| | Author: sean2.0 Forum: Places to Practice
I chuckled to myself when I re-read MCTB's section on the Three Characteristics, as it so accurately nailed where I am right now. Underlying much of my thinking these days is the desire to retreat and work on my meditation practice, which is both interesting and decidedly uncomfortable at present. I'm trying to set aside the time for retreats this year, and I would benefit from others' experience and suggestions.
I'd like to find a 9 or 10 day retreat. The only meditation retreats I've done were a couple of four-day meditation-and-yoga introductions at Shambhala Mtn Ctr during the past couple of summers and a five-day vipassana retreat at Spirit Rock last December. Both places were great, but Shambhala MC doesn't seem to offer extended vipassana retreats, and Spirit Rock is a long ways away and relatively expensive, though not out of the question on either score.
But this evening, I was web surfing and ran across this place (http://www.dhamma.org/en/schedules/noncenter/rockies.us.shtml) which tells me there is a 10-day retreat in August-September (which would fit my schedule) in Elbert CO (which is about fifteen miles from my house, as the crow flies). In terms of convenience, it seems an easy fit, but I'm not familiar with the organization, while parts of the website sound like Acharya Goenka is the teacher, some of the details seem to indicate that the retreat is taught by unnamed others, and evening dharma talks consist of playing recorded talks previously given by Acharya Goenka. I'm not sure what to think about that arrangement, if I've got it right.
At any rate, any familiarity with the organization, teachers, etc., would be greatly appreciated. And any other suggestions for places or organizations in the western US would also be welcome.
s2.0 |