TUSHITA MYSTERY SCHOOL

Home of the IAM Meditation Retreats

  • ABOUT THE MYSTERY SCHOOL
  • 2025 RETREAT SCHEDULE
  • SILENT IAM MEDITATION RETREATS
    • IAM Retreats Code of Conduct
    • IAM Meditation Retreat Timetable
  • IAM RETREAT REVIEWS
  • FAQ
  • CAFÉ MORTEM: CONVERSATIONS ON DEATH
  • MYSTIC NIGHTS
  • DISCOVER THE ESSENCE OF YOU WITH AROHANANDA
  • SOLO CONTEMPLATION RETREATS
  • TUSHITA HERMITAGE
  • CONTACT US
    • Location and Transport
  • BLOG

A confession: I Feel Rich

August 26, 2022 Leave a Comment

I feel an astounded greatfulness that for the rest of my life I get to enjoy just the simple pleasures of being in a body, its breathing, its movements…  I get to enjoy the sounds of the rain, of the wind, of my cats breathing… because I can hear them more now. 

I notice that I rush less, through the routine simple tasks necessary for physical existence like preparing food, doing dishes… to get to a better time, some entertainment…

This annoyed me, that annoyed me… I’d have to go and change it… I‘ve noticed that I fix less, that I worry about getting things the way I want them a little less, the panic and annoyance is still there but so is breathing, existence, so I can be a little more lazy…

I like that when another turns up into my company that I get to receive them on top of my existence – I can play a little more, I can ask for what I want a little more… I’ve noticed that I get to have more interesting, more humorous conversations because being just a little less afraid of space I get to take the time to think more and feel more, I can ask different questions and our conversations can travel more. And when they leave, I get to reflect more now…  

I get to breathe while anxiety, that I still don’t understand, trundles on and some days… on… I get to breathe through disappointment, hurt, doubt, jealousy, greed… I’m a little less convinced that it will consume me

I feel very rich that I get to enjoy the rest of my time here enjoying and some days, just breathing through, the most simple aspects of human existence. I can see that it’s encouraged to have lots of activity – responsibilities, projects, entertainments… and then this capacity may never get developed…   

Meditation is not difficult and it costs nothing but its worth more than winning lotto – because more money for better experiences means nothing if I’m just desperately on to the next… these are all very very small things, but in the experience of a human life they mean an immense and easy richness. 


Who wrote this piece? Tushita Mystery School blogs are written by a number of Students at the Tushita Hermitage. Their anonymity supports their self-forgetting practice.

Filed Under: Blog, Breathing, Meditation Tagged With: breath

Experiencing Life more Lucidly and Loudly through Silent Meditation

February 15, 2021 Leave a Comment

Experiencing LifeI have felt myself and have heard other humans express a sensation of not really being here on this earth, in this Life; feeling foggy or behind a veil. It is not an enjoyable sensation, especially as it includes a feeling of distance from ourselves and all other sentient and insentient creatures, including the humans we say are closest to us.

The sensation, I come to see, is the result of being too caught in the mind, in thought, and very far from feeling the body: that breathing, fleshly, blood-filled, raw-animal with arms, a heart, sex organs, and subtle intuitive senses.

Through contemplation and meditation I am slowly seeing that I have prioritised thought way too much and have, as a result, forgotten the body, which includes this body, your body, the sky and that tree over there.

The insights that have arisen through formal meditation point out that not only have I become more thought-based and body-distanced as I have aged, but that I am running away from those thoughts.

Scared of myself and scaring myself with thought.

Now it is clear that if one spends their time and energy running away from themselves (through all forms of distractions) then one has little energy for sensing and feeling themselves and the world around. …thus the distanced, foggy, not-really-here feeling.

Silent Meditation as taught through IAM brings a human closer to themselves by removing distractions (not to be seen as good or bad things, simply distractions) such as: talk, cell-phones, constant activity, choice of activity or food, and many more.

Read: Are we Addicted to Trying?

You just sit or walk or eat the served food, and watch what arises, and that is scary because all thoughts and sensations do arise, especially those we have spent a lifetime running away from, such as thoughts and feelings of low self-worth (like “I am no good”).

Yes, that can be a scary and difficult practice, but give me that one thousand times over spending a lifetime in fog.

Therefore a declaration: I do not want to run away from my Self any more….I do not want to be scared of myself….if one runs away from what is simply naturally arising then one has to keep running for life…….tiring! Now I want to sit down, stop and let it all arise and learn to watch the show with fascination.


Interested in joining a Silent IAM Meditation Retreat at Tushita Mystery School?

Find all upcoming retreats for 2023 here.

Here are some helpful questions about meditation answered for those that are new to meditation practise.

Who wrote this piece? Tushita Mystery School blogs are written by a number of Students at the Tushita Hermitage. Their anonymity supports their self-forgetting practice.

Filed Under: Meditation

Are We Addicted to Trying?

February 13, 2021 Leave a Comment

Meditation trying
Are we addicted to trying?

 

Meditation is touted as a relaxation technique but for many of us, perhaps a less vocal majority, meditation isn’t a relieving hot cup of coffee or scroll through social media, it’s a chore on the to-do list to a better self. 

Could it be that the typical experience of formal meditation isn’t the wonderful, easeful bliss it gets marketed as? That many of us, a lot of the time, are stressed, bored or frustrated in meditation and that over time, some of us consider ourselves ‘just not into meditation’, ‘can’t meditate’, or ‘my mind is just too much’… 

Helpful: Inspiration for Boring Meditation

At Tushita Mystery School, Insight Awareness Meditation (I AM) simply means not trying to stop thoughts and sensations but rather to observe these thoughts and sensations without interpretations – in other words, without judgements. We learn to simply observe what is happening whether it is good or bad, comfortable or uncomfortable, without putting a meaning on it, without imposing a goal or outcome on it. 

How then are we struggling? What are we DOING?

Could it be that something is so simple that we’re finding it difficult?

We’ve been so trained to try, to be better, to do better, to make the best decisions, to keep it all going….. wouldn’t it be so wonderful to practice dropping it every day?

But when we come to meditation we tend to bring this habit with us… meditation in the context of a culture that uses discipline to become, to strive to achieve, to control and dominate means that many meditation teachers promote discipline in meditation in way that wraps the mind tighter around the problem of thoughts and attention, rather than relaxing off it. 

As one of the few conditional bastions readily available to a species seemingly so weighed down with minds that worry us, depress us, tire us, it’s a shame that the meditation world has become so polluted with techniques that exacerbate the very problem that it should naturally be the relief from. 

Read: Questions about Meditation, answered from the standpoint of IAM Meditation.

Because trying has become such an ingrained habit, non-trying must now be practiced. Although the idea of removing the tension of trying may seem irresponsible, you may think that you’ll become dull or useless, as your relax and breath better, natural, easeful clarity and alertness will arise. 

In the immersive stress of our trying-addled society, we have lost trust in what we can’t control. Non-trying must now be practiced, but what a wonderful practice, the practice of letting go. Tushita Mystery School provides excellent conditions to support us out of our fear of losing control and promotes the discipline of returning to the life of us.


Tushita Mystery School offers Silent IAM Meditation to support returning to our natural, easeful, clear and alert non-trying state. Retreats emphasise no beliefs, no postures and no trying to master a technique to become a better something. You will be supported to simply rest in the awareness that exists before, after, in spite of and through all conditions.


Who wrote this piece? Tushita Mystery School blogs are written by a number of Students at the Tushita Hermitage. Their anonymity supports their self-forgetting practice.

Filed Under: Meditation Tagged With: meditation, mindfulness

Common Questions about Meditation, Answered

February 12, 2021 Leave a Comment

Before we get to answering your questions about meditation, I’ve got one for you: Why do people have so many questions about meditation when meditating is simply sitting and observing?

The simple answer is that the original purpose of meditation has largely been lost. Whilst answers may serve the mind’s thirst for knowledge and “need to know” attitude, meditation is a practice that untangles your attention from thoughts and into a state of pure Awareness.

So much confusion has arisen about meditation because its simplicity has been made complicated, primarily because the mind is still trying to get a hold on meditation.

There are now seemingly endless meditation techniques to choose from, each with its own unique intention and desired outcome. Suddenly a time that was meant for stillness, peace and neutral observation turns into a whole lot of trying.

Trying to get it right. Trying to be spiritual. Trying to hold your body in an uncomfortable position. Trying to stop/change thoughts. Trying to feel peaceful. Trying to achieve something. On and on and on…

It’s no wonder many of us finish a session feeling more stressed and uptight than when we started!

In reality, you don’t need to do anything – this is the most important thing to remember during meditation time!

Consider this: Are we Addicted to Trying?

Having said all of that, meditation questions are good. To grasp something at an intellectual level is not to be mocked. This level of understanding can be the starting point of a much deeper felt experience through the practice of meditation.

So, let’s delve in and look at what are the most common questions asked about meditation. Just as with commonly asked questions about life, meditation questions are endless. We’ve picked out the most helpful.

Note: Our intention here is to answer these questions from the standpoint of Insight Awareness Meditation (IAM) which is taught at Tushita Mystery School. This practice takes meditation back to its original roots, as lived and taught by Spiritual Master Sri Yanchiji at Tushita Hermitage.

Here are some useful links for further reading and understanding:

  • What is a Mystery School? (+ Tushita Mystery School retreats)
  • Tushita Hermitage & The Way of Life
  • Who is Sri Yanchiji?

What is meditation? What is the purpose of meditation?


This seems like the most logical place to start as one of the most commonly asked questions. And, I’d like to throw in another question which precedes these two: What was the original concept and what were people hoping to achieve by it?

Originally, meditation was used as a way of uncovering and coming into relationship with Who You Really Are – pure Awareness. It is a time to allow quiet and stillness of the body and mind, so that awareness has a chance to come forward.

In other words, meditation is to become the impartial observer of oneself (of one’s thoughts & bodily sensations) through this non-judgemental, non-critical pure awareness state.

So, there isn’t so much something to “achieve” in meditation. Rather, it’s about dropping all expectations, all types of trying, to simply sit with yourself and observe what is in the present moment.

Whilst modern day meditation focuses mostly around sitting with the eyes closed, meditation, as originally practiced, would eventually expand in to every moment of life. Whether sitting with eyes open, laying, walking, talking, eating etc, your meditation practice – or holding your attention firmly in the pure awareness state – is to become a continuous one in daily life.

Interesting: Yoga is also a form of moving meditation, with the purpose of aligning mind, body and breath into mindful presence.

Find the Buddha inside of You - Questions about Meditation


How do you meditate? What is a simple way to meditate?


It all starts with taking the time and space for yourself so that you can participate in meditation. For many, this is believed to be irresponsible, yet that is far from the truth! In fact, taking the time to understand Who You Really Are is the most responsible thing you can do.

The simple way to begin meditation is by sitting with eyes closed. All it requires is a quiet, comfortable setting where you will not be disturbed. The length of time depends on how long feels right for you at the time of sitting. But generally, start small (5-10minutes) and extend accordingly.

As stated previously, meditation – and for the purpose of this article, Insight Awareness Meditation (IAM) – is less about do-ing and more about be-ing.

It’s not about sitting in the correct posture or manipulating your breath. Nor is the goal to stop thinking or feel a certain sensation.

It’s about letting all of that go. It’s a time dedicated to simply be. To allow your “inner teacher” to deliver all of the answers already within.

The breath can be a wonderful tool for anchoring your attention, yet be mindful that you don’t try and change it in any way – let it be as it is. Let the thoughts be as they are. Let the body feel as it does. Simply notice.

Read: Inspiration for Boring Meditation – ways to generate more motivation to meditate.

Lastly, following a daily meditation practice is one thing we suggest. Why should we meditate daily? To help strengthen our awareness and bring us closer to the present.

Enjoy the silence of meditation - Questions about Meditation


Is it possible to learn meditation on your own? How do I meditate being a beginner?


You may find it supportive to begin your meditation journey in a group setting by joining a meditation retreat, or at least with someone who can hold guided meditations for the first couple of sessions. Or perhaps follow a meditation app or join online meditation. But by no means is this a requirement to meditate.

Having read the answer to “how do you meditate” above, hopefully you’ve begun to see that there really isn’t a thing to learn as such. It’s more about allowing yourself to observe what already is with curiosity and wonder.

Therefore, yes, it is possible to meditate on your own.

Read: Experiencing Life more Lucidly through Silent Meditation


What are some best practices for meditation?


If what you’ve read so far intrigues you and you’d like to take steps towards uncovering Who You Really Are, then we encourage you to consider joining one of our Silent Insight Awareness Meditation (IAM) retreats.

Once again, IAM Meditation is a practice which takes meditation back to its roots, to become the impartial observer of oneself in a supportive environment led by trained teachers and students of Tushita Hermitage.

“This means not trying to stop thoughts and sensations but rather to observe these thoughts and sensations without interpretations – in other words, without judgements. We learn to simply observe what is happening whether it is good or bad, comfortable or uncomfortable, without putting a meaning on it, without imposing a goal or outcome on it.”

Find out more about Insight Awareness Meditation and discover upcoming IAM Retreats at Tushita Mystery School.

Joining a meditation retreat is a good place to start - Questions about Meditation


What meditation is best for me?


This can only really be answered by You.

The best way to find out is to “try” a meditation technique that you are drawn to and see if it feels right. We understand that there are endless opportunities at present, and it can be overwhelming. Part of the process is trial and error, yet ultimately, any time dedicated to spending time with your inner world is beneficial.

There are plenty of meditation tips and meditation books out there to quench your curiosity.

There is no correct or "right" posture - Questions about Meditation


What are the benefits of meditation?


First and foremost, meditation helps to bring you closer to your inner teacher, to your Self. Some other things you may benefit from are:

  • Clarity, focus and attention of mind
  • Peace of mind and within the body
  • Relaxation
  • A life skill that can be used easily for the rest of your life!

Read: Strengthen Self-Understanding through Journaling


How do I know if I am doing the meditation correctly?


If there is any resistance, or need to change, whatever it is you are observing within yourself, then you are not resting peacefully in Awareness.


How does meditation affect someone’s personality?


Fun question… and there is only one way to find out…!

From my own personal experience, meditation has strengthened my personality because my ego has gradually quietened down. We’re all born with a unique personality, so this question cannot possibly be answered as a “one size fits all”. There’s something to think about.

Questions about Meditation: how does meditation affect your personality?


What about… questions to ask during meditation? Questions to ask after meditating?


From the standpoint of Insight Awareness Meditation, we do not encourage you to ask questions during meditation. Whilst your thoughts will come and go and they may include questions, this is different to consciously bringing questions to mind as you sit. Thinking about asking questions (during a meditation session) can be a distraction from merely observing one’s self.

After meditation, it is likely that you may have questions arise, and there is nothing wrong with that. And! It can be interesting to simply observe these too, without necessarily voicing them or giving them any analytic attention.

Should you attend a Silent IAM Retreat, there is dedicated time for asking any burning questions, plus the option of 1-1 time with a teacher. Writing in a journal is also encouraged and is a great way of moving mental activity that supports further self-understanding.

Curious: Are there certain questions to ask a meditation teacher? No, there are no right or wrong questions to ask.


Left with unanswered questions about meditation? Or did we miss some facts about meditation you’d like to share? How has meditation changed your life? We’d love to read your comments below.

Who wrote this piece? Tushita Mystery School blogs are written by a number of Students at the Tushita Hermitage. Their anonymity supports their self-forgetting practice.

Filed Under: Cornerstone Content, Meditation Tagged With: meditation, mindfulness

Strengthen Self-Understanding through Journaling

February 10, 2021 Leave a Comment

Journaling as a means to better Understand your SelfIt’s amazing what can come up and out when Life energy is given space to move. The simple act of journaling can take on all kinds of roles during a period of silent contemplation: an understanding friend willing to hear all your struggles, a blank canvas for doodles, a dreaded chore or an exciting new possibility… all it takes is the willingness to put pen to paper and see what flows. Or what doesn’t.

Either way, an encouragement to journal is bound to trigger self-understanding in one way or another.

Perhaps there is a strong resistence or “this is stupid” attitude? Maybe you sit to write and nothing comes. Do you write in a way that presumes someone else might read it, or are you untouched by self-consciousness?

Conversely, out pops a poem or two that you never thought possible. And you see for yourself some stuck thought(s) come loose because you expressed it in writing. What a relief!

When the mind and body are allowed to slow down, granted space and time to do nothing (with little distraction, nowhere to be, nothing to sort out), it’s no wonder “hidden” qualities rise to the surface into our notice.

It begs the question: Are we addicted to trying?

Good or bad, agreeable or disagreeable, silence and meditation offer a chance to observe in a peaceful manner – no judgement, no need to fix or change what is occurring in this very moment. Rather than react, you witness.

Journaling then, is a supportive tool for your inner journey to the Self. Unlike with talking, your journal will never answer back, offer advice or interrupt. It doesn’t care if you scribble out a sentence several times or take two hours to spit it out.

Granting yourself time at a Silent IAM Meditation Retreat is a wonderful gift to give one’s Self. The long periods of silence and meditation support not only each other, but also an opportunity to journal.

Simply notice the increase of spaciousness and clarity when external conditions quieten and you rest in Being. What, if anything, does that inspire you to write?

See it as a curious interaction with yourself – there are no rules and no right or wrong. It’s a space where you can get raw, honest and vulnerable, and express unapologetically in your own unique way.

Use the blank pages for self-understanding, self-love and creativity. What have you got to lose when only you are granted the pleasure of reading?

Read: Experiencing Life more Lucidly through Silent Meditation


Journaling is encouraged whilst attending a retreat at Tushita Mystery School, and is seen as particularly supportive to multi-day Silent IAM Meditation Retreats. Here we answer common questions about meditation.

Find all upcoming retreats for 2023 here.

Who wrote this piece? Tushita Mystery School blogs are written by a number of Students at the Tushita Hermitage. Their anonymity supports their self-forgetting practice.

Filed Under: Meditation Tagged With: meditation, silent retreat

Inspiration for Boring Meditation

February 5, 2021 Leave a Comment

Meditation Eyes Focus

Meditation doesn’t seem to do anything for us (unlike the quick pick-me-up of a coffee or flick through a news feed).

Sitting in silence doesn’t get us ahead in any of our self-improvement projects (in fact it takes time away from the gym and our to-do lists).

It doesn’t offer to make our lives easier (unlike buying that new, better, faster time-saving thing…), and unlike a holiday away somewhere, it demands something of us, …meditation can easily slip down our list of priorities!

If this happens to you and holding a meditation discipline is important to you, consider the following tips.

– Try naming your meditation time

A name might remind you of what you like about it or remind you of what it is for you. Instead of thinking of ‘meditation’, you might be more into it as something like ‘just sit’ time, my ‘no worrying’ time, my ‘leave myself alone’ time, or ‘rest in being’ time.

If you’re prone to trying to please everyone, this might be a time where you give yourself permission to not enter into thoughts about others’ well-being and get to experience yourself feeling free of trying to be a good mother, a good guy,  good at your job…  if you feel that you’re always trying to get through something, waiting for something to be over, then this might be a time where you let yourself not go with those thoughts of not being ‘there’ yet and sit in the freedom of them passing on by.

Whatever your motivation for practice is for you at the time, feeling yourself existing before, after and during all of the usual thoughts that drag us around all day, can be very empowering.

Consider this: Are we Addicted to Trying?

– Try not to rate your meditations as ‘good’ or ‘bad’

…especially in terms of how busy your mind was. Talk like this disempowers us.

Sensitive to our environments, minds take on all sorts of flavours, it has nothing to do with you. And although disturbing in itself,  a crazed mind or chaotic, restless energy in the body is not a personal failing and neither is the conditional relief that can be experienced from a temporarily stupified mind and body, an accomplishment. Ask any bartender.

– Join a meditation group or start one

Meeting with others once a week can be supportive and encourage you throughout the week.

– If you find that you get sleepy…

Try not to eat for an hour or so beforehand, try some breathing exercises,  a cold shower,  do it after a run or time in the garden, try gently slapping the body, gazing upwards for a while (holding the eyeballs up stimulates alertness) or keeping your eyes open.

– Know what times suit you

Some find it especially difficult to maintain distance from thoughts in the morning because they feel that they have so much to remember to do in the coming day to make it go right; and some too easily lose alertness or fall asleep in the evening.

Know what times suit you, know that there will always be reasons not to, and that encountering resistance is part of the practice.

– During the working day

Particularly over lunch, some office buildings will let you book office space, some teachers set aside their classroom, people go to their cars, to a park or to graveyards to carve out the time and space for them to sit quietly.

– To focus you before you start

Consider having a quote or some words of something that you’re really into at the moment in your practice to remind you of why you practice, or even why you love this practice…

– Consider making short, dedicated bursts of awareness meditation part of your daily life

So that you don’t go in cold every time you go to sit more formally. Some people like to commit to merely witnessing every time they enjoy a hot drink, get in the shower, do the dishes, or commit to 50 breaths as they gaze out their office widow during their working day.

Journaling is another way to strengthen self-understanding and awareness.

– Attend a retreat

Pulled from the distractions of daily life, retreat centres are purpose-built to encourage practice. From peaceful and relaxing surroundings to supportive guides and all the details of daily responsibilities being lifted from you, you give yourself the very best opportunity to unwind and sink into your practice.

Attending retreats offers you support where you might be struggling, the comradery of dedicated others, and the immersive environment can inspire your own practice.

Let this firsthand account inspire you: Experiencing Life more Lucidly through Silent IAM Mediation.

Tushita Mystery School offers support in IAM meditation, which emphasises no beliefs, no postures and no trying to master a technique to become a better something; it encourages simply resting in the awareness that exists before, after, in spite of and through all conditions.

Read: Questions about Meditation, answered

Curiously asking yourself what is a mystery school? Hopefully our full article will answer all your questions.


Who wrote this piece? Tushita Mystery School blogs are written by a number of Students at the Tushita Hermitage. Their anonymity supports their self-forgetting practice.

Filed Under: Meditation Tagged With: meditation, mindfulness

Find us on Facebook

  • Facebook

Find us on Instagram

  • Instagram

Review us on Tripadvisor

  • TripAdvisor

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER





CONTACT US

damalaya2

Contact Damalaya

Tushita Mystery School Administration

021 208 3485

Send us an email

Copyright © 2025 · Epik on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in