What is the best season to visit Metta Forest Monastery?

The cultivation of calm or tranquility and the development of concentration
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manas
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What is the best season to visit Metta Forest Monastery?

Post by manas »

If this topic is in the wrong place, I invite the mods to post it elsewhere. I was not sure where I ought to put this question.

I am seriously thinking that I ought to go and spend a month at some stage at Ajahn Thanissaro's monastery and meditate / get some advice personally. If I am going to make such an investment of time and money, I wanted to get some tips maybe, from anyone who has done so previously, so I can get the most benefit. In particular, what is the best time of the year to visit? And what should I bring along, so that I don't have insects crawling in my ears etc as I meditate? Any advice would be much appreciated. :)

Thank you
manas
:anjali:
To the Buddha-refuge i go; to the Dhamma-refuge i go; to the Sangha-refuge i go.
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fivebells
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Re: What is the best season to visit Metta Forest Monastery?

Post by fivebells »

...what should I bring along, so that I don't have insects crawling in my ears etc as I meditate?
Watch out, or there'll be an evening talk directed at you about the critical role of patient endurance. :)

(Huge fan, listen to at least two of those talks a day.)
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cooran
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Re: What is the best season to visit Metta Forest Monastery?

Post by cooran »

Hello Manas,

A friend of mine has just returned from a couple of months retreat at Thanissaro's monastery. I'll try to catch up with her on the weekend at meditation and see if it is o.k. To give you her contact details.

With metta,
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
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manas
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Re: What is the best season to visit Metta Forest Monastery?

Post by manas »

fivebells wrote:
...what should I bring along, so that I don't have insects crawling in my ears etc as I meditate?
Watch out, or there'll be an evening talk directed at you about the critical role of patient endurance. :)

(Huge fan, listen to at least two of those talks a day.)
That may be the case, but I'm just not that patient and enduring...a beetle could wreak havoc if it started digging into one's eardrum...there is a risk one could lose one's hearing. Not to mention the pain involved...

metta
To the Buddha-refuge i go; to the Dhamma-refuge i go; to the Sangha-refuge i go.
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manas
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Re: What is the best season to visit Metta Forest Monastery?

Post by manas »

cooran wrote:Hello Manas,

A friend of mine has just returned from a couple of months retreat at Thanissaro's monastery. I'll try to catch up with her on the weekend at meditation and see if it is o.k. To give you her contact details.

With metta,
Chris
Thanks, Chris, I appreciate that.

:anjali:
To the Buddha-refuge i go; to the Dhamma-refuge i go; to the Sangha-refuge i go.
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fivebells
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Re: What is the best season to visit Metta Forest Monastery?

Post by fivebells »

Hope it was clear I was joking. I am all in favor of repelling eardrum-digging beetles.
SarathW
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Re: What is the best season to visit Metta Forest Monastery?

Post by SarathW »

:twothumbsup:
Good on you Manas.
I was thinking the same.
Get some information for us.
:)
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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appicchato
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Re: What is the best season to visit Metta Forest Monastery?

Post by appicchato »

Having grown up in the area, bugs are a non-issue...gets nippy in the winter, spring beautiful, late summer dyno...
Samma
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Re: What is the best season to visit Metta Forest Monastery?

Post by Samma »

Whenever you are available and inspired is the best time!

See: http://www.watmetta.org/visitor.html
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PsychedelicSunSet
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Re: What is the best season to visit Metta Forest Monastery?

Post by PsychedelicSunSet »

To my knowledge, if you're a first timer the longest you can stay is 2 weeks. I may be mistaken though. Please keep us all updated, as this is something I'd like to do at some point as well.




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Buckwheat
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Re: What is the best season to visit Metta Forest Monastery?

Post by Buckwheat »

manas wrote:If this topic is in the wrong place, I invite the mods to post it elsewhere. I was not sure where I ought to put this question.

I am seriously thinking that I ought to go and spend a month at some stage at Ajahn Thanissaro's monastery and meditate / get some advice personally. If I am going to make such an investment of time and money, I wanted to get some tips maybe, from anyone who has done so previously, so I can get the most benefit. In particular, what is the best time of the year to visit? And what should I bring along, so that I don't have insects crawling in my ears etc as I meditate? Any advice would be much appreciated. :)

Thank you
manas
:anjali:
There is a two-week limit for first time visitors. I stayed there for 10 days between two out of town trips by the abbot. I had a wonderful experience. The whole community is full of amazingly warm-hearted and generous people. They do not allow guests to stay when the abbot is away. I think that is partly just so the residents get some periods of not having any overnight guests to take care of.

The climate in that area is famously temperate, meaning its pretty comfortable year round. You can expect cool rain in the winter, dry heat in the summer, but neither one is extreme. Spring and fall are nice transition periods, but less predictable.

If you plan to visit, you really need to visit this site, which addresses your questions and then some... http://www.watmetta.org/visitor.html
Sotthī hontu nirantaraṃ - May you forever be well.
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