The benefits of identifying my emotions, thoughts and actions and releasing them allows me to step-back and be more aware of my surroundings, circumstances, and other people’s needs. It’s as if you are in the zone as basketball players refer to when hitting three point shots one after another.

Productivity and creativity flows from being the zone

I’ve been on quite a few retreats there and all the teachers have been excellent. I don’t know where you live, but check out the Amaravati website — it’s part of a network of monasteries, so there may be one near you. If not, then it may help to know that the retreats I attended were based on Vipassana meditation, in the Theravada Buddhist tradition.

If you’ve not done a silent retreat before, might be a good idea to start with a weekend retreat, then work your way up to a longer one.

Good luck in your quest for the nothing!

Love this article. I could almost feel ‘nothing!’ I’m new to your blog and just wondering if you’ve done a post on these retreats…I’m interested to know when and where you’ve gone, what’s the best/worst, hints, tips, etc. Thanks so much.

I sometimes get the same feeling first thing in the morning, when I’m doing sitting meditation and a big part of me is eager to fire up the laptop and get going on the day’s work. If I’m mindful enough to just observe that feeling (without getting up from the mat!) then after a while it doesn’t seem so urgent.

Suzanna – reminds me of Gurdjieff’s habit of ringing a bell at unexpected times, whereupon his students were expected to STOP whatever they were doing at the time and observe themselves in the moment. Trying to catch themselves unawares.