Vipassana, 10 Day Silent Meditation Retreat: Packing List

Re: This is Part One in my Vipassana Series — intro here!

If you’re reading this… it means you are thinking about going on Vipassana ; ) — with nothing to do but meditate for 10+ hours every day, it’s essential that you have a killer packing list. Not joking. Here’s probably the most specific [+ the most extra] packing list for Vipassana you’ll ever find >>

Apparel

• You can’t wear anything tight [RIP yoga pants], so I lived in my joggers + flowy pants
• Layers are really important, as you’ll notice your body temperature will change through the meditation session— comfy tees, sweatshirts, scarfs, WARM SOCKS
• 5 outfits are more than enough, but you can even get by with even less sure [ex — Isaac wore the same sweatpants every day, lol]
• I wore bralettes rather than sports bra… seriously, make yourself as comfy + cozy as possible… most of my sports bras are way too tight, lol
• Shoes: rain boots, tennis shoes, flip flops [for the shower] — I also brought slippers, but I didn’t use them

Toiletries

• I went overboard here… + I’m so glad I did. I used this time to really soak up my skincare routine
• Face masks, all of my skincare products, good lip balm [I love Cowshed’s Lippy Cow], face towel
• Tongue scraper, floss, toothbrush, toothpaste… I LIVED for tongue scraping + flossing… literally did it three times a day. Have I done it even once since I’ve been back? Nope, lol
• Dry brush, shampoo + conditioner, luxurious body creme, towel [you aren’t supposed to bring anything scented — but mine had natural scents]
• CBD Lotion + Tiger Balm — I only brought a tiny bit of CBD, + I so wish I had more. My body was so achey the first five days especially.
• Lacrosse Ball… for all the knots!

Sleep

• I brought melatonin, but I never had to use it… a lot of people mentioned not being able to sleep at night, but I slept through the night, just had a ton of crazy dreams
• Eye mask, lavender essential oil, Sleepy
• Alarm Clock *never used — I could easily hear the gongs
• Ear Plugs *never used… luckily my roommates didn’t snore ; )
• Pillow, bed sheets, comforter, blanket… I was freezing at night, so I’m glad I brought what I did [they give you a pillow + light comforter, see photo]
• SILKY PJS

Other Things

• Massive thermos for tea
• Water bottle
• Nuun + Emergen-C
• BRING YOUR OWN TEA PACKETS if you’re a tea snob [like me ; )] — I wish I did
• Gum… oh my gosh — a girl gave me a piece of gum on the 8th day + I literally started laughing so hard, it tasted SO GOOD. So bring a pack of gum + treat yourself ; )
• Aleeve/Advil if you are a coffee addict… the coffee is instant coffee, so I doubt you’ll want any. This means you will probably get caffeine headaches. Start decreasing caffeine prior to Vipassana!
• Donation! I read that the standard is $100–500, but it’s totally up to you. You also don’t need to donate while you are there — I waited until I got home from the trip

As A Note

• Obviously, you can’t bring journals, pens, reading material, your own food, phone, computer, etc. It might be tempting to hide it in your backpack — but don’t do it. Allow yourself to fully receive what the retreat center has to offer. Even though I mentioned tea, gum, + nuun — if you want to go all in, don’t even bring those items. Heck, don’t even bring face masks. I’m just sharing what my packing list would look like if I were to [ever] do it again!
• Bring things that remind you of your loved ones/things that are important to you… example: I wore my Papa’s flannel, CHAARG Tee, + tee that reminds me of adventures in nature, ++ slept in Isaac’s comforter
• If you forget something, the center will most likely have it — they had tons of baggy clothes, rain boots, hair dryer, alarm clocks, toiletries, etc

Have any questions? Let me know!

Rooting for you,