A meditation retreat can be an excellent way to learn meditation from experienced teachers. Retreats can range from a weekend to months, depending on your level of interest and commitment. A meditation retreat can be an intense experience. Participants often return with a different outlook on life. Meditation retreats allow your life to slow down. Meditating in a silent, controlled environment can often help strengthen your meditation practice. If you are looking to participate in a retreat, this page is a resource for available retreat centers from around the globe. Just click on the links to find out more.

Meditation Retreat Centers

USA

Insight Meditation Society

Barre, MA

• IMS is one of the Western world’s oldest and most-respected meditation retreat centers. They are dedicated to providing a spiritual refuge for all who seek freedom of mind and heart.

Gonzaga Eastern Point Retreat House

Gloucester, MA

• Eastern Point Retreat House, is a place of rare spiritual beauty. It is devoted to practicing the Spiritual Exercises as St. Ignatius designed them. Eastern Point has offered and will continue to offer the purest and most complete versions of the 8- and 30-day directed retreats in the United States.

Green Gulch Center

Muir Beach, CA

• The purpose of Zen Center is to express, make accessible, and embody the wisdom and compassion of the Buddha. The ideals are based on the example of the Buddha and guided by the teachings and lineage of the Soto School as conveyed by the founder, Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, and other Buddhist teachers.

Omega Institute

Rhinebeck, NY

• Omega was founded on the holistic worldview that the well-being of each of us is deeply connected to the well-being of all living things. Each year, more than 23,000 people attend workshops and educational programs delivered by hundreds of teachers, artists, healers and thinkers on the leading edge of their disciplines.

Kripalu Yoga Center

Lennox, MA

• Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts, offers guests personal and organized retreats throughout the year, both silent and non-silent.

Breitenbush Hot Springs

Detroit, OR

• To provide a safe and potent environment where people can renew and evolve in ways they never imagined. Breitenbush is a worker-owned cooperative and intentional community on 154 acres of wildlife sanctuary in the Willamette National Forest of the Oregon Cascades.

Mount Madonna Center

Watsonville, CA

• For nearly 40 years, the Center has been an educational, transformative setting for a wealth of universal teachings of peace, growth and values-based living. Renowned teachers and leaders continue to offer programs and retreats focusing on meditation, yoga, mindfulness, spirituality, education and inquiry into the mysteries of life and living.

Palolo Zen Center

Honolulu, HI

• The Palolo Zen Center is located on 13 acres in the lush valley of Palolo on the island of Oahu. A Zen Buddhist temple dedicated to the practice of Zazen and realization of the Buddha Way.

Canada

Gampo Abbey

Nova Scotia

• Gampo Abbey is a Western Buddhist monastery in the Shambhala tradition in Nova Scotia, Canada. Founded by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche in 1983. They offer in-house retreat it is the only time in the Gampo Abbey year that people have the opportunity to participate in Abbey life for a week or two.

Europe

Holy Isle

Scotland

• Located off the west coast of Scotland, Holy Isle has an ancient spiritual heritage stretching back to the 6th century. Their summer season runs from April to October and they welcome guests and day visitors during this time.

Simple Peace Retreats

Italy

• They offer six days, five-night meditation retreats in the peace of Assisi, Italy. Their retreats are small-group retreats which offer an intimate one-of-a-kind experience honoring all faiths.

Serenity Retreat

Greece

• The offer “Right on the Beach” retreat-style holidays on the beautiful island of Lefkada, with optional courses. They keep the numbers low, around 16. All rooms are offered for solo occupancy and everything is optional and everyone gets a great view of the beach with no surcharge.

Dru Yoga

North Wales

• Nestled in the mountains of Snowdonia, the Dru Centre is the perfect place to relax. From meditation retreats to family yoga holidays, you will experience rejuvenating yoga and meditation sessions walks in the stunning valley of Nant Ffrancon and relax with holistic therapies. Teaching sessions are held in their spacious yoga hall and in between sessions you can browse their extensive yoga shop.

omindfulness

France

• Alison Prideaux MA teaches Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction through a range of courses, residential retreats and online individual sessions. Whether you are able to commit to a program of regular group sessions in France, want to immerse for a few days on retreat, or just need some regular support in your own home, Alison can provide guidance and assistance that is right for you.

Asia

Eleven Directions

India

• Offers various retreats throughout India. Ranging from pilgrimages to different parts of Asia. The Dalai Lama offers a 6-day retreat in the Himalayas. They have many types retreats throughout Asia.

Inter­national Dharma Hermitage of Wat Suan Mokkh

Thailand

• The Suan Mokkh In­ter­na­tion­al Dharma Hermitage was found­ed by the Ven­er­able Ajahn Buddha­dasa in 1989. Since then about 25,000 people, coming from all over the world, from many walks of life, between 17 and more than 70 years of age, have par­tici­pated in the monthly medi­tation retreats.

Conclusion

A meditation retreat is a great way to reconnect with yourself and nature. A retreat can help to clear your mind and keep your meditation practice on track.