Go on a meditation retreat

The course I took was great. I learnt some breathing techniques and yoga and the got a lot out of group discussions on what I really want from meditation. I feel more relaxed already. I’m going to sign up for the retreat this week and hopefully get to go on that in December.

I heard from an acquaintance about a four-day retreat held at the end of the year, with a prerequisite seven-day course (weekday evenings and weekend daytime). I’ve signed up to take the course starting on Tuesday and if I like it, I’ll sign up for the retreat. There is a more famous, and cheaper, ten-day retreat but I think I’ll start with this.

After first hearing about the course and the effects of personal meditation for my acquaintance, I started doing my own meditation, usually for about 10-15 minutes before bed at least once a week. After the course teaches me some good techniques and basic yoga I’ll try to do it more often and for longer.

... I’m talking LONG.

This will require some serious planning and may take years to really be able to achieve. I will have to save up enough extra money to pay all my bills while away, as well as any expenses for my trip.

I’m not against doing a structured retreat, like at a zendo or something, as part of a community… but I also like the idea of just renting a cabin and doing it totally on my own. The important parts will be seriously limited contact with other people (like, no email, phone only for emergency, etc.), lots of silence and alone time, and of course, lengthy daily meditation (and yoga) sessions.

i’ve just paid a deposit to do a meditation retreat over the new year. i’m not 100% sure what it will be like – the longest ive ever tried to meditate for is an hour, and this is 5 days! but i don’t really fancy another drunken new years eve, quite fancy doing something a bit different..is an experiment anyway, if i don’t like it i just won’t do it again. am sure i’m going to learn something from it, good or bad! :-)

think i am going to go to the Rivendell Buddhist Centre in Surrey….as soon as Ive paid off that 5 grand….

Not interested enough to actively seek out any at the moment, but open to opportunities that come my way.

I’m looking for something a weekend long, an introductory session somewhere not too far from home. Not ready for the full ten-day Vipassana meditation retreat. Suggestions are welcome.

as soon as i can afford it

I plan on a particular kind of retreat recommended by an experienced friend. I’ll receive the empowerment by our lama in Seattle in two months and have scheduled a whole month in August-September for the retreat at home. I hope to recite a million mantras in that month!

May everyone, everywhere, be happy!

1 month in Nepal, at the Kopan Monastery.