Meditation In Chiang Mai

[DavidMavec]

Hello...

I was wondering what meditation options there are in Chiang Mai. Perhaps some temples offer programs of some sort; some Thai friends told me there were temples that offered meditation programs but did not know the specifics.

Thanks...

[CMSteve]

One of the better known ones is the IBC Center

[realthaideal]

Thaivisa has its own portal with info on all things Chiang Mai now. I remember looking at this page on meditation retreats in town before. There are some good links at the bottom to read more about meditation and Theravada Buddhism too.

http://chiangmai.thaivisa.com/meditation/

I also saw something recently under a TV thread elsewhere, maybe in the Buddhism subforum, but forget where.

I've also seen some feedback on tripadvisor about the various local retreats.

Good luck, and diligence to you !

[LemanRus]

Most of these courses seem to run on donations. Any member care to give an indication of what these numbers should be? Please.

[Dante99]

Most of these courses seem to run on donations. Any member care to give an indication of what these numbers should be? Please.

At a minimum you should pay a generous estimate of the costs of your stay, food, room, utilities and facilities, support and teaching. Short stay pay more per day. Can't figure that out? There are some places that have prices for meditation programs which could guide you, one Wat a bit south of town off the Canal Road, not Wat Umong but kind of between it and the Canal Road. Most people give more than the price for the meditation programs.

[LemanRus]

Most of these courses seem to run on donations. Any member care to give an indication of what these numbers should be? Please.

At a minimum you should pay a generous estimate of the costs of your stay, food, room, utilities and facilities, support and teaching. Short stay pay more per day. Can't figure that out? There are some places that have prices for meditation programs which could guide you, one Wat a bit south of town off the Canal Road, not Wat Umong but kind of between it and the Canal Road. Most people give more than the price for the meditation programs.

I came across a Satipatthana Retreat that costs 15,000B for 10 days excluding dana.

[realthaideal]

I'd say a luxury kind of retreat with all the Western concerns clearly taken care of, bearing austerity in mind, you might expect to pay 1,000B/day. But for the local wats, it really is pay as you can, with an attitude of generosity and perpetuating the gifts/wisdom of the teaching in mind. For most meidtation seekers on a modest budget that would otherwise be in a guesthouse for 200B/day and eating streetfood, I think a few hundred baht is quite reasonable. Again, it's a pay-as-you-can, trust thing.

[Loaded]

Goenka runs five 10 and 30-day Vipassana retreats in Thailand. A new one opened south of Lamphun last year. IMO it's pure and untainted by commercialism. You don't pay. You are living on the charity of others while you are there which helps to reduce ego. IE no complaining about food and rooms because you paid for them. Food is vegetarian and you aren't encouraged to eat after midday especially if you are an old student. You can make a donation at the end of your retreat if you wish in order to help pay the costs of the next course but nobody cares if you don't.

http://www.dhamma.or...try/ap/th.shtml

It's not for everyone as it is physically and mentally very tough meditating 10 hours each day. If you require more of a spa-type meditation retreat, this isn't for you. In fact, meditation will never be more than a spa-type activity if viewed as a recreational activity.

Edited March 14, 2012 by Loaded

[weary]

Loaded is right, Goenka retreats are not for everyone. I'd like to add that that doesn't mean those who find them too challenging are somehow weak, despicable and spineless.

If you require more of a spa-type meditation retreat, this isn't for you. In fact, meditation will never be more than a spa-type activity if viewed as a recreational activity.

It has been scientifically proven that just 20 minutes of mindfulness meditation per day for eight weeks will change the physical structure of the brain. In any task, it is the regularly occurring routine that makes a positive change. Goenka retreats are great, for some people, to get into right practice and boost progress, but there is more than one way to skin a cat. A little every day tends to be better than several hours every once in a while. Not unlike physical training. http://www.massgeneral.org/about/pressrelease.aspx?id=1329

Edited March 15, 2012 by weary

[realthaideal]

Thanks for that new link, Loaded. Never seen those guys before, but clearly they're well organized and into maintaining the teachings. There are also some goodlinks at the end of the TV article I linked to. I checked for overlap but didn't see any. The organization with some good info about wats and their programs at the bottom of the page are called dhammathai.

[orchis]

green papaya sangha.

[DowntownAl]

I just finished the Goenka 10 day Vipassana course at the facility south of Lamphun. Agreed, it is tough but very worthwhile. You come away with a lot of practise meditating but also a few other life tools. The cost factor is also good. It is by donation, I calculated my cost per day living in CM and donated that amount. There was a guy who forgot his wallet, passport etc in his friends car and they still had no problem with that. The place is built on trust and honesty. After the 9 days of “Noble Silence” I spoke to many others who were on their 2^nd and 3^rd course there. BTW – the entire time there they only spoke about a 10 day course, there was nothing at all about a 30 day course. Goenka, through his videos was very firm on that – 10 days and you outta there. If there is a longer one than that, as far as I know, Goenka is not involved.

More info at http://www.dhamma.org/ all the nuts and bolts are here.

[Loaded]

I just finished the Goenka 10 day Vipassana course at the facility south of Lamphun. Agreed, it is tough but very worthwhile. You come away with a lot of practise meditating but also a few other life tools. The cost factor is also good. It is by donation, I calculated my cost per day living in CM and donated that amount. There was a guy who forgot his wallet, passport etc in his friends car and they still had no problem with that. The place is built on trust and honesty. After the 9 days of “Noble Silence” I spoke to many others who were on their 2^nd and 3^rd course there. BTW – the entire time there they only spoke about a 10 day course, there was nothing at all about a 30 day course. Goenka, through his videos was very firm on that – 10 days and you outta there. If there is a longer one than that, as far as I know, Goenka is not involved.

More info at http://www.dhamma.org/ all the nuts and bolts are here.

There aren't many centres that offer 30 days. Katmandu offers a 30-day and 45 day course. I'm sure there are a few other centres offering 30 days.

http://courses.dhamma.org/en/schedules/schshringa

I completed 1 10-day in Katmandu and 2 in Thailand. The Katmandu one was far more disciplined. You had to be in the meditation hall by a certain time and then the doors were locked. My Thai ones were good but there were a few Thais who came and went as they pleased disturbing people along the way.

Edited May 23, 2013 by Loaded

[jazzed]

If there is a longer one than that, as far as I know, Goenka is not involved.

Correction, there are indeed 30-day and 45-day Vipassana courses. Click on any of the Thai centres, check out their 'courses' and you will see the longer courses on their schedules:

http://www.dhamma.org/en/bycountry/ap/th.shtml

However, you will not be accepted for these demanding long courses unless you are an 'old student' having completed the basic 10-day. I have sat courses in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia....and recently volunteered on a 3-day retreat in Switzerland. Even being a Dhamma volunteer on the Vipassana retreats requires that we volunteers have to attend group sittings...and be an old student.

If you can afford it, be generous. In Asia at least course participants are quite generous. In Europe, many centres struggle to maintain facilities and upgrades. In the 3-day course I was in the kitchen, cooking for 80 people daily (breakfast, 1 other big meal, unlimited tea, fruits etc) We made sure to cook healthy food, offering many choices, mindful of the hardworking students and teachers. We can but hope that students are grateful enough to 'pay it forward' for others to enjoy what they themselves were offered.

[Loaded]

"The technique which S. N.Goenka teaches represents a tradition that
is traced back to the Buddha. The Buddha never taught a sectarian
religion; he taught Dhamma - the way to liberation - which is
universal. In the same tradition, Mr. Goenka's approach is totally
non-sectarian. For this reason, his teaching has a profound appeal
to people of all backgrounds, of every religion and no religion,
and from every part of the world."

http://www.dhamma.org/en/goenka.shtml

[jazzed]

By the way, DavidMabec, the other posters are right in that Vipassana (or Insight) Meditation is not for everyone. I tried Raja Yoga, Zen and other schools of meditation before finding -- and feeling right about -- Vipassana. There are, I believe, 227 ways to meditate according the Theravada school e.g. walking meditation etc. Such flexibility may be easier to ease oneself into meditative practice.

Check out Wat Suan Mokkh and Wat Khao Tham. Courses are conducted by experienced Thai and Western teachers. There are talks on basic Buddhist teachings and practices.

[sfokevin]

Are there any close to CM that offer evening meditation or a Sunday morning sitting?

[sleepingsheep]

Hello

I am not sure if this thread is still alive. I am very interested in doing meditation, but it seems like most of meditation retreats require you to stay for few days. I have a kid, and I only have few hours in the morning during weekday, is there any place I can just join for 1 or 2 hours in the mornings?