Why are Kukikan Retreats in Silence?
When your retreat begins, you will be asked to honor what is known as ‘Noble Silence’- which means a quieting of the body and verbal communication. This greatly helps in the following ways:
- To cultivate a calm and peaceful retreat environment
- Silence is a very powerful tool which significantly enhances the deepening of awareness and concentration
- By doing so one saves lot of energy dissipation which results from unwanted chatter
- Silence also fosters a sense of safety and spiritual refuge, even in a course of many participants
- Your willingness to embrace the silence and simplicity helps everyone- it not only supports your own practice but also your fellow retreatants
- Silence helps one to experience “Digital Detox” or “Technology Detox”
- It also encompasses avoiding reading, writing, keeping a journal, receiving mail or any other ways to keep your mind busy and distracted. By leaving at home the many activities and communications that worldly life entails, you are offering yourself the Gift of Stillness
Noble Silence also means you are requested not to engage in other forms of communication while on a retreat. You are requested to turn off your cell phones for the duration of your stay and leave behind your laptops, iPods and other communication devices so that you can commit to your retreat wholeheartedly and reap the benefits of that commitment.
Please give Sensei Kuki’s cell number (9372479576) to a family member or close friend to use in case of emergency. If you have a fragile or dependent family member that you need to stay in contact, please notify us so arrangements can be made.
Silence is broken at the end of the Retreat, in time to allow you to talk and share your experience with other participants and make your family calls.
Hence, at the Kukikan retreat we ask that you honor the request for silence until your retreat is over.