Help me find a 10 day silent meditation retreat
April 18, 2017 10:12 AM Subscribe
I know of the Dhamma Dharā centers that offer 10 day silent meditation retreats, and I'm trying to find other options for similar retreats. This is surprisingly difficult to google.
The courses at the Dhamma Dharā center near me (Massachusetts) are all closed or wait listed until late fall, and I'm curious about other styles of such retreats anyway, so here I am.
I don't practice a particular school of meditation, and I'm interested in a variety of experiences, so as long as they don't require that I be a student of a specific school of thought, I'd like to learn more.
The features that are important to me are:
* 10 days (give or take)
* silent (dharma talks as part of the schedule are fine)
* focused on meditation, not yoga or other activities
* not too hard to get to from Massachusetts (e.g., North America, Europe, most likely)
Google searches for these come up with a lot of yoga retreats, which isn't what I want, and essays/articles about 10 day silent meditation retreats, which also isn't what I want.
The courses at the Dhamma Dharā center near me (Massachusetts) are all closed or wait listed until late fall, and I'm curious about other styles of such retreats anyway, so here I am.
I don't practice a particular school of meditation, and I'm interested in a variety of experiences, so as long as they don't require that I be a student of a specific school of thought, I'd like to learn more.
The features that are important to me are:
* 10 days (give or take)
* silent (dharma talks as part of the schedule are fine)
* focused on meditation, not yoga or other activities
* not too hard to get to from Massachusetts (e.g., North America, Europe, most likely)
Google searches for these come up with a lot of yoga retreats, which isn't what I want, and essays/articles about 10 day silent meditation retreats, which also isn't what I want.
I did a search for 10-day silent meditation retreat -yoga and one of the first results was some place in Texas that seems to meet your criteria.
posted by aniola at 10:28 AM on April 18, 2017
posted by aniola at 10:28 AM on April 18, 2017
This vipassana group has free/by donation 10 day courses all over the world.
https://www.dhamma.org/en/locations/directory#pakasa
posted by Otterone at 10:40 AM on April 18, 2017
https://www.dhamma.org/en/locations/directory#pakasa
posted by Otterone at 10:40 AM on April 18, 2017
I have done two 10-day meditation retreats at the Dhamma Siri center outside of Dallas. http://www.siri.dhamma.org/the-center/dhamma-siri/
I highly recommend it. I don't know if it's true for guys, but women have single rooms with integrated bathrooms, which was important to me. I wanted a truly solitary experience and it was nice to have a room to myself.
posted by missjenny at 10:53 AM on April 18, 2017
I highly recommend it. I don't know if it's true for guys, but women have single rooms with integrated bathrooms, which was important to me. I wanted a truly solitary experience and it was nice to have a room to myself.
posted by missjenny at 10:53 AM on April 18, 2017
Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, CA has a few on their schedule that might fit your needs. I've never been there but I have listened to their dharma talks podcast for about ten years now and have learned a lot from them.
posted by dawkins_7 at 11:09 AM on April 18, 2017
posted by dawkins_7 at 11:09 AM on April 18, 2017
Blue Cliff Monastery in the Catskills can be as silent/engaged/solo/interactive as you want it to be. Even the family retreats have significant periods of silence. It is Thich Nhat Hanh's tradition, so no attachment to any dogma or doctrine.
posted by headnsouth at 11:09 AM on April 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by headnsouth at 11:09 AM on April 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
A dear friend of mine does a nine-day at Spirit Rock in Marin County once a year. Their calendar has plenty of options to explore. He's willing to chat with you about the experience there if you'd like more info.
posted by mykescipark at 11:28 AM on April 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by mykescipark at 11:28 AM on April 18, 2017 [1 favorite]
Rochester Zen Center has 7 day sesshins and would be a reasonable drive. Important note: their practice includes the kyosaku (encouragement stick), which isn't for everyone.
posted by veery at 11:57 AM on April 18, 2017
posted by veery at 11:57 AM on April 18, 2017
People that I know have attended both the Twentynine Palms and Kelseyville (both California) Vipassana retreats and the feedback was very good.
posted by vignettist at 12:51 PM on April 18, 2017
posted by vignettist at 12:51 PM on April 18, 2017
I did a 10 day at the California Vipassana Center in North Fork, CA and loved it. Other coast from you obviously but it's next door to Yosemite if you want to do a cool combo trip.
posted by MillMan at 1:19 PM on April 18, 2017
posted by MillMan at 1:19 PM on April 18, 2017
The Kyol Che at the inaccurately named Providence Zen Center starts in July and is flexible with how long you want to stay. It's located in my town, in the northeast corner of RI and the grounds are lovely. I spent a lot of time there in the 90's because a high school acquaintance lived there (his parents were both highly regarded in the lineage) and I've been meaning to drop into the weekly meditations. I'm not sure where you are in MA, but it's no more than a half hour Uber from either the Attleboro or Franklin commuter stations.
posted by Ruki at 9:03 PM on April 18, 2017
posted by Ruki at 9:03 PM on April 18, 2017
Vipassana on Saltspring Island, BC has silent meditation retreats.
posted by chapps at 12:12 AM on April 19, 2017
posted by chapps at 12:12 AM on April 19, 2017
Vipassana Meditation Center in Sherburne offers 10 day silent retreats, pay what you will.
Retreat Finder for Massachusetts shows a few silent meditation retreats - you'll have to dig in to find how long they are.
posted by chocolatepeanutbuttercup at 3:20 AM on April 19, 2017
Retreat Finder for Massachusetts shows a few silent meditation retreats - you'll have to dig in to find how long they are.
posted by chocolatepeanutbuttercup at 3:20 AM on April 19, 2017
Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA offers retreats of about a week long, usually held in silence. Some are longer, some are shorter. It's a lovely retreat center with very good visiting teachers.
posted by unreadyhero at 8:58 AM on April 19, 2017
posted by unreadyhero at 8:58 AM on April 19, 2017
Someone just mentioned this one to me and I thought of you: Advanced Silent Meditation Retreat with Richard Miller
posted by aniola at 10:56 PM on April 19, 2017
posted by aniola at 10:56 PM on April 19, 2017
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Western Chan Fellowship (Wales/other remote parts of the UK) also offer some silent retreats as part of their overall retreat program.
These are the most legit-looking ones I could find in the UK (can't vouch for either personally but I know people' who've done similar things in this country in the past); there are other options but they're either a lot shorter in duration or more like a package retreat/spa vacation kind of deal.
If you are interested in the South Devon one at all and want travel recommendations, let me know - I grew up around there.
posted by terretu at 10:24 AM on April 18, 2017