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Hmm. I wonder what kind of person I'd be if I had the privelege and luxury to be by myself without having to talk to anyone or be a slave to mt phone, for ten d

Hmm. I wonder what kind of person I'd be if I had the privelege and luxury to be by myself without having to talk to anyone or be a slave to mt phone, for ten damn days. Imagine! I want to go to there!

jmspring 11y ago
I went to a retreat at Tassajara Zen Center recently. If I didn't have obligations (wife, house, bills), spending time in a place meditating and focusing inward would be a wonderful experience. In this case they are more a Japanese style of Zen Buddhism... Quite stark and austere.
- endlessvoid94 11y ago
  I would love to know more about the retreat you did, if you'd be willing to share. That seems a lot more accessible to me, since I'm in the bay area.
  - jmspring 11y ago
    See reply below for what I did. There are formal retreats during the late spring to early fall. There is a retreat fee and different sorts of lodging prices (from shared dorms to private cabins on the creek). Some people just go to work and stay there at a reduced to minimal cost (typical work could be anything from landscaping to the kitchen to helping clean cabins). This sort of approach one stays in one of the dorms. What was surprising to me is the number of people there. Monks/students probably between 80 and 100 with guests in the same range. Tassajara Zen Center website has more details I believe. There are two other properties as well (in SF and in Marin County). http://sfzc.org http://sfzc.org
    - endlessvoid94 11y ago
      thanks!
- randycupertino 11y ago
  Did you go to the one in Ventana Wilderness? We've mountain biked by it and I keep meaning to check it out.
  - jmspring 11y ago
    Yes, the Tassajara Zen Center in the Ventana Wilderness. It really is a nice location but can get quite warm in the summer. The retreat my wife and I did was "Zen in the Kitchen" plus an extra day to just unwind. Cooking, for me, is one way I do relax. We really wanted to do their Bread class. The retreat structure for us was: - meditation in the morning - maybe something like Qigong or similar after that - breakfast (family style) - set up your lunch for the day (pack in tins/lunch box) - morning session - a break - lunch - afternoon session - dinner - evening meditation It seems like sessions are informal, if you want to wander off and just hike, use the pools, etc, there is no problem. Oh, and most importantly, the food is amazing (even as a meat eater).
    - randycupertino 11y ago
      Cool, thanks so much for the info! Can't wait to check it out :) I love that area and Carmel Valley in particular is my happy place. If you're ever down that way again, go to Wills Fargo in Carmel Valley and order the steak bites appetizer, it's stupendous.
danieldk 11y ago
The first two days will be hell, believe me :). The mind will crave for talking, listing to music, reading the web, etc. The thirst will become bigger and bigger. On my first retreat, I decided to leave after two days. I told my meditation guide at the daily personal meeting that I would stop. He jokingly said "I'll make sure that you get the refund". His light-hearted response made me realize that I made a monster out of my cravings for daily distractions. I continued the retreat. It was amazing!
mvanvoorden 11y ago
You can easily have this privilege. I asked my employer and they had no problem giving me 10 unpaid days off. I didn't mind it was unpaid, because I would not be spending money for 10 days either. Usually you have to register about 4 months in advance, you can find a center close to you on http://dhamma.org http://dhamma.org. Just realize how there will _always_ be new things happening and work never ends and is never finished, so missing 10 days is nothing and no job is so important that it can't be interrupted for 10 days or done by someone else for that period.
- n4r9 11y ago
  > I didn't mind it was unpaid, because I would not be spending money for 10 days either. How much does registering for the course cost?
  - mvanvoorden 11y ago
    Nothing, there's no monetary obligation at all, from registering until you leave. It will only cost you time and dedication, for 10 consecutive days.
  - sageabilly 11y ago
    AFAIK it's free. I know that the center in Delaware that I've looked to going to is free. [edit] Yup, the article address this: ...these courses are 100% financed by voluntary gifts from previous students (who are explicitly asked not to donate anything unless it is from the pure wish of helping other people).
throwaway999888 11y ago
> Hmm. I wonder what kind of person I'd be if I had the > privelege > and luxury You would probably see yourself as less of a victim of unfair external circumstances.
- ilostmykeys 11y ago
  And if you do it you would probably see yourself as less of a judgemental prick You've no idea what the sitiation of others may be but yet you judge ...
  - throwaway999888 11y ago
    > And if you do it you would probably see yourself as less of a judgemental prick But what if I already don't see myself as a judgemental prick? :)
    - dang 11y ago
      Please stop posting unsubstantive comments to Hacker News.
      - throwaway999888 11y ago
        Sorry.
  - deleted 11y ago
    [deleted]
toomanybeersies 11y ago
You can just not be a slave to your phone for 10 days. I don't use my phone for anything but SMS and phone calls. I don't have any other apps on it (or at least any apps that I use). Occasionally I use my phone for maps, but that's it. No Facebook messages, no email, no twitter. I think I do get hangouts, but nobody sends me messages via hangouts/Gchat.

jmspring 11y ago

I went to a retreat at Tassajara Zen Center recently. If I didn't have obligations (wife, house, bills), spending time in a place meditating and focusing inward would be a wonderful experience. In this case they are more a Japanese style of Zen Buddhism... Quite stark and austere.

endlessvoid94 11y ago
I would love to know more about the retreat you did, if you'd be willing to share. That seems a lot more accessible to me, since I'm in the bay area.
- jmspring 11y ago
  See reply below for what I did. There are formal retreats during the late spring to early fall. There is a retreat fee and different sorts of lodging prices (from shared dorms to private cabins on the creek). Some people just go to work and stay there at a reduced to minimal cost (typical work could be anything from landscaping to the kitchen to helping clean cabins). This sort of approach one stays in one of the dorms. What was surprising to me is the number of people there. Monks/students probably between 80 and 100 with guests in the same range. Tassajara Zen Center website has more details I believe. There are two other properties as well (in SF and in Marin County). http://sfzc.org http://sfzc.org
  - endlessvoid94 11y ago
    thanks!
randycupertino 11y ago
Did you go to the one in Ventana Wilderness? We've mountain biked by it and I keep meaning to check it out.
- jmspring 11y ago
  Yes, the Tassajara Zen Center in the Ventana Wilderness. It really is a nice location but can get quite warm in the summer. The retreat my wife and I did was "Zen in the Kitchen" plus an extra day to just unwind. Cooking, for me, is one way I do relax. We really wanted to do their Bread class. The retreat structure for us was: - meditation in the morning - maybe something like Qigong or similar after that - breakfast (family style) - set up your lunch for the day (pack in tins/lunch box) - morning session - a break - lunch - afternoon session - dinner - evening meditation It seems like sessions are informal, if you want to wander off and just hike, use the pools, etc, there is no problem. Oh, and most importantly, the food is amazing (even as a meat eater).
  - randycupertino 11y ago
    Cool, thanks so much for the info! Can't wait to check it out :) I love that area and Carmel Valley in particular is my happy place. If you're ever down that way again, go to Wills Fargo in Carmel Valley and order the steak bites appetizer, it's stupendous.

danieldk 11y ago

The first two days will be hell, believe me :). The mind will crave for talking, listing to music, reading the web, etc. The thirst will become bigger and bigger. On my first retreat, I decided to leave after two days. I told my meditation guide at the daily personal meeting that I would stop. He jokingly said "I'll make sure that you get the refund". His light-hearted response made me realize that I made a monster out of my cravings for daily distractions. I continued the retreat. It was amazing!

mvanvoorden 11y ago

You can easily have this privilege. I asked my employer and they had no problem giving me 10 unpaid days off. I didn't mind it was unpaid, because I would not be spending money for 10 days either. Usually you have to register about 4 months in advance, you can find a center close to you on http://dhamma.org http://dhamma.org. Just realize how there will _always_ be new things happening and work never ends and is never finished, so missing 10 days is nothing and no job is so important that it can't be interrupted for 10 days or done by someone else for that period.

n4r9 11y ago
> I didn't mind it was unpaid, because I would not be spending money for 10 days either. How much does registering for the course cost?
- mvanvoorden 11y ago
  Nothing, there's no monetary obligation at all, from registering until you leave. It will only cost you time and dedication, for 10 consecutive days.
- sageabilly 11y ago
  AFAIK it's free. I know that the center in Delaware that I've looked to going to is free. [edit] Yup, the article address this: ...these courses are 100% financed by voluntary gifts from previous students (who are explicitly asked not to donate anything unless it is from the pure wish of helping other people).

throwaway999888 11y ago

> Hmm. I wonder what kind of person I'd be if I had the > privelege > and luxury You would probably see yourself as less of a victim of unfair external circumstances.

ilostmykeys 11y ago
And if you do it you would probably see yourself as less of a judgemental prick You've no idea what the sitiation of others may be but yet you judge ...
- throwaway999888 11y ago
  > And if you do it you would probably see yourself as less of a judgemental prick But what if I already don't see myself as a judgemental prick? :)
  - dang 11y ago
    Please stop posting unsubstantive comments to Hacker News.
    - throwaway999888 11y ago
      Sorry.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]

toomanybeersies 11y ago

You can just not be a slave to your phone for 10 days. I don't use my phone for anything but SMS and phone calls. I don't have any other apps on it (or at least any apps that I use). Occasionally I use my phone for maps, but that's it. No Facebook messages, no email, no twitter. I think I do get hangouts, but nobody sends me messages via hangouts/Gchat.