How to Choose a Buddhist Meditation Retreat

Every year, thousands of Americans attend Buddhist meditation retreats. Some retreat participants seek serious, solitary practice time. Others enjoy the community atmosphere. A number of people are simply curious. Since Buddhism and Buddhist meditation have grown exponentially in the United States, particularly in the last 3 to 4 decades, the number and variety of available Buddhist meditation retreats has also increased. Follow these simple steps to choose a retreat.

Instructions

1. Decide what you want to achieve during a retreat. You don't necessarily need to make a list of goals. Clarifying your intentions, however, can be helpful on many levels. For example, are you fairly new to Buddhist meditation? You might wish to attend a beginner or introductory retreat in order to learn more about the practice of meditation. Are you an experienced meditator who already has a connection with a certain teacher? You could attend a retreat with your teacher to simply be in his or her presence. Have you heard of a popular meditation teacher and would like to sit on a retreat with him or her? Consider these questions when clarifying your intentions.

2. Search the Internet and/or bulletin board postings at local meditation centers for upcoming retreat listings. You can simply type in "Meditation Retreats" on an Internet search page. If you only want to attend a retreat in your city, you might include the name of your city in the search terms. Copy and paste the information about retreats that interest you into a Word Document or write everything down on a piece of paper. Put a star or asterisk next to retreats that interest you more than others. List the name of the retreat, location, fees, teacher name and any other important information, like the theme or focus of the retreat. Use your imagination during your search.

3. Ask your spiritual adviser (if you have one) and/or your friends about what upcoming retreats might match your interests and intentions. If you attend a local sangha (community of lay Buddhist practitioners), you could ask someone there. Show your list to a few experienced Buddhist meditators and ask them for feedback. Has anyone heard of the retreats that intrigue you? What comments can other people offer? Which retreats do they suggest? Don't be shy about asking the Buddhist community for advice. Many people will offer it freely and their suggestions may help you.

4. Identify your top two retreats. Which two retreats really stand out to you? Do a few resonate more than the others? How realistic will it be for you to attend either retreat? Will you need to fly to the retreat location? Are you willing and able to do so? Check any airfares, as needed. Do these retreats fit your budget? If not, could you get a second job (temporarily) to earn the needed funds? Can you secure the necessary time off of work to attend? Be realistic in your assessment! Don't let funds or geography automatically impede you, however. You could possibly overcome these obstacles.

5. Make a list of any questions you have about your top two retreats. Will you need any special arrangements with scheduling or any particular accommodations? Is this your first retreat? If so, do you have specific questions about Buddhist meditation retreats, in general? Do you want to know how long the meditation periods will last? Do you need to speak to someone about your experience level before attending? Do you wish to request a partial scholarship to the retreat? Are scholarships available? Be thorough when making your list of questions.

6. Contact the administrator of or teacher for your top two retreats. You can do this by either phone and/or email. Ask for a retreat brochure (if available) to be mailed to you. If you are contacting the meditation center or teacher via email, they might be able to send information about the retreat to you via the internet. Some meditation centers will mail you a catalog with information about all of the retreats they offer that season or year. Also, ask the questions you have. Don't be shy about getting the information you need.

7. Decide which retreat (out of the two) to attend. Base your decision on your intentions, which retreat fits your goals, budget, experience level (if applicable), and any special needs that you may have. Some factors may be more important to you. For example, if your intention is to simply be in the presence of your teacher, you might possibly overlook the cost and location of the retreat. Conversely, if you have heard of a certain meditation teacher that you would like to sit on a retreat with but the retreat takes place on the other side of the country and is totally outside of your monetary budget; you will need to take this into account. You can now feel free to make a fully informed decision!