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I've heard about this before and the people were usually happy. However it sounded pretty culty from descriptions. Trying to convince people that your way is th

by kriro 11y ago

I've heard about this before and the people were usually happy. However it sounded pretty culty from descriptions. Trying to convince people that your way is the only way sounds like you don't understand Buddhism at all (I don't understand it either just on a very superficial level). I also hear quite a few "I felt more productive, less stressed out" etc. remarks. I wonder if 10 days of relaxing on a beach wouldn't have a similar effect. Has anyone done scientific studies on this? I remember a study on meditation being positively correlated to learning but am not sure if I remember correctly.

k-mcgrady 11y ago
>> "I also hear quite a few "I felt more productive, less stressed out" etc. remarks. I wonder if 10 days of relaxing on a beach wouldn't have a similar effect." I've never been to one of these retreats but for a while I meditated twice daily, morning and evening for 15 minutes. I only did it for about 2-3 months. I had a similar effect while I maintained it. Not so much with productivity but I was definitely less stressed. So although I'm sure 10 days relaxing anywhere will help with stress, short daily sessions seem to have the same effect.
mvanvoorden 11y ago
It's definitely not the same as relaxing on a beach for 10 days. Not even closely similar. Yes, you might be more relaxed, but this meditation is hard work and really disciplines your mind, something you won't be doing on a beach. As far as you are even aware of how active the mind is all day long, the beach will be full of distractions and you would take any opportunity to avoid any uncomfortable situations as well as take any opportunity to do things that give you short, momentary pleasures. I noticed the culty part about it as well, but it makes sense to me, because it really works. The claim they make is really met and this convinces a lot of people that everybody should at least once in their life do such a retreat, including myself. There is the Vipassana Research Institute, but their website disappoints me a bit, because the amount of links that is actual research is quite meagre. There are some good results with Vipassana in prisons, though. See http://www.vridhamma.org/Home.aspx http://www.vridhamma.org/Home.aspx
ared38 11y ago
>> Trying to convince people that your way is the only way sounds like you don't understand Buddhism at all Buddhism is a diverse religion. In Myanmar Buddhist monks routinely commit hate crimes against the Muslim minority. It's no different from Christianity, where some (Universalists) believe everyone goes to heaven while others (the Baptists yelling outside my university) believe almost everyone goes to hell. There's no "authentic" version of a living and changing tradition.

by kriro 11y ago

k-mcgrady 11y ago

>> "I also hear quite a few "I felt more productive, less stressed out" etc. remarks. I wonder if 10 days of relaxing on a beach wouldn't have a similar effect." I've never been to one of these retreats but for a while I meditated twice daily, morning and evening for 15 minutes. I only did it for about 2-3 months. I had a similar effect while I maintained it. Not so much with productivity but I was definitely less stressed. So although I'm sure 10 days relaxing anywhere will help with stress, short daily sessions seem to have the same effect.

mvanvoorden 11y ago

It's definitely not the same as relaxing on a beach for 10 days. Not even closely similar. Yes, you might be more relaxed, but this meditation is hard work and really disciplines your mind, something you won't be doing on a beach. As far as you are even aware of how active the mind is all day long, the beach will be full of distractions and you would take any opportunity to avoid any uncomfortable situations as well as take any opportunity to do things that give you short, momentary pleasures. I noticed the culty part about it as well, but it makes sense to me, because it really works. The claim they make is really met and this convinces a lot of people that everybody should at least once in their life do such a retreat, including myself. There is the Vipassana Research Institute, but their website disappoints me a bit, because the amount of links that is actual research is quite meagre. There are some good results with Vipassana in prisons, though. See http://www.vridhamma.org/Home.aspx http://www.vridhamma.org/Home.aspx

ared38 11y ago

>> Trying to convince people that your way is the only way sounds like you don't understand Buddhism at all Buddhism is a diverse religion. In Myanmar Buddhist monks routinely commit hate crimes against the Muslim minority. It's no different from Christianity, where some (Universalists) believe everyone goes to heaven while others (the Baptists yelling outside my university) believe almost everyone goes to hell. There's no "authentic" version of a living and changing tradition.