Originally posted by monoslayer:
whoa.. we all go through 2.5yrs of national service wanna die oreadi.. not to mention facing the wall of the cave for 3 hard years!!
We serve army just for the sick of heading govt legitimacy...not everyone serve army for shiok or enjoyment. haha...unless you are real patroit nationalist then nothing to say lah....haha...

however, isolation retreat is different. For those pure practitioners of vajrayana, they feel honoured and cherished the moments in their self retreat. In order to attain higher spirituality and reach deep samadhi absorption to tame our dualistic monkey's mind, going such retreat is neccessary where inside a cave or meditation hut, there is no radio, no PC, no TV internet etc....this is the very moment where we really have time to meditate on the nature of our mind n cut off temperorily from sensual distraction.

In retreat, they aren't sitting all the way inside cave. They have a sets of precepts and regular schedule to observe. They involves in different type of practises like water bowl offerings in morning, full prostration, offering tormas, mantras accumulations, physical Yoga practises etc. They will assigned an attendent to help them in daily needs like food n water supply. Food and water only inserted into the cave small opening and retreatants are not allowed to speak or chat more than a sentence to their attendent. Their guru will visit them occasionally to check on their accomplishment or any experiences. In fact retreatants have to do guru yoga daily so as to recieve their Guru's blessings...
practitioners also have to follow a set of rigid diets like no chilli food, no sharp utensils, luxury foods etc.
if retreatants are seriously ill or injury, they cannot continue the retreat anymore, they required to break the retreat door and seek for assistance. Unless retreatants vows till death, they have to continue the retreat until the last day. Some retreatants did that, but this is forbidden as human body is considered as precious rebirth.
After they completed 3 yrs 3 mths 3 days retreat, their attendent and teachers will visit them and doing some grand prayers to break open the retreat door. They will concluded the retreat with a fire puja to thanks giving the protectors and deities.
hence i briefly write out the retreat procedures for better understanding to all. Retreat isn't like NS torture..in fact it is an enjoyment of blissful experience. keke...
