Dhammacari it´s a very interesting option for those living in europe looking for intensive mahasi-style retreat. The Vipassana course, which you have to take if it´s your first time in the technique of Ajahn Tong, last 15 days. The normal retreat last 10 days, but they offer longer retreats some times (there´s a 25 days retreat scheduled to the end of may).

• Location: Neufahrn in Niederbayern, Germany.

• Website: http://www.vipassana-dhammacari.com/

• Tradition: Ajahn Tong

• Meditation Techniques: Adaptation of the mahasi-style (bare insight). The exercise begins with a mindful prostration, proceeds with walking and then sitting meditation. You´ll start with 20 minutes or so, and the time will increase during the course, to up to one hour walking and one hour sitting with breaks of 20-30 minutes. You should walk and sit for the same amount of time. Depending on where you are by the end of the retreat, you may receive a strong determination exercise (see below). You can find more info about the technique in general at http://wanderingdhamma.wordpress.com

• Accommodations: Medium size house, in which every meditator gets a private room with a toilet. There are maybe up to 8 rooms - I´m not sure anymore - so the number of meditators there is small. The house is very comfortable, and well cared for. The food is great; milk and tee are available during the whole day.

• Physical Setting: Secluded place.

• Daily schedule:
  • 6.30 a.m. Breakfast
  • 11.00 a.m. Lunch
  • 6.00 p.m. Milk pudding is offered.
  • 21:00 - 4:00 You may rest. Later in retreat you receive instructions as to how many hours: 5 hours, then later 4, and sometimes, no sleeping (see firm determination below).
  • There is also 1 hour work meditation in the hourse or in the garden, and the report with the teacher. The time will vary for each meditator.

• Cost: Dana-based

• Language: German and English.

• Some extra info/comments on:
  • Setting:
    • Every meditator will have a different timing and duration for the meditation. This can cause the meditation hall to be very noisy sometimes with alarm clocks going off. You´ll be encouraged by the teacher to meditate in your private room after some retreat time. Also, there will be working in the house during a part of the day.
  • Rites/Rituals:
    • When there is a considerable number of new students, there is an opening ceremony for the Vipassana course, which doesn´t last more than 1 hour. On the last day there is a closing talk with the teacher.
    • You´ll to bow before and after each meditation and interview with the teacher.

• Issues of Proper Dress: You must wear white or light colored cloth.

• Teaching: Hildegard Huber and others. It is stated that the teacher received the title of Dhammacari from Ajhan Tong. ''A Dhammacari is someone who has reached knowledge through the practice of Vipassana meditation, who receives the wisdom from inside and who thus recognises all things as they really are''.

• Exercices (Firm determination): Firm determination exercises are really something: For the 15-days Vipassana course , if you reach Equanimity or path (not sure about the criteria), you´ll receive 72h exercise of non-stop meditation (breaks will be limited for bathroom, eating - in your room - and interview with the teacher only). The teacher will be available at any time, day or night, for questions. In the 10-days retreat, the firm determination last 48h.

• Worthy of recommendation on the Dharma Overground? Only if you´re looking for a real hardcore mahasi-style dana-based insight-oriented meditation center. That means, if you're reading this page, you really ought to visit this center, and work really hard.