Where to take a year off to meditate?

[Bagoba]

Hi guys,

So here I am, almost 34 yo in May, working as a sales rep for over 6 and a half years, making good money for myself and my employers, with good health but a tinnitus problem, no kids or wife, no house mortgage, my mind still racing like a monkey everytime I sit and watch my breath, still very highly attached to the senses, still very ignorant.

For a while I have been thinking about taking a year off as a sabbatical, at 1st it was to travel the world and so on, now I'm thinking about doing it to go to a monastery in Thailand or Sri Lanka (or else?), and start taking control of my mind and my sense doors more seriously and see how that goes.

Is there a specific place any of you truth seekers could recommend me for that purpose? Could I reside in a monastery as a lay follower until I decide to either go back or ordain? Or else what's the best way to go about it?

Metta,
Bagoba

[LonesomeYogurt]

http://www.sirimangalo.org/ is a very good center that tolerates visitors very well =]

Otherwise, depending on where you are in the world, it shouldn't be too hard to find a center.

http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/index.php

This is a good way to find a center or monastery.

Good luck!

[Bagoba]

http://www.sirimangalo.org/ is a very good center that tolerates visitors very well =]

Otherwise, depending on where you are in the world, it shouldn't be too hard to find a center.

http://www.buddhanet.info/wbd/index.php

This is a good way to find a center or monastery.

Good luck!

Thanks Lonesome! I'll check it out. I reside in the south of France btw, there's a Zen center close to where I live (Hérault on the map) which I've never been to, but no theravada center is mentioned...

[Alobha]

I recommend that you visit the center before deciding whether or not to stay there for an extended period of time. While there certainly are many monasteries with a high standard, the question is how suitable the people and teacher(s) are for you (like their style of teaching, their personality etc + individual differences from monastery to monastery).

Buddhanet is certainly a good place to find out where you could go. Many places also have a homepage with dhammatalks, which might give you a chance to narrow down options. If you want to visit a place in France: I only heard good things about Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh http://www.buddhanet.net/masters/thich.htm. His main center "plum village" is in the north of France as far as i know

Best wishes,
Alobha

PS: Congrats on your plans to stay in a monastery for a longer time btw! Great opportunity to practice!

[Bagoba]

I recommend that you visit the center before deciding whether or not to stay there for an extended period of time. While there certainly are many monasteries with a high standard, the question is how suitable the people and teacher(s) are for you (like their style of teaching, their personality etc + individual differences from monastery to monastery).

Buddhanet is certainly a good place to find out where you could go. Many places also have a homepage with dhammatalks, which might give you a chance to narrow down options. If you want to visit a place in France: I only heard good things about Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh http://www.buddhanet.net/masters/thich.htm. His main center "plum village" is in the north of France as far as i know

Best wishes,
Alobha

PS: Congrats on your plans to stay in a monastery for a longer time btw! Great opportunity to practice!

Thanks Alobha!

Yes I am aware of Plum center, it's actually in the south of France not very far from where I live (4h40 minutes by car), I have also heard very good things about it and about Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh of course... But I'm less familiar with Zen teachings...

[Goofaholix]

I wouldn't recommend this unless you've already done a few 1-2 week retreats close to home.

If then you want to take a year off and be a dhamma bum in asia then yes that would be a great idea, there are lots of centres you could go to so I wouldn't worry about commiting to spend a year in one place or ordaining, travel around, spend as long or as little time in erach place as you want, look upon it as an adventure and a chance tolet go of your attachments.

[Bagoba]

I wouldn't recommend this unless you've already done a few 1-2 week retreats close to home.

If then you want to take a year off and be a dhamma bum in asia then yes that would be a great idea, there are lots of centres you could go to so I wouldn't worry about commiting to spend a year in one place or ordaining, travel around, spend as long or as little time in erach place as you want, look upon it as an adventure and a chance tolet go of your attachments.

Thanks Goofaholix! I've already been on a few retreats close to home, they were Vajrayana retreats lead by tibetan lamas and mostly based on chanting saddhanas and visualisation / dissolutions of deities, never did an actual vipassana retreat which seems to be what I'd be leaning towards at this time...

Also I was wondering, as I took refuge in the 3 Jewels about 7 years ago, with the Kagyupa lineage of tibetan buddhism, is that ok to try a different approach with Theravada and the Vipassana method now? Or let's say that at some point in the future I'd like to ordain, could I do so under a different tradition than the one I initially took refuge in in this life? I'm rather confident that the answer is yes, since the 3 Jewels are the same no matter which tradition, but I just want to make sure...

Thanks...

[Goofaholix]

Also I was wondering, as I took refuge in the 3 Jewels about 7 years ago, with the Kagyupa lineage of tibetan buddhism, is that ok to try a different approach with Theravada and the Vipassana method now? Or let's say that at some point in the future I'd like to ordain, could I do it under a different tradition than the one I initially took refuge in in this life?

That kind of thing makes no difference from the Theravada / Vipassana POV, if you were going the other way it might be a problem.

[Bagoba]

That kind of thing makes no difference from the Theravada / Vipassana POV, if you were going the other way it might be a problem.

You mean if I had taken refuge under the Therava tradition but then wished to ordain under the Vajrayana tradition?

[Goofaholix]

That kind of thing makes no difference from the Theravada / Vipassana POV, if you were going the other way it might be a problem.

You mean if I had taken refuge under the Therava tradition but then wished to ordain under the Vajrayana tradition?

yes

[Bagoba]

Ok thanks

[Vincenzi]

a year?! I was thinking of 3 months... first.

Hi guys,

So here I am, almost 34 yo in May, working as a sales rep for over 6 and a half years, making good money for myself and my employers, with good health but a tinnitus problem, no kids or wife, no house mortgage, my mind still racing like a monkey everytime I sit and watch my breath, still very highly attached to the senses, still very ignorant.

For a while I have been thinking about taking a year off as a sabbatical, at 1st it was to travel the world and so on, now I'm thinking about doing it to go to a monastery in Thailand or Sri Lanka (or else?), and start taking control of my mind and my sense doors more seriously and see how that goes.

Is there a specific place any of you truth seekers could recommend me for that purpose? Could I reside in a monastery as a lay follower until I decide to either go back or ordain? Or else what's the best way to go about it?

Metta,
Bagoba

first, calm down and remember that you need but the soil to meditate...

how far can you travel? what's your climate tolerance and preference?

[Bagoba]

Hey there Vincenzi!

Well, if I ask my employer for a sabbatical, it's not going to be just 3 months, considering how hard it is to actually legally qualify for one and how long I'd have to wait for the next one, I would ask for maximum time, which is 11 months...

As far as climate goes, I'm used to the mediterranean one, which is kind of away from the extremes, lol.

I can travel as far as I want on this earth really! As for soil only needed, I agree, but an environment where the right effort can be sustained, it's a bit more tricky and actually what I'm after at this stage...

Thanks!

[santisasana]

Hello,

As you live in France, you may be interested in attending the vipassana retreats guided by Sayagyi Daw Sobhana, a Cambodian/French nun, disciple of Sayadaw u Pandita and Sayadaw u Thuzana. There are some this spring and summer...
http://santisantisukha.over-blog.com/ar ... 35806.html

May you find suitable conditions for your spiritual path.
With metta

[parth]

Dear Bagoba,

Why don't you look at vipassana centres run by Shri S.N. Goenkaji, they run on tough discipline, you do 8-10 hours of meditation a day. Starting from a 10 day camp you go upto 60 day camp also. In between two camps ( since you can't do two camps on a back to back basis) you can do dhamma service and remain connected with teachings. The centres are run entirely on donation basis.

Which area of world are you located ? This is a great resolution, please don't let go of it and use it wisely.

Metta

Parth

[Bagoba]

You guys rock...

I live in the south of France Parth...

Thank you for your words of encouragement and your most precious advices...

May you be well.

Bagoba

[parth]

Dear Bagoba,

Please look at following website for the locations in France.
http://www.dhamma.org/en/bycountry/eu/fr.shtml

Regards

Parth