Questions & tips for home meditation retreats

[lina]

I am in the process of planning my home meditation retreat for this year and would appreciate any tips. This will be my 5th retreat and it usually ranges from 7 to 10 days depending and how much time off I manage to take. My previous experiences have been life-changing and always left me feeling more happy, grateful, empathetic and a loving person. 

The retreats were mostly Vipassana meditation retreats but at home and without guidance. I also made some changes to the original Goenka Vipassana retreat schedule. For example, I had no restrictions on my sleeping hours or wake up time. I just happened to wake up randomly around 9 am and start my meditation practice from there. I would usually end up meditating for 8-9 hours per day not 10 hours. Also, I would do some 20 min Hatha Yoga sessions during the day even though exercise is not allowed in the 10 day Goenka retreat, as well as performing occasional prayers beside the meditation practice which is not allowed either.

My question is, do I really need to follow those retreats schedule to the t or is it okay to allow myself some flexibility and continue what I have been doing?

Another questions regarding the effect of the technique itself vs the effect of the duration of the retreat..

Do you have recommendations for a different type of meditation techniques suitable for a home retreat? Would a different technique give me different results in comparison to Vipassana? 

Also, how much impact does the duration of a retreat really have? Is a 10 day one really that different from a 7 day one for example?
 

Edited April 26 by lina

[CoolDreamThanks]

My question is, do I really need to follow those retreats schedule to the t or is it okay to allow myself some flexibility and continue what I have been doing? -

I think you're doing the right thing, you probably intuit that having a better night's sleep will improve the meditation effectiveness, and just flowing with life more instaed of upkeeping a schedule will turn out to be more meditative in the end. The whole goal is to become meditative whilst operating in life, so I would try that more - more walking in nature whilst meditating,. That helped me alot. Less painful to walk for 6hrs per day in a forest meditating than to sit for 6 hrs. 

 

Do you have recommendations for a different type of meditation techniques suitable for a home retreat? Would a different technique give me different results in comparison to Vipassana?

Please consider dropping vipassana. Why do you need a technique to bring yourself closer to yourself? Look at Rupert Spira's videos for instructions, it's a non-doing, much more pleasant than VIpassna. No need for a strict posture, as well. If you practice this non-doing meditation for the same period as a vippasna with the same intensity - I would guess it will be more effective. Try it out. It was for me. It is also more practical. Easier to integrate into everyday life. Now at the office I walk around meditative, at least sometimes. 

Also, how much impact does the duration of a retreat really have? Is a 10 day one really that different from a 7 day one for example?

Not sure about the exact number of days, but I found that if I go for a month, then it will be transformative. Many enlightenment experiences, etc.. 

People who met me after month-long retreats said I got a completely different vibe. They can feeel the meditativeness emanating. There is one drawback, though. If beautiful music plays in public, you might cry a little.  jk, not a drawback, those states are just so amazing that they bring out tears more and more often. Sometimes you might look at tree's and cry alot, just from the beauty and the bliss inside. 

Anyway, good luck with your retreat, glad to see that you are doing what really matters, and not the being fully immersed into the concepts. 

Edited April 26 by CoolDreamThanks

[lina]

On 4/26/2024 at 9:30 PM, CoolDreamThanks said:

 "The whole goal is to become meditative whilst operating in life, so I would try that more - more walking in nature whilst meditating,. That helped me alot."

That's spot on, thank you for this.

"Look at Rupert Spira's videos for instructions, it's a non-doing, much more pleasant than VIpassna. No need for a strict posture, as well. If you practice this non-doing meditation for the same period as a vippasna with the same intensity - I would guess it will be more effective. Try it out. It was for me. "

https://www.youtube.com/@rupertspira/search?query=non doing I've heard of him and found his channel but I am unsure, which video exactly are you referring to? Is non-doing same as 'do nothing' meditation?

"Not sure about the exact number of days, but I found that if I go for a month, then it will be transformative. Many enlightenment experie
People who met me after month-long retreats said I got a completely different vibe. They can feeel the meditativeness emanating. There is one drawback, though. If beautiful music plays in public, you might cry a little.  jk, not a drawback, those states are just so amazing that they bring out tears more and more often. Sometimes you might look at tree's and cry alot, just from the beauty and the bliss inside. 
Anyway, good luck with your retreat, glad to see that you are doing what really matters, and not the being fully immersed into the concepts. "

Thanks a lot! Yeah I imagine a month long one would be completely different; I wish I can have more time off, maybe in the future someday I would. 

 

[Ishanga]

Isha Foundation has something called Sadhanapada, its more of a commitment than a 10 or 7 day retreat and its in India lol, but for those really seeking the "Spiritual Life" this is the more intense and comprehensive program I've seen, will post a link to it below...

Isha also has an Ashram in Tennessee, they have all sorts of programs going on, I've been there and its really a special place for seekers..

Why a "technique", well if one is not already Meditative in  their everyday experience they may need a method to help that along. When one says they don't need a method, then that may be true or untrue, its individual in nature, some are more naturally meditative in their nature, some are less, some can realize Absolute easy, some not so easy, that is why there are Guru's and so many methods, to meet the needs of the many and diversity of Humanity and their individual Karmic makeup.

Doing Your "Own" thing, has it worked over the years, is there still suffering present in your life? If there is, then help is needed for sure and doing it on your own isn't working, its like reinventing the wheel and thinking you have done a great thing when the wheel has been around for 6,000 or so years lol!

 

[CoolDreamThanks]

@lina basically any video of Rupert's where he talks about meditation, non-doing, being aware, self-enquiry. Different words, but point to the same thing. 

[Davino]

On 26/4/2024 at 5:18 PM, lina said:

My question is, do I really need to follow those retreats schedule to the t or is it okay to allow myself some flexibility and continue what I have been doing?

Customize it for you, make it enjoyable and engaging. Don't make it an ordeal but don't fall back to home habits either. Just be clear that for these 10 days you are in retreat.

On 26/4/2024 at 5:18 PM, lina said:

Also, how much impact does the duration of a retreat really have? Is a 10 day one really that different from a 7 day one for example?

Some people say the middle of the retreat is the best, in the beggining you are getting used to the rythm, at the end you are subconsciously thinking of your future chores, in the middle is usually when you can dive deep. This is what I've heard over the years, but I don't have first hand retreat experience, so take it with caution

[lina]

On 4/28/2024 at 11:26 PM, Davino said:

Some people say the middle of the retreat is the best, in the beggining you are getting used to the rythm, at the end you are subconsciously thinking of your future chores, in the middle is usually when you can dive deep. 

That's true yes. 

On 4/28/2024 at 10:48 PM, CoolDreamThanks said:

@lina basically any video of Rupert's where he talks about meditation, non-doing, being aware, self-enquiry. Different words, but point to the same thing. 

I see, I think my main question was whether it's a specific meditation technique. 

On 4/28/2024 at 6:34 PM, Ishanga said:

Isha Foundation has something called Sadhanapada, its more of a commitment than a 10 or 7 day retreat and its in India lol, but for those really seeking the "Spiritual Life" this is the more intense and comprehensive program I've seen, will post a link to it below...

Isha also has an Ashram in Tennessee, they have all sorts of programs going on, I've been there and its really a special place for seekers..

Why a "technique", well if one is not already Meditative in  their everyday experience they may need a method to help that along. When one says they don't need a method, then that may be true or untrue, its individual in nature, some are more naturally meditative in their nature, some are less, some can realize Absolute easy, some not so easy, that is why there are Guru's and so many methods, to meet the needs of the many and diversity of Humanity and their individual Karmic makeup.

Doing Your "Own" thing, has it worked over the years, is there still suffering present in your life? If there is, then help is needed for sure and doing it on your own isn't working, its like reinventing the wheel and thinking you have done a great thing when the wheel has been around for 6,000 or so years lol!

Yeah unfortunately a lot of those places are difficult to go to due to their location that's why online home retreats would also be of use. 

There's truth to that especially in the beginning techniques and methods are usually needed.

Edited May 1 by lina

[gettoefl]

key in to what meditation is, abiding as awareness

duration matters only for reaching and prolonging until you reach 100%, if you are not improving each day stop and re-evaluate

ask what helps me reach my goal, do i need to be comfortable or do i need to make it hard, experiment accordingly

for me dividing the 16 hour non sleep day into four 4 hour blocks is optimal, four 4-hr activities of say sitting reading walking sitting

eight 2-hour blocks is good too

plan each day the day before

a several day fast is good at supercharging meditation