Online Meditation Retreats

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Just thought it would be a good idea to compile online retreats. I’ve done several at home alone and found them both very challenging and helpful over the years. I will try to do another at home retreat this year.

The Goenka retreat was the first place I was exposed to the teachings of the Buddha in a meaningful way and he is a good Dhamma teacher.

I have done 3 at home meditation retreats. I did 1 bhante Vimalaramsi Metta meditation retreat (however I switched to anapana about half way through and then back to Metta. Doing my first at home meditation retreat was incredibly challenging (much more so than at a center with meditators and no support aside from the Dhamma talks)

I did Doug Kraft’s online Metta meditation retreat next and it was absolutely wonderful. A very gentle and insightful teaching into the Jhanas and dependent origination and forgiveness.

My last at home retreat I aborted halfway, but it was Metta (walking and sitting) and I benefited immensely, even though I short changed myself (I was going through an incredibly challenging personal situation at the time, but I will never abort another retreat.

I also did a 3 or 4 day retreat about 7 years ago before I knew what the Buddha’s teachings really were.

In conclusion, for me, retreat centers and monasteries provide a much needed structure and support (even Goenka albiet not as good as speaking with monastics by a long shot). At home online retreats can be challenging, but if we can’t get to a center, they provide a great way to strengthen our concentration and ability to make deeper strides in our path to insight and liberation through the Noble Eightfold Path.
Every retreat I’ve done, whether the 3, 4, 8 or 10 day retreats, has given massive benefits to my life, my views and my understanding and seeing of the Dhamma.

From time to time, I will do 1 day retreats and I plan on doing them once a month going forward.

Doug Kraft’s Retreat (8 Days Metta and Jhana)

Bhante Vimalaramsi (8 day online forgiveness retreat)

Bhante Vimalaramsi (14 day Retreat)

Bhante Vimalaramsi (9 day retreat series of talks and instruction)

There are tons more retreats on Bhante Vimalaramsi’s YouTube channel under playlists.

Bhante Saranpala (Urban Buddhist Monk)

Bhante Punnaji (this one is not complete yet but first day uploaded today)

Ajahn Sujato Metta Retreat

Ajahn Brahmali Sutta retreat (9 days)

Ayya Khema

Bhante Rahula (Vipassana and Yoga Retreat)

Ajahn Sumedo retreat

Ajahn Brahm Retreats YouTube Channel

Ajahn Kalayano (6 day retreat)

Bhavana a Society YouTube Channel (Playlists with many retreats)

Bhante Suddhaso (Jhana Retreat)

Goenka 10 Day Vipassana Retreat

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how exactly did the online retreats you attended work? did you just watch videos daily, all on honor system, or is there some kind of interactive online communication going on with the teachers and other participants?

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Yes they were self motivated and governed. However, the first one I did was supposed to be one through Dhammasukkha with a monk writing to me back and forth with a Dana donation, however something for messed up and I didn’t get any correspondence to my emails I sent daily so I just continued with the meditations band listened to a Dhamma talk each night before a final meditation and then bed.

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This is the site for the retreat with the guidance of a monastics from a far. Maybe something happened at their end because I didn’t get anything after the initial email so I just carried on by myself and it was still very very helpful to do a retreat completely on my own with no contact from the outside world.

I made my own meals, but kept things simple and tried to stay with the object (Metta) whole preparing/eating.

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If anyone else knows of any EBT Theravada compatible online retreats please share. :slight_smile:

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There are retreats by Ajahn Brahm, Ajahn Brahmali (sutta retreat) and Bhante Sujato (metta) all available on the Jhāna Grove youtube channel.

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This is a lovely generous thread. :slight_smile:

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Interesting- bhanthe vimalasiri is saying ‘the reason you fall asleep is because you are not interested enough’! I think it could be because they are sleepy as well?

with metta,

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I always admire people who can do self-led meditation retreats, I would probably just quit after a day over the temptation of chocolate and a bubble bath. :sweat_smile:

All of my meditation retreats have either been at centers or monasteries, and I find being in community (even if that community is silent) very beneficial for my practice.

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Thanissaro Bhikkhu did one a couple of years ago (2013) on the Tricycle (magazine) website – “Working and Playing with the Breath” at:
https://tricycle.org/dharmatalks/working-and-playing-breath/

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