Sunnataram Forest Monastery : Rules & Guidelines

Rules & Guidelines

'SILENT RETREAT': Please be mindful and try not to talk.

• Please be aware that you must finish the whole retreat so that you can get maximum benefit. Leaving the retreat earlier is considered to be unfair to both our volunteers' preparation help and other people who are not able to join the retreat because the bed is preoccupied by your booking.
• Please do not ask the monks about worldly or personal problems
• Please ask only Dhamma questions to the monks during Q&A time, and you may ask Kim or volunteers if you need anything else.
• Please switch off mobile phones during retreat. No smoking. No alcohol. 
• Please do not point your feet to the Buddha statue or the monks. Please do not lie down in the meditation room or during Dhamma Talk. 
•  Please do not stand or sit too close to the monks, and ladies please do not touch or pass anything directly to the monks. Gentlemen please do not walk to the Ladies Area and viceversa. 
• Please try not to move during meditation, as it not only disturbs our own practice, but other people’s meditation as well. 
• Please wear modest clothing, with cover from neck to below elbows and knees, and no bare back or tummy when bowing or exercising. No skin tight clothes. 
• Some clothing can also be very noisy, so please do not wear plastic jackets or pants during meditation. 
• Please be punctual, & when you hear the bell be ready to go the next session. 
• Retreat participants are required to attend every session. No photos until retreat ends. 
• Please do not enter the kitchen without permission. Please do not use the staff bathroom. 
• All vegetarian food is donated by devotees and cooked by our kind volunteers. This is the nature of the monastery. Monks and retreat people will eat the same dishes. So we can't prepare any special diet for anyone. We don't allow people to bring their own food due to our limited storage. However, all food is rice based, and  there will be plenty of food for you to choose.
• Please use the washing up area outside the men’s bathroom, and also help to recycle all garbage. 
• Please use one plastic bottle, write name, and refill it throughout the retreat. 
• Please use the Library or Pagoda for private practice instead of the main Shrine Room. Please do not read any books during your stay at the monastery. 
• Please feel free to sweep the meditation walkway around the Pagoda anytime, as we have a big duck problem. Brooms are at the back of main building. 
• Thank You for your respect and kindness. Anumordana! Rejoice with you! SADHU.