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meditation retreat Thailand
Posted: Wed May 09, 2018 1:43 am
by deedublew
Dear All,
Would anyone be able to recommend a female only meditation retreat in Thailand please ?
I am looking to go there in mid September, no more than five days. Through Google Nirotharam Vipassana Meditation Center - Chom Tong, Chiang Mai has caught my eye. If anyone can share some personal experiences it would be great.
My preferences are quite simple, basically to have a structured daily programme and a guided meditation programme.
Metta to all
Re: meditation retreat Thailand
Posted: Wed May 09, 2018 2:16 am
by JamesTheGiant
This monastery does not run formal retreats much anymore, but it is very friendly for women, with most of the residents being Mae Chees, women who have renounced the home life to live like nuns.
When I was there a few years ago, there were only two monks, and about 15 women. There were enough english-speakers among them to get some meditation instruction from the MaeChees, and there was the regular morning and evening meditation.
But it's a working monastery, not a retreat centre so much. So the residents work all morning around the monastery, and have the afternoon off for formal meditation practise.
There are lots of caves which you can meditate in.
Some links which describe the place...
https://bensalmons.wordpress.com/2011/0 ... -yai-prik/
http://www.thailandroad.com/joe/kosichang.html
And here it is on google maps.
https://goo.gl/maps/JB9wJPNDPc12
It's just a couple-hour $2 train ride from central Bangkok. Oh, and then a ferry-ride to the island.
Re: meditation retreat Thailand
Posted: Thu May 10, 2018 7:28 am
by deedublew
JamesTheGiant wrote: ↑Wed May 09, 2018 2:16 am
This monastery does not run formal retreats much anymore, but it is very friendly for women, with most of the residents being Mae Chees, women who have renounced the home life to live like nuns.
When I was there a few years ago, there were only two monks, and about 15 women. There were enough english-speakers among them to get some meditation instruction from the MaeChees, and there was the regular morning and evening meditation.
But it's a working monastery, not a retreat centre so much. So the residents work all morning around the monastery, and have the afternoon off for formal meditation practise.
There are lots of caves which you can meditate in.
Some links which describe the place...
https://bensalmons.wordpress.com/2011/0 ... -yai-prik/
http://www.thailandroad.com/joe/kosichang.html
And here it is on google maps.
https://goo.gl/maps/JB9wJPNDPc12
It's just a couple-hour $2 train ride from central Bangkok. Oh, and then a ferry-ride to the island.
Thank you for the reply James.
I value the information and have looked through the sites you've sent. It looks like a great place to meditate, maybe when I am more experienced to do on my own. But right now I am dying to have an instructor to discuss my experiences. So, I may have to keep looking as it doesn't sound like the kind of place I am after.
Re: meditation retreat Thailand
Posted: Thu May 10, 2018 7:48 am
by JamesTheGiant
Yes, best of luck. An instructor or teacher at a retreat is so very useful.
Unfortunately all the retreat places I know mostly do 10 or 11 day retreats. Could you spend more time, or are you on a tight schedule on holiday?
Re: meditation retreat Thailand
Posted: Fri May 25, 2018 1:23 am
by deedublew
JamesTheGiant wrote: ↑Thu May 10, 2018 7:48 am
Yes, best of luck. An instructor or teacher at a retreat is so very useful.
Unfortunately all the retreat places I know mostly do 10 or 11 day retreats. Could you spend more time, or are you on a tight schedule on holiday?
Thank you. Yes, thought an idea of a instructor / teacher would be good as well. As at my stage of practice I find that 'knowledge' that I have and the 'practice' tends to get 'muddy' sometimes and, ideally I would like someone to discuss the finding to get more clarity in my practice.
One of the forum members suggested Wat Chom Tong, so I have enquired and from what I understand this is a place I'd like to visit. My plan was to add a few extra days to a business trip and have a retreat experience in Thailand. Just last week I managed to negotiate 10 days of leave so yes, I will join for 10 days - my first ! Will see how I go.
Re: meditation retreat Thailand
Posted: Fri May 25, 2018 4:22 pm
by kalyanamitta
deedublew wrote: ↑Wed May 09, 2018 1:43 am
Dear All,
Would anyone be able to recommend a female only meditation retreat in Thailand please ?
I am looking to go there in mid September, no more than five days. Through Google Nirotharam Vipassana Meditation Center - Chom Tong, Chiang Mai has caught my eye. If anyone can share some personal experiences it would be great.
My preferences are quite simple, basically to have a structured daily programme and a guided meditation programme.
Metta to all
From personal experience, I would not recommend Wat Chom Tong (which was mentioned as another option recently) for these purposes, based on 23 days of retreat last July. While I was there, their daily program was by no means structured and there was no guided meditation. Rather, one meets for 5-10 minutes per day with the instructors to report on one's experiences, receive new instructions (not guided meditation) and then spend the rest of the day in unstructured solitude, typically in one's room, practicing by oneself, although there are two shared meditation halls for international retreatants to use. Either way, I hope you find what you're looking for.
Re: meditation retreat Thailand
Posted: Fri May 25, 2018 11:49 pm
by mikenz66
kalyanamitta wrote: ↑Fri May 25, 2018 4:22 pm
... their daily program was by no means structured and there was no guided meditation. Rather, one meets for 5-10 minutes per day with the instructors to report on one's experiences, receive new instructions (not guided meditation) and then spend the rest of the day in unstructured solitude, typically in one's room, practicing by oneself, ...
That actually sounds perfectly structured for someone who already has done a few retreats and simply needs
Practce time. It's what most of my retreats are like, though I do sometimes attend mure structured retreats.
However, I would have hoped that the organisers would assess the needs of participants and give appropriate guidance.
Mike
Re: meditation retreat Thailand
Posted: Sat May 26, 2018 3:26 am
by kalyanamitta
mikenz66 wrote: ↑Fri May 25, 2018 11:49 pm
That actually sounds perfectly structured for someone who already has done a few retreats and simply needs
Practce time. It's what most of my retreats are like, though I do sometimes attend mure structured retreats.
However, I would have hoped that the organisers would assess the needs of participants and give appropriate guidance.
Mike
Not being sure of deedublew's experience level, and given that she did mention, "maybe when I am more experienced to do on my own. But right now I am dying to have an instructor to discuss my experiences," Wat Chom Tong is almost certainly not structured enough, unless things have changed since I was there. Even completing four months of intensive retreat at other monasteries in Asia (primarily Taiwan and Korea), practicing consistently for the past 12 years, doing retreats of up to five consecutive months at a time, and being a resident at a traditional monastery, I did not find Wat Chom Tong anywhere near "perfectly structured." Just my two cents. I hope that whatever deedublew decides upon will be fruitful.