Did anyone stay at Metta Forest Monastery in California?

I am going there for 2 weeks in the end of February. I listened to some tapes by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, who is an abbot there, and they really helping me during meditation. His words and suggestions come up in my mind when I meditate, and help to understand what I am doing.

Any comments anyone?

Thanisarro Bhikkhu (aka Geoffrey DeGraff) is a well known and well respected teacher in the Theravadin tradition. You are very lucky to have an opportunity to sit and learn from him.

I have read his writings, and I can tell you from my perspective, he is an arahant. You couldn't be in better hands than his.


That's a very good sign. His meditation instruction is well grounded and solid advice.

I enjoy Thanissaro Bhikkhu's work very much, perhaps someday I will meet him. And, whatever the circumstances, I wish you well on this retreat, and thank you for your practice, Constance

I listened some of his talks at audiodharma.org (and there is a lot more at http://dhammatalks.org/), and they were about the most sensible dharma talks I have ever heard. (Part of the impression may be due to him being from a tradition relatively unfamiliar to me.) He says a lot even in one talk, he is quite technical but not overly so, the subject is meditation and "path" as opposed to vague "life in general", and off-topic stories are minimized.

I especially like his attitude to going deeper as finding how you are still actively doing something, fabricating, even though the mind at first seems to be in a stable place. The new thing for me is attribution, emphasis on how fabrication is intentional.

He teaches on the foundation of suttas and refers to Visuddimagga as "commentary". Jhanas and vipassana nanas are not separated.

I really appreaciate everyone's comments and good wishes. Thank you guys.