In southern USA, Bhavana Society in West Virginia, led by Bhante Gunaratana. Also Paññāsīha Lion of Wisdom Meditation Center in Maryland, founded by Bhante Dhammasiri and currently led by Bhante Yogavacara Rahula. Also Forest Dhamma Monastery in Virginia, led by Ajahn Dick Silaratano. These are some reliable places led by Theravada monks. I think all offer retreats based on dana. Wishing your success, Ayya Sobhana Bhikkhuni
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So you shall have problems. Seems that you are not inline with their concept.
My suggestion ‘Do not add more sufferings, we are already live in sufferings’
Good luck.
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there is one text in which the buddha explicitly blames the monks because they practiced strict silence during their retreat (it precludes skillful speech)
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venerable ayya: i don’t get the seclusion and quiet i long for where i live. i greatly desire that. being around like-minded people would be a plus, but the household life is smothering me. i’m not really looking for meditation instructions or even dhamma teaching (tho like a thief i listen for dhamma when people speak)
renting a place doesn’t sound like a bad idea
i have emailed buddhist insights and bhavana society wv and discovered they have residency. i think i could tolerate some group activities
they’re on winter retreat now but i am strongly thinking about going to either of these places in spring, or even out of the country if i discover some opportunity (i am not rich but i am better off than i have been in the past)
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late Katukurunde nanananda thero is by far one of the most erudite Monks perhaps in the last 75 years. The sad truth about meditation in USA is that now it is another huge business where people seek to make money. These people are driven by enormous greed for money.
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The Goenka tradition (which they refer to as Vipassana) you first mentioned is the best I’ve seen at providing seclusion. I’ve attended retreats at Bhavana Society, and a couple of the retreat centers, too. None have provided the structure and seclusion the Goenka tradition provides. That’s the one thing I really miss about it. That said, it is a challenging curriculum. with metta:-)
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I was not familiar with this teacher. I looked him up and I found a helpful website that contains English versions of some of his texts:
https://seeingthroughthenet.net/books/
His 33 talks on Nibbana are available here in HTML form.
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My very first retreat ever (2000) was with this group. They were located in FL at that time and now also have a Vipassana camp in Jesup, GA. I had a wonderful, intense experience that set me on a path that has only grown deeper and more meaningful with time. The experience helped me tremendously with learning to focus and to overcome distraction and doubt. Yes, they are strict but it was perfect for me at that time. I followed all instructions and held my comments to simply experience what was being offered. I went back every year for the next 3 years. Now, Southern Dharma is my choice for mediation retreats near my home of Charlotte NC. You said south, but I have to mention Barre Center for Buddhist studies and their other two campuses - the Forest Refuge and the Retreat Center. Most excellent. I hope your retreat bears sweet fruit and insights.
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Please quote it what I read is Buddha likes seclusion and silence including 2nd jhana mind silence and he recommended it
This is what I don’t like about them, they think only they are right others are wrong I love goenka but I don’t like this approach, if you attend other course you would be seen as impure by them thus not allowed to enter their course again, this smells cultish to me
But I still recommend their course you can’t get total silence experience in other place if I am not mistaken
Actually what Buddha means by seclusion is seclusion from craving and this exist in goenka tradition too, both greed and aversion are to be avoided and noted
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since you have your own way why not do it on your own … anyway mindfulness is just a way to maintain a continuous stream of awareness …
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My apologies for posting this again. I was up in the middle of the night ( insomnia ), went to edit out a typo, and I accidentally deleted the old version of the comment. Anyway…
That looks like the late S.N. Goenka’s organization.
If you do a Duck Duck Go web search on “Goenaka retreats” and similar strings you will find a number of negative accounts about the organization and a lesser amount of positive accounts about that organization.
I would not recommend any retreat from any organization while the pandemic is going.
Especially with the more contagious Omicron variant running rampant in the United States, with the southern region being far more worse ( the general population refusing safety protocols ).
Do not be foolish.
i didn’t want to be dictated on how to meditate, so i looked elsewhere. also kinda don’t want to turn in my phone. i might need to use it.
but i decided on visiting the lion wisdom center for a self-led retreat and then perhaps in the spring i can visit a monastery such as bhavana or abhayagiri or empty cloud
i’m also waiting to hear back from the late ven. ñāṇananda’s monastery to see if they are allowing residency, but it will be several weeks before i can have a passport
lay life for me is the dusty confining path that the buddha talked about. i struggle with trying to make it meaningful.
who knows… death? death could come with or without covid, and i have work to do. i am counting on a semi-secluded experience and to be able to dwell with the dhamma for an unbroken few days.
he specifically says like in the wilderness, or in a cave, under a tree, etc.
i know you can’t just go into the wild and expect to become enlightened, but it’s helpful from time to time
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lion wisdom center in maryland offers a self-led retreat and this sounded perfect to me
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there is one in april with the barre center held by two bhikkhunis. don’t know about turning my phone in tho.
i am going to visit lion wisdom center
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Sounds good @Sovatthika. My wife and I rented an airbnb in a secluded area last year and followed Ajahn Brahm’s meditation retreat on youtube. It was really helpful! This year, we plan on doing it again but using Ajahn @Brahmali 's sutta retreat on youtube as the guide. Best wishes for you.
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