Anyone familiar with the Embracing Simplicity Hermitage in Hendersonville, NC?

http://www.embracingsimplicityhermitage.org

Cheers!

I didn't know anything about it but I am glad you told me about it. I live in Atlanta, about 3 hours away, and will eventually visit it. Where are you located? Do you know about Southern Dharma Retreat center in the same area?

Hi Tom,
No, I don't have any experience with Southern Dharma Retreat Center, but I've had it recommended to me. I'm looking at my schedule, considering a retreat.

I'm in Raleigh, NC.

Cheers!

Do you know about this group in Raleigh:

http://www.newhopesangha.org/

I did some retreats with the leader, John Orr, many years ago. He was a monk in Thailand for about 8 years in the 1970's. I broke from him when he got involved with a channeler, but I still think he is a good person and a good teacher.

I used to meet regularly over the course of a year or two with John Orr in a meditation teacher support group in the mid-late 90's.

I think he is a good guy who has a good grasp of the samatha jhanas.

I seem to remember at the time thinking he may confuse the formless realms with emptiness and there were some questions about his focus on psychology and content over fundamental insight, but it has been over a decade since I last talked to him, so who knows what he may be up to at this time.

I also found the channeling thing creepy. I seem to remember he had some falling out with IMS teachers over something also.

Anyway, he had a good heart and I am out of touch with what he is into now.

Thinking about all this makes me miss the Triangle Area of NC, which is my home.

No, I didn't. Thanks! I'll check it out!

Any time you want to visit, send up a flare! ;-)

Thanks for the additional info on John Orr. Nice to know more background.

When were you here? I've been in Raleigh since about 1984 -- lived in Winston-Salem before that.

I just spoke to my Dad this evening and he's informed me that he's moving to Huntsville in April....

Cheers!

We moved from up North to Raleigh in December, 1973, then to Chapel Hill in 1976, where I grew up. I lived in Durham from 1985 to 1987 when I went to high school at the School of Science and Math, then back to Chapel Hill for Undergrad at UNC. I moved to California in 1992, then back to Raleigh in 1993, then off to India in 1995, then back to Chapel Hill 1996, then to Raleigh again 1997, then back to Chapel Hill 1998, then to Carrboro 2001, then to Louisville 2003 and I haven't lived in the Triangle since, much to my dismay at times. Huntsville is ok, but it is not the Triangle.

I've never been to Alabama so I've no basis for comparison. But the Triangle isn't quite the Triangle anymore, either. You saw the changes due to growth from 1993 to 2003 -- it's only gotten worse! We moved into our current house in 2004 and liked it because it was in a relatively wooded area (SW Wake County). It still wooded in places, but vast areas have been bulldozed for condos, shopping centers, etc.

I'm going to visit Dad once he gets settled in in Huntsville, so I'll be able see a new part of the world for me.

Cheers!

Old thread. Was searching for local retreat centers. Interesting that you grew up here, and it looks like we inhabited Chapel Hill at the same time, where I was for M.A. in English and Ph.D. in American and Southern Literature. I graduated in 1997. We moved here from Tallahassee, Florida, in 1987. It is hard to believe I've been here that long! I was homesick for Florida for the first decade here, but now I love it here, although it is a bit hard to get close to people here, compared with north Florida, which is more open, less cliquish. Chapel Hill has been mucked up by ruthless developers and commercial interests. I love Raleigh, though. Cary, where I live, is actually starting to get a little culture to it. Durham is the hip place to be these days, by far. It is my favorite place in the Triangle to explore these days.

My best friend from high school (we are still very close) lives in Asheville. I really love that city, too.