14 Tips For A Successful Meditation Retreat

I found this short article on InteractiveBuddha.com. I read it while I was on my six month retreat, and I must say that I found it very helpful. I'd definitely recommend it as a good quick read for anyone who is planning a meditation retreat. They may seem like common sense at first glance, but it's often surprising how easily our mind's can trick us and we can fall into obviously useless patterns of behavior.

So take a look. Here's a quick preview, but I highly recommend you read the entire article here.

"1. Remember how precious an opportunity to practice on retreat is...
2. Your own practice is the essential thing...
3. Follow the instructions...
4. Report your attempts to follow their instructions when you meet with the teachers...
5. Avoid wallowing in your "stuff" at all costs...
6. Don't kill your knees or back...
7. Don't project your stuff all over the other retreatants...
8. Don't worry if they are or are not all smiling at you...
9. Realize that anywhere there are people, there will be trouble...
10. Similarly, realize that wherever there is good spiritual practice, there will be neurotic religion...
11. Realize that learning and growth always involves suffering...
12. Go on a long enough retreat if you possibly can...
13. Aim high...
14. Practice hard, but don't take yourself too seriously..."
- Daniel Ingram, InteractiveBuddha.com

With that said, I get a little chuckle out of this list because once the silence begins, all rules go out the window. And, there's no telling what will happen or what my crazy mind will decide to fixate on. Perhaps the 15th tip should be "Resistance is futile."