the method from the first day. It helps to build a short daily sitting habit beforehand.
What is the hardest day of a 10-day retreat?
Many people find days 2 and 6 the hardest: the first because of physical discomfort and a restless mind, the second when the novelty has gone. It usually eases after.
Can I leave a silent retreat early?
You can, but courses ask you to commit to the full ten days, because the method builds day by day. If you have serious health concerns, tell the course manager.