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Question re; first time doing short retreat
I'm doing my first short(4 day) retreat at the end of next month at a Tibetian Buddhist retreat center in mid/upstate New York and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions? My goal is to focus on my practice for a few days and get some persective on things.
Lates
I-23
Lates
I-23
0
Comments
Do as you are told
Stay alert and mindful
Expect nothing.
open heart
Hi, BSF! So good to see you again! Hope things are going well.
My first retreat was a week long, but even three or four days can be beneficial. The main thing is to find a place, and people, that you are comfortable with. My suggestion is to just start out with the basics, e.g., get the rules, the meditation techniques, et cetera and go from there. My only other piece of advice is that while you are there, try to keep an open mind, be mindful of your actions, and smile. Also, if you feel uncomfortable, or don't trust the organizers of the retreat, don't force yourself to stay. A retreat is only helpful if you have confidence and trust in your fellow practitioners.
Best wishes,
Jason
If you are a coffee drinker, try cutting out the brew a couple of days before the retreat. Otherwise, your 2nd day of the retreat might be ruined by a headache from caffeine withdrawal.
Take breaks when you can and choose a sitting posture that doesn't cause pain. Don't go too hardcore on the 1st day (attending all the optional sessions, trying to hold the perfect posture, etc), you'll need that energy later on.
Hi, Jacx, and welcome to the board. It's good to meet you and that sounds like great advice, even though I've never been on retreat.