If you’ve checked out a study room at ECC’s Library, chances are you have met Circulation Desk Specialist Anamika Dua. Earlier this year, the part-time student and mother of two left the front desk behind for ten days and attended a silent meditation retreat.

“It was like going on an adventure for my mind and heart,” said Dua. “During those days, I learned to be silent, not just with my words but also with my thoughts. I observed the sounds of nature, the feeling of my breath, and the thoughts in my mind.”

Dua attended her ten day course at the Dhamma Pakasa Vipassana Meditation Center located in Pecatonica, Illinois in May 2023. The program is free for first-time participants and runs on optional donations from returning students. 

“Every day, we followed a schedule that included meditation sessions, simple meals, and moments of reflection. The purpose of this meditation is to focus on yourself and go within,” said Dua. “So the first three days, you just sit and focus on your breath.”

According to the Illinois Vipassana Meditation Center, Vipassana meditation directs the participants attention inward and sets about a process of inner discovery through direct experience. 

Meditations began at 4:30 AM and ended at 9:00 PM. Participants were instructed to sit cross-legged for thirteen hours with breaks and avoid all communication and eye contact with one another. They were served breakfast consisting of tea, coffee and/or milk with fruits and cereals and one vegetarian meal daily at lunch. 

“The food was amazing. There was Hispanic, Indian, Italian, Greek and Lebanese food,” said Dua. “Their purpose is to have just one meal a day. They encouraged us not to overload on our food because when we eat a lot, we feel more tired and lethargic. I had a good appetite and I felt very light emotionally and physically.”

Dua began to face difficulties by the third and fourth days of her retreat.

“It’s a real challenge to even sit with one focused thought. Your body is just not ready, so you get it just at the physical level first,” said Dua. “But then on the fourth day, you realize it’s the emotional challenge that does not let you sit because you are not ready to look within. You are not ready to see what’s beyond your physical limits.”

Course instructors were available at the end of each day to provide support to participants. While demanding at first, Dua found profound calmness and clarity as she broke through and embraced the quiet.

“It was like taking a journey within myself. It’s a bliss; if speech was silver, silence was gold,” said Dua. “There were moments of stillness and moments of challenges, but each day brought a sense of growth. The silence allowed me to pay more attention to myself and the world around me.”

At the end of the tenth day, the participants were allowed to break their noble silence and speak to the men and women on their respective sides of the meditation hall. Dua noted school students, college students and young entrepreneurs in attendance.

“After I broke my silence, I really felt that I lost that gold, which I had accumulated over the nine days. It was really an amazing experience as I discovered that so many of the women here were successful in their careers,” said Dua. “My question to all of them was, why did they feel the need to come and attend this retreat? I learned that in every walk of life, no matter what race or gender, everyone is missing that thing in life.”

It was one of Dua’s friends that suggested she attend the Dhamma Pakasa retreat.

“I’ve been in practice for a very long time with all different kinds of meditations,” said Dua. “I googled it, read about it and I felt like ‘let’s go for this’. I had in the past read a lot about Buddha. I liked his principles and I think this is what I am going to practice for rest of my life.”

Attending the ten-day Vipassana meditation course inspired Dua to appreciate the simplicity of life.

“I realized how much joy could be found in quiet moments away from the usual busyness of everyday life. It taught me the importance of being present and fully experiencing each moment,” said Dua. “I’m more mindful now with each and every day and situation, whether it’s my work colleagues, my family, or even driving my own car.”

Dua found peace in the silence and saw the retreat as a chance to discover the strength within herself. She encourages meditation to anyone interested in mindfulness, regardless of their background or beliefs.

“It’s not about any religion or rituals. If you’re open to the adventure, you might be surprised by the profound impact it can have on your mind and spirit,” said Dua. “The data has always shown that people who practice any kind of meditation have more resilience, power, more tolerance towards looking at the situations and life and dealing with them with their emotional well being.” 

More information on the retreat and Vipassana meditation can be found here.