Hello, I had to share and take advice regarding a somewhat urgent matter. I am presently in Varanasi, an hour away from Sarnath. I could not find a retreat anywhere in India (official retreat programmes) which would be from around 21st of Dec. As such I decided to just pick my stuff up and head for Sarnath. I wish to stay at a monastery for at least a week, certainly meditating and hopefully receiving instructions.
I tried posting in several places and googling but I found little to no advice on retreats in India, esp for my situation. My plan is to call the monasteries there (irrespective of lineage though I would have preferred Chan>Zen>Vajrayana>Thai Theravada>Theravada) and ask for accommodations and instructions. I'm worried on two accounts: 1) The teacher would be terrible/immoral, 2) Very poor room quality. With regards to point 2 I am carrying my own pillow, thick blanket and bedsheet but would need a bed + mattress, clean-ish toilets, clean food and closed windows (its cold). Are my demands unrealistic? Perhaps I am spoiled, so many who are from a lower income background must be able to adjust well and just hit an unknown city without issues. With regards to point 1 I dont know what to do.
This is my first retreat which I've been postponing and very much looking forward to for 1.5 years, I'd hate to turn back now. Don't know when again I will be able to take one up, this is quite critical to my present stage of practise. I have realised I need a routine of 1 hour twice a day at least to fix the following(as well as help maintain the routine): I find it difficult to 'act' even after noticing the reality of the situation and the need to act to reduce suffering (Dunno how else to describe it - the not-immediately apparent and subtle/unmanifest evades me; being able to dissect emotions/hindrances arise in present is fun and solvable still). I'm at my wit's end, I'll have one huge luggage bag which I can't just drag around Sarnath so I should walk in prepared. Perhaps spend a day in a hotel and look around? I dont know what retreats I could attend. I apologise for this somewhat long post but I felt I must ask, esp since many of you would be experienced with travelling and/or retreat culture & monastery culture. I need to have a solid game plan else my parents would call me back haha.
