Bhavana Society West Virginia - any experiences?

TreeLuvr87

I'm very excited! I signed up for my first meditation retreat, a four night program over Thanksgiving at the Bhavana Society in West Virginia. The sangha came highly recommended from a few contacts I have in Richmond, VA at the Ekoji Buddhist Sangha. I was actually wait-listed because they are already full for females, but I feel confident that if I'm ready and intended to be in that situation at that time, someone will cancel. I think it's likely anyways, being Thanksgiving week. I hope to go Thanksgiving week because I will be missing my family if I stay at home alone.


Has anyone visited the Bhavana Society or heard anything about it, good or bad?

patbb

good for you!

I think it is very likely to that someone will cancel; specially this long before the retreat. Things change and people change their minds...

enjoy the retreat!

tbradnc

I have been to retreats at Bhavana Society over the years and have enjoyed each one.

Get there early - the website recommends 4:30 for first time retreatants. You'll first be assigned a job to do for the duration of the retreat - washing, cooking, cleaning, etc. Then you'll be assigned either a kuti or bed in one of the sleeping areas (separate for men and women of course). Then you can put up your belongings and look around.

If you want to go for a walk during the retreat I recommend making a left at the end of the driveway - there is less traffic that way.

Enjoy the retreat, this is an excellent place to practice.

Feel free to ask me any questions.

metta
Tom

TreeLuvr87

Thanks for your responses. I have no clue how it took me this long to stumble across them. I wasn't able to attend the Thanksgiving retreat but have been signed up for a retreat in early June for several months. I'm nervous about it but very excited to move through anything I encounter.