What actually happens on a 10-day Vipassana course?

Question

Thinking about my first course. What does a normal day look like, and how strict is it really?

RetreatAdvisors Editors · Answer

Courses in the S.N. Goenka tradition are the same at every centre, so this applies to [Dhamma Giri](/retreats/dhamma-giri) near Igatpuri, [Dhamma Sikhara](/retreats/dhamma-sikhara) in Dharamshala, [Dhamma Pala](/retreats/dhamma-pala) near Bhopal and [Dhamma Asama](/retreats/dhamma-asama) near Guwahati.

The shape of it:
• About 11 nights in total: an arrival evening, ten full days, and a departure morning.
• Noble silence from the first evening until day 10: no talking, gestures or eye contact with other students. You can speak to the teacher and the course managers about practical issues.
• Phones, books and writing materials are handed in at the start.
• The day starts with a bell around 4 am and ends around 9:30 pm, with roughly ten hours of seated meditation in blocks.
• Simple vegetarian meals. New students have a light evening tea with fruit instead of dinner.
• Men and women are separated for the whole course.
• You commit to staying the full ten days when you apply.

It is free, including food and a bed. Centres run on donations from people who have completed a course.

Apply early: the centres themselves say popular dates fill and waitlist quickly.

Been on one? Add your own answer below, especially about days 2 to 4, which most people find hardest.