advice for a first time shamatha retreatant

[KonchokZoepa]

Hi, i just made an application letter to Pa Auk Forest Monastery to go meditate there for 3 months. i hope that i will be accepted to go there and join the monastery for that period of time.

i havent done any vipassana retreats, i applied once long a go but they didnt accept me because i talked openly about my past drug use that at that point had been over 1 and half years since i stopped. anyway they didnt accept me, and it is as troublesome to travel to vipassana retreats as it is to Myanmar and i believe the quality and the effect will be better there.

anyway, i havent done any retreats before and i am committing to three months retreat. i would like to hear if anyone has any advice or experiences to share from theyre first 3 month retreats or so and this is meditation retreat , not vajrayana retreat.

thanks.

[Arnoud]

Don't expect too much.

Read the books by Shaila Catherine and especially the book by Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder. The part about inner silence is excellent and will help you avoid some important pitfalls.

[KonchokZoepa]

could you list the names of the books ?

edit, no need to i found them


Thanks for the recommendations, i will read them.