Vipassana Review: My Honest Experience with 10 Days of Silence

If you’re here searching for a brutally honest Vipassana review, this is it. I didn’t go into the experience as some zen master or self-help junkie...I went in with a mix of curiosity, excitement, low-key existential dread, and a tiny hope that it might help me solve my quarter-life anxiety and possibly give me the spark for my next big idea.

Preparing for the Unknown: How I (Didn’t) Prepare for Vipassana

The hours leading up to my Vipassana felt oddly similar to preparing for an execution. I was in Jodhpur, India, perched on the rooftop of Baba Haveli’s, soaking in the sight of the fort and stuffing my face with the greasiest Indian food I could find—as though it were my last supper. I called my people for one final reassurance and strolled through the narrow lanes, eyeing cows like it might be the last time.

After a sleepless sleep, I hailed an auto rickshaw and headed toward the Vipassana center on the outskirts of town. My driver admitted he’d never driven that far out before. Perfect. That added just the right amount of apocalyptic flair to the ride. As we bounced into the desert and the buildings disappeared, I spotted the infamous Vipassana symbol, what looked like a golden wheel on a horse and carriage.

I told him to wait while I scoped it out. He didn’t. By the time I turned around, he was gone.

Before I knew it, I entered the grounds, handed over all my distractions (phone, books, even my probiotic pills), took a vow of silence, and was assigned a spot in the meditation hall. It was official. No turning back.

What Is Vipassana Meditation?

For anyone unfamiliar, Vipassana meditation is an ancient technique believed to help you observe bodily sensations, neutralize negativity, and eventually reach a state of equanimity. It’s not your typical “10 minutes of calm on an app” experience. This is 10 days of no talking, no technology, no distractions...just you and your brain, for 12 hours of meditation each day. Sounds fun, right?

Vipassana Review: The Highs and Lows of 10 Days in Silence

Despite having no phone, no entertainment, and no speaking allowed, a lot can happen in ten days. Here's what stood out the most:

🧱 Lowlight: Pain Is Inevitable

Twelve hours of sitting cross-legged without back support? Excruciating. You’re told to observe the pain as “impermanent,” and while that’s cute in theory, I hit my mental limit. Honestly, the physical discomfort blocked me from going deeper into the practice. For anyone looking to do a Vipassana, there are options. You can ask the staff for a back-support, but I honestly think I was just too stubborn at the time.

🕷️ Highlight: The Little Things Become Extraordinary

When you strip life down to silence and routine, small things feel enormous. I spent one break completely hypnotized by a spider hunting a fly. Another break was spent chasing frogs like a child. There’s a weird magic in stillness and the tiny things that tend to be passed by unnoticed.

🎂 Lowlight: Do Not Do Vipassana on Your Birthday

Why I thought meditating would be a fulfilling way to spend a birthday (especially when my past ones were booze-filled adventures), I’ll never know. My birthday fell on Day 2, a notoriously hard day. It was rough. I wanted the day to end ASAP.

🥗 Highlight: A Brilliant Detox

The simple, twice-daily vegetarian meals felt like the reset my body desperately needed after weeks of indulging in rich Indian curries. I actually came out feeling physically lighter and cleaner.

🗣️ Highlight: Breaking the Silence

I cracked on Day 7. Josh and Emma—two fellow foreigners—joined me on a secret stroll into the hills behind the center. We talked, laughed, and eventually got scolded. Still, it felt glorious. The bond we built over those final days extended beyond the course, as we ended up traveling together for weeks afterward.

📼 Mixed Bag: The Voice of Goenka

Every session began and ended with a chant from S.N. Goenka, the late Burmese teacher behind the modern Vipassana movement. His deep chants (and random coughing fits over the tape recorder) became both a point of humor and discomfort. By the end, I was weirdly comforted by his voice.

Realizations from Vipassana

It wouldn’t be a proper Vipassana review without sharing what I actually learned, right? Here's what surfaced in the silence:

1. I Have Major Separation Anxiety

When Josh and Emma were planning to leave early, I sobbed uncontrollably. Maybe it was the pent-up emotion, but it also revealed something real: I form quick, deep attachments and struggle with goodbyes, which is a tough reality in the world of long-term travel.

2. Chill the F*** Out

At first, doing nothing was maddening. But by Day 4 or so, stillness felt normal. Vipassana taught me how much energy I waste worrying about pointless stuff. I now know: less really is more.

3. Meditation Won’t Fix Everything

Look, meditation is great. It helps with anxiety and brings clarity. But it’s not magic. If you're expecting it to single-handedly solve your restlessness or give you the next million-dollar idea, you’ll be disappointed. It’s a tool, not a cure-all.

Life After Vipassana

When the ten days were finally over, five of us, myself, Josh, Emma, and two Indian students, left the center like a newly formed teen band walking into the desert sun. We returned to Baba Haveli’s, devoured fried food, sipped cold beer, and danced on the rooftop with strangers and locals alike. It was messy and wonderful.

Vipassana became a tiny sliver of my life at the ripe age of 24, but a heavy one—stacked with lessons I still carry with me today.

Breaking outta 'jail' with my new pals.

Final Thoughts on This Vipassana Review

Would I recommend Vipassana? Yes, but with a few disclaimers. It’s not a spa retreat. It’s not always peaceful. It’s not always enlightening. It is, however, a powerful way to confront yourself, and potentially come out the other side with a little more peace, patience, and self-awareness. And let’s be real—you’ll earn some major bragging rights too.

If you’re up for the challenge, I dare you to do it. You’ll come back with your own Vipassana review, probably equal parts “what the hell was that” and “I actually kind of miss it.”