I'll review every Thai monastery I visit in this thread

[rhinoceroshorn]

Lovely to read about your explorations, Rhino. Why so work averse, though? Work can be done joyfully and sweeping is a wonderful meditation.

I'm averse to much work.
Though I like the idea of sweeping the monastery moderately. I sometimes do it with a deep gratitude.

I'm in a Thai monastery now and we have only one hour or less of sweeping everyday. This is the ideal. Some monasteries (Nanachat/Boon Lorm) want you to sweep in the morning, before the meal and in the afternoon. Some 3/4 hours of sweeping. It's too much.

[Dilantha]

Lovely to read about your explorations, Rhino. Why so work averse, though? Work can be done joyfully and sweeping is a wonderful meditation.

I'm averse to much work.
Though I like the idea of sweeping the monastery moderately. I sometimes do it with a deep gratitude.

I'm in a Thai monastery now and we have only one hour or less of sweeping everyday. This is the ideal. Some monasteries (Nanachat/Boon Lorm) want you to sweep in the morning, before the meal and in the afternoon. Some 3/4 hours of sweeping. It's too much.

wow can't balme you.3 or 4 hours of sweeping is insane. unles you learn to live with it and meditatie while doing it

[Bhikkhu Ariyananda]

This could save a lot of time for others

Thank you

Anyone been to

1) Wat Yan (Ajahn Suchart)
2) Wat Subtawee (Ajahn Gunha)
3) Pa Pae IDOP program

Any inputs would be much appreciated

With Metta

[TRobinson465]

This could save a lot of time for others

Thank you

Anyone been to

1) Wat Yan (Ajahn Suchart)
2) Wat Subtawee (Ajahn Gunha)
3) Pa Pae IDOP program

Any inputs would be much appreciated

With Metta

I've been to number 3.

pros:
-Well organized
-nice nature-y facilities
-relatively strict discipline (a pro for me cuz i like being serious)
-Immersive experience into the simple life
-Well supported and thus you never have to worry about access to necessities

cons:
-They arent picky on who they let in so some people your with may be annoying (its just luck of the draw)
-Only touches on the basics of Buddhism and monk life unless you extend your stay
-Chores and lifestyle takes some getting used to for most westerners
-no cell phones

If you heard about Pa Pae IDOP thru the Youtube Channel of Ven. Nick Keomahavong, I can attest he gives an accurate portrayal.

[rhinoceroshorn]

This could save a lot of time for others

Yes, that's the purpose of this topic. You go knowing what to expect.

[Stillmind28]

I have also been very interested in wat phu Kong tong. It’s looks almost perfect. My question is how intense is it? For someone who is looking to stay for a long period of time is it conducive? Should one be super advanced to survive the intensity?

[Alino]

Thank you Rhino for sharing !

It's not à judgment, because today's minds are really addicted to cell phones and as all addiction it is hard to let go off.
But I think it is a good point if monastery prohibits cellphones.

Personally, being adult I have never lived for a long time without phone, so I don't know how it will deal with it but, but one of my dreams is to one day being free from obligation to have a phone... There is some taste of freedom in it... Being free from Internet in the ciecle of the Internet

Freedom is not to surf on the web whenever you want as much you want.
Freedom is to be free from surfing.

If Buddha was there, I think he would prohibit cellphones.

Its sad that "The social dilemma" is no longer available on YouTube, but I recommend.

Imho

[confusedlayman]

Hi rhino, i hope you are doing good. How is your practice progress?

[tamdrin]

I lived in Chiang Mai for 7 years and just recently returned to the U.S.

In this time I visited many monasteries and stayed for practice in a few of them.


I did a month long stay at a temple called "Doi Pui" which is on the mountain past Doi Suthep near a little hilltribe village. This is not a monastery set up for westerners but I had an Australian monk friend who was doing the rains retreat there. I learned a lot there and went for alms down a long flight of steps to the village everyday. I only did some sweeping and evening chanting with the monks, in addition to help serve them the morning meal. It was a great time, and because it was on the mountain it is much cooler than in Chiang Mai. Overall it was a very peaceful time.

I did a 3 day stay at the temple of a famous monk who passed away a few years ago. This is in Mae Taeng about 40km north of Chiang Mai. He was a very great monk and meditator and I remember feeling like he "emanated" from another realm. I guess this was because of his samadhi practice. Later, another western monk I met said he was known to have perfected the parami of samadhi. His temple was called Wat Aranyawiwake but it wasn't that conducive to practice as there were no individual kutis for laypeople.

I also stayed at the famous cave temple of Luang Por Sim in Chiang Dao. Chiang Dao is one of my favorite spots in Thailand as the mountain is majestic and breathtaking. The temple is very secluded and peaceful because you have to walk up a ton of steps to get there. It is built in a cave complex that is renovated. I had some peaceful times there. Wakeup is early, 3 am. There are some kutis for laypeople but most stay in a communal dorm. But there are lots of places to find solitude and practice by oneself.

I will update later about some other temples I've practiced at.

[Dilantha]

I lived in Chiang Mai for 7 years and just recently returned to the U.S.

In this time I visited many monasteries and stayed for practice in a few of them.
...

I will update later about some other temples I've practiced at.

Thank you very much for the review. Can a female lay yogi stay in Luang Por Sim in Chiang Dao ?

[tamdrin]

I lived in Chiang Mai for 7 years and just recently returned to the U.S.

In this time I visited many monasteries and stayed for practice in a few of them.
...

I will update later about some other temples I've practiced at.

Thank you very much for the review. Can a female lay yogi stay in Luang Por Sim in Chiang Dao ?

Yes, you can. They have women's quarters as well as mens. No problem and I highly recommend a visit! There is also a temple near there called Wat Tam Pak Piang. Also a cave complex worth a visit but not as set up for visitors staying there.

[Dilantha]

I lived in Chiang Mai for 7 years and just recently returned to the U.S.

In this time I visited many monasteries and stayed for practice in a few of them.
...

I will update later about some other temples I've practiced at.

Thank you very much for the review. Can a female lay yogi stay in Luang Por Sim in Chiang Dao ?

Yes, you can. They have women's quarters as well as mens. No problem and I highly recommend a visit! There is also a temple near there called Wat Tam Pak Piang. Also a cave complex worth a visit but not as set up for visitors staying there.

Thank you very much.