My Meditation Journey Thus Far

          The part of this class that most captures my attention is the mediation part. It seems so easy, yet it is so hard to remain focused and redirect my incoming thoughts back to the rise and fall of my abdomen with every breath. My only experience with mediation is lying on my mat after a session of yoga. I found that post-yoga mediation comes easily to me as I was already in a stretched out, calm and relaxed state of mind. I had already spent an hour focusing on my breath. This part of my yoga practice has always been one of my favorites. When we had to mediate as part of class here in Thailand, however, it was much more difficult to get into my element. I think it is because I am so used to mediating after yoga that any other way was just hard to get used to. I also haven’t been fully relaxed and stretched out, not to mention that sitting cross-legged in the lotus pose with a straight back was extremely difficult at 9 am.

            I have heard many benefits to meditation and wished to learn more about this practice, so I participated in Monk Chat at Wat Suan Dok Wednesday evening. The monk I spoke with gave me a brief overview of two different styles of mediation they practice, concentration mediation and insight meditation. Concentration mediation produces strong mindfulness and purifies the mind, which is said to lead to happiness. The main focus of this style is on breathing and how the abdomen rises and falls with each breath. The four most common poses of concentration mediation are sitting, standing, walking and lying down. Insight meditation is the other style practiced. There are four foundations of mindfulness in insight meditation. They are contemplation of body, feeling, mind and matter, and dharma/nature. For the first foundation, contemplation of body, we are supposed to observe, notice and analyze every feeling and sensation that we feel on our body. For the second foundation, contemplation of feeling, we are to focus on the feelings we observe during normal everyday activities. For the third, contemplation of mind and matter, we are to try to understand what we think and feel in order to fully understand our mind. And in the final, fourth foundation, contemplation of dharma/nature, we are to try and understand the impermanent. The intangible come and go and we have to try to understand them such as the nature of our feelings or mental states. Insight mediation is more of an ongoing, life long practice and teaches us to be mindful of anything and everything. Concentration mediation is more of a practice in the moment.

             I also asked the monk his thoughts on the benefits of mediation. He replied that meditation produces strong health and good karma. The anecdote he shared described a man who had cancer at a relatively young age. He had a wife and kids that he could not bare to leave behind, so he went to seek help for his disease. He went to a temple to see a monk, and was told that he had to meditate. After two years of practice, his cancer miraculously disappeared and the man went on to live a long and healthy life. Good karma also comes with meditation. The monk I spoke to at Monk Chat stated that in this world, there is good, bad and purifying the mind by mediation. Purifying the mind produces good karma, which leads to a better next life. Buddhists believe that everyone is reborn until we have reached enlightenment, or nirvana. Once this is obtained, the rebirthing process ceases and we no longer suffer. Although nirvana is the goal of all Buddhists, especially monks, it is very hard to obtain. The monk told us that only three types of people who reach nirvana, the Buddha, monks, and the future Buddha. There is no direct path to enlightenment; all we can do is practice mediation.

Many studies have also discussed the phenomenal effects of mediation, specifically on attention. Attention can be improved from as little as four days of mediation training for twenty minutes per day (Zeidan, Johnson, Diamond, David & Goolkazian, 2010). http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezp2.lib.umn.edu/science/article/pii/S1053810010000681 Within just four days of practice, participants showed significant improvements on visuo-spatial processing, working memory and executive function. The training also enhanced ability to maintain attention compared to a control group. The experimental group also had increased mindfulness scores when compared to the controls. Mindfulness is gained by the balanced between a relaxed and hard working mind as it works to redirect attention back to the breath and practice when other thoughts wander into the mind.

Another way this study supports meditation’s benefit to attention is that the experimental group also had decreased rate in attentional blink. Attentional blink is a phenomenon where when a series of rapidly changing stimuli are presented and someone is to identify a target, the second target is usually missed due to a blink if it follows the first target within 500 milliseconds. With the decreased attentional blink with the practioners, and not the controls, this leads us to believe that mediation does have a positive effect on attention. Moore and Malinowski, 2009 http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezp1.lib.umn.edu/science/article/pii/S1053810008001967 also found similar results in reduced attentional blink with meditators. In addition, experienced meditators had decreased Stroop Task interference. The Stroop Task has been a famous test in the field of psychology focusing on attention and reaction time.  In this task, individuals have to either identify a color word, or the color in which the word is presented. In this experiment, there were three Stroop Task conditions, congruent, where the colors and the words matched up, neutral, where the words were not color words, but common English nouns, and incongruent, where the word color and actual word did not match up. The experimenters were only interested in the results from the incongruent condition, due to the attentional aspects that were important for accuracy.

Kozasa, Sato, Lacerda, Barreiros, Radvany, Russell, Sanches, Mello and Amaro Jr., 2012, http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezp1.lib.umn.edu/science/article/pii/S1053811911007531  also conducted a study using the Stroop Task. Instead of measuring interference, they had participants in an fMRI machine while performing the task to identify brain activation. They found that non-meditators had greater brain activity than meditators for the incongruent condition. This illustrates meditators learned to be more efficient because fewer brain regions needed to be activated for the same task in order to achieve the same performance as novices.

All three studies illustrate the benefits of meditation on cognitive function, especially attention. For some practioners, it may be difficult to notice these changes, as they are subtle and usually hardly noticeable. However, after returning from the meditation retreat, I did notice some slight changes in myself. I definitely have become more mindful and grateful for everything I have and all my experiences, especially those in Thailand. Chanting before mediation, paying homage to the Triple Gems and then chanting before meals has really made me realize that for most of my life, I have taken lots for granted. I never really took the time to appreciate what I have and those around me until this retreat.

            The meditation retreat was a lot different that I expected it to be, granted I did not know what to expect, but I found it to be relaxing and enjoyed all the time I had to reflect. It was a lot easier for me to focus and meditate on the retreat than when we have been practicing as a class in the hotel. I felt more comfortable and relaxed in the calming and beautiful environment provided to us. It was helpful that the monks guided us through our practice and encouraged us to mediate in whichever position came easiest to us. Phra Kavi Piya was so insightful and wise, which really inspired me to continue my meditation practice beyond the retreat and stay in Thailand.

 

Journey into the Golden Triangle and Hall of Opium

This journey began with an early morning departure to Ban Thoet Thai (the mountains in the heart of the Golden Triangle). Let's just say the ride up was a rough one, with the motion sickness and all. Our first big stop was at the Hall of Opium. This museum was funded by the Queen to educate the public about the Golden Triangle's history with opium. When we entered the museum, we walked through a tunnel which was supposed to simulate an opium high. Although I do not know what it would feel like, I didn't think it did a very accurate interpretation of it. I found it interesting that there were warped faces carved into the walls of the tunnel to portray all the souls that were lost due to opium dependence. 
 

This illustrates very well that drugs have power and control over the users and abusers. Once an individual is hooked onto drugs, they lose their self control and surrender it to the drug. They are destructive in the way that they chemically change neurotransmission in the brain such as GABA and dopamine (DA) receptors, and through that, affect physiological functions and actions as well. 

As we discussed in class, when there is no learning, dopamine levels are stable, however, when learning and wanting is present, there is an increase in dopamine transmission. In terms of addiction, the user over time wants more and more of that drug, which increases DA and leads to a pleasurable euphoric rush that is highly addictive. People learn that taking drugs increases DA levels and in turn produces pleasurable feelings, which is how they become addicted. This is how addiction hijacks the brain into thinking that it needs more drugs to produce the effect. This is the power of the downward spiral of addiction has on users. 

The Hall of Opium was more educational and inspirational than I had thought it would have been, it went beyond my expectations. It was cool to see all the opium paraphernalia such as the pipes and pillows. I would find the "pillows" quite uncomfortable as they were made out of porcelain. The purpose for this was to keep the head cool while smoking. 

Opium pillows

Opium pipes

The one display that everyone found unforgettable was the one with the stories of celebrities who suffered greatly and passed away due to their uncontrollable addictions. Because of their celebrity status, we feel like we know a lot about them and feel closer to them, so reading about their personal battles hits close to home and holds a powerful influence to not end up like that.

After our visit to the Hall of Opium, we took a boat tour down the Mae Kok River in the Golden Triangle.  This river divides Thailand, Laos and Myanmar/Burma. We stopped briefly in Laos to see the differences between their border and that of Thailand's. 

It was very evident that Laos is a poorer nation and portrayed by the number of beggar kids. It was a sad sight to see, but it was obviously a prevalent enough occurrence that there were signs posted informing visitors to not give money to the kids because it would promote begging which would instill the never ending poverty struggle in lesser fortunate countries. It was also important to resist temptation to offer money because as soon as one child received money, all the other kids would swarm around the generous donor, as illustrated by Tai's account. 

This depiction shows power in a two different ways. The first is the power of giving money. The person with the money is more powerful with people who don't. We have power over the child beggars because we have money and they don't, but the child who received money from Tai is also viewed as more powerful than the children who didn't receive any. This creates a hierarchy in their village and the children who are able to beg for more money are seen as better than those who don't have any. The other illustration of power is the power of groups. Once one beggar gets money, all the others swarm over to the donor in hopes of also getting some money. If there are more kids swarming around an individual for money, it is harder to resist all of those little kids. The kids know that this might be a better chance for them to get some, so they use their numbers as a powerful persuasion tool. 

More experiences to come... but for now, enjoy these pictures of the more fun side of Thailand :)

Flower festival at the Hill Tribe Museum

Condoms and Cabbages :P

Tiger Kingdom!

Ayutthaya on New Year's

I was disappointed when I found out we were going to be in Ayutthaya for New Year's Eve/Day instead of Bangkok, but once again, it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. One of the pros to Ayutthaya was that our hotel offered free wifi in the lobby! It was such a pain having to pay for limited internet in Bangkok. The part of the city where we stay was relatively new and still pretty rural. Our group was a little worried about how our New Year's Eve plans were going to play out, but with 22 college students studying abroad in Thailand... we can always make some fun. Needless to say we rang in the new year with a bang.

Most of the group after dinner on NYE

New Year's Day is a national holiday in Thailand, many Buddhists spend all day at temples paying homage to the Buddha in hopes of having a happy and lucky new year. We visited the Bang Pa-In Palace, a royal palace complex first constructed in the 1600s. It was later reconstructed in the 1800s by King Rama IV. He also ordered to add more buildings and monuments. Most of those standing today were built in the late 1800s. 

For all the temples and palaces we've visited so far, conservative dress was required. Knees and shoulders had to be covered for religious purposes and shows respect. At some places, more conservative can be "rented" such as shirts, pants, and long sarongs/skirts. This portrays the importance of respect for authority figures and most importantly, purity. Shoes had to taken off before entering temples. Shoes and the bottom of feet are seen as dirty or impure, so it is a serious offense to point the bottoms of feet at any Buddha statues. While at Wat Tham Krabok, Reed got yelled at by a monk because of this very offense. Needless to say, we all learned that lesson very quickly and it has not happened since. 

I guess our leggings were not as modest as we thought they would be... Emily, Erin and I had to wear the rental skirts while touring the palace

Specific guidelines to follow while entering temples

There is a lot of respect for the the King here in Thailand. Currently reigning is Rama IX, pictures of him are on every street, it is very hard to miss. He is seen as head of the state, however, he is just a symbolic leader and has limited power, much like the Queen of England. The people still see very highly of him and it is very offensive to bad-mouth the King and Royal family. The clothing guidelines illustrate the power King Rama IX holds over the Thai people and how the people are loyal to their leader. 

After the palace tour, we took a boat ride along the river. I noticed a very clear power struggle within the city. There were shanties next to larger mansion-like residences next to temples. There were no clear-cut neighborhoods dividing rich and poor and it seemed to be that people built where ever they could find land. The newer, better buildings keep on developing, while there are still older, more run down residences. 

Power struggles are still very apparent in Thai society today and are portrayed in our studies in the drug history of the Golden Triangle....which we are visiting tomorrow... so until next time!

Wat Tham Krabok

Wat Tham Krabok has been my favorite place we have visited thus far. It is known for its drug rehabilitation program. We received information about the rehab process, which includes 5 days of detoxification through drinking a secret potion (only the abbot and the pharmacist knows the recipe) made of over 100 ingredients. The potion is ingested once followed by lots of water and then vomiting until all the contents in the stomach are empty, for five day. This detoxifies the body and mind from the harmful drugs and can be considered a way of conditioning the addicts to associate disgust with their drug. After the first five days, black pills and herbal tea are administered and is an element of purification of the treatment. The steam baths also offer the effect of purifying. These are put in effect for the rest of the time. The total treatment length is 15 days. Meditation is also an important aspect of the treatment. It helps with gaining control of the mind and most importantly, oneself. Control and self-discipline is what helps the clients continue to stay clean after they leave Wat Tham Krabok.

Addicts leaving the steam baths

One thing I found surprising was that the treatment and accommodation is free of charge, and the only thing that needs to be paid for is food. This is very different from treatment centers in the US, where rehab has to be paid for, and can add up to be very hefty expenses. 

After we were invited to watch the vomiting ritual, we go the chance to interact with some addicts and ask them questions about their experiences. They ones I spoke were all at different points in their treatment, ranging from two days to eleven days. They seemed optimistic about their experience and were convinced that were not going to return using drugs. Their word is to be taken with a grain of salt, but I do wish the best for every single one of them. 

Lava statues

We then took a short walk visiting different monuments on the grounds. Every thing was beautiful and most were hand made/sculpted/built by the monks themselves... pretty impressive! 

This monk built the school, where Hmong refugees stayed in the 1980s

Just meditating

I was so impressed with this visit and learned a lot of power and addiction. At first I was a bit skeptical about the treatment and how effective it would be. I guess there is no real way to keep track of the clients after they have finished treatment and left the facility. However, according to one of the monks, he estimated that about 20% who relapse. After hearing the explanation and justification for the process, I do believe that it may help addicts fully recover. There is a sense of empowering and putting power and control back into the lives of the people whose addiction took over their life. Through interacting with the monks, meditating and learning a lot of self-discipline, the addicts learn to take back control of their lives and hopefully be able to live a normal life again after leaving Wat Tham Krabok.

One Night in Bangkok

First Night in Bangkok with the Ladyboys

Upon arriving in Bangkok, I could instantly feel the culture seeping into my skin. After breakfast, Megan, Cara and I went exploring the streets of downtown Bangkok to find multiple street vendors and  little shrines all over the city. Seeing as it was the holidays, many locals filled the streets, visiting shrines and keeping up with traditions. 

Soon after our independent exploration, we started our tour of the capital city. Many of our visits included Wats (temples) and palaces. Our first visit was to Wat Phra Khew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), then to the Grand Palace and finally to Wat Po, which included the largest reclining Buddha  statue. 

Statues here are larger than life...for real

All the monuments were truly amazing and beautiful. I can honestly say I have never seen anything like that in my life! I knew Thailand had a large population of Buddist followers, but now after seeing all the temples, I realize how important it is for the Thai people. As a wise man once said, "You can't swing a dead cat without hitting one." Bangkok has a district/area that contains most of the city's temples. This is convenient for visiting many temples at one time. 

We ended the night by visiting the infamous Red Light District in Thailand (as hinted above in the first picture).  If you want stories, all you have to do is ask...

Arriving and Culture Shock

After a long and tiring 13 hour flight from Minneapolis to Tokyo and another 6 hour flight from Tokyo to Bangkok, I finally made it to my destination. We arrived around 11pm on Saturday exhausted and ready for bed after sitting for 19 hours.

I remember the bus ride from the airport to the hotel was relieving and exciting at the same time. There was so much to see in the city and so little time (we only got to spend the next day there and then another day on our way back). 

My first experience with culture shock happened even before we arrived in Bangkok. When we arrived at the airport in Tokyo and took a short bathroom break...toilets on the floor...that's all I have to say. I was not brave enough to try that one out. My second experience was when I finally got into my room at the Arnoma Hotel. As I unlocked the door to the room, I found my self reaching for light switches that didn't exist! To get light, we had to stick our key card into this slot to get light. To my surprise, you have to leave your key card in the slot, or else the lights will eventually all turn off automatically. It was also annoying how it had to be in the slot at the perfect angle, or else the lights would keep turning off. It definitely took a few times to get used to. 

Goodbye Snowy Minnesota, Hello Sunny Thailand

Just reppin' my Minnesota Pride en route to Thailand :)

Wow! I can't believe this day has finally come. I woke up extra early this morning to shower and do some last minute packing. Now I can't help but think I'm missing a million things. The trip is only 3 weeks long, but I feel like it'll seem like a lifetime. I'll for sure miss family and friends, but can't wait to bring back exciting stories to share! I'm just super excited to get out of the snow and into the sun! The weather in Bangkok and Chiang Mai this time of year is considered perfect for traveling, since it isn't as hot as it usually is but it's not too cool either. The highs for this week are in the 90s with up to 80% humidity! Ahh! I don't know if I'll get out alive but at least I won't be freezing here and maybe I'll even catch enough rays to work on my tan :) I have to say that I'm disappointed that we are only spending 2-3 days in Bangkok. There is so much to see and explore that I feel like I need weeks! Anyways... I'm about to leave for the airport, so until next time.... on the other side!