Meditation Centers - Your Experiences?

[Yttrium]

I am planning a retreat for max. 3 monthes. What are your experiences with meditation centers? E. g. what to expect, what not? What about Na Uyana? For those intending to go to Srilanka, I can provide experiences about Kanduboda, Nilambe, Nissarana. I am grateful, if you name forums, websites, etc., writing about above mentioned topic! I am particularly interested in places in South East Asia and Srilanka. Thanks for your hints!

[tamdrin]

I live in Thailand but I have not attended any courses at a meditation center.


Pa Auk in Myanmar is supposed to be good.


You can see what the Venerable Sayadaw teaches in books like this:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qwl-bq ... 0hEdi/view

[Virgo]

Hello,

Here are some other Pa Auk monasteries and centers:

https://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/connect

Here is a list of Mahasi centers:

http://www.mahasiusa.org/ww.html

And here are some Thai meditation centers:

http://www.sawadee.com/thailand/meditation/

I have meditated at Wat Mahathat and I can recommend it.

Kevin

[JamesTheGiant]

I much prefer monasteries, and not retreat centers. At a monastery you have a mix of intense solitary meditation, and chores you must bring full mindfulness to, and people you must practise kindness and tolerance with.
It's more balanced, you get the opportunity to practise many aspects of the dhamma, not just focus on meditation.
There is the added benefit that there are many monasteries, while there are only few retreat centers.

[budo]

In my opinion, paid retreats are kind of a scam.

First, there is the bootcamp effect, which means you'll experience new highs you've never experienced but you will lose all of that within a week of returning home. So it will not lead to any lasting changes. I've seen this bootcamp effect in many fields, not just meditation.

Second, unless you know the dhamma very well you're unlikely to attain anything. Even if you attain jhanas, odds are you won't properly utilize those jhanas for seeing dependent origination. That process takes real inner commitment that a retreat can't provide.

It's a paradox, if you knew what you needed to do a retreat would be irrelevant. If you're going on a retreat hoping to attain something, then you don't know what you need to do.

Having said that, if the retreat is free then it could be of some utility. If it's an expensive retreat, you're being scammed.

[Yttrium]

I much prefer monasteries, and not retreat centers. At a monastery you have a mix of intense solitary meditation, and chores you must bring full mindfulness to, and people you must practise kindness and tolerance with.
It's more balanced, you get the opportunity to practise many aspects of the dhamma, not just focus on meditation.
There is the added benefit that there are many monasteries, while there are only few retreat centers.

What does the time table look like?

[Yttrium]

@budo: "That process takes real inner commitment that a retreat can't provide." How can you go for a retreat without inner commitment? What minimum knowledge of the Dhamma would be appropriate? If you reach jhana and do not know what to do - in a center normally is a teacher available and will help you out.

[JamesTheGiant]

What does the time table look like?

5:00 am
Morning meeting – chanting and silent meditation

6:30 am
Daily cleanup – chores around the main area of the monastery

7:15 am
Breakfast – usually tea and cereal

8:15 am
Work period – chores and general maintenance of the monastery

10:45 am
Meal offering
After the kitchen wash-up
Personal practice – individual meditation and study time

5:00 pm
Tea

7:30 – 8:40 pm
Evening meeting – chanting and silent meditation