I'm officially signed up for a 10 day silent retreat in May, having never meditated in my life! My main goal is to get a new perspective on my mind, à la @SamHarrisOrg and @RobertWrighter, and secondarily a better ability to focus, à la Cal Newport.
Any suggestions/tips? 
According to friends who have done it, the main challenge is the intense physical pain of sitting still for hours on end without moving or fidgeting. Practice that ahead of time.
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But I've also heard that this is useful! The pain gives you something to practice viewing with equanimity. But maybe mild pain is better for this? Or non-pain sensations like auditory or touch sensations? I have no idea.
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Jesus, y'all can get the same benefit on a Saturday night alone in your apartment....5 dried grams in silent darkness....Terence McKenna can fill you in on the details for those having questions.
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My awakening has been long and painful and ongoing. Never mediated and never will, but I guess reflecting a lot amounts to the same thing...
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In my experience, you can't really practice it ahead of time. You need the meditation skills and momentum of the first two/three days to deal with the pain.
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