View Full Version : retreats, do it yourself or cheap
I am seeing that I really need a retreat of a spiritual type. I am grumpy and my compassionate heart is worn thin. After reading that the woman who killed her children had teenagers I realized how stressed us parents of teens really are (not that my kids are in danger). I see one I would like in April but really don't know about affording it, but also don't know how I cannot do something like this. Meanwhile I am going to try to attend as many meditations as i can with a group to keep myself going. I could make up a 'so it yourself' retreat however I would like to have the group as well.
I have to say that my house and lifestyle are really different, a few hours in a 'normal' household with the Super Bowl on and I had my circuits kinda blown.
SUper Bowl isn't Normal. I hate those events--boring boring boring, and really bad food. We don't attend.
The group meditation is a good idea. If you want to do one on your own, will your kids leave you alone to do it? Even if you just did a few hours in your room, that might work. Set it up with candles, water, meditation music, some spiritual reading, a journal, and just BE for awhile, by yourself. Sounds nice.
Oh, absolutely you could do your own retreat. It wouldn't have to be that expensive, either. If you wanted to get away, you could go to a state park with electrified cabins. I doubt they are very busy this time of year. A microwave, some preplanned meals, books, journal, CD/MP3 player for contemplative music or inspirational podcasts and you are good to go.
Otherwise, schedule some time for the kids to be away. Clean the house really well. Stock the fridge. Perhaps invite some of your meditation group over to meditate at different times during the weekend or whatever.
So I read about a retreat i really want to do, it is just right for me and I am doing more and more thinking about it. I am thinking about writing a letter to the retreat center and asking for a discount or assistance. I have never done that before, eeek. I have the background and determination to be a great contributing participant in this retreat, I work a socially responsible job I love, I take care of my family and friends, I just don't have money because I am putting other more important things first. They can just say no after all, but maybe that would bring it into a range I could handle.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained. If they say yes, you're golden. If they say no, it's not personal. Keep us posted.
Give it a try -- you never know. My friend did this a couple of years ago and several places allowed her to come without paying the fee. She is from a developing country and was doing research on Buddhism in America (but is also a practicing Buddhist), so a slightly different situation, but heck -- if a dharma center isn't willing to consider it I don't know who would be!
My friend is back in the US again this year, and might be heading out to CO at some point -- let me check with her and see if she knows if there might be some interesting things going on. I would love for the two of you to meet, actually -- I think you might hit it off and she is a wonderful person to talk about Buddhism (and other stuff) with.
lhamo
Oh very cool! I was telling someone the other day how I have friends from all over the world and I have no idea what they even look like and I counted you in the group. It would be great to meet a friend of a friend. I belong to a Unitarian Universalist church and meeting your friend would an interest to many of us.
The Shambhala Mountain Center is the place I have looked for retreats. I go sit with their group in Denver sometimes
do a housesit for a friend or a petsit with just a cat. Go to the house. Bring food you love. Bring wine or whatever you want. Bring novels to read or music to listen to or meditations. Go by yourself. Don't call home. Let them that are there handle all that.
Good cheap retreat. I do a couple a year and I hardly have a hectic life anymore.
Oh very cool! I was telling someone the other day how I have friends from all over the world and I have no idea what they even look like and I counted you in the group. It would be great to meet a friend of a friend. I belong to a Unitarian Universalist church and meeting your friend would an interest to many of us.
The Shambhala Mountain Center is the place I have looked for retreats. I go sit with their group in Denver sometimes
I'll email you off line with more info. I think you and she would really hit it off.
lhamo
do a housesit for a friend or a petsit with just a cat. Go to the house. Bring food you love. Bring wine or whatever you want. Bring novels to read or music to listen to or meditations. Go by yourself. Don't call home. Let them that are there handle all that.
Good cheap retreat. I do a couple a year and I hardly have a hectic life anymore.
I think I have found the solution to finding a house/cat sitter when we travel. :)
lhamo
Another option would be to go on a Vipassana meditation retreat/course. They are ten day silent retreats given all over the country and are entirely free, including room and board. They are not religious, but teach a form of meditation associated with Theraveda Buddhism. You are only allowed to make a donation AFTER you have completed the retreat, on the last day. Highly recommended!
Another option would be to go on a Vipassana meditation retreat/course. They are ten day silent retreats given all over the country and are entirely free, including room and board. They are not religious, but teach a form of meditation associated with Theraveda Buddhism. You are only allowed to make a donation AFTER you have completed the retreat, on the last day. Highly recommended!
I agree, I will be off to my third session in April. However, you really have to figure 12 days for the course, since the course starts with 4 hours in the evening of the arrival day and ends with four hours on the departure day.
a retreat can be something as simple as carving out a few quiet minutes each day with a large cup of coffee while reading a couple of Bible verses. If you can just make a habit of finding some quiet time alone with your thoughts.
Thank you all, I have actually used my juggling muscles to get a weekend with my boyfriend while he is stuck in Texas on business. We were trying for Vegas (not really a retreat however) but there was a blackout with his tickets. In any case it will be a break from home and kids and animals when my mom can be here. He came with me to a meditation which is huge since he has a background in Baptist seminary and liked it 90%, that is more than I expected. He could use the help relaxing overal. Tonight everyone will be out of the house a few hours and I will work on a little writing.
I love Shambhala Mountain Center. We're actually going to Red Feather Lakes this weekend for a different kind of retreat, but gosh that's such a great place.
us parents of teens
a 'normal' household
From one point of view Zoe Girl you are in yr 'house-hold yoga' years which go from 28-54 .
So while getting 'away' to meditation may allow you respite I wonder what might happen if you plunge
with conviction into the phase you find yrself? What might happen if you turn the household task into
matter for awareness?
While there are many views of what meditation is/or comprises ... one feature all have in common is the
slowing down of thinking. There is not a lot to compare with the awareness exercise in terms of both
being fully present and not giving attention to thought.
Washing the dishes is yoga, making the bed is yoga ... for when these are done the mind is not drifting
off on other matters but is right there with the bed-cover, with the dish detergent ...
And it doesn't require $
Gardenarian
3-31-11, 8:24pm
Hi -
I have been reading The Woman's Comfort Book by Jennifer Louden and there are a lot of great suggestions on how to restore one's peace of mind. She has also written The Woman's Retreat Book, which I haven't read. Both are very popular and probably at your public library.
I got the idea to take a Day Off (no errands, no cleaning, no guilt) from the book, and plan on taking my day this weekend. It will be the first time I've given myself that permission since dd was born (almost 12 years!) Crazy that I didn't think of it myself - but she has a lot of ideas like that.
Came upon this ... in the light of the earlier comment about house-hold yoga:-
"Other teachings, such as Zen, begin by frustrating all your attempts to zoom out. You come to the Zen Master to find Ultimate Reality and enlightenment, and to your great consternation, all the Master ever does is give meticulous instructions for cleaning the toilet and sweeping the floor! Finally, you realize that Ultimate Reality is not someplace else. By giving careful attention to the form of this moment, you discover formlessness or emptiness. You discover that nothing holds still. And yet, there is a great stillness at the very heart of everything. Stillness and movement, like form and emptiness, are found to be not one, not two."
In other words 'It' (that which you are seeking) is right here, right now ... in cleaning of the toilet, in the making of the bed....
I know, I have some other things going on and unless staying here with my children as they work out trauma (and focus it on me) gets a little easier it is gonna really take its toll. Okay it has, and a big problem is not having a good place for them to go while we all take a break from this process. So we will see,
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