Meditation Retreats Vs. At-Home Retreat????

[r0ckyreed]

What are the best, most recommended meditation retreats?

I have been getting back into meditation. My main meditation technique is self-inquiry. Any time my mind wanders, I bring it back to the breath and to the question "What am I? What is Consciousness?"

I am considering doing a full day at-home meditation retreat in my dark closet, doing the self-inquiry meditation technique before I consider going to a Vipassana Retreat.

Is going to Vipassana Retreats even worth it or is it a group-think distraction?

Are At-Home Retreats better than formal retreats?

 

Edited July 11 by r0ckyreed

[theleelajoker]

1 minute ago, r0ckyreed said:

What are the best, most recommended meditation retreats?

I have been getting back into meditation. My main meditation technique is self-inquiry. Any time my mind wanders, I bring it back to the breath and to the question "What am I? What is Consciousness?"

I am considering doing a full day at-home meditation retreat in my dark closet, doing the self-inquiry meditation technique before I consider going to a Vipassana Retreat.

Is going to Vipassana Retreats even worth it or is it a group-think distraction?

Are At-Home Retreats better than formal retreats?

 

Did quite a few Vipassana retreats. It was different every time, crazy intense every time. Gets you out of your mind and into your body. Much better then contemplating IMO because you're not/less thinking. Truly life changing stuff, but also challenging. 

Can't compare retreats to doing it at home. The structure, the routine of organized retreats is AMAZING. You can be fully focused on your process. One time, there was a guy always sitting in front of me during breakfast, lunch, tea time. On the last day, when we were allowed to talk again, I approached him. He did not recognize me, he did notice I was on the other side of the table for 10 days! That's how focused you can become, that's how deep you can go because everything else is taken care of during retreat. 

Be careful re Vipassana tradition depending on teacher and respective biases. Reddit has a lot on this for research. Choose wisely 

[r0ckyreed]

Thanks mate. That guy must’ve been dissociating instead of meditating. No way you can claim your mindful but yet so clueless.

I am thinking that retreats might create some kind of excuse or attachment to them. Why can’t I just do it at home? Why am I dependent on the structure of a retreat? At some point, I think these retreats become money grabs because the ancients didn’t have the luxury that we have today. They meditated in caves in which case I wonder why I get a fancy retreat when my closet is closest to a cave?

When you do vipassana, do you just focus on breath? What is your technique that you do?

Edited July 11 by r0ckyreed

[theleelajoker]

42 minutes ago, r0ckyreed said:

Thanks mate. That guy must’ve been dissociating instead of meditating. No way you can claim your mindful but yet so clueless.

I am thinking that retreats might create some kind of excuse or attachment to them. Why can’t I just do it at home? Why am I dependent on the structure of a retreat? At some point, I think these retreats become money grabs because the ancients didn’t have the luxury that we have today. They meditated in caves in which case I wonder why I get a fancy retreat when my closet is closest to a cave?

When you do vipassana, do you just focus on breath? What is your technique that you do?

It's a personal thing. For me, the structure helps tremendously. Other people in the same room help. Teacher to ask help. Sharing and connecting before and afterwards is HUGE for me. It's also the environment. Nature, calmness, peace. 

Others prefer to do it in their own. Tried it once at home, was not for me. 

I never paid for any retreat. They are free. You can give Dana if you want, a donation in any form (nobody asks or checks that). Maybe money, or you offer your service. There is always work to do in the centers- gardening, building, cleaning, project management, etc. Or you give nothing.

And there is not much luxury, except for the food which is always AMAZING 😍 Meditation centers have reportedly existed 2500 years ago, so then "lonely guy in cave image" is only partially true. 

Technique basically is breath, awareness, body scan. Over the years I got more experienced and individualized my method a little, but that's basically it. 

Edited July 11 by theleelajoker

[Hojo]

I like to do it around other people alot of distractions at home or i just end up falling asleep. Go sit in a restaurant and just close your eyes and listen you can zone out instantly. Around others you can relax but still be alert. I've never done one but I would probably fare better around other people.

[Oppositionless]

If you're very disciplined , or very desparate, you can do at home. I'm an extrovert so having a group really helps me.

when I'm at home I don't feel like meditating , cause I know it won't do anything, but that's a self fulfilling prophesy 

Edited July 11 by Oppositionless

[r0ckyreed]

Which meditation retreats do you recommend? Are there any websites you recommend?

Edited July 11 by r0ckyreed

[Oppositionless]

3 hours ago, r0ckyreed said:

Which meditation retreats do you recommend? Are there any websites you recommend?

Great vow zen monastery if you can afford it. Or any zen center with sesshin. 
Vipassana is all meditation, no dialogue. But it's the most hardcore.

Edited July 12 by Oppositionless

[Leo Gura]

At home is great as long as you can enforce discipline on yourself.

There is no need to pay thousands of dollars to do retreats with people unless you are too weak to handle it yourself.

[ExploringReality]

@Leo Gura you usually just rent a space, and put the stick to your own ass? Books on your list plus your documentation of your retreats will definitely help me not fall into newbie traps and dead ends.

[Leo Gura]

13 minutes ago, ExploringReality said:

you usually just rent a space

I don't even do that anymore. I've boiled it down to the bare essential: at home I just sit in a chair in my dark closet.

You do not need any fancy place to do your retreats. All you need is a closet and no distractions from people.

The hardest part of the retreat is just setting aside the chunk of time to do it. It's like planning a vacation, but in your closet.

Edited July 12 by Leo Gura

[ExploringReality]

@Leo Gura

Thank you for cutting the fluff. Everytime I i take psilocybin or acid that's exactly what I do for the entire trip, basically a radical form of self inquiry, mystical experiences and releasing this power of consciousness.

I do have twin babies that live with me which does make it a challenge, nevertheless my entire life pretty much orbits around getting to a wall or dark room and do the work.

Doing this work is very difficult, like sitting in a sauna and just shutting up and not running out metaphorically.

Edited July 12 by ExploringReality

[Hafiz]

Wouldn’t it get hot/stuffy in a closet? Do you at least have a fan or something for regular air flow?

[Leo Gura]

6 minutes ago, Hafiz said:

Wouldn’t it get hot/stuffy in a closet? Do you at least have a fan or something for regular air flow?

My closet has an A/C vent.

Even the cloest is not necessary. You can sit on your couch.

[ExploringReality]

Warning ⚠️ don't do this if you have baby mama drama 😂 

[Leo Gura]

@ExploringReality Rent a cheap motel room.

[ExploringReality]

@Leo Gura fucking genius. I definitely will do this. Plan at least a 3 days. 

[ExploringReality]

After some thinking, during the sitting, I'm sure my girlfriend will have a cognitive hallucination in which she realizes I am fucking another girl ahahah. Just kidding, I'll be good. But women are so full of noise, all that quaking and popping like a duck 🦆 

Edited July 12 by ExploringReality

[samijiben]

Better try both to find out.

[Salvijus]

My logic is use every bit of help you can afford. A supportive environment can make a massive difference when it comes to pushing past your limits. I wouldn't underestimate the influence the environment has on you in general. And home is usually a low energy, dull place for most people. A community of people meditating together is also a bonus because that way the energy is stronger. 

Try meditating in a company of party night club people versus in a company of monks in Himalayan mountains and you'll understand the difference. You're never alone even if you think you are, so it's better to choice your company wisely. "if you don't have a sheikh, satan is your sheikh" if you're not under the influence of grace, you're under the influence of darkness, there's no neutral zone. 

Edited July 12 by Salvijus