Solo Retreat

[boda]

I've been toying with the idea of going on a solo retreat lately and was wondering if anyone here has tried it and what their experience may have been like. I was thinking of camping for a few days, or maybe renting a cheep out of the way place. The basic idea being to remove as many distractions as possible in order to sustain a lengthly sitting practice so that I may possibly attain deeper level of samadhi than I've been able to achieve in daily sitting. I also speculate that this may increase the possibility of achieving an awakening experience (kensho or satori, in the Zen school).

Of course there are alway group retreats available. The longest I've done with a groups (Zen) has been only one day. I forget what they call a one day retreat.

I'm mentioning a lot of Zen terms but I'm curious about solo retreats within any framework.



Gotta love Watts.

So has anyone tried a solo retreat or have any thoughts on the idea?

[Könchok Thrinley]

Honestly it depends on how long you want to stay in solo retreat. If you want to try something longer I think it is better to maybe go with longer group retreat first to have the experience and then start with a day solo, then a weekend solo, etc. Retreats can be hard on body and mind and many things can come up. It is important to go step by step and slowly explore your limitations.

Also it depends on how long you have been meditating, how strong is your will, if you follow a teacher, etc. I think that if you do follow a teacher then maybe asking him/her would be a good idea if you can. But my advice is get more experience in group setting first. Retreats are hard and it can happen that you end up just nodding off and not doing anything during the whole time.

But then again. If you are inspired and think you know what to do, then go on and don't let yourself be discouraged.

[Thomas Amundsen]

Of course there are alway group retreats available. The longest I've done with a groups (Zen) has been only one day. I forget what they call a one day retreat.

I think what I usually hear is"Zazenkai". Although that could be a few days, but it's shorter than a sesshin.

[boda]

I don't know why I didn't think of doing a search before starting this topic. There are a few but no one reporting on their experience.

Honestly it depends on how long you want to stay in solo retreat. If you want to try something longer I think it is better to maybe go with longer group retreat first to have the experience and then start with a day solo, then a weekend solo, etc. Retreats can be hard on body and mind and many things can come up. It is important to go step by step and slowly explore your limitations.

Also it depends on how long you have been meditating, how strong is your will, if you follow a teacher, etc. I think that if you do follow a teacher then maybe asking him/her would be a good idea if you can. But my advice is get more experience in group setting first. Retreats are hard and it can happen that you end up just nodding off and not doing anything during the whole time.

But then again. If you are inspired and think you know what to do, then go on and don't let yourself be discouraged.

I was thinking of trying 2 full days for the first try.

I've had a regular sitting practice for many years so it's all familiar territory, so to speak.

It could be that I end up just nodding off as you say. Have you seen this happen a lot?

[kirtu]

Deeper experiences of concentration generally occur in group settings rather than individual settings (although this is not always the case either).

Outside of enlightenment, saving life or outstanding dharma teaching, sesshin is an unparalleled practice.

Kirt

[Könchok Thrinley]

I don't know why I didn't think of doing a search before starting this topic. There are a few but no one reporting on their experience.

Honestly it depends on how long you want to stay in solo retreat. If you want to try something longer I think it is better to maybe go with longer group retreat first to have the experience and then start with a day solo, then a weekend solo, etc. Retreats can be hard on body and mind and many things can come up. It is important to go step by step and slowly explore your limitations.

Also it depends on how long you have been meditating, how strong is your will, if you follow a teacher, etc. I think that if you do follow a teacher then maybe asking him/her would be a good idea if you can. But my advice is get more experience in group setting first. Retreats are hard and it can happen that you end up just nodding off and not doing anything during the whole time.

But then again. If you are inspired and think you know what to do, then go on and don't let yourself be discouraged.

I was thinking of trying 2 full days for the first try.

I've had a regular sitting practice for many years so it's all familiar territory, so to speak.

It could be that I end up just nodding off as you say. Have you seen this happen a lot?

I have done it a lot. I am not very strong willed.

[seeker242]

I have done solo retreats at home over weekends. Solo retreats are great! However, they do require more discipline than group retreats, but that's what makes them good practice! It's best to have a prearranged schedule instead of just doing whatever. Essentially, you just take the temple retreat schedule and use that by yourself. Korean style zen has a tradition of doing 100 day solo retreats and they are considered great practice.

[Ayu]

I had a 10 day's solo retreat in a hut on a Dharma property. It was more intense than group retreat for me.

Camping would be no option for me, because I think nature is able to keep us busy all the time (cooking, moskitos, equipement, too hot/too cold ... etc).

My aim in that retreat was to deepen my practice and to understand some passages from difficult teachings. Some books I can only understand in a remote environment and atmosphere of concentration.
I found the result successful - although maybe I didn't achieve much.

I also had retreats for a weekend in my home. I told my family I was in retreat and I wouldn't talk. Then I locked the door and sat in my room. Somehow it was good to spend time with more intense practice - on the other hand all those things were still there e.g. distraction, quarrel outside, thoughts, duties...

Ten days in a hut were better. Maybe this was because the period was longer also.

[boda]

It's best to have a prearranged schedule instead of just doing whatever. Essentially, you just take the temple retreat schedule and use that by yourself.

Yeah I was thinking of doing it just like this, and with all meals worked out and everything.

[boda]

Camping would be no option for me, because I think nature is able to keep us busy all the time (cooking, moskitos, equipement, too hot/too cold ... etc).

All the chores could be part of the mindful practice. But yeah, nature can be unpredictable and potentially distracting. On the other hand, there's something about being in nature that calms the mind, I believe. I remember going on a camping trip years ago with a group and a day after arriving at the destination unexpectedly having to hike out by myself. It was a two day hike and by the end of the trip back I recall having a deep sense of samadhi-like peace, quite inexplicably.

I also had retreats for a weekend in my home. I told my family I was in retreat and I wouldn't talk. Then I locked the door and sat in my room. Somehow it was good to spend time with more intense practice - on the other hand all those things were still there e.g. distraction, quarrel outside, thoughts, duties...

This would be impossible for me. The honey-do's at my house are endless.

[kirtu]

Deeper experiences of concentration generally occur in group settings rather than individual settings (although this is not always the case either).

Outside of enlightenment, saving life or outstanding dharma teaching, sesshin is an unparalleled practice.

For some reason I thought the original posting was made to a Zen forum which was the reason for the particular take on my response.

Group practice usually helps people concentrate deeper. Additionally there is more merit created in a group setting that an individual setting. Group closed retreat is really unparalleled excellence.

Individual retreats can be much harder for the reasons given. Also less merit is created. Nonetheless, individual practice can also be quite excellent.

Kirt

[Thomas Amundsen]

Deeper experiences of concentration generally occur in group settings rather than individual settings (although this is not always the case either).

Outside of enlightenment, saving life or outstanding dharma teaching, sesshin is an unparalleled practice.

For some reason I thought the original posting was made to a Zen forum which was the reason for the particular take on my response.

Group practice usually helps people concentrate deeper. Additionally there is more merit cre4ated in a group setting that an individual setting. Group closed retreat is really unparalleled excellence.

Individual retreats can be much harder for the reasons given. Also less merit is created. Nonetheless, individual practice can also be quite excellent.

Kirt

Can you expand upon this a little more? Like, where have you heard this before? And if it's true, why are there so many namthars of Tibetan teachers who do isolated retreats?

I know there is a precedent of drupchods and drupchens being more effective than three year retreats, but I've always had a hard time understanding this since there is such a precedent for isolated retreat.

[kirtu]

Deeper experiences of concentration generally occur in group settings rather than individual settings (although this is not always the case either).

Outside of enlightenment, saving life or outstanding dharma teaching, sesshin is an unparalleled practice.

For some reason I thought the original posting was made to a Zen forum which was the reason for the particular take on my response.

Group practice usually helps people concentrate deeper. Additionally there is more merit cre4ated in a group setting that an individual setting. Group closed retreat is really unparalleled excellence.

Individual retreats can be much harder for the reasons given. Also less merit is created. Nonetheless, individual practice can also be quite excellent.

Kirt

Can you expand upon this a little more? Like, where have you heard this before?

1. Experience
2. My Sakya and Nyingma lamas

And if it's true, why are there so many namthars of Tibetan teachers who do isolated retreats?

Individual retreats are usually like finishing school. Most of the lamas did not start with individual retreat.

I know there is a precedent of drupchods and drupchens being more effective than three year retreats, but I've always had a hard time understanding this since there is such a precedent for isolated retreat.

As for why, beyond lamas explictly saying that the merit accumulation is greater and the blessing is greater, perhaps Jamgon Kongtrul or another lama addresses the exact reasons somewhere.

If you can't do serious group retreat then do individual retreat.

Kirt

[Thomas Amundsen]

Individual retreats are usually like finishing school. Most of the lamas did not start with individual retreat.

Ah, I see. This definitely makes sense. Thanks!

If you can't do serious group retreat then do individual retreat.

I don't have the time to do serious group or individual retreat any time, unfortunately. Just drupchod/drupchen, week-long retreats, and such. Perhaps one day... I hope I can do it before I retire.

[boda]

I recall reading some research about how people generally perform better when in the company of others, and that this finding extends to other species. They say even ants have an extra spring in their step when around other ants. So there's that.

[Thomas Amundsen]

I recall reading some research about how people generally perform better when in the company of others, and that this finding extends to other species. They say even ants have an extra spring in their step when around other ants. So there's that.

I do remember seeing that before. Good point.

[pemachophel]

TB SOP: when doing group practice, the merit is multiplied by the number of people doing that practice, with each individual participant gaining the total amount.

however, ime, to enter samadhi, solo practice usually better/more easily achieved.