6 ms·

Do you know of anyway to find more of those? I'm in Oakland and that sounds delightful.

by KerryJones 5y ago

gloriana 5y ago
Why can't you just do it?
- carrolldunham 5y ago
  Lol at the downvotes. This is a legitimate question. Edit: I guess looking at the actual description of the retreat given, people don't actually want to learn about acceptance etc., they literally want to go to a free version of a spa resort
  - grp000 5y ago
    I don't think this is as simple as a google search. This isn't a regular business, and it would be nice to get a HN-user-vetted answer on a retreat that doesn't try to upsell you, and offers the "right" daily events.
    - carrolldunham 5y ago
      No, not 'why can't you just google it'. The question is why can't you just DO it. Take some food in to your room, put your devices outside, close your door.
      - tinus_hn 5y ago
        Perhaps unintended but it comes across pretty condescending; in my opinion you make it sound like they asked a stupid question.
      - Zanni 5y ago
        I imagine for the same reasons they can't "just" quit smoking, lose weight, get in shape, write a novel, etc. They may not believe they're capable, they need support, they need structure, they need incentive, etc.
      - maeil 5y ago
        Cconsider that some people don't have that kind of luxury; their living room and bedroom are one and the same. Mine are.
- mping 5y ago
  You need a supporting environment. Theoretically you can do it, just as you can learn without going to college.
- abeppu 5y ago
  I did take a meditation class at SF Zen Center and the teacher did suggest that we could dedicate a day to practice as if on retreat even while at home, though this is challenging. But ultimately, the sangha or community is important in Buddhism. The "three jewels" that one looks to for guidance are the Buddha, the dharma or scripture, and the sangha. At some level, if you _keep_ trying to just do it without a community of others, you're perhaps doing it wrong.
- KerryJones 5y ago
  I don't have a space that is inherently away from electronics, inherently peaceful, that is still around people but not in a way where people want to engage in non-mindful ways, I am not fully skilled or understanding in ways others who have done this before can guide. I generally am a fan of the Nike, "just do it", but have found it can be significantly beneficial to be surrounded by those who do it better than you. Even if it's primarily a solo journey.
  - queuebert 5y ago
    I am turning a room in my house into a technology-free space. No phones allowed, just books and a typewriter, pen, and paper for writing. This could be another use of that room.
- akprasad 5y ago
  Here are some reasons people find retreat environments helpful: - Change of setting loosens pre-existing habits (compare working in an office to working from home) - Being surrounded by people doing the same thing as you can be a great source of energy and determination (compare working in a hacker space to working in your garage) - Having a teacher handy to clarify doubts is a great source of accountability and advice (compare learning from another programmer to teaching yourself to code) - Depending on the retreat, most chores are taken care of for you so you can focus on meditating (compare being a student with a dining hall to studying while employed) Often the metaphor used is that a retreat is a container, i.e. it makes it easy to slip into habits conducive to long and concentrated meditation sessions. Peers and environment matter, even for meditation.
- claylimo 5y ago
  I have done a number of solo retreats. Many solo 10-day retreats, and a month long retreat usually in my apartment or place that I was living at the time. I would speak to my teacher on the phone typically every other day, or everyday for 10-45mins depending on what was happening. I didn't immediately jump into the longer retreats. I built up to it. Initially doing 1 day solo retreats, then 3-days, then doing many 10-days then a month long. So, why can't you just do it? A solo retreat is not for everyone. People often need help or support to meet them where they are. Different personalities have different needs. A retreat can also be quite destabilizing and having someone to help in person to navigate the emotional territory or insights is valuable. Now, let's say that you think you can do it. In my opinion, you absolutely need a teacher for a longer retreat but for a shorter retreat (1 day, or _maybe_ 3-day) it is not entirely necessary. You end being your own worst enemy on a retreat. A friend of mine was doing practice for 10-12 hours a day without a teacher for 6 weeks and only eating a little bit of bread everyday. This is a bad idea. The mind plays some amazing tricks on you. So, if a solo attempt is done please have a teacher and have a lot of vital context around what you are doing otherwise you will practice wrongly.
- nope123456789 5y ago
  Peace is not just the absence of violence but the presence of community. I similarly attended these retreats and the community was profound. At every retreat I went to attendees participated in communal work, kitchen cleaning, food prep, compost rotation, temple cleaning. Nothing was a chore, not even silence, because you weren’t isolated. A big part of community was also the integration of monks, nuns and lay people (attendees). The kindness, acceptance and joy the “contemplatives” (monks and nuns) shared with attendees was really very special. So, theoretically one could meditate alone at home during a weekend but…that’s an entirely different experience. Short of attending a retreat, the next best thing is finding a Sangha locally and practicing together. Not every journey begins on a lonely road, some start walking slowly alongside others. https://plumvillage.org/about/international-sangha-directory/ https://plumvillage.org/about/international-sangha-directory...
srmatto 5y ago
I think there is Deer Park Monastery in California, Plum Village Monastery in France, Blue Cliff Monastery in New York, and Magnolia Grove Monastery in Mississippi. There could be others as well. Edit: I think there are even more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum_Village_Tradition#Monasteries https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum_Village_Tradition#Monaste...
eismcc 5y ago
One in Berkeley https://www.emptygatezen.com/ https://www.emptygatezen.com/
mping 5y ago
There is a Buddhist meditation temple in LA that organizes 2 retreats per year. I go every year from Europe, it's that good. The monastics are super helpful and the abbot is very down to earth and accessible, they also do fasting besides meditation. You don't need experience, just drop by and stay if you like. Check it out: https://chanpureland.org https://chanpureland.org I'm sure that there are dozens of other temples that do retreats, but this one I know from experience.
suketk 5y ago
I highly recommend Vipassana [0]. It's similarly free from commercialism - there is no cost for teaching, lodging and food. At the end, you can pay if you found it beneficial and want to pay it forward. They also only accept contributions from people who have completed the program. Despite this policy, they've grown to 200+ centers across the world. I was so inspired [1] by it that I adopted a lot of their principles in my business [2]. [0] https://dhamma.org https://dhamma.org [1] https://suketk.com/vipassana https://suketk.com/vipassana [2] https://themoai.org/intentionality https://themoai.org/intentionality
- lanstin 5y ago
  I have two friends that have done the Vipassana 10 day retreat and came home rather glowing from it.
- chiefgeek 5y ago
  Vipassana is amazing. 10 day is minimum to start. After you sit a 10, there are 1, 3 and 5 available.
- tristanMatthias 5y ago
  Vipassana changed my life
- zoom6628 5y ago
  Vipassana was life changing for me too. Can’t recommend it enough to everyone. I did my course in New Zealand.
- esbeeb 5y ago
  Firstly, respect to Thich Nhat Hanh, and his legacy! I've done 7 10-day Vipassana foundation retreats (AKA "Goenka retreats"). I was so inspired that I went on to become a Buddhist monk. Now I'm a meditation teacher in my own right, with 13 years seniority, fully-ordained. My website: https://bhikkhu.ca https://bhikkhu.ca The place I give weekend meditation retreats (in Calgary, Canada): https://ehipassikocalgary.org/ https://ehipassikocalgary.org/ The cost is by-donation, and no donation is also acceptable. My tradition is Theravada Buddhism, or "Early Buddhism".
delilahder 5y ago
https://www.nityanandashaktipatyoga.org/weekend-shaktipat-meditation-retreats/ https://www.nityanandashaktipatyoga.org/weekend-shaktipat-me... PS My account is new, because I'm a long-time lurker but wanted to post.
lanstin 5y ago
https://www.bayzen.org/ https://www.bayzen.org/ is in Oakland and is in the tradition of Maezumi, which is what most of my training has been from. https://berkeleyzencenter.org/ https://berkeleyzencenter.org/ is in Berkley and is in the tradition of Soto Zen; I have sat with sister groups in San Jose and they seem pretty solid if a little more laid back than the Maezumi schools. There is a retreat center up in the Santa Cruz mountains, https://www.jikoji.org/ https://www.jikoji.org/ I have gone to retreats there and it is indeed very nice, peaceful and beautiful and nothing extrinsic to decide or worry about. I went with the Floating Zendo: https://floatingzendo.org/about-sesshin/ https://floatingzendo.org/about-sesshin/ In Bay area, we have many opportunities to practice/train with other people. I'd say that the long retreats make daily meditation a lot easier and doing regular daily meditation make the long retreats a lot easier. And sitting with other people strengthens the practice in a way it's hard to recreate on your own. I haven't sat with a group in the Thich Nhat Hanh tradition, but from what I've seen online, the Japanese-derived Zen groups are pretty similar in the essence of the teachings.
claylimo 5y ago
There are many many retreats out there so knowing what the right one for you is not easy. I know of an upcoming in-person retreat based on TWIM (Tranquil Wisdom Insight Meditation) south of San Francisco: https://www.suttavada.foundation/physical-retreats-suttavada/ https://www.suttavada.foundation/physical-retreats-suttavada... The retreat is located here: https://www.suttavada.foundation/venue/stfrancis/ https://www.suttavada.foundation/venue/stfrancis/ What is TWIM? https://www.reddit.com/r/streamentry/wiki/twim-crash-course https://www.reddit.com/r/streamentry/wiki/twim-crash-course Here is a book about the practice: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B06WRPZZQF/ https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B06WRPZZQF/
revertts 5y ago
IRC is excellent, and located around the Bay Area (there are usually at least a few people carpooling down from Oakland) - https://www.insightretreatcenter.org https://www.insightretreatcenter.org It's the retreat side of IMC (https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org). You might listen to some of their talks or read some of Gil's writing[1] to see if it's what you are looking for. It's in the Vipassana tradition, though a number of the teachers had affiliation with the SF Zen Center. [1] https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/natural-buddhism/ https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/natur... is a potentially interesting article
fernly 5y ago
Insight Meditation Center (in Redwood City) operates residential retreats out of a location in the hills above Santa Cruz. Here's the schedule: https://www.insightretreatcenter.org/retreats/ https://www.insightretreatcenter.org/retreats/
asveikau 5y ago
In Oakland I wouldn't leave the phone in the car. (Sorry, irresistible joke. Also, dear downvoter, this is not intended as a criticism of Oakland.)
zachberger 5y ago
I’ve had a few day trips up to Abhayagiri monastery near Ukaih, CA. It’s incredibly peaceful. https://abhayagiri.org https://abhayagiri.org
hangonhn 5y ago
The Bay Area actually has quite a few. Among the more famous ones are Tassajara Zen Mountain Center (the first Zen monastery in the US) in Carmel Valley and Spirit Rock near Mt. Tam. Mountain View has a Zen meditation center that welcomes guests during certain times during the week.
alecst 5y ago
Abhayagiri and City of Ten Thousand Buddhas are both reputable alternatives to Goenka Vipassana retreats, just to give you some things to look into.
tern 5y ago
Thich Nhat Hanh was a zen monk, and the zen word for "retreat" is "sesshin," so you you might do well enough with a Google search like https://www.google.com/search?q=sesshin+near+me&oq=sesshin https://www.google.com/search?q=sesshin+near+me&oq=sesshin. Near Oakland there is San Francisco Zen Center (in Marin and in SF)—you might reach out and ask them for recommendations. Also near Oakland you have many Tibetan organizations like https://gyalshen.org/ https://gyalshen.org/ and https://nyingmainstitute.com/ https://nyingmainstitute.com/. If you want to do more research, you can easily find directories like this: https://buddhiststudies.stanford.edu/resourcesother-resources/bay-area-buddhist-organizations https://buddhiststudies.stanford.edu/resourcesother-resource.... There is tremendous access to teachings in the Bay Area and a handful of fantastic monasteries within 100 miles. For effective teachings, I recommend: https://pointingoutthegreatway.com/ https://pointingoutthegreatway.com/. As you're getting started, it doesn't really matter what you do, but if you want to progress along the path quickly, I have found the Tibetan "pointing" style teachings to be most safe and effective by about an order of magnitude. Realization Process is also very good, and not strictly Buddhist: https://realizationprocess.org/schedule-of-events/ https://realizationprocess.org/schedule-of-events/ Finally, https://sfdharmacollective.org/ https://sfdharmacollective.org/ is an incredible resource and people there can guide to whatever might suit you.

Do you know of anyway to find more of those? I'm in Oakland and that sounds delightful.

gloriana 5y ago

Why can't you just do it?

carrolldunham 5y ago
Lol at the downvotes. This is a legitimate question. Edit: I guess looking at the actual description of the retreat given, people don't actually want to learn about acceptance etc., they literally want to go to a free version of a spa resort
- grp000 5y ago
  I don't think this is as simple as a google search. This isn't a regular business, and it would be nice to get a HN-user-vetted answer on a retreat that doesn't try to upsell you, and offers the "right" daily events.
  - carrolldunham 5y ago
    No, not 'why can't you just google it'. The question is why can't you just DO it. Take some food in to your room, put your devices outside, close your door.
    - tinus_hn 5y ago
      Perhaps unintended but it comes across pretty condescending; in my opinion you make it sound like they asked a stupid question.
    - Zanni 5y ago
      I imagine for the same reasons they can't "just" quit smoking, lose weight, get in shape, write a novel, etc. They may not believe they're capable, they need support, they need structure, they need incentive, etc.
    - maeil 5y ago
      Cconsider that some people don't have that kind of luxury; their living room and bedroom are one and the same. Mine are.
mping 5y ago
You need a supporting environment. Theoretically you can do it, just as you can learn without going to college.
abeppu 5y ago
I did take a meditation class at SF Zen Center and the teacher did suggest that we could dedicate a day to practice as if on retreat even while at home, though this is challenging. But ultimately, the sangha or community is important in Buddhism. The "three jewels" that one looks to for guidance are the Buddha, the dharma or scripture, and the sangha. At some level, if you _keep_ trying to just do it without a community of others, you're perhaps doing it wrong.
KerryJones 5y ago
I don't have a space that is inherently away from electronics, inherently peaceful, that is still around people but not in a way where people want to engage in non-mindful ways, I am not fully skilled or understanding in ways others who have done this before can guide. I generally am a fan of the Nike, "just do it", but have found it can be significantly beneficial to be surrounded by those who do it better than you. Even if it's primarily a solo journey.
- queuebert 5y ago
  I am turning a room in my house into a technology-free space. No phones allowed, just books and a typewriter, pen, and paper for writing. This could be another use of that room.
akprasad 5y ago
Here are some reasons people find retreat environments helpful: - Change of setting loosens pre-existing habits (compare working in an office to working from home) - Being surrounded by people doing the same thing as you can be a great source of energy and determination (compare working in a hacker space to working in your garage) - Having a teacher handy to clarify doubts is a great source of accountability and advice (compare learning from another programmer to teaching yourself to code) - Depending on the retreat, most chores are taken care of for you so you can focus on meditating (compare being a student with a dining hall to studying while employed) Often the metaphor used is that a retreat is a container, i.e. it makes it easy to slip into habits conducive to long and concentrated meditation sessions. Peers and environment matter, even for meditation.
claylimo 5y ago
I have done a number of solo retreats. Many solo 10-day retreats, and a month long retreat usually in my apartment or place that I was living at the time. I would speak to my teacher on the phone typically every other day, or everyday for 10-45mins depending on what was happening. I didn't immediately jump into the longer retreats. I built up to it. Initially doing 1 day solo retreats, then 3-days, then doing many 10-days then a month long. So, why can't you just do it? A solo retreat is not for everyone. People often need help or support to meet them where they are. Different personalities have different needs. A retreat can also be quite destabilizing and having someone to help in person to navigate the emotional territory or insights is valuable. Now, let's say that you think you can do it. In my opinion, you absolutely need a teacher for a longer retreat but for a shorter retreat (1 day, or _maybe_ 3-day) it is not entirely necessary. You end being your own worst enemy on a retreat. A friend of mine was doing practice for 10-12 hours a day without a teacher for 6 weeks and only eating a little bit of bread everyday. This is a bad idea. The mind plays some amazing tricks on you. So, if a solo attempt is done please have a teacher and have a lot of vital context around what you are doing otherwise you will practice wrongly.
nope123456789 5y ago
Peace is not just the absence of violence but the presence of community. I similarly attended these retreats and the community was profound. At every retreat I went to attendees participated in communal work, kitchen cleaning, food prep, compost rotation, temple cleaning. Nothing was a chore, not even silence, because you weren’t isolated. A big part of community was also the integration of monks, nuns and lay people (attendees). The kindness, acceptance and joy the “contemplatives” (monks and nuns) shared with attendees was really very special. So, theoretically one could meditate alone at home during a weekend but…that’s an entirely different experience. Short of attending a retreat, the next best thing is finding a Sangha locally and practicing together. Not every journey begins on a lonely road, some start walking slowly alongside others. https://plumvillage.org/about/international-sangha-directory/ https://plumvillage.org/about/international-sangha-directory...

srmatto 5y ago

I think there is Deer Park Monastery in California, Plum Village Monastery in France, Blue Cliff Monastery in New York, and Magnolia Grove Monastery in Mississippi. There could be others as well. Edit: I think there are even more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum_Village_Tradition#Monasteries https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum_Village_Tradition#Monaste...

eismcc 5y ago

One in Berkeley https://www.emptygatezen.com/ https://www.emptygatezen.com/

mping 5y ago

There is a Buddhist meditation temple in LA that organizes 2 retreats per year. I go every year from Europe, it's that good. The monastics are super helpful and the abbot is very down to earth and accessible, they also do fasting besides meditation. You don't need experience, just drop by and stay if you like. Check it out: https://chanpureland.org https://chanpureland.org I'm sure that there are dozens of other temples that do retreats, but this one I know from experience.

suketk 5y ago

I highly recommend Vipassana [0]. It's similarly free from commercialism - there is no cost for teaching, lodging and food. At the end, you can pay if you found it beneficial and want to pay it forward. They also only accept contributions from people who have completed the program. Despite this policy, they've grown to 200+ centers across the world. I was so inspired [1] by it that I adopted a lot of their principles in my business [2]. [0] https://dhamma.org https://dhamma.org [1] https://suketk.com/vipassana https://suketk.com/vipassana [2] https://themoai.org/intentionality https://themoai.org/intentionality

lanstin 5y ago
I have two friends that have done the Vipassana 10 day retreat and came home rather glowing from it.
chiefgeek 5y ago
Vipassana is amazing. 10 day is minimum to start. After you sit a 10, there are 1, 3 and 5 available.
tristanMatthias 5y ago
Vipassana changed my life
zoom6628 5y ago
Vipassana was life changing for me too. Can’t recommend it enough to everyone. I did my course in New Zealand.
esbeeb 5y ago
Firstly, respect to Thich Nhat Hanh, and his legacy! I've done 7 10-day Vipassana foundation retreats (AKA "Goenka retreats"). I was so inspired that I went on to become a Buddhist monk. Now I'm a meditation teacher in my own right, with 13 years seniority, fully-ordained. My website: https://bhikkhu.ca https://bhikkhu.ca The place I give weekend meditation retreats (in Calgary, Canada): https://ehipassikocalgary.org/ https://ehipassikocalgary.org/ The cost is by-donation, and no donation is also acceptable. My tradition is Theravada Buddhism, or "Early Buddhism".

delilahder 5y ago

https://www.nityanandashaktipatyoga.org/weekend-shaktipat-meditation-retreats/ https://www.nityanandashaktipatyoga.org/weekend-shaktipat-me... PS My account is new, because I'm a long-time lurker but wanted to post.

lanstin 5y ago

https://www.bayzen.org/ https://www.bayzen.org/ is in Oakland and is in the tradition of Maezumi, which is what most of my training has been from. https://berkeleyzencenter.org/ https://berkeleyzencenter.org/ is in Berkley and is in the tradition of Soto Zen; I have sat with sister groups in San Jose and they seem pretty solid if a little more laid back than the Maezumi schools. There is a retreat center up in the Santa Cruz mountains, https://www.jikoji.org/ https://www.jikoji.org/ I have gone to retreats there and it is indeed very nice, peaceful and beautiful and nothing extrinsic to decide or worry about. I went with the Floating Zendo: https://floatingzendo.org/about-sesshin/ https://floatingzendo.org/about-sesshin/ In Bay area, we have many opportunities to practice/train with other people. I'd say that the long retreats make daily meditation a lot easier and doing regular daily meditation make the long retreats a lot easier. And sitting with other people strengthens the practice in a way it's hard to recreate on your own. I haven't sat with a group in the Thich Nhat Hanh tradition, but from what I've seen online, the Japanese-derived Zen groups are pretty similar in the essence of the teachings.

claylimo 5y ago

There are many many retreats out there so knowing what the right one for you is not easy. I know of an upcoming in-person retreat based on TWIM (Tranquil Wisdom Insight Meditation) south of San Francisco: https://www.suttavada.foundation/physical-retreats-suttavada/ https://www.suttavada.foundation/physical-retreats-suttavada... The retreat is located here: https://www.suttavada.foundation/venue/stfrancis/ https://www.suttavada.foundation/venue/stfrancis/ What is TWIM? https://www.reddit.com/r/streamentry/wiki/twim-crash-course https://www.reddit.com/r/streamentry/wiki/twim-crash-course Here is a book about the practice: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B06WRPZZQF/ https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B06WRPZZQF/

revertts 5y ago

IRC is excellent, and located around the Bay Area (there are usually at least a few people carpooling down from Oakland) - https://www.insightretreatcenter.org https://www.insightretreatcenter.org It's the retreat side of IMC (https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org). You might listen to some of their talks or read some of Gil's writing[1] to see if it's what you are looking for. It's in the Vipassana tradition, though a number of the teachers had affiliation with the SF Zen Center. [1] https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/natural-buddhism/ https://www.insightmeditationcenter.org/books-articles/natur... is a potentially interesting article

fernly 5y ago

Insight Meditation Center (in Redwood City) operates residential retreats out of a location in the hills above Santa Cruz. Here's the schedule: https://www.insightretreatcenter.org/retreats/ https://www.insightretreatcenter.org/retreats/

asveikau 5y ago

In Oakland I wouldn't leave the phone in the car. (Sorry, irresistible joke. Also, dear downvoter, this is not intended as a criticism of Oakland.)

zachberger 5y ago

I’ve had a few day trips up to Abhayagiri monastery near Ukaih, CA. It’s incredibly peaceful. https://abhayagiri.org https://abhayagiri.org

hangonhn 5y ago

The Bay Area actually has quite a few. Among the more famous ones are Tassajara Zen Mountain Center (the first Zen monastery in the US) in Carmel Valley and Spirit Rock near Mt. Tam. Mountain View has a Zen meditation center that welcomes guests during certain times during the week.

alecst 5y ago

Abhayagiri and City of Ten Thousand Buddhas are both reputable alternatives to Goenka Vipassana retreats, just to give you some things to look into.

tern 5y ago

Thich Nhat Hanh was a zen monk, and the zen word for "retreat" is "sesshin," so you you might do well enough with a Google search like https://www.google.com/search?q=sesshin+near+me&oq=sesshin https://www.google.com/search?q=sesshin+near+me&oq=sesshin. Near Oakland there is San Francisco Zen Center (in Marin and in SF)—you might reach out and ask them for recommendations. Also near Oakland you have many Tibetan organizations like https://gyalshen.org/ https://gyalshen.org/ and https://nyingmainstitute.com/ https://nyingmainstitute.com/. If you want to do more research, you can easily find directories like this: https://buddhiststudies.stanford.edu/resourcesother-resources/bay-area-buddhist-organizations https://buddhiststudies.stanford.edu/resourcesother-resource.... There is tremendous access to teachings in the Bay Area and a handful of fantastic monasteries within 100 miles. For effective teachings, I recommend: https://pointingoutthegreatway.com/ https://pointingoutthegreatway.com/. As you're getting started, it doesn't really matter what you do, but if you want to progress along the path quickly, I have found the Tibetan "pointing" style teachings to be most safe and effective by about an order of magnitude. Realization Process is also very good, and not strictly Buddhist: https://realizationprocess.org/schedule-of-events/ https://realizationprocess.org/schedule-of-events/ Finally, https://sfdharmacollective.org/ https://sfdharmacollective.org/ is an incredible resource and people there can guide to whatever might suit you.