Understanding Suffering Buddha Sak, the head monk of Thailand’s International Meditation Center, would say that during meditation, one’s mind will wander as if it is
Life without any of our five senses wouldn’t feel like life at all. We are constantly bombarded by sensory stimulation. The smell of flowers, the sight of a sunset and the taste of an overcooked meal; Senses are the soldiers that feed our brain information. Though senses are arguably our biggest gift in life, they also can guide us in the wrong direction if we don’t understand how they are processed in our minds.
Meditating for 6-8 hours a day for 7 straight days while not being able to talk, use my phone, listen to music, read, write or engage in any other distractions, was the toughest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life.
I had the pleasure of meeting Hartanto Gunawan on my second day backpacking across south east Asia. Getting to talk to him and hear his incredible life story was eye opening. He was one of the more interesting people I have met on any of my travels and had tons of great insights into life and the mind. From CEO to being dropped off on an Island to becoming a monk, Gunawan has an incredible story. Here it is: