What is retreat? In the most literal sense, it is what the word implies, a wholesale if temporary retreat from the distractions of the world. The goal is to have no goals, really, to drop all expectations and aspirations and practice being wholly in each moment.
Retreat usually consists of several different kinds of meditative activities: sitting meditation, walking meditation, eating meditation, and so on. Every thing we do during a retreat has the capacity to be treated meditatively. Of course, everything we do every day of our lives has this capacity as well, which is what retreat asks us to recall.
Retreat is also hearing the dharma from a teacher. He or she prepares a discourse on the dharma and gives this gift to the assembled retreatants. This is not usually dry or technical, but is taught is such a way that we can incorporate the teachings of the Buddha into our daily lives. Remember that the Buddha wanted nothing so much as to make what he said accessible to all and good dharma teachers in our time work toward this goal, too. If you want a taste of what a dharma talk might be like, go to Dharma Seed and try some out. I would suggest you begin with Heather Martin, Christina Feldman, or Tara Brach. These teachers are very accessible and friendly.
Retreat is most often silent. In this context it is called "noble silence" and does not imply only the silence of no spoken words. It also includes no eye contact with others, no reading, no writing, no cell phones, no music, no chatter of any kind. What this does is remove all distractions from your intimate contact with your heart, the mind, your consciousness. There are many who say, "Oh, I could never do that!" The question that arises, then, is: what is so very frightening about coming face-to-face with your truest self for an entire day or week or month? That question alone may be worth doing a retreat to investigate.
Retreat is entirely voluntary; no one will kick you out if you don't follow the guidelines set out. As you might expect, any action that causes harm or interferes with anyone else's ability to engage fully in the retreat is not acceptable, but beyond that no one will monitor your compliance with the structure of the retreat (unless you do a Zen retreat; they tend to be a little stricter). However, the more you give yourself over to the discipline of the retreat, the more you will gain. I can speak from personal experience; I have done retreats my way and have also totally immersed myself in the experience, even when I didn't particularly want to. The latter approach benefited me far, far more than the former.
Retreat is total and complete acceptance of ourselves as we are.
Retreat is an opportunity to see how clinging causes us to suffer by consciously removing many of the sources of that clinging temporarily.
Retreat challenges the concepts of the necessity and utility of control.
Retreat is more a way of being than a series of activities.
Retreat is coming to rest. My question would be, when do we come to rest? When in this hectic world do we totally come to rest? Certainly not in our sleep, which is rife with the stresses and tensions of our day-to-day lives. Not on vacations, at least not usually, for they are quite often heavily planned and filled with anxiety and stress. I'm not at all sure most of us ever come to rest. Retreat is an opportunity to do so.
Retreat is releasing our wills.
Retreat is total and complete acceptance of ourselves as we are.
Retreat is a temporary relinquishment of all that is habitual and a recognition of how thoroughly the habitual rules our lives.
Retreat is a stepping out of the world of assumption and into a world of impermanence and ambiguity. Retreat makes us acutely aware of how often we live in judgment.
Retreat is the generosity of creating a space in which others may also be in retreat. Retreat is also an act of generosity to ourselves.
Retreat is meditating as a group, which is far easier, believe it or not, than doing it alone. There is something is the atmosphere of being in meditation with others that is nurturing and guides us more naturally into the meditative state.
Retreat can be intensely uncomfortable, but only in the best way. It takes us out of our comfort zones of constant chatter and activity and connectedness and brings us in contact with our selves. Retreat makes clear just how uncomfortable most of our comfort zones really are, filled with expectation, anxiety and disappointment.
Retreat can be non-residential (you go home in the evening) or residential (you stay 24/7 at a retreat center). Most non-residentials are just over the two weekend days (that's what I did this last weekend). Residential retreats vary from two days to one year in length. The longest I have ever done is 10 days (twice). I have a friend on a 3 month retreat right now; I find that idea both exhilirating and intimidating.
Retreat is available to anyone and nearly anywhere. If you search online in your community, if its a large one, you will find centers and other people who are doing this work and would love to have you join them. Don't worry; retreat is a wonderful, gentle practice. You have nothing to fear but your self.
Retreat usually consists of several different kinds of meditative activities: sitting meditation, walking meditation, eating meditation, and so on. Every thing we do during a retreat has the capacity to be treated meditatively. Of course, everything we do every day of our lives has this capacity as well, which is what retreat asks us to recall.
Retreat is also hearing the dharma from a teacher. He or she prepares a discourse on the dharma and gives this gift to the assembled retreatants. This is not usually dry or technical, but is taught is such a way that we can incorporate the teachings of the Buddha into our daily lives. Remember that the Buddha wanted nothing so much as to make what he said accessible to all and good dharma teachers in our time work toward this goal, too. If you want a taste of what a dharma talk might be like, go to Dharma Seed and try some out. I would suggest you begin with Heather Martin, Christina Feldman, or Tara Brach. These teachers are very accessible and friendly.
Retreat is most often silent. In this context it is called "noble silence" and does not imply only the silence of no spoken words. It also includes no eye contact with others, no reading, no writing, no cell phones, no music, no chatter of any kind. What this does is remove all distractions from your intimate contact with your heart, the mind, your consciousness. There are many who say, "Oh, I could never do that!" The question that arises, then, is: what is so very frightening about coming face-to-face with your truest self for an entire day or week or month? That question alone may be worth doing a retreat to investigate.
Retreat is entirely voluntary; no one will kick you out if you don't follow the guidelines set out. As you might expect, any action that causes harm or interferes with anyone else's ability to engage fully in the retreat is not acceptable, but beyond that no one will monitor your compliance with the structure of the retreat (unless you do a Zen retreat; they tend to be a little stricter). However, the more you give yourself over to the discipline of the retreat, the more you will gain. I can speak from personal experience; I have done retreats my way and have also totally immersed myself in the experience, even when I didn't particularly want to. The latter approach benefited me far, far more than the former.
Retreat is total and complete acceptance of ourselves as we are.
Retreat is an opportunity to see how clinging causes us to suffer by consciously removing many of the sources of that clinging temporarily.
Retreat challenges the concepts of the necessity and utility of control.
Retreat is more a way of being than a series of activities.
Retreat is coming to rest. My question would be, when do we come to rest? When in this hectic world do we totally come to rest? Certainly not in our sleep, which is rife with the stresses and tensions of our day-to-day lives. Not on vacations, at least not usually, for they are quite often heavily planned and filled with anxiety and stress. I'm not at all sure most of us ever come to rest. Retreat is an opportunity to do so.
Retreat is releasing our wills.
Retreat is total and complete acceptance of ourselves as we are.
Retreat is a temporary relinquishment of all that is habitual and a recognition of how thoroughly the habitual rules our lives.
Retreat is a stepping out of the world of assumption and into a world of impermanence and ambiguity. Retreat makes us acutely aware of how often we live in judgment.
Retreat is the generosity of creating a space in which others may also be in retreat. Retreat is also an act of generosity to ourselves.
Retreat is meditating as a group, which is far easier, believe it or not, than doing it alone. There is something is the atmosphere of being in meditation with others that is nurturing and guides us more naturally into the meditative state.
Retreat can be intensely uncomfortable, but only in the best way. It takes us out of our comfort zones of constant chatter and activity and connectedness and brings us in contact with our selves. Retreat makes clear just how uncomfortable most of our comfort zones really are, filled with expectation, anxiety and disappointment.
Retreat can be non-residential (you go home in the evening) or residential (you stay 24/7 at a retreat center). Most non-residentials are just over the two weekend days (that's what I did this last weekend). Residential retreats vary from two days to one year in length. The longest I have ever done is 10 days (twice). I have a friend on a 3 month retreat right now; I find that idea both exhilirating and intimidating.
Retreat is available to anyone and nearly anywhere. If you search online in your community, if its a large one, you will find centers and other people who are doing this work and would love to have you join them. Don't worry; retreat is a wonderful, gentle practice. You have nothing to fear but your self.
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