How I did it: First, I listened to innumerable vipassana/insight meditation podcasts, available to download free from such websites as Zencast.  This helped me learn which teachers appeal to me. 

Then I searched around online for retreats with those "teachers of interest" that were affordable in terms of transportation cost and lodging, etc.  Of course, the best situation is to find one near to home.  For me, the best I could do was about a 6 hour drive. 

The retreat itself was wonderful!  Having done my homework in terms of research, there were no big surprises.  It met and exceeded my expectations! Now, I look forward to doing another, especially when I can finally do a longer retreat -- 7-9 days instead of 2!

Lessons & tips: Again, I highly recommend listening to podcasts so that you know which teachers "click" with your way of thinking -- that is, which inspire you.  (For example, there are a couple I find irritating to listen to, so I avoided them.)

Resources: Google!

Jun 28, 07:12PM PDT | 0 comments | 1 cheer