The Five Types of Meditation Retreats
Taking a meditation retreat can really help you learn more about meditation and can give you some much needed time to yourself to meditate, relax, and rejuvenate your body and mind, but which meditation retreat should you choose? There are thousands of meditation retreats all over the world.
How can you possibly know which ones are the best for you? Instead of getting all stressed out about the location of the meditation retreat look at the different kinds of meditation retreats that are out there and choose the type of meditation retreat that you think would suit you best. Once you have picked a type it will be easy to find a retreat that you can afford in a place you want to visit. Here are the five different kinds of meditation retreats that you can choose from:
Meditation Retreats #1: Working Retreat
A working meditation retreat is often held in a religious or spiritual center. You could visit a monastery or convent in the US or in Europe, or a Hindu temple in India, a Buddhist center in Tibet or China, or any other type of religious center that offers working retreats. If you have a lot of money to spend then a trip to another country to see how meditation is practiced there could really expand your understanding of meditation but if you don?t have a lot of money to spend you don?t have to travel far in order to get the benefits of a working meditation retreat
On a working meditation retreat you combine physical work with mediation sessions. Accommodations are sparse, most of the time you get only a small room with a cot and a blanket and you will have to share a bathroom. Usually you pay only a nominal fee to cover the cost of your food and you split your time between doing physical work at the spiritual center like cleaning floors, baking, doing laundry, weeding, or washing windows and spending time in personal meditation and reflection.
The basis of the working meditation retreat is the idea that in order to lead a balanced life you need to be able to find peace in simple work like washing dishes, sweeping floors and weeding and you also need to spend a lot of time meditating on your own. You may attend prayer or worship sessions at the spiritual center or you may just spend some time on your own. For most people that take working retreats the time alone and the time spent finding the enjoyment in simple tasks is the real purpose of the retreat. It?s a way to simplify life and reconnect with the values that you should be trying to keep in your everyday life.
Meditation Retreats #2: Guru Retreat
If you follow a particular style of meditation and you follow the teachings of one instructor or guru then a guru retreat is probably the best fit for you. Guru retreats are held all over the world, not just in the guru?s own temple or spiritual center. Many guru retreats are held in India and Tibet but there are also quite a few that are held in the US in places like Sedona, AZ which is said to have a lot mystical power and in places out West such as Colorado, Wyoming and even Northern California where there is a lot of unspoiled natural beauty and people can spend some time surrounded by the natural world.
A guru retreat is a cross between a working retreat and a luxury retreat. The accommodations are usually nice but not luxurious. You may have a private room or you may share with another person attending the retreat to build camaraderie. During a guru retreat your time will be highly structured and you will be expected to attend several seminar sessions per day which will cover mediation techniques, guided meditations, and other topics related to mediation. You will participate in several mediations each day, usually at sunrise and sunset.
Most of the time guru retreats are self ?contained and the guests at the retreat don?t venture outside the spiritual center or temple unless it?s an organized trip to shop for souvenirs or go sight seeing. You will sleep and eat your meals on site. Meals are usually healthy and sometimes vegan or vegetarian. You may have a choice of dishes at some meals but for most of the retreat your diet will be decided for you.
Most of the actual retreat time is spend learning about meditation or actually meditating with the guru. You can also buy the gurus books and DVDs and make appointments for personal sessions with the guru. If you want to learn more about a particular style of meditation or if you think that someday you might want to teach meditation yourself than a guru mediation retreat would be a good fit for you.
Meditation Retreats #3: Spiritual Retreat
If meditation is a spiritual pursuit for you then you should consider going on spiritual meditation retreat. A spiritual meditation retreat would be a meditation trip to a spot that is sacred to you spiritually or one that is important to your faith. For a Hindu follower a spiritual retreat to a Hindu temple in India would be a spiritual spirit. For a New Age devotee a retreat to Sedona would be a spiritual retreat. For a Christian a trip to sacred sites in Jerusalem would be a spiritual retreat. Any retreat held in a spot that holds spiritual significance for your faith will help you deepen your faith and reflect on your religious beliefs.
Spiritual retreats are often group retreats where members of the same faith attend together. There are visit to the holy sites interspersed with meditation sessions, worship sessions, and seminars on meditation and prayer and other topics. Your time is scheduled for you, but there are usually free periods included in the schedule where you can wander around the city that you?re in, have a local meal, or shop.
Usually on spiritual retreats accommodations and meals are included in the cost of the retreat so the only thing that you need to pay for yourself are the souvenirs that you want to bring home and any materials that your purchase like prayer books, guided meditation CDs or items from the holy site that you want to bring home and place on your altar as a reminder of your trip. Accommodations and meals are usually simple by Western standards but pleasant.
Spiritual retreats are a great way to renew your spirit and refresh your soul by renewing your faith. If you have been stressed out and feeling that you have lost your sense of connection to your faith or to the Divine a spiritual retreat is a great way to get that back.
Meditation Retreats #4: Spa Retreat
If you pursue meditation as a path to good health and you use it in a non spiritual way to relax and to manage stress then a spa retreat would be the best type of meditation retreat for you. Spa meditation retreats are held around the world, often in some very popular vacation spots so that you can combine a relaxing vacation with a great meditation retreat. If you want to stay off the tourist track avoid spa retreats in places like Hawaii or Florida and instead try unusual spa retreats in places like the rain forest in Costa Rica or the Old World spas of Spain and Eastern Europe. If you look for places that are often overlooked by tourists you can find great deals on luxury vacations.
When you?re taking a luxury spa meditation retreat you normally don?t leave the spa unless it?s for a little shopping. Many spa retreat centers set you up in a private villa that is yours for the duration of your stay so you have total privacy. You can meditate whenever you want in some beautiful locations. You can also schedule spa treatments like herbal wraps, massages, facials and pedicures. Eco-friendly spa meditation retreats offer amenities like private outdoor showers, organic cotton sheets and robes, organic soaps and beauty products, and vegan or vegetarian meals prepared for you by the in house chef.
When you want to renew your commitment to your own health and get back on track spiritually and physically taking a spa meditation retreat is one of the best ways to pamper yourself as you detoxify your body and mind and get back on the path to living a healthy lifestyle.
Meditation Retreats #5: Personal Growth Retreat
For some people meditation is a tool that they use for their own personal development and growth. The combine a little spirituality, a little self development, some New Age principles, and a little relaxation to create their own type of meditation practice that helps them come to terms with life and improve themselves through meditation and living a healthy lifestyle. If you are one of the people that use meditation as a personal development tool then a personal growth meditation retreat would be great for you.
Personal growth meditation retreats are based on the idea of self improvement. They combine many of aspects of other types of meditation retreats including holding retreats at sites of power or sites that are surrounded by nature. They usually offer a lot of physical activity, such as horseback riding or hiking or swimming along with yoga classes and sometimes bellydance or ethnic dance classes.
They also offer lots of short seminars on personal growth and let you choose a certain number of seminars that you want to attend. The seminars have topics that range from journal writing and identifying your dreams and goals to classes on meditation techniques, communication, relationship issues and more. Recognized experts from various self help and motivational speaking fields come in and give these seminars, and if you pay extra you can usually get a private consultation with some of the experts who can give you advice on a personal basis. Seminars are schedule at all hours of the day but at night participants usually spend time at communal meals and group meditation sessions. You can participate in guided meditations or you can meditate on your own. Sometimes you can pay for a private room but at some facilities all the people stay in dorm room style suites with other participants with a communal bathroom.
The price for these retreats can be high because you are paying for all the seminars that they offer and they also will encourage you to buy books, CDs, DVDs, workbooks, journals and other items that will help with your self development. But if your goal is self improvement through meditation and personal development you?ll benefit greatly from a personal development and personal growth meditation retreat.
These types of retreats are held all over the world so one way that you can cut costs is to attend one that is being held locally. Often these types of retreats offer day passes that you can buy if you don?t want to stay at the center and just want to attend the seminars. You don?t always have to jet off to some exotic location in order to get the kind of meditation retreat that you need to find fulfillment and get your meditation practice back on track.
Related posts:
- Meditation Retreats
- Types of Meditation
- Meditation in Hinduism
- A Brief History of Meditation
- Meditation in Buddhism
- Meditation in Judaism
- Meditation Guide: The Trouble With Not Being Centered
- Meditation in Eastern Philosophy
- Meditation in Christianity
- Meditation in the Modern World
- Using Meditation As A Complimentary Treatment For Cancer
- New Age Meditation
- Meditation for Kids
- How The Power Of Meditation Heals
- The Benefits of Meditation for Kids
Source: http://www.e-self-help.com/the-five-types-of-meditation-retreats/
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