Fifth night I spent under the Bodhi tree meditating.
Usually they charge extra if you want to stay back at night to meditate under the tree, yesterday the temple monk gave permit without me having to pay - a gift!
I was alone this time, Olga in the hotel room tonight. Initially the sitting was very uncomfortable and I kept fidgeting, mosquitoes and general discomfort and I had to keep changing posture. I sat at 9 pm and opened my eyes at 12 pm to discover they had lighted one big light and the place was covered in mist. Closed my eyes and continued, wondering why am uncomfortable today (it still did not register it is getting quite cold).
I got up and left the shawl on the seat and walked around the temple, felt better, but as soon as I sat down I met agitation, picked my phone and found the metal part unusually cold. Hmm :)
Regardless, I kept meditating watching the discomfort of the body with calm in my mind. Soon mist began to condense into big drops, making everything wet. Like the Bodhi tree was dropping tears of karuna and metta. Open my eyes again to find monks walking around the tree unaffected by the cold and drew inspiration to continue(some Thai monks take up the practice of never lying down), another Thai laywoman sitting motionless in a white cotton saree. Sometimes, all you need to finish a task is guts!
Seeing the Thai woman, I was almost ashamed of my warm comfortable clothes. Continued my work calmly. In the morning I felt something opened eyes again to find the concerned watchman there taking stock if all meditators were alright after the sudden turn of weather. My face came out of the hood of my jacket smiling, he was relieved. He asked me why didnt I use a mosquito net - "Dont need it", I smiled and reply.
It was a tough night for all of us, evoked a sense of mutual love and support as all meditators worked together in silence for the whole night ... and the morning was most beautiful ever. A monk stopped and gifted me a Bodhi leaf from the tree in the morning.
I could easily pass a few days with very little sleep, and have never felt better.
When the mind is that calm, you need next to no sleep.
As you progress in meditation, you can forget about 'strong' experiences, welcome to the sphere of the subtle :)
