Best Long Term Consciousness Retreats?

[cirkussmile]

Arunachala Hill in Tiruvannamalai, India

[GreenWoods]

On 5/28/2019 at 11:59 PM, Jcent said:

I am looking for a solid ashram/program to meditate seriously for 6-12 months. Does anyone have experience doing one of these? If not, are there long term residential retreats that you are looking into or know about? I am at a unique place in life where something like this is possible for me, and the call to do so cannot be put off any longer. 

I have heard about:

• Zen Mountain Monastery 
• Sadhguru's Sahanapada 
• Peter Ralston's Apprenticeships (but these require getting a group of people together)

Just go to India, there are ashrams everywhere, where you can stay as long as you want

On 5/29/2019 at 0:13 AM, Jcent said:

@Leo Gura Do you think it's worth spending a significant chunk of my life's savings to do this? I'm 19.

In India are ashrams costing $1.50 a day. 1kg rice or 1kg bananas cost about $0.70. If you calculate $5 a day for 300 days, it will be $1,500, but I don't think you'll need that much if you try to save money. If you don't have that money, there are ashrams where you can do stuff like helping in the kitchen and you can stay for free in return. I however would rather recommend you work now in your home country such that you can focus on your spiritual practices only, when at the ashram.

If you are serious about spirituality, I think it's definitely worth it. I am 19 too and will soon go to an ashram in India for about half a year.

you may be interested in Rishikesh, a spiritual city near to the Himalayas

[Rinne]

7 hours ago, GreenWoods said:

If you are serious about spirituality, I think it's definitely worth it. I am 19 too and will soon go to an ashram in India for about half a year.

you may be interested in Rishikesh, a spiritual city near to the Himalayas

What kind of meditation practice do they do over there?

 

[Girzo]

8 hours ago, GreenWoods said:

I am 19 too and will soon go to an ashram in India for about half a year.

I am afraid India would kill not only my ego but the body too. Aren't you? 

[GreenWoods]

24 minutes ago, Rinne said:

What kind of meditation practice do they do over there?

 

I haven't  looked more closely at what practices they do as I will be doing my own practices (Self inquiry, kriya yoga,...) anyway. I suppose in most ashrams practices like Hatha Yoga and perhaps also mantra singing predominate. If you prefer more direct practices you can either search an ashram where they do such practices or one where you can do whatever you wish

[GreenWoods]

6 minutes ago, Girzo said:

I am afraid India would kill not only my ego but the body too. Aren't you? 

what would kill your body there?

You mean illnesses and starvation?

Well, Food is quite cheap over there and I suppose one should get vaccinated thoroughly beforehand

[Girzo]

You can't get vaccinated for everything. You will get sick, it's only a matter of how often and how severe.

Do you know anyone who has been to India? What is their experience?

[GreenWoods]

1 minute ago, Girzo said:

You can't get vaccinated for everything. You will get sick, it's only a matter of how often and how severe.

Do you know anyone who has been to India? What is their experience?

No, I don't know anyone who has been to india

Most people in India stay alive as well.  I suppose one will adapt to the most within some months.

And of course one should be cautious. That is, only drink water from closed bottles, eat only healthy and fresh food, don't live in the dirt....

Things like Kriya yoga and especially  daily cold showers boost the immune system and may thus also be of some aid to a small extend

[Jcent]

@GreenWoods My plan was to go out west and Air BnB it for a year. But the cost is going to be ridiculous. The upside is that I control everything; food, schedule, etc.. The downside is the price. Maybe I'll have to adjust my plan. I was thinking about going to Sadhguru's Sadhanapada but it's cutting too close given I haven't fulfilled the requirements. Are you going to a specific ashram in India. Maybe we can go together.

[GreenWoods]

37 minutes ago, Jcent said:

@GreenWoods My plan was to go out west and Air BnB it for a year. But the cost is going to be ridiculous. The upside is that I control everything; food, schedule, etc.. The downside is the price. Maybe I'll have to adjust my plan. I was thinking about going to Sadhguru's Sadhanapada but it's cutting too close given I haven't fulfilled the requirements. Are you going to a specific ashram in India. Maybe we can go together.

As you say, to air BnB it would be quite expensive. When you are also 19, I don't know whether it is too wise spending too much money for it. But I don't know your exact  situation so you can decide that best.

With the Sadhanapada, the issue is, that you won't have too much time doing your hardcore spiritual practices. A lot of time will be spent doing volunteering work etc. And if you are like me, you probably want to do this retreat to completely focus on your spiritual growth:)

I have planned to go to Rishikesh. In Juli this year. It lies close to the Himalayas and is directly at the Ganges which is still quite clean there. The city is famous for Yoga. There are many asrams so I guess I will just go there and then pick the one I like best. I'll go somewhere where I can do whatever I want.

haha, that would be awesome if we go together, I never met someone who is equally serious about spirituality . If you don't want to go to Rishikesh and find a better place, I am flexible. I booked my flight to New Delhi but as train costs are ridiculously cheap there we could go everywhere in India or even go to a country close by like Nepal, in case you are too concerned about your health in India.

[Leo Gura]

On 6/1/2019 at 3:14 AM, Rinne said:

How conscious can one become after one of these anyway?

Conscious enough to end suffering?

Conscious enough to transcend the ability to feel pain and fear?

Lol

No, you will not be anywhere close to that conscious. You will be lucky to get a few glimpses. But the value of the work is not just in getting glimpses. There's a lot more lessons than just enlightenment.

Most of Peter's apprentices are not enlightened at all, not to even speak of deep enlightenment.

Which is not to say anything negative about his programs. They are great. But you are grossly underestimating the amount of work it takes to awaken that deeply. I have watched his apprentices struggling and struggling and failing and failing to grasp what they are or what reality is.

Not to brag, but I have awoken deeper than any of Peter's apprentices who I have met. And that is thanks to 5-MeO-DMT. Such degrees of consciousness would take you 40 years of work to attain.

Total omniscience is possible. But you won't get that through any kind of apprenticeship program.

Still, I recommend his programs. It's not the program's fault you are so asleep

If you're not using 5-MeO-DMT you're looking at 10, 20, 30, 40 years of work to reach the highest levels. The reality is, you will probably never even know you missed the highest levels because you will be so far away from them even after 40 years of work. Unless if you are supernaturally gifted. And that assumes you're working your ass off on this work, not just half-assing it the way most people do.

It's still worth doing the work. So don't get discouraged. Just don't ignore the most powerful and direct tool there is for awakening. It would be negligent to do so.

You will not understand Peter's full depth without psychedelic assistance, I can promise you that.

None of this is to discourage you. Just the opposite, it just shows you how deep this work goes. So get excited! You have a lot of room for growth.

[noselfnofun]

29 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

Lol

No, you will not be anywhere close to that conscious. You will be lucky to get a few glimpses. But the value of the work is not just in getting glimpses. There's a lot more lessons than just enlightenment.

Most of Peter's apprentices are not enlightened at all, not to even speak of deep enlightenment.

Which is not to say anything negative about his programs. They are great. But you are grossly underestimating the amount of work it takes to awaken that deeply. I have watched his apprentices struggling and struggling and failing and failing to grasp what they are or what reality is.

Not to brag, but I have awoken deeper than any of Peter's apprentices who I have met. And that is thanks to 5-MeO-DMT. Such degrees of consciousness would take you 40 years of work to attain.

Total omniscience is possible. But you won't get that through any kind of apprenticeship program.

Still, I recommend his programs. It's not the program's fault you are so asleep

If you're not using 5-MeO-DMT you're looking at 10, 20, 30, 40 years of work to reach the highest levels. The reality is, you will probably never even know you missed the highest levels because you will be so far away from them even after 40 years of work. Unless if you are supernaturally gifted. And that assumes you're working your ass off on this work, not just half-assing it the way most people do.

It's still worth doing the work. So don't get discouraged. Just don't ignore the most powerful and direct tool there is for awakening. It would be negligent to do so.

You will not understand Peter's full depth without psychedelic assistance, I can promise you that.

None of this is to discourage you. Just the opposite, it just shows you how deep this work goes. So get excited! You have a lot of room for 

When using 5meo dose insights last even after the trip then ? I suppose the advantage of doing it through pratice is you would be able to access these insanely deep places whenever you want rarther than have to take 5meo Dmt. 

I guess the awesner is to do both 

[Leo Gura]

@noselfnofun It's complicated. There are insights, there are states, and there is your baseline level of consciousness. All of them can be affected.

You certainly cannot maintain a peak 5-MeO-DMT state because you would barely be able to walk. But it changes you even though you drop down. The sense of self is expended beyond your body.

Yes, do both is the suggestion.

[mandyjw]

1 hour ago, Leo Gura said:

If you're not using 5-MeO-DMT you're looking at 10, 20, 30, 40 years of work to reach the highest levels. The reality is, you will probably never even know you missed the highest levels because you will be so far away from them even after 40 years of work. Unless if you are supernaturally gifted. And that assumes you're working your ass off on this work, not just half-assing it the way most people do.

It's still worth doing the work. So don't get discouraged. Just don't ignore the most powerful and direct tool there is for awakening. It would be negligent to do so.

You will not understand Peter's full depth without psychedelic assistance, I can promise you that.

None of this is to discourage you. Just the opposite, it just shows you how deep this work goes. So get excited! You have a lot of room for growth.

I am not excited, sometimes your encouragement is very alienating. Why not just say fuck it and enjoy the few true things there are in life, like nature and what connection and love there is left with other people without trying to throw everything away in pursuit of an illusionary attainment all the time. This place feels like the smart kids lunch table senior year in highschool, everyone talking about attainments and all the hard work they are doing to get them for the purpose of some future goal. Maybe I'm happy being the spiritual janitor or the lunch lady. 

Edited June 9, 2019 by mandyjw

[GreenWoods]

 

18 hours ago, Girzo said:

You can't get vaccinated for everything. You will get sick, it's only a matter of how often and how severe.

Do you know anyone who has been to India? What is their experience?

I changed my mind, I probably won't go to India after all. I guess you are right, it's too dangerous, and my parents would turn crazy if I went. 

9 hours ago, Jcent said:

@GreenWoods My plan was to go out west and Air BnB it for a year. But the cost is going to be ridiculous. The upside is that I control everything; food, schedule, etc.. The downside is the price. Maybe I'll have to adjust my plan. I was thinking about going to Sadhguru's Sadhanapada but it's cutting too close given I haven't fulfilled the requirements. Are you going to a specific ashram in India. Maybe we can go together.

If I were you, I would search for an ashram, long Meditation retreat centre or even a monastery nearby, in that way you will also save flight costs.

Or if you like camping, search for a place where putting up your tent is allowed and which lies close to a clean stream (for washing) and a shop where you can fill up on food and water once a week. But you must be fine with sleeping in your tent no matter the weather (except you have a car). And perhaps you want to go somewhere where temperatures don't drop too low during winter.

[GreenWoods]

3 hours ago, mandyjw said:

I am not excited, sometimes your encouragement is very alienating. Why not just say fuck it and enjoy the few true things there are in life, like nature and what connection and love there is left with other people without trying to throw everything away in pursuit of an illusionary attainment all the time. This place feels like the smart kids lunch table senior year in highschool, everyone talking about attainments and all the hard work they are doing to get them for the purpose of some future goal. Maybe I'm happy being the spiritual janitor or the lunch lady. 

Enlightenment is no "illusionary attainment", if something is illusionary, than it's everything else.

If you do spirituality correctly you will be able to appreciate and love "the few true things" as well as everything else even more. If you are very radical, you can "throw everything away" and go to a cave till you are enlightened and then come back and be able to enjoy it a lot more. But when you do it like 99% of spiritual seekers, you do your few hours of daily meditation and have the rest of the day enjoying "the few true things". Of Course you will have less time for enjoying those and will get more dettached, but your ability to appreciate and love them will increase.

And in the time till you attain enlightenment you are still increasing you level of consciousness, thus enlightenment is not exclusively a "future goal".

If you lack excitement, some 5meo-dmt may help you

 

[kieranperez]

6 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

You will not understand Peter's full depth without psychedelic assistance, I can promise you that.

What was it about being with Ralston that you found so profound? You brought that up in your interview and I’m curious what you meant. 

[GreenWoods]

@Jcent Here some possibilities for a long retreat, roughly from cheapest to expensive:

1. stay at home

downside: distractions and possibly obligations

2. sleep in a tent close to a supermarket and a stream (as I mentioned somewhere above)

3. Asram in india

via internet you will probably only find short term ones which are very expensive. If you want to find a cheap one, you either have to go to India and search there in person, or someone in a forum can recommend you one.

Downside: Flight costs, health risks, and you could end up finding only ashrams where you need to follow their schedule, including religious ceremonies, and have to help a lot.

4. rent an apartment (close to a supermarket)

I don't know how expensive that will be in America, but in Germany I found several apartments to rent for about $230 monthly (they are furnished) (I found them via ebay kleinanzeigen)

5. Monastery

• you have to ordain. (which will most likely entail that you have to learn their dogmas, help a lot, almost no internet (your parents won't like that) ). But this might be the cheapest option
• you don't have to ordain. Hard to find via internet. The ones you find on the internet are either too expensive (like that one: https://zmm.org/zmm/year-long-intensive-at-zmm/  $850 monthly) or you will have to follow their schedule and work a lot. for example, here is a cheap one : https://www.zen-azi.org/en/long-term-zen-retreat ca. $320 monthly. But you have a vigorous schedule to follow.          For example in Thailand you might find temples/monasteries where you can stay without all the bs but they are hard to find and you probably won't be allowed/able to have internet and stay in contact with your parents which they likely won't like. Best chances to find such a one is to have one recommended by someone on the internet or find it in person when you are there.
• You find a monastery in America/Europe that offers long term stays cheaply and without church involvement. Good luck finding one.

6. Meditation retreats

I haven't found any conventional meditation retreats where you can stay for half a year or a year. Does anyone here know of such a retreat? That means, you would have to do several which last for a few months. If you want to meditate one year, then you will probably have to pay at least $10 000.

Edited June 13, 2019 by GreenWoods

[Kindle]

for a long term retreat I can recommend you this place:

http://thehermitageretreats.com/

I was fortunate doing a Darkroom retreat there this place is amazing. 

You can stay for over a month for around $2000

[Jcent]

@GreenWoods Thanks so much for being so detailed. I certainly appreciate it, and I'm sure some others are following along as well.

@Kindle This fucking place keeps coming back to me. I heard about it over a year and a half ago. Firstly, do you need to get vaccinated to go to Guatemala? And secondly, how is the food/ environment/ people there? Are there markets nearby? I'm consider staying in one of their quaint little houses and doing a dark room portion.