“A Buddhism Critic Goes on a Silent Buddhist Retreat”

An interesting article, whether or not you are a Buddhist. Takes about ten minutes to read.

Something weird happens to a skeptical science writer during a week of meditation, chanting, and sky gazing.

I’ve been hard on Buddhism over the years (see for example my critique of the bestseller Why Buddhism Is True). But I like to think I’m open-minded. So, in 2018, I put my skepticism to the test by going on a weeklong silent Buddhist retreat, which my pro-Buddhism friends Lisa and Bob argued was my moral obligation.

The retreat rocked me. I’m still trying to make sense of it, but I’m going to take a stab at describing it, if only for my own sake. As I told Julie, a teacher who advised me not to write during the retreat, I’m not sure what happens to me until I write about it.