silent retreats

[Zoe Girl]

HI All,

One thing I have been working during my absence from the forums is trying to go on silent retreat. It is a challenge to say the least! I did a group course with the nun I work with for women moving into facilitation of dharma groups which was wonderful and had 2 weekend retreats with that. Since they she and I agreed I needed to do some more and longer retreat time to take the next step and I just keep facing blocks. I have looked at 5 over the last year and none worked out, but I think I am close to going on one in January!!!!

One of the issues is time off work, I missed the deadline for one in fall because my supervisor didn't approve my time off request in time. She did approve the next one quickly however. Other than that we have 3 - 4 months that are black out times for taking time off due to the school schedules, I run summer camps so I don't have the teacher break.

The other is of course money. The one I found is donation based but in California. I think I can still make it work, honestly at this point I feel so intensely that I need to do a longer retreat that I would take a small amount out of retirement money!! The other option is to use any earnings from my side work in sewing (haven't earned any yet) to put all towards retreats. There are one day retreats locally now and then that are totally affordable as well, just want to do longer

As I get closer to putting a deposit down and looking for a plane ticket I may ask for some support on this, I get to wavering when I look at time an money that I could spend being practical. But then again I have over 25 years meditation practice and I am more than ready for this.

[catherine]

If you can go to the donation-based one and only give what you feel you can afford without dipping into retirement, would that work? I went on a silent retreat at a Benedictine priory in VT once for 3 days, and I felt fine just giving what I could afford. It was helpful in that they didn't even have a 'suggested donation' to guilt you into giving a specific amount.

It was definitely a wonderful experience for me, so count on me for support and encouragement!

[Zoe Girl]

yes, it would still be about $600 for the plane ticket and deposit and other transportation. It is a 10 day retreat so just feeding myself and paying for gas to and from work would be a cost I didn't have. I just put a lot of support into a retreat for others so I feel okay just doing what I can afford to offer in dana.

[Xmac]

At the risk of sounding trite: Silence is golden.

[Zoe Girl]

Xmac, not trite, silence is underappreciated

[mschrisgo2]

I went on a silent retreat for the first time this past June. It was just for 24 hours (overnight) but it was wonderful. I've booked a 2-night retreat at the same center (Villa Maria Del Mar, south end of Santa Cruz CA on the Monterey Bay) for November. I think this is a gift I want to give myself 2-3 times a year.

[Xmac]

Just met a guy who took a seven year vow of silence.
Details to come....

[Zoe Girl]

Wow that is amazing. I actually had 2 of my kids take short vows of silence. We interrupt each other and one kiddo got tired of it. Of course she still wrote some notes, it is not like she was in a retreat setting. I actually am looking forward to just stopping talking for awhile, although most people I work with don't think that I could possibly stop talking.

[Reyes]

I know someone who, instead of spending money, chose to have a silent retreat at home (and he does not live alone). He took a week off from work and held a retreat for himself.

[Zoe Girl]

I have tried that on a weekend now and then. I think I went as far as I could with that considering I am responsible for people here I could see that working with cooperative roommates.