Free of charge retreats

[kreko]

Does anyone know some free of charge Yoga retreats in India, Sri Lanka, Tibet or Myanmar?

The only places I found are the Vipassana meditation style ashrams. Do you know some Yoga retreats that do not ask for fees and only work on donations?

Thank you.

[Ananda]

hi Kreko and Merry Christmas[], i don't know about any yoga retreats but concerning the free stuff: i've read in the book "Nothing ever happened" by David Godman that in Sri Lanka if you are a foreigner who is interested in the practice of buddhism you'll be provided a place to stay in (like a buddhist temple) and food and it would all be for free plus and most importantly the government won't ask you for any "visa extension."  

namaste

[kreko]

Thank you for the info. Cheers and Happy Christmas to you too!

[YogaIsLife]

Hi, I am also interested in this and would love to know more. I am interested in a place/retreat where one could meditate in peace and be an active part of the life of the place, with no associated charges, and ideally with enlightened teachers around . I never done anything like this so really don't know where to start! I believe buddhist monasteries would probably be welcoming to sincere seekers/practitioners but if anyone has direct experience I would love to know more! Not a place with lots of dogmas or "this is the only true path" mentality, but a place where one can apply himself/herself to sincere self-discovery for a period of time, find support on that path, whilst participating and helping heartly in the supporting community, of course.

What you mention about Sri Lanka Ananda sounds very interesting for example. Where could I know more?

Cheers and Happy 2010 and all the rest!

[Ananda]

hi YogaIsLife[], sorry but i honestly don't know i just read about it in the book maybe you can google about it.

i am also very much looking forward to be in the presence of an enlightened one (the advaita type) with a lot of intensity over here but i know that smthg like that might not happen and that if i keep on with AYP it won't be needed but it can sure as hell give a great push to my spiritual progress and maybe who knows perhaps spontaneous enlightenment from the kind that stays...

namaste

[YogaIsLife]

hi Ananda Thank you.

Ok, I knew already it was kind of a naive question... Expecting to find easy answers for such a, probably, complex endeavour. But yes there is a certain pull in me for that, not to follow anyone blindly at all, but to be in a place of peace and harmony and where people dedicate themselves to self-knowledge and where some of them (eg the teachers) at least know what they are taling about! So no place with dogma, but a place of support and where there is time and space for one to dedicate himself/herself to self-knowledge. This is a place I would like to be in, at least for a while. It seems buddhist temples and monasteries fit best in this description but I am not totally sure.

Thanks anyway and I will keep on looking! When one is ready teh answeres will appear

P.S.: I agree with you, there is no need to go and do such a thing for spiritual progress to occurr. Not at all. But if a honest drive is in one to do so I believ also there is no harm in pursuing it. The inner guru we so much talk about It is different for each one and that is just fine I believe.

[Christi]

Hi Yogaislife,

It is true that the Buddhist monasteries in Sri Lanka are supportive of people wishing to do serious spiritual practice. Not all monasteries will accept non-Sri Lankans, but if you are sincere then you will be guided in the right direction and will find people who will support you and give you a small hut to stay in. You would be living as a lay guest in a monastery and so would be required to wear white clothing covering your arms and legs. You would also be expected to keep the 10 precepts of a samanera (anagaraka) and to eat only one meal a day. Many of the monks and nuns are well educated and speak English.

It is a very beautiful country and the level of spiritual devotion is very high.

Christi

[YogaIsLife]

Hi Christi,

Thank you so very much for your input. That is extremely useful. Sounds like something I would appreciate indeed. But could you please tell me a little bit more about the 10 precepts of a samanera (anagaraka)? And would you know, in broad terms, what kind of practices or approach most of this monasteries focus on? Meditation? Other yogic techniques?

Thank you!

[Christi]

Hi Yogaislife,

I don't remember the 10 precepts offhand, but they are not difficult to keep. To refrain from harming anyone, stealing, lying, drinking alcohol, sex, etc. To be honest the only one which is difficult to keep is the eating only once a day, which has to be before noon.

Sri Lanka is a Theravadin country, so the main practices are Theravadin Buddhist meditations. These would include breathing meditation, vipassana (insight meditation) and other mindfullness practices. I covered quite a bit of it in this thread:

http://www.aypsite.com/plus-forum/index.php?topic=6503#6503

If you needed guidance on practices then you would likely find that it would only be available for these Theravadin Buddhist practices.

If you want to concentrate on Yoga, I can recommend Amma's ashram in Kerala. It is not free to stay there, but it is not expensive either. Then of course you would also benefit from the energetic radiance (and Darshan) of a master.

Christi

[SeySorciere]

I too have been longing for some "permanent" silence and seriously considering going to a Yoga retreat, one with no or minimal talking. My concern is that those retreats /ashrams practice a different style of meditation (e.g. Vipassana)and I would have to break the twice daily AYP practices I am currently doing and the danger of losing progress by chasing something else.
Yogani - Would you know of retreats with practices closest to your teaching style?  

Many thanks