Why Are There Meditation Retreats?

Meditation retreats are for those who are serious about meditating and want to be able to learn more about it (to ‘deepen their practice’) in a supportive environment. Many types of retreat describe themselves foremost as a spiritual refuge, and an opportunity for personal transformation.

Meditation retreats are normally based in quiet locations, such as hills or mountains, along lesser-populated coastal areas, or in similarly natural and peaceful surroundings.
After all, it’s not easy to just sit down and meditate anywhere! You need to have peace, quiet and no distractions. At home, there are so many things that can distract us from our practice - the telephone, or doorbell might ring in the middle of practice, and Blackberries or email alerts go off. The television and radio are also good at drawing our attention away from ourselves. At meditation retreats, all these irritating or compelling distractions are removed.

In addition to the distractions, meditation is hard to get to grips with if you don’t know how to do it correctly. At meditation retreats, teachers, mentors and educators of all kinds are there to help you if you get stuck with anything, or if you have any questions. Many offer courses that don’t require you to have any prior experience.

Usually, a meditation retreat will offer its guests simple vegetarian food. Buddhism encourages vegetarianism, because animals shouldn’t be harmed (read: killed and eaten) for the sake of humans. Not only that, but meat is much harder to digest than plant-based foods, and isn’t conducive to aiding concentration. Plant food contains a lot more energy (from sunlight) because it hasn’t already been eaten by something else.

At meditation retreats, you’ll feel better able to relate to the practice, because there will be lots of other people there, doing exactly as you are doing. You’ll have colleagues to help and encourage you, and you can collectively discuss your experiences of meditation. You’ll feel right at home!

In addition, on the practical side, everything you’ll need for the practice will be provided at a professionally-run meditation retreat (although if you want to, you may probably take your own things along, provided you have the right equipment). Meditating chairs are ideal, as the floor tends to get uncomfortable, even if there’s a foam mat down there. There are different meditation chairs for all the different techniques, and over time, you can find one that suits you best.

Usually, a well-run meditation retreat will present some guidelines, which they may ask you to follow during your stay. Typical examples of these are the no-alcohol consumption, other recreational drug use, or cigarette smoking rules. Some people might be a little put off by a set of rules, but actually they’re all designed to help you gain the most from your experience on the retreat. Following them will undoubtedly improve your time away there. It makes sense not to interfere with your natural biological processes by using drugs, while you’re trying to find out your mind works.