I was extremely nervous.
My First Experience at the Youth Retreat.
By Sadun Bimsara
This year was my first time attending the Young Retreat at the Georgia
Buddhist Vihara. I’ll be honest — I was extremely nervous. The idea of stepping
away from my daily routine to spend four full days at the temple was daunting.
At the same time, I was excited. This was something new — something unknown. My
emotions were conflicted, and even as I was packing, I wasn’t sure if I had
made the right decision. But I told myself, “Even if everything goes wrong, I
can still treat this experience as something to learn from.” And with that
mindset, I woke up at 5:00 a.m. on Saturday and set off.
Day 1: First Steps into the Unknown
As we drove closer to the temple, my heart began to pound. I didn’t know
what to expect, and that uncertainty made me anxious. Once we arrived, I headed
inside and waited for the others. I was handed a schedule, and the 4 a.m.
wake-ups immediately caught my attention — I had never consistently gotten up
that early before, and I worried I’d oversleep.
After everyone arrived, we had an orientation where we learned the Eight
Precepts, which include:
- Abstaining from killing living
beings
- Abstaining from taking what is
not given
- Abstaining from sensual
misconduct
- Abstaining from false speech
- Abstaining from intoxicants
- Abstaining from eating at
improper times
- Abstaining from entertainment and
beautification
- Abstaining from luxurious beds
and seats
Saying goodbye to my family afterward felt emotional. Then we moved into
our first class — meditation instruction — followed by lunch. During the work
period, we helped clean around the stupa. Later, we practiced walking
meditation with Bhante Deepankara, barefoot on the grass and pavement.
It felt strange at first, but I would soon understand the purpose.
As the day ended, I prepared my sleeping bag on the wooden floor.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t as uncomfortable as I feared. I had some trouble
falling asleep at 9 p.m., but I was reassured knowing one of the uncles was
staying with us to ensure we got up on time. Though still a bit anxious, I felt
more at ease going into Day 2.
Day 2: Settling In
Waking up at 4 a.m. was tough. I remember just sitting there after the
alarm went off, trying to convince myself to get up. But we needed to be
downstairs by 5. We started with candlelight meditation, led by Bhante
Wajirabuddhi. Even though I had meditated before, doing it at the temple
felt different — more peaceful, more focused. It’s hard to explain, but the
atmosphere made a big difference.
After breakfast (which, like every meal at the retreat, was delicious),
we practiced Vipassana meditation and mindfulness. Later, guest speaker Justin
Howell taught us about managing social media use. He introduced the Pomodoro
Technique — 25 minutes of work followed by a 5-minute break — and it’s
something I’ve continued to use since.
In the afternoon, we did fun Dhamma activities that challenged our
thinking. By the end of the day, I was so tired that I fell asleep quickly.
Day 3: New Awareness
By now, the early mornings had become a bit more manageable. During
walking meditation with Bhante Deepankara, I noticed something fascinating —
how my toes would curl slightly for grip each time I took a step. It was such a
subtle movement, yet it made me realize how much our bodies do silently to help
us move and stay balanced. Meditation was helping me become more mindful, not
just in thought, but physically as well.
That day, I also helped clean the kitchen during our work period, which
made me appreciate the behind-the-scenes effort that goes into making the
retreat run smoothly.
Day 4: Bittersweet Farewell
Waking up on the last day felt bittersweet. I had grown to enjoy the
peaceful rhythm of life at the temple, and I was surprised at how fast the four
days had gone. During our final candlelight meditation, we also did
indoor walking meditation. Personally, I found outdoor walking meditation more
effective — I felt more focused and connected to my surroundings.
To end the retreat, we had a long and fascinating Q&A session
with Bhante Deepankara and Bhante Kondanna. It lasted nearly
three hours, and although I got sleepy a few times, I was deeply engaged. The
questions and answers sparked my interest in Buddhism in a way I hadn’t felt
before. Even though I was raised Buddhist, this was the first time I felt a
real connection to its deeper teachings, especially concepts like reincarnation,
enlightenment, and understanding suffering.
Final Thoughts
To anyone considering the Young Retreat, I can’t recommend it enough.
Whether you’re Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, or follow another faith — or
none at all — you’ll gain something valuable from this experience. It’s a
chance to step away from your normal life, reflect deeply, and learn in a
peaceful, supportive environment.
For me, the retreat wasn’t just a religious event — it was a chance to
become more mindful, more present, and more aware of both the world and myself.
Thank you to everyone who helped make it such a memorable experience.
