What would your "perfect" retreat look like?

[Spotless]

If you were scheduling a retreat, how would you lay it out on a timeline and what would you put in the slots?

Edited May 14, 2014 by Spotless

[BaguaKicksAss]

everyone's cel phones and laptops placed into a safe at the beginning.

 

Various Bagua throughout the day.

 

Qigong and neigong.

 

Some meditation time.

 

Did you mean a retreat I would attend, or one I would teach? I replied with the type I'd like to attend .

[doc benway]

I. Silence except for asking questions during teachings and mandatory functional speech - for meditation retreats at least, not as big a deal for martial arts and qigong retreats

 

II. Cellphones and laptops must remain in room or car and used for emergencies only

 

III. Daily schedule: Teaching is with master, practice led by senior instructor

 

7-8 - practice

8-9 - breakfast

9-10:30 - teaching

10:30-11 - break

11-12 - practice

12-1 - work hour (voluntary)

1-3 - lunch

3-4:30 - teaching

4:30-5 - break

5-6 - practice

6-7 - dinner

 

Specifics, of course, would depend on the focus and content of the retreat.

Not sure if you're asking about specific content vs logistics and layout.

[GrandmasterP]

Has to be silent for me.

Steve's schedule looks good.

Zen for me every time as you get an evening meal.

Some Buddhist tradition retreats they don't feed you at all after lunch.

Edited May 14, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[Brian]

Good local beer is a plus.

 

 

[doc benway]

 

Some Buddhist tradition retreats they don't feed you at all after lunch.

With some Buddhist cooks, that's not a bad thing…

[GrandmasterP]

Oh boy you got that right.

We went from work on an awayday meditation training session at Todmorden Buddhist Centre one time and the nun dishing out the rice at lunchtime was doing it with her none to clean looking hand.

Just reaching into the pot and plunking a fist full of rice on everyone's plate.

Nobody ate much rice.

First and last time we ever went there.

Edited May 14, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[Nungali]

Ha! I cooked for a retreat once ... the focaliser started to worry (I believe) about not making enough money, he told us to cut back on the food and he wasn't going to pay us as much ... and my boss was going to allow it WTF! I said too bad, we made a deal and I have already gone shopping and bought the food. Then he said some things came up for people and he needed to adjust accordingly, they needed to eat less and less each day and nothing for the two middle days, as they needed to fast. Also they would be required to talk less and less and keep silent for those days, not advertised, or arranged as such with us.

 

Great idea, get the money up front , cut the food back and require silence so they cant complain about it. He also decided to teach them 'staff fighting' ... I watched a bit ... , later I asked him if he wanted to do some moves together, he asked my background ... and then declined.

 

It was a 'shaman workshop' I think they left with a magic rock each that they got from the rainforest - 7 minutes walk from the centre.

 

The person I was working for gave him a partial refund to defray the food cost WTF . one should NOT encourage THAT type.

[Stosh]

Sleep , eat, fish, eat, fish more ,eat have a nice discussion and start over.

I know I know...., but you didnt specify what kind of retreat,,

 

I dont really understand the point of a retreat unless it was to very intensely focus on inward exploration which one could not ordinarily arrange for onesself at home, like a sensory deprivation- fasting- total silence cave sitting.

[thelerner]

I dig the template of Sivananda Ashram. (and I don't even do yoga)

Beautiful, knockout natural beauty, ie on a Caribbean Island, some huts on the beach. A normal program with 2 long indepth yoga classes morning and afternoon, 2 longer meditation sessions, a guest lecturer and finally a chance to take a multi day specialty course from flown in teacher.

 

I think meditation starts early about 6 am. Great veggie food served buffet style 2 a day. Sinful escapes possible to the Atlantis's Starbucks, greater sinful escapes to Atlantis's casino. Finally a long journey just over the Nassau bridge to the dozens of tiny restaurants serving conch fritters, chowders, fresh fish and local beer at bargain prices.

[GrandmasterP]

I do think there's some energy generated by people sitting and cultivating together.

Maybe it's just perception though and that freedom to do nothing else but cultivate all day.

Silent does the trick for me.

I've been on some retreats that were super focused ( for me) and I got more out of the retreat in the time I was there than I would have gotten from the same time cultivating on my own at home.

The worst retreat I ever went on was one with a lot of talking and 'sharing' in groups.

That suited some attendees but it wasn't for me.

It felt like being at work somehow.

I'd never want to live like that though.

Those full time zen monks and nuns are deeply weird individuals.

Nice for a visit surely but no way would I ever want them as full time housemates nor they me probably.

Edited May 14, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[Stosh]

It sounds like it would be nice if everyone didnt say anything for a change , but were still 'in company'.

Anything you wanted to communicate, would have to be done without speaking or ASL

Edited May 14, 2014 by Stosh

[Nungali]

We thought about building a more centralised retreat centre here (its been pretty free form here ... tents, caravans cabins ... but too many 'other dynamics' to hold a proper retreat IMO ) .

 

The idea was to have a space with accommodation, bathrooms group kitchen and mess and two large working rooms and access to nature and the river.

 

We have an unused block that is fairly isolated from the rest of the land, flat, trees, road entrance, space for car park and buildings. some native veg and river access.

 

I designed the building and built a model ... which I really like .... fairly simple and practical construction, with some special features. But it would be up to whoever used it .

 

All gone now ... nearly all the money is gone (soon be bankrupt) due to heavy legal defenses against certain government forces accusing us of NOT having a retreat centre .

Edited May 14, 2014 by Nungali

[Ya Mu]

Don't know if any retreat or workshop can be absolutely perfect.

 

I can describe our Hilton Head Island intensive that we had in November of last year; it was very nice.

 

Schedule:

9 AM - 5 PM: Nothing at all planned or scheduled. View from classroom is right on the beach with dolphins jumping (once we called them up). Only thing we needed to do was dance in the Wu Wei, following the energetics in the moment of the moment.

Fresh fish and fresh beer at night.

 

Now, practically speaking, for the serious students, we were up before 6 AM doing Qigong running on the beach followed by all 3 Gift of the Tao movement sets. Then the actual class starting at 9 . Eat fish and drink beer from 5 - 10 followed by several hours of neigong on the beach.

 

Come to think on it, for many, it was perfect.

 

 

[Spotless]

Please keep it coming - this has been great!

[SecretGrotto]

Hoping to do a minimum 4-month intensive self-retreat next year, with a minimum 12 hour practice each day. This is my first time doing this, so I'm open for suggestions. I'll be renting a cheap, quiet apartment with trees nearby, walking distance from shops, to extend my budget since I'm houseless and transitioning from a student life.

 

4hr routine eg. 8am-12am:

[30m] Rebounding/Squats/Pushups/Jogging/Tree qigong

[30m] Progressive full body stretching

[2hr] S-M meditation

[1hr] Gift of Tao sets I/II

 

4hr routine eg. 2pm-6pm:

[30m] Rebounding/Squats/Pushups/Jogging/Tree qigong

[30m] Progressive full body stretching

[2hr] S-M meditation

[1hr] Gift of Tao sets I/II

 

4hr cultivation period:

11pm-2am [3hr] S-M meditation/cultivation

2am-3am [1hr] Gift of Tao sets I/II

Edited May 15, 2014 by SecretGrotto

[Seth Ananda]

Morning ~ Fighting, balancing, climbing, sensory training, wrestling, weapons, and lockpick practice. Lighting the shrines.

Breakfast ~

Mid morning ~ Plant alchemy {poisons, balms, and expanders}, item construction, creative endeavours. Feeding the shrines.

Late morning ~ Time in nature, gardening and cleaning the residence. Self observation.

Lunch ~

Early afternoon ~ Divination, Massage and bodywork, body pleasure pursuits, appreciation of beauty/nature/art...

Mid afternoon ~ Trance, seething, ritual work, sexual congress

Late afternoon ~ Continued sexual trance, group sexual work, shrine feeding and so on.

Dinner ~

Early evening ~ Deity work, possession, group spirit flight, spirit communion, ritual, group sexual trance work, healings or hexings, shrines, offerings, blood letting, pleasure, trance, floggings and pleasuring's, trance...

Bed time ~ Possible ongoing sexual unification and trance work, followed by lucid dreaming and deep sleep.

 

 

rinse and repeat forever...

Edited May 15, 2014 by Seth Ananda

[dogson]

I'd be floored just to be around people who can demonstrate what 50,000 hours of training will do - or what exceptional talent will do - ie, powerful psychics / intuitives, any internal master who can demonstrate fa jin at an incredibly high level, ie throwing someone without touching them, psychokinetic effects. I have been blessed to meet a few psychics, for example, who have picked things out about my past, the way my energy expresses itself, which has really helped me tremendously in my life. Being able to actually live with a group of people who exist on that level is ideal, because otherwise I feel like I'm just doing random stuff. Don't get me wrong, I'm in love with tai chi, bagua, xing yi, but I don't really anticipate being in real fights. I do it because I want to evolve as a spiritual / energy being, so knowing where I actually stand in terms of blockages, emotional stuff - some people can really see that and point directly to it and say "work on this". That saves years, if not decades, if not lifetimes.

[Formless Tao]

Monday to Sunday

 

Morning Yoga / Qi Gong at Sunrise

 

Organic Breakfast

 

Mountain Trekking / Jungle Trekking / Nature walk (Discussion with Master along the Way)

 

Organic Lunch

 

Spa / Swim / Lemongrass Sauna

 

Meditation at Sunset

 

Organic Dinner

 

Barefoot Shiatsu

 

Love Making Around Internal / External Fire

 

Read Chinese Philosophy / Religion / History

 

Sleep

 

Dream

 

Repeat

 

Peace FT

Edited May 15, 2014 by Formless Tao

[GrandmasterP]

Hoping to do a minimum 4-month intensive self-retreat next year, with a minimum 12 hour practice each day. This is my first time doing this, so I'm open for suggestions. I'll be renting a cheap, quiet apartment with trees nearby, walking distance from shops, to extend my budget since I'm houseless and transitioning from a student life.

 

4hr routine eg. 8am-12am:

[30m] Rebounding/Squats/Pushups/Jogging/Tree qigong

[30m] Progressive full body stretching

[2hr] S-M meditation

[1hr] Gift of Tao sets I/II

 

4hr routine eg. 2pm-6pm:

[30m] Rebounding/Squats/Pushups/Jogging/Tree qigong

[30m] Progressive full body stretching

[2hr] S-M meditation

[1hr] Gift of Tao sets I/II

 

4hr cultivation period:

11pm-2am [3hr] S-M meditation/cultivation

2am-3am [1hr] Gift of Tao sets I/II

 

Check out Vietnam.

3-months costs in the west can last you two years or more in a nice place over there.

 

[BaguaKicksAss]

Morning ~ Fighting, balancing, climbing, sensory training, wrestling, weapons, and lockpick practice. Lighting the shrines.

Breakfast ~

Mid morning ~ Plant alchemy {poisons, balms, and expanders}, item construction, creative endeavours. Feeding the shrines.

Late morning ~ Time in nature, gardening and cleaning the residence. Self observation.

Lunch ~

Early afternoon ~ Divination, Massage and bodywork, body pleasure pursuits, appreciation of beauty/nature/art...

Mid afternoon ~ Trance, seething, ritual work, sexual congress

Late afternoon ~ Continued sexual trance, group sexual work, shrine feeding and so on.

Dinner ~

Early evening ~ Deity work, possession, group spirit flight, spirit communion, ritual, group sexual trance work, healings or hexings, shrines, offerings, blood letting, pleasure, trance, floggings and pleasuring's, trance...

Bed time ~ Possible ongoing sexual unification and trance work, followed by lucid dreaming and deep sleep.

 

 

rinse and repeat forever...

 

Time and date of the retreat please?

[BaguaKicksAss]

I'd be floored just to be around people who can demonstrate what 50,000 hours of training will do - or what exceptional talent will do - ie, powerful psychics / intuitives, any internal master who can demonstrate fa jin at an incredibly high level, ie throwing someone without touching them, psychokinetic effects. I have been blessed to meet a few psychics, for example, who have picked things out about my past, the way my energy expresses itself, which has really helped me tremendously in my life. Being able to actually live with a group of people who exist on that level is ideal, because otherwise I feel like I'm just doing random stuff. Don't get me wrong, I'm in love with tai chi, bagua, xing yi, but I don't really anticipate being in real fights. I do it because I want to evolve as a spiritual / energy being, so knowing where I actually stand in terms of blockages, emotional stuff - some people can really see that and point directly to it and say "work on this". That saves years, if not decades, if not lifetimes.

 

Fortunately many teachers are able to do this .

[rex]

This schedule is taken from here:

http://yungdrung-rignga-ling.forums-free.com/sessions-during-the-day-and-the-night-t380.html

 

1) Early morning:
At this time you need to remember the preliminaries and to try to go through them several times first. These are the
preciousness of human life; impermanence; the power of karma; the suffering of all sentient beings; developing
compassion; Bodhicitta; refuge; confession; Mandala Offering; guru yoga. After completing Guru Yoga, keep in
continuous meditation with Trekchö. When you are almost ready to end the session, you can practise some Tummo for
a while if you are already familiar with it.

2) Sunrise:
Make offerings of sang and water at sunrise and do your usual daily practice and prayers.

3) When the sun shines:
Practise Tögal with the sun.

4) Midday:
Integrate your work with prostrations and normal practices for the benefit of others.

5) Afternoon:
In the afternoon, practise sun or sky gazing, practising contemplation with Tögal.


Night Sessions

1) At dusk:
Meditate with Trekchö. If you have faith in a Yidam you can do that practice.

2) Evening:
Make offerings to the Guardians, do Sur and then Chöd.

3) Midnight:
At midnight one should integrate sleep with clear light practice.

 

 

 

 

[GrandmasterP]

 

Time and date of the retreat please?

There ya go BKA.

http://www.osholeela.co.uk/docs/eflyers/tfests2014.html

 

I've been to a coupla these as a morning QiGong session leader NOT as a participant I hasten to add.

Certainly broadens the old horizons does Tantra week at Osho Leela.

Mrs GMP put her foot down and stopped me working at any more Tantra gigs after she saw the newsletter piccies report from the last one I was allowed to go to.

Edited May 15, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[BaguaKicksAss]

There ya go BKA.

http://www.osholeela.co.uk/docs/eflyers/tfests2014.html

 

I've been to a coupla these as a morning QiGong session leader NOT as a participant I hasten to add.

Certainly broadens the old horizons does Tantra week at Osho Leela.

Mrs GMP put her foot down and stopped me working at any more Tantra gigs after she saw the newsletter piccies report from the last one I was allowed to go to.

 

I'll pass thanks....

 

I'm extremely energy sensitive, so being at a retreat with many (or every?) participant engaging in sexual practices.. and them all being complete strangers... who likely (from previous experiences) could use a few dozen cleansing baths..... would not be a fun weekend for me.

 

I was sort of more picturing either a private retreat with one person, or perhaps a group of people I already knew, so I knew there would be good people and a good vibe around.

 

Now that plant alchemy and martial arts bits, oh hell yeah! That retreat posted in the above link didn't have any of that fun stuff!

 

I just can't imagine why Mrs.GMP would have a problem with you going alone, by yourself, without her along???