Meditation Retreat
For those who are interested in pursuing tranquility and insight, a meditation retreat may be what you need. A meditation retreat is a place where a group of people go to meditate as a crowd. Based off of the lifestyles and habits of Tibetan and Buddhist monks, a meditation retreat has a lot of time where the focus is on purely meditation. There is often little talking, and the sense of comradeship is often enhanced by the silence.
However, a meditation retreat is not always quiet, or silent. For those who are just learning how to meditate, there are classes and workshops that allow these people to learn how to meditate. While the actual meditations are typically held in silence, or with the accompaniment of non intrusive music, attending a meditation retreat can help allow you to focus the mind and come away better at meditation, as well as more balanced as a whole.
Depending on what style of meditation retreat you attend, you may or may not have to pay a fee. Some organizations operate entirely upon donation, allowing those of any race, gender and income attend the meditation retreat without fear of being turned away. These retreats tend to have a limited amount of space, and must be registered to in advance.
There are also meditation retreats where you can spend quite a bit for the personal guiding of an instructor, your room and board, as well as the flight to attend the meditation retreat. These are typically not of the Buddhist faith, as it is a Buddhist principle that all should have access to the right and ability to seek Enlightenment. Many Buddhist meditation retreat centers may charge a small fee to help pay for the building, but the teachers are only paid through a system called Dana, which is the practice of generosity. If you attend a meditation retreat where Dana is being used, the donations are collected after the retreat or session is over, and you only give what you feel you need to give.
When you attend a meditation retreat, there are several things that you will want to keep in mind. For Japa meditation retreats, you will need to bring your own Mala. As the Mala is very personal, it is much more effective. It is also suggested that you bring your own portable meditation bench or pillow, as this will assist you in being as comfortable as possible during your meditation retreat. In addition to this, many meditation centers do not typically have enough benches or pillows for everyone who attends.