I did not stay I did not feel safe. There was a creepy cult like feeling and I had to get out. But the food was good. read more

They offer a 10 day meditation course free of charge to learn meditation skills to calm ourselves. It's on a donation basis and run by volunteers. Hard but worth the time and effort to reset mentally. read more

I came to this lovely place about 2 and a half years ago, and it was absolutely life changing. We meditated about 10 hours a day, at least, in complete silence without speaking or having eye contact with anyone. Everyone's experience is different, and mine was deep and transformative. The knowledge you gain here is like you're born again. I don't mean that in a religious way, it's the knowledge we gain while here. Things that have been suppressed for years will come to the surface and you have to deal with it. My best friend died of a heart attack a week after her mom died. I never dealt with their deaths.... until I came here. During one of my sessions, I had a connection with both of them and cried. Those tears gave me the closure I yearned for. I wish everyone I knew - friends, even foes, would come here and learn what I learned. I hope you. You reading this, will read other reviews and decide to come here. Do it, please. read more

Dhamma Vaddhana - Meditation Centers Near Me - Twentynine Palms, California

Very much like Darshan R., I had my doubts. It was not until the actual day that I entered my car and began to drive that I knew that this was something I wanted to do. 10 days of silent meditation. I have NEVER meditated in my entire 31 years. And so, my journey through the back desert highways lead me to an isolated area in Twentynine Palms. From reading Darshan's review, I simply thought I would be living in the most modest conditions, but with donations and such a new Vipassana venue was built. Vipassana itself is a meditation technique. One that I can not describe through a Yelp review. I can tell you that it was 10 days of total dedication to myself and such technique is practiced worldwide. For more information on the technique, read and review its website. I will, though, review the center itself. It is located in Twentynine Palms off the 10 freeway. It is a traveler's drive from Los Angeles, San Diego, and Las Vegas. You may find yourself driving through the high desert cities of Victorville. If so, be sure you have a full tank of gas because you will drive through miles and miles of isolation on a well-paved highway. It is a beautiful drive nonetheless. The sleeping accommodations are simple and meant for sharing. Rooms that are shared are either divided by a curtain or a single room with two beds. Single non-shared rooms with its own restrooms are available. You do not have a choice of rooms as it is assigned at registration. You will be assigned a manager you can speak with if the accommodation is that inconvenient. Frankly, if you choose to do Vipassana you should arrive with an open-mind and willing to accept the conditions. Each room has a heater and the shared bathrooms have stalls, shower curtains, and storage space for your showering materials. But do not think this is a hotel. You are responsible and expected to be respectful of the living quarters as well as clean up after yourself. Under the practice of Vipassana, vegetarian meals are served, and for the record, you will not go hungry. I am quite the omnivore, but I think I turned over a new leaf in vegetarianism after the meals I had during my course. Ok, well, I at least eat more vegetables since my last day. The food is rather good. I discovered the deliciousness of sunflower salad dressing, beets, tofu, and rice milk. The meditation hall is large. We each are given our own meditation cushion and pillow and other cushions and seats are available for you if you find yourself needing them. A few meditators, specifically old students (that's what you are AFTER completing the 10-day course) bring their own cushions. Overall the hospitality of the center was excellent. The center is clean due to teamwork, respect, and volunteers. The road to get here may be a challenge, but very much worth it. I mean this literally and figuratively. read more

Dhamma Vaddhana - The new venue of the Vipassana Center of Southern California. - Meditation Centers Near Me - Twentynine Palms, California

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Attended the 10 day retreat and stayed to the end, even though I hated the latter half of the retreat. Long time meditator and student of Theravada Buddhism here. This is a subtly creepy religious organization and pretty brainwash-y. On Day 1 you have to participate in a formal initiation into the Buddhist religion (even though they promise no religious rites or rituals). Halfway through the brutal meditation program, they reveal the big secret: that all your suffering in life and all the pain you're feeling in your body is due to "defilements" (a.k.a. "sankharas") from your past lives that you have to "burn off" by meditating some more. Then you're supposed to keep meditating until you can literally feel the atoms vibrating in your body, which is ridiculous pseudoscience that they claim over and over again is entirely "rational." Before you go, do some Googling to read the experiences of ex-members, and about tragic cases of psychosis, suicide, and permanent nerve injury (for ex. the case of Megan Vogt). The SN Goenka true believers will tell you these things happened because these poor victims didn't meditate enough, or with enough dedication. Pretty scary. Instead, go find a local Vipassana (a.k.a. "Insight"), Zen, or nonreligious meditation teacher who is more honest, flexible, and open-minded. read more

I had an incredibly deep and satisfying experience! The facilities, grounds, food, staff, everything was just great. So incredibly organized and well run. So wonderful to see people work together so peacefully! It can be done.... yes! Not going to address any specifics since other reviewers have done that so well already. I'll comment on a few things that helped me navigate the course. It ended up being a very meaningful "rite of passage" perhaps. Living many years now and being an old student -- not in their terms of a returning student. Just "old", in years on the planet! Have been on my own Path for much of that time and this teaching and the environment really helped me pull many things together. A HUGE deal for me was the Noble Silence. I had absolutely no problem not talking or hearing others yakking. In fact, I welcomed it! Not using digital devices for 10 days? No problema -- The REAL eye-opener was how loud my own "monkey mind chatter" was. Pretty much non-stop until I spoke to the teacher about it. Then it calmed down and at least shifted to Vipassana-related! Had some moments of wanting to quit, feeling restless, upset if I'm doing the meditations right. Blaah, blaah, blaah goes the monkey mind. It was too late anyway. I'M ALL IN! -- EARPLUGS -- Ended up having a great experience in "EAR CONSCIOUSNESS" and reduced my dependence! Was using earplugs until I missed hearing my name called by the teacher. I apologized and was told earplugs could be used in your residence, but NOT in the med hall. Ugh! Not happy! My first med after that was lousy as I couldn't concentrate with all the coughing & sneezing going on. She said we have to get used to meditating without earplugs, otherwise we'll not do well back in the world of barking dogs & noisy trash trucks. True dat -- From then on, I was able to meditate "normally" and let the outer sounds roll on by. Even developed compassion for the ones in obvious discomfort (and the ones sitting close to them). Back at home, the yappy little neighbor mutts can do whatever they please. None of my beezwax yo! -- CUSHIONS -- Definitely bring pillows & cushions for the bedroom if desired, as only one thin sleeping pillow is provided. There are plenty available for the med hall, but those stay put. I used a chair to sit the long meditation hours, but was pleased it got somewhat easier as time went on and I became more relaxed. Even challenged myself to sit on the floor a couple of times and did it! -- SHOES -- Many people walked everywhere in sandals, flip flops etc. I was more comfortable walking longer distances such as on the walking path in covered shoes, pull-on sneakers. Gravel does get into the footwear so it's definitely a personal preference. -- STAFF -- Someone commented the staff seem to be in a "haze". I believe it would be more accurate to say "In Service" or practicing "All Day Meditation". They are friendly & efficient about their work but not engaging in idle chit-chat, like we "incoming" expect. I happened to see our teacher in passing as people were leaving. She did not engage past a polite greeting which is perfect. It's just NOT appropriate to get involved with personal issues or whatever else may come up in everyday conversation. I drove home in a bit of a "haze" myself. Heightened state of awareness is more like it. What a great feeling to feel more clear in my thinking than probably ever experiencing before. Receiving mental clarity is a great gift one cannot under-estimate or under-appreciate. But one must be truly ready for the discipline of this spiritual "boot camp". There are absolutely no distractions or diversions away from facing your own sweet self and the discipline of living like a virtual nun or monk for 10 days. 5 days out, I still haven't turned on my TV, listened to the radio or scrolled through my Google news feed. It's just not that important. What is important, is seriously tuning into yourself and seeing what's "in there"! And it's ALL GOOD! :-) read more

Dhamma Vaddhana - Check the daytime sky for clouds & evening sky for stars! SPECTACULAR! And the ground for wildlife! COOL! - Meditation Centers Near Me - Twentynine Palms, California

Free Vipassana Meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka Assistant Teachers in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin *Location worldwide: http://www.dhamma.org/ *****3 locations in California: *Twentynine Palms: http://www.dhamma.org/en-US/schedules/schvaddhana *North Fork: http://www.dhamma.org/en-US/schedules/schmahavana *Kelseyville :http://www.manda.dhamma.org/default.html read more

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I don't know where to start about this place. I am an "old Vipassana student" intentionally leaving this review as a desperate resort to help caution any others who may be thinking about coming to this horrid place. Fare warning to all who are planning to come here especially for the out of state folks - who are leaving their place of comfort, often sacrificing so much perhaps even to the extreme of losing your livelihood just to toil a trip to the middle of the dessert only to be turned away (enrollment canceled) at the door without any forewarning, apology or valid explanation. How dare you call yourself a place of altruism, selflessness and acceptance. As a Buddhist practitioner having been born into a Buddhist family since birth, I have never come across such despicable heartless people. I am talking about the staff at this particular center in Twentynine Palms Vipassana Center, from the receptionist to the glorified mediation teachers - shame on you for tarnishing the holy name of Vipassana for your petty and short sighted ego. I have done an 11 day silent Vipassana mediation retreat in the US once before but at a different remote location. The experience I had at my first Vipassana was life changing. I was immediately accepted and enlivened in the joy of community. I am not unfamiliar with the commitment it takes to sit for 110 hours. My first experience left an indelible impression on me, so much so that I bragged and vouched about the experience to my younger sister and persuaded her over years to do an 11 day program with me. The time was now. We wanted to do this program to help reflect inwards, cleanse and to revive our minds and spirit after the weight that Covid has had on the individual and community. We are both hard working females living busy lives. Its not easy for anyone to take time off work to commit to an 11 day program. We had to plan ahead, register and request time off work alongside many other personal sacrifices. Because of the remote location of this place, we used our savings to plan a road trip. It took us 3 days on the road to arrive to this location the day before registration. We stayed in a nearby motel. Upon leaving to get dinner, out of nowhere a motorcycle comes and hits our car. It was an unexpected experience no one foresaw. We were all checked by the hospital and everyone was thankfully fine. We were panicked but centered inside on making it to the program as we had anticipated it for so long. People often come to Vipassana to delve inside, to work on their issues and traumas. The center markets itself as a place of refuge. We were honest with the teachers and told them about the accident hoping they would understand and welcome us with open arms but the opposite happened. The instant they heard, without any ounce of compassion, empathy or the chance to explain ourselves - they made the decision to cowardly and silently cancel our enrollment after everything we had been through just to get to them. How can you? We could have lost our lives and they didn't even care. They care more about liability and image. Are we at fault for being honest? Would things have been different if we lied and never told them about our accident? Is everyone else who comes flawless without any issues? What differentiates our suffering from theirs? How can they so hastingly behead at the expense of others greatest sacrifice yet call yourself a humane institute? Have you never went through a hard time? Because of this experience, we never ever want to associate or speak of Vipassana again. Although there are other centers throughout the US, the behavior and inhumanity of the staff here have scarred us permanently. They could have been a saving grace by allowing us to go through with the program especially after such an incident where we could decompress and reflect inwards. Shame on you. Fare warning to all who dare to come here, ask yourself if your sacrifices will be worth it. read more

10 Day Vipassana Meditation Course Center where they also house and feed you all for free! The course itself is extremely practical and empowering. It provides you with tools, the time and space to practice honing the techniques to live a more peaceful and harmonious life. There are Vipassana centers all over the world that provide this 10 Day course. My first experience was at this center. I thought the location was beautiful, with well taken care of facilities. My favorite part of the facility was the walking path. Pro tip: at night grab a blanket and a flashlight for some beautiful stargazing and maybe even a walk under the stars! Also, be sure to embrace at the amazing wildlife that you are immersed in! I saw 2 different species of squirrels (Round-tailed ground squirrels and Harris' antelope ground squirrels), Rabbits, a few different kinds of Lizards, a snake and a coyote during my stay. I will say that some people had issues with the climate being too dry and some had allergy problems. But I really enjoyed my stay and would come back again. If you would like to hear more about my experience check out my Vlog. "How I Survived and Thrived my 10 Day Vipassana" Part 1 https://youtu.be/RhzRLJNYqso Part 2 https://youtu.be/tLsVKD2B6dc read more

A beautiful place for people to come and participate in profound introspection. Amazing experience! And, the food is delicious--much higher caliber cuisine than anticipated. A pleasant surprise, indeed. Will definitely return in the future. read more

I had applied to be a dharma server in the upcoming 3-day meditation session in Kelseyville and this morning I received the following email ... "It has come to our attention that you had some difficulties with your previous service at the center in Southern California. The Assistant Teachers have recommended that you sit another 10 day course before serving again. Therefore we have cancelled your enrollment to serve the 3 day course. " I quickly send them the following reply ... "My 'difficulty' has nothing to do with my meditation practice. I was given the responsibility as the dish washer and I had a different understanding of what the 'sanitizing machine' does which is that it is not a dish washer and it was there to merely sanitize clean dishes. I proceed to hand wash and rinse each item before pushing them into the machine, including those that were supposedly pre-washed by the students but in reality were quite dirty. I was told by the center management that this is against policy and that I should treat the dishes as clean even when they are not." Let me explain, I attended my first 10-day session in October 2015 in North Fork. After attaining the "old student" status (which has now been revoked unilaterally), I applied to serve in January at Twentynine Palms. The experience as a server turns out to be quite different. On the second day, I was approached repeatedly by the salaried staff that I was doing it wrong. I suggested that their assumption was wrong and that what they assumed to be clean dishes are in fact very dirty. I preferred to work harder and clean them thoroughly. It was clear that I was causing a bigger problem than what the higher-ups were willing to discuss. It was clear that they could not agree with me since by doing so, they would have to admit that what they have done in the past and what they continue to do in the future might in fact violate CDPH health codes. And I could not agree with them because I just can't. So I decided to take the least worst option which was to leave the center quietly at 3:30 am on the third day (knowing that there will be consequence). Trust me when I tell you that I was in tears as I was driving off the parking lot. In any case, I am writing this review because I think very highly of the Vipassana technique and I think everyone should give this center a chance, especially if you happen to live in the Los Angeles area. In addition, I want you to know that the volunteers work very hard to make these free events happen (before, during and after each 10-day session). I have incredible respect for my fellow dharma servers. I have witnessed first hand their selfless dedication. The only thing I would remind you is that your one and only responsibility as a student is to clean your dishes after each meal. If you don't, bad things happen including your fellow students getting dirty dishes on the next meal because they are not cleaned properly here. As with my fellow Vipassana meditators, I practice the three marks of existence, anatta (non-self), dukkha (imperfection) and anicca (impermanence). It is with all three deep in my heart that I close this small chapter of my dharma journey. Be happy. read more

I had my doubts. I heard about Vipassana Meditation from my buddy, Amit K. He took the 10-day course at the Northern California Vipassana Center (http://www.yelp.com/biz/california-vipassana-center-north-fork) back in October. I told him not to tell me too much about his experience (I didn't want to know what I would be confronted with), but asked if it was worth the time off from work and away from family. His response: Absolutely. While I was making my 120mile commute to the middle of nowhere, I was questioning my decision to endure being completely disconnected from the world, I had never gone even a few hours without communicating with others. With Amit's excitement of me enrolling in the course, I still had a weird feeling. Once I got there, everyone was really welcoming. As I stood in line to check-in, I began to speak to the few around me. Some were old students and there were a bunch of newbies, like me. The veterans explained that I'd get the full impact of the course as long as I committed to working. Made sense to me, nothing comes easy. The newbies had my similar uneasiness, unsure why they were there but optimistic to finish since they made the journey out there. As we began the course, it was tough and meditating for 10 hours a day seemed a little farfetched, but in retrospect it was totally worth it. Some would tell me that they couldn't sit in one place for longer than 10 minutes without trying to find something to do, that was the same challenge I faced and found that I was able to overcome it and focus. The method is taught by S.N Goenkaji and his way of communicating to his students, even though it was through video discourses and sound tracks, was fantastic. Being a very good public speaker, his explanations gave me a clearer view of the task at hand. Now, I understand the reasoning behind not being allowed to communicate with anyone and I was able to find a better/more efficient way of dealing with life's stresses. Another thing I appreciated is that even though the course was based on the teachings of Buddha, everyone was welcomed and not asked to convert their religious beliefs in anyway. We are taught the betterment of living life, and not what religion, sect, or organization you should belong to. One of the main questions everyone asked me was how much I had to pay. The entire organization is run by donations and volunteer hours from old students (those who had completed the entire course). Most of them replied with "There has to be a catch." Yet no catch, that's just how they work. We were able to donate as much as we liked and if you didn't feel like the course helped, you didn't have to give anything. On that note, the accommodations were great. The last thing my dad told me before I left for the retreat was "Don't starve." I did the exact opposite. Going in, I didn't expect too much, I thought they were going to be simple vegetarian meals. But they had a very good assortment of fresh food. The actual Southern California Vipassana Center is in the process of being built in 29 Palms, so they held the course at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center (http://www.yelp.com/biz/mentalphysics-joshua-tree). It was nice, clean, and had a peaceful environment to clear my mind. Once the course was completed, I had an opportunity to take a tour of the new site. Some of it is already built and looks great. At the end, I spoke to many of the new-old students. All of us had the same reaction, we were blown away by how powerful the simple task of concentrating on our breathe could change the way we look at our lives. I walked away with an amazing feeling of myself, the people around me, and what life has offered me thus far. Tips: -Bring your stretchy pants! -Try to bring a pair of shoes that you won't mind kicking up a little dirt in -Don't have a meditation cushion? No worries. You can use either a few folded bed pillows, a rolled up sleeping bag, or just a big couch pillow. read more

It is NOT for everyone. If you think you are going to club med to have some fun you should stay home. This is seriouse meditation practic for true sikers who are willing to sit in meditation with out moving an inch for an hour at list and is willing to stay the all retreat. HOWEVER you will be taken care of very well by the stuff and by the volunteers who are main objective is to serve and support you. Some one wrote in a review the acomodetion is spartan, made me lough, really. He obviously has no idea what spartan is. You will get your own private room with A/C and heat and shower with good presure hot water 24/7 very clean very new, is it sound spartan to you? If it was a motel you will be charged $150 a night or more. You will have deliciouse vegeterian meals and though I am not vegeterian I enjoyed every meal and did not miss my food at home. This is not a Buddhist dogma as one of the review suggested, Goenka is not a Budhist he is Hindu I am Jewish and many people from all walks of life and religious background practicing Vipassana. Unfortuntly some people felling into the trend of "meditating" with no clue what meditation is and when they end up in a place like this they are about to be shocked, it is NOTHING what they imagine to be like. I suggest to do your home work before you go and forget about all you know. It is not easy, fun. Relaxing etc. However it will bring tremenduce benefit for the right person and tremenduce disadvantage to the wrong people. I did the course few times and I had only great benefits in my life. If you sincerely ready to forget all you know for only 10 days and is ready for fantastic transformation then consider it. The beauty is, it is open to all and it is free of charge, no hiden agenda. In the end of the course you will have the opportunity to donate money to help maintain the place and to support future students. Where on earth would you find such pure, true charitable teaching like this one? By the way, you do not have to give up your religiouse believes. All religious are welcome. We all have the same mind and we all want peace of mind, right? Peace. read more

- So Free Food - Free Room and Board - Free Hot Shower - No Boss, No Kids, No Wife or anybody to bug you for 10 days - Air Conditioned Rooms and Halls to help you forget you are in a desert - If you didn't volunteer to serve you don't have to do your dishes or cook any of your own food, people are volunteering to cook and clean for you. The whole time. - If you come from the city like me, you get to bask in the glory of the desert night sky with shooting stars and if you are lucky desert thunder storms. ( I got lucky and it was beautiful ) - Everybody there is either there to find themselves again, fighting their own personal demons or trying to learn a new mediation retreat or grow so for the most part its a pretty groovy vibe going on. I got a chance to escape and find personal peace. The catch of of course since it is a meditation, addiction and spiritual retreat you have to give up your phone and any other possible distractions from the outside world. You can't know what kind of bad habits and addictions you have unless you remove yourself form everything. Didn't realize how much I was addicted to my phone, social media, and my friends until I had to give it up for 10 days. If you are going to try this you have to realize you are going all in and give those things up. Just like a monastery, you also have to take up a vow of silence until you are done. I know ideas like this don't sit well with a lot of people. My friends and coworkers were all wondering if I was going to crack under the pressure of not being able to talk to anyone for that long. I can be a chatty Cathy sometimes but that doesn't mean I also have a lot of deep thoughts on my mind. No two people are the same. The roads you have traveled, the things you have overcome. I'm gonna go out there and say it takes courage to come to a place like this and to seek happiness. Those 10 Days changed so many peoples lives with my life included. I am so happy I did it. This is one of those places where you have to experience it yourself because words would never do it justice. Quick Tips - Contrary to what movies and media says, mediation feels more like working out at the gym. It takes determination and effort to get more out of it. Just like the gym when you start out, its going to be hard, sometimes very hard - Bring Soap, shampoo. Just because no one can talk to you doesn't mean they won't notice you smelling like a bum. - Bring Allergy medication. Don't want you sneezing and coughing and breaking the silent serenity of the place. - Go into with a mental attitude of spending time inside a monastery just without the formalities. read more

My 1st 10 day course/silent retreat and I was impressed with the program and facilities. I definitely consider this one of the most challenging and worthwhile experiences in my 60+ years! I have been studying Buddhism a bit and I found it to be very down to earth sensible way to live and was keenly interested to give the meditation process a 'test drive'. I went in with some 'sitting' meditation experience (not Vipassana), but this is not at all necessary. The facility is only 4 years old and quite nice. Other reviews here provide some good detail and photographs, take a read. Two comments: beds are VERY firm and single rooms tend to go to the older students (like me, I'm in my early 60's). The course is conducted by 2 teachers who are basically there to answer your questions on one-on-one basis. Instructions given throughout the day and at evening 1 hour discourses are via video on large screen TV's, this is Goenka filmed actually presenting a course circa early 90's. This is an effective way to teach, it insures that the organization provides a high degree of consistency in course material and delivery. Goenka is serious, intelligent and also quite engaging - a great sense of humor! I found myself very much looking forward to each evening discourse, I could have done without his chanting in Pali but this is really a very minor annoyance. The information given is spot on to what you have done during the day .You are guided but you're not clued as to what to expect - this is because each person's experience IS UNIQUE. Noble Silence insures you're not 'comparing notes' with your fellow meditators and creating your own expectations. The program is demanding, both physically and mentally, I can say I was NEVER asked to do anything that was at all questionable or unreasonable. Following the instructions as given are a real key to giving this technique a 'fair' trial; the 'rules' are simple, stick to them for best results. This course is NOT a vacation, it's work, but good work indeed! Even on the days of 'Strong Determination' where we are sitting for an hour and requested to not move hands, feet or readjust our seating for the duration it is clearly posted that if you are unable to comply, just sit quietly and remain in your seat and do not exit the hall until the hour is over. Demanding, but it delivers. Myself and everyone one I spoke with after Noble Silence was lifted on day 10 felt that they had experienced 'results' during the course. Some moments were very pleasurable, some were quite taxing, but as all participants experienced: ALL thoughts and sensations do arise and then will pass away. After 3 1/2 days of working with the observation of breath meditation process I experienced a clarity and sharpness of mind that was significantly beyond what I've experienced in my solo practice. By day 4 my mind was clear as a bell, sharp like a razor. Morning of the 4th day sitting outside the hall with still mind I had a very pleasurable 'visual experience' (like a hallucination) that lasted for maybe 30 seconds - there was absolutely NO thought, just inner silence. I was later told by the teacher that the visual 'experience' was a result of my mind's intense depth of concentration - later that day we learned formal Vipassana technique and I experienced free 'flow' in the body right at the outset, unusual- as this normally occurs for 1st time students 2-4 days later. These experiences gave me clear evidence of the validity of this technique. By day 7/8 I was feeling I'd had about as much meditation as I could take. Vipassana involves a systematic 'scanning' of the body for very subtle sensations....at times it feels tedious/taxing but it also produces results, right then and there. I hung in to the end but I feel off the wagon a bit, and at times just sensed I was going through the motions. I came away from this course feeling a bit sapped physically but clearly 'lighter', very centered, calm and balanced of mind, very! I'm very glad I stayed for the duration -no regrets whatsoever. If you have never meditated or doubt its value sit this course and experience for yourself, you will not be disappointed. Final comments. The organization is non-profit staffed entirely by volunteers. They will gladly take your monetary donation post-course but there is zero 'pressure' to donate. In the final discourse Goenka speaks to this and says he's glad to have the money but he makes it quite clear that one can make a greater "donation" to others and one's own development by serving at a future course. Lastly, I saw nothing about this course or the organization that pointed to any type of 'hidden agenda', it is 100% above board. Recommended reading: Art of Living, Vipassana meditation as Taught by Goenka (William Hart); short, easy informative read. Remember one thing: "Meditation, simple but not easy". Keep that in mind as you continue to explore information about this course. read more

Serious and strict meditation boot camp that will lead to exceptional sensation if you practice diligently according to the Vipassana instructions. But very challenging or meaningless for some new mediator who can't sit long or if you just want a vacation from worldly affair with an expect of heaven-like peace. Yes, in the end, I'm sure this practice will lead you to heaven-like peace, when you're totally out of the habitual clinging of "my pain", "my family" and "my phone" etc and realize the universal truth. But before that, it's a purification process that involves everyone fighting with sitting pains, boredom, frustration and skeptics like me. It's a journey to your inner mind scope that may be a legend nobody else can tell you. I think personal feeling can't be a judgement of their operation and service. You can disagree with Goenka's teaching but compare to several other meditation center I've been to, the facility here is quite excellent. +1st, no fee no charge on anything, lots of free stuff like umbrellas, flash lights, water bottles and blankets you can borrow. They don't aim at selling you anything, any teaching notes, blessing talisman, T-shirt or Facebook likes. They do looking for volunteers to serve nicely. +2nd the camp managers for man and woman each is living in the same dorm building so it's very easy to find them if you have any question about live. +3rd, the noon time interview sign-up is pretty easy, I got a slot everyday to see the assistant teacher Ana and discuss about the teachings, my feeling and difficulties at practice. While at some other retreat, commonly over a hundred of students attend and only one Guru available. +4th, the free veggie buffet is way over 5-stars. I'm a restaurant owner so I know well about food quality: ingredients are fresh and some hand picked. eatery style changes everyday, from Italian to Mexico to India and Thai. They never shot of any dish and no one rush you for cleaning purpose. You may well skip dinner without starving. Staffs are very friendly and there's a heartfelt caring and compassion in food taste. +5th, practice is mostly self-disciplined, you could skip many group sitting sessions and just relax at your dorm or even go hiking. They never force you to come out of your room. Only about 1-1.5 hours 3 times a day you'll have to sit at the meditation hall. I got out of my room about 5:30am in the morning instead of 4:30 and I often fell to sleep on 1pm after my private interview. There're occasional students who can't sit and drop the retreat. I believe the Vip centers in Asia are much more strict. In the end, I'm a Vajrayana Buddhist and I have my own preferred path of meditation practice. But I carefully listened the discourse every night and believe all theories and views taught by Goenka are the right Buddhism Dharma. May all beings be happy and free from suffering! May all realize the truth of impermanence with an equanimous mind! May all be filled with merit and wisdom to set on the right path to self-liberation! Sa-du~Sa-du~Sa-du~ read more

I've only been here for a one hour old-student group sit but in that one hour group sit I felt at home and at peace. The setting for a ten day sit looked welcoming and serene. I can see myself sitting here for ten days in the future. read more

Dhamma Vaddhana - Meditation Centers Near Me - Twentynine Palms, California

Happy mind , Happy life. peace and wisdom may not buy, only practice Vipassana.Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammasambuddhassa ,Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammasambuddhassa,Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammasambuddhassa, read more

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I recently completed a ten-day silent meditation "retreat" at this location. I am not going to go into a lot of detail about my personal journey because there were over 80 people in attendance and if you spoke to each one of us we ALL had our own personal journey and interpretations of our journey. I think everyone attending this location for the 10-day program should know that this is not your typical type of meditation. There is not a "visualization" type of meditation..no "pictures" in your mind about beautiful waterfalls or your "happy place." Also, this is not a guided meditation. You are given specific instructions on how to meditate, but then most of the time there is complete silence. You will be expected to be SILENT for ten full days. You are instructed to behave and act as if you are at the "campus" on your own..and you are told NOT to pay attention to those around you. There are private quarters, and there are dorms. Men are completely separated from the women. There is no physical contact allowed AT ALL...not between sexes or with the same sex...and I'm not referring to just "no sexual contact." No contact includes no handshakes, no reaching out to hug someone, no grazing of hand on a shoulder, no tension relieving neck/shoulder rubbing/massaging. NOTHING...NO PHYSICAL CONTACT AT ALL. The schedule is VERY structured: 4:00 AM: You wake up at (at least at the time of this writing) 4:30 am to 6:30 am meditation time (either in the meditation hall or your room). 6:30 am to 7:15 am breakfast (I'll go into more detail about the meals later in this post). 7:15 am to 8 am "rest" During "rest periods" (any throughout the day) you may rest, take a shower or take a walk on the path. You may also do hand washing of your laundry during this time. There are no washing machines...everything is dried outside on a clothesline, so it's to your benefit to bring enough clothing to last 11 days. 8 am to 9 am: Mandatory meditation in the meditation hall 9 am to 11:00 am: Meditate in the hall or your room as directed by the teachers 11:00 am to 11:45 am: Lunch (more on that later in the post) 11:45am to 1:00pm: Rest 1:00 pm to 2:20 pm: Meditate in your room or the meditation hall 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm: Mandatory meditation in the hall 3:30 pm to 5 pm: Meditate in the hall or your room as directed by the teachers 5 pm to 5:30 pm: Teatime (more on that later in this post) 5:30pm to 6pm: Rest 6 pm to 7 pm: Mandatory meditation in the hall 7 pm to 8 pm: Nightly discourse 8 pm to 9 pm: Mandatory meditation in the hall 9 pm to 10 pm: "Free time" to take a shower, take a walk, unwind, meditate in your room, get ready for the next day, etc. Lights out at 10 pm and start over again the next day at 4 am. No reading, writing, listening to music, etc. All distractions are frowned up. The food is all VEGAN. I will share with you that I was expecting a ton of veggies since it was stated the meals were "simple vegetarian" meals. Nope, TONS, let me repeat TONS of carbohydrates. I thought I was going to die from carb overload. Breakfast everyday the same: oatmeal, yogurt, stewed prunes, apples, oranges, bananas, sprouted wheat bread, 21-grain bread, rice cakes, peanut butter, butter, jam, honey, cinnamon, raisins, raw sugar, 10 types of tea (regular and decaf), Folgers coffee crystals, regular milk, low-fat, almond, and rice milk, granola cereal, and gluten-free flakes. Lunch was always brown rice, white rice, a cooked vegetable like kale or broccoli, some days roasted potatoes or brown wheat pasta, or lentil soup. Modest salad bar with romaine lettuce, shredded raw beets, shredded white cheese, garbanzo beans, cucumbers, shredded carrots, black olives. Soy mayo, olive oil, apple cider vinegar. Teatime: tea or coffee with milk and most people had 1 to 3 pieces of fruit. No food after 5:30 pm of any kind. The rooms had a twin size bed (bring your own sheets and blankets), air conditioner, heater, lights, and ceiling fan. Dorms have shared bathrooms with stalls and showers with curtains, so you are not all naked in front of strangers. There is no cost to attend...so you can't complain about anything. After all, it's "free." Yes, they would like a contribution to help pay for food and bills and even to expand, but the organization seems more interested in people donating their time in the future. They are NOT money hungry at all. All the above being said I think EVERYONE should attend one 10-day course at least ONE time in their life to see if this teaching resonates with you and helps you with ANY issues you are having in your life. I did find the lessons on target with many self-improvement courses I've read; only this one goes MUCH deeper. There were some things taught that did not resonate with me...so at this time I am not sure how I feel about going again. Many people had been 3, 4, even 12 times. You may serve as a volunteer "all you want," but you can only attend a 10-day course once per year. read more

Wow. A wild ride for sure. This is not an easy 10 days but it is worth it. The analogy of this being like spiritual boot camp rang true on many levels. You will likely be challenged in ways that you have not been before. 9-10 hours of seated silence each day reveals many things about your mind. At times, when I was going to the hall for a sit, especially later in the week, I felt like I was going to watch a movie of my life in HD and was unsure whether it would be a comedy or horror. In sustained silence, the unconscious mind has a way of reawakening and sending up into view past memories that you must face and observe. I am going to address a few things that I did not see covered in some of the other reviews. First, as others have pointed out, the grounds are spectacular, especially the walking path at night. Simply stunning landscape out there in the desert. The rooms are adequate with AC and the beds are a bit hard. The food for lunch was fantastic. Whoever is cooking back there either runs a restaurant or should be. The schedule is demanding and I do suggest you buy in fully. Meaning, that you go the meditation hall for all of the sits. This will ensure you get the most out of the experience. I was and still am totally impressed and inspired by the people who shared the experience with me. A few times I would open my eyes and just marvel at the courage of the people there to do such an intense and challenging experience. The world is full of convenient distractions for sure, that are intoxicating, and for people to want something beyond that stimulation is amazing. So, I'm sending my love the July 3-14 group, you rock. I would also suggest reading up on Buddhist teaching/philosophy before hand if you not that familiar with some of the core teachings and ideas. While vast in scope and varied across many traditions and sects, the core teachings of no-self, impermanence, and suffering are staples of Buddhism. I find the section on Buddhism from Huston Smith's book on the World Religions from the early 1960's quite good and would recommend that as a good entry point. The course is run by audio and video recordings from a 10 day course back in 1991 by the Vipassana teacher Goenka. He is quite a teacher. A great story-teller with a very sharp mind with deep insights and theological nuance. I found his talks to be compelling especially the ones from days 4-9. I would suggest keeping a bit of an open, critical mind to some of his claims though. He seeks not to convert for sure which he states quite often, but does slip into making some claims that are worthy of some deeper inquiry. For instance, he believes in reincarnation, that he has friends he is certain to have known in previous lives, and that his specific teaching of this ten day course in India was somehow prophesied 2500 years ago. Also, the discourses on morality were not very nuanced. However, as stated above, he is a very gifted story teller, has a brilliant mind, and his defense and teaching of the Dharma as being scientific, rational, and non-sectarian is deeply admirable and much needed in the world. Theological quibbles aside, he is a teacher of deep wisdom and knowledge, and his sharing of the dharma is inspiring. So, if you want a secularized meditation experience, you will not get that fully here as the whole practice is framed in Buddhist teachings, but I do not think that will be a problem for you. I could go on and on. In total, this is a really life changing experience in many ways. You will learn that meditation is not about feeling calm and relaxed. You will learn that meditation is really about training the mind to become less prone to blindly cling onto pleasure or to have aversion to pain. You will see your habits of mind in both directions very clearly (towards cravings/away from aversion). In conclusion, to the teachers, managers, volunteers, cooking staff, etc, thank you so much for your service. Your dedication to the well-being of others is deeply felt, appreciated, and inspiring. read more

I cannot begin to describe my experience during the 10-day meditation course that I took during the past two weeks. When my friends ask me how it went, I used the word "profound" to describe my experience. Because everybody experiences this 10-day intro course very differently, I do not want to set the wrong expectation for interested yelpers by describing extensively what I experienced. Instead, I will write about the facility, the general experience on the superficial level and a few tips. The facility is in the high desert next to the highway. Its setting is beautiful and the landscaping is very well maintained. There was rosemary, other herbs that I can't name, very sweet smelling pine trees planted on the ground of the center. I loved just walking around the ground and smell all the wonderful vegetation smells. There is a walking path for both gender's living quarters and the view is just gorgeous. It is a very tranquil place for meditation for sure, even though all of the meditation sessions are held inside. It is the desert, so it does get hot during the day and cool at night. However, the facility was simple but modern, and therefore, very comfortable. The meditation hall has a very good ventilation/AC system that even though you have 80 something people in there at time of meditation, it doesn't feel stuffy at all. It is also well sound proofed. The residential quarters are separated by genders and each have several buildings. Some have single rooms and some have double rooms. Each room is simple but has all the things you need for a meditation course (lamp, alarm clock, fan, AC, etc). you sign up for bathroom cleaning duty during the course, so the shared bathroom is cleaned every single day meticulously. Let's just say, these are the cleanest and most pleasant dorm room bathroom that I have ever seen! The food at the center was great despite being described as "simple vegetarian meal". The lunch menu was different every single day with a number of yum dishes. I had to resist myself for taking too much because overeating make you feel very uncomfortable during meditation. In fact, my eating portion significantly decreased as the course went. Overall, the center try to make you as comfortable as possible so that you can focus on meditation which is definitely not an easy experience. If you are interested in Vipassana meditation, I definitely encourage you to attend the 10-day course at this center. Some tips 1. they not only teach you meditation techniques, but also the art of living and philosophy realized by Buddha, so be ready for some "soul-searching". Not many people knew about this part going in, some, like me, were pleasantly surprised. Some others, though, found that part too over-whelming. To me, it was the best part of the course because it put a purpose to why we meditate. 2. Be open and not overly doubtful or cynical. There will be times that you are confused. Accept what you understand and park the parts that you don't and be patient, at least for the 10 days. Give the technique a fair trail and then you can decide later whether it is for you. 3. Observe all the rules, no matter how trivial it may seem. The rules are there to give you the best experience possible, so give it a try, otherwise, you might not experience it the right way. Besides, disobeying the rules sometime can cause distractions for other meditators. 4. Have a positive attitude and enjoy your experience with a smile :) read more

There are a few moments in life when steps outside if the usual stream of daily life concerns and distractions. These times are to be treasured as they may redefine our perceptions and direction. The Vipassana retreat helped me connect the dots of all the things in my life that made me feel confused and upset. You learn to see yourself as you are (a difficult process) and go deeper and deeper into reality as you mind consciousness gets subtler and finer. I'm grateful to the wonderful volunteers and Mr Goenka for the experience. I have no words to describe adequately what a beautiful experience it was. The dessert surroundings are a wonderful environment to work in as one strips away the layers of the consciousness. While I was meditating I used the intense sunlight and heat as a image for my own awareness and concentration as I directed inward. Further words are useless. You must experience it to understand. If you're wondering to go, just do it. Don't let the inner voices deter you. Life is too important to waste frittering away. May all beings be happy. read more

I completed a retreat at SCVC in September. I keep remembering how useful the Yelp reviews were in encouraging me to go, and realizing what to expect, so I thought I'd contribute as well, in case someone reading this is interested in attending. The daily schedule is online so I won't go into that. It is a lot of meditation. Pretty much just meditation, sprinkled with light meals and 20-minute walks on a beautiful path. My experience was very intense and super productive. I went through quite a few phases during my stay, including an outright rejection of the practice, which got very strong before dissipating. I sympathize with Ken W. who left early, I almost did too, and my rejection was similarly tied to the seemingly religiousness of some of the teachings and the chanting. But the thing is, the teacher is very explicit about the fact that you can take or leave the specifics of the teachings. The point is the technique that you learn. I am completely 100% sold on the effectiveness of the meditation technique, while still quite skeptical of some of the specific elements of the teachings (he talks about reincarnation, for example, which i don't believe in). After rejection (coupled with anger), I was met with despair and disappointment at myself for "not getting enough out of the course". this lasted another couple of days. After that, I finally realized what was happening in my mind and body after days and days of meditation. I realized that these strong waves of rejection and negative emotion were related to broader patterns in my life. After that, they weren't gone, but I sat with them with much more compassion and watched how they worked in my body and mind. That was the breakthrough. The thing is, I left the retreat feeling physically lighter. Like, when you've been ice skating and you take off your skates and feel like you are floating. I felt LIGHTER. It was amazing. There was stuff buried in my body literally causing endless patterns of negativity that just went away. I even went to yoga the day after I got back and my backbend was completely different - tension in my chest and shoulders had dissipated completely. My teacher even noticed. And let me tell you, I'm not all woo woo about this sort of thing. But it's true. My physical body actually changed, releasing tension all over. That tension release led to an emotional release - the teaching is that those areas of tension actually lead to persistent negative mind states - my chest is tight! something must be wrong! that sort of thing. And for me, at least, it was totally true. Okay so the point is it was an amazing experience. I have kept up with a daily practice since then and have seen my life expand in amazing ways. here are some more practical tips if you are thinking of going: 1. Just do it. You will try to talk yourself out of it, it's free, there's nothing to lose for backing out. JUST DO IT. and don't let yourself leave. you can judge it on day 10. leaving before then is shortchanging the experience. 2. Bring extra cushions if you think you might need more support. I ended up in a chair because my knees hurt so much from sitting on the cushion. They have extra support available, but by the 3rd day or so it was all taken up by other students. Bring a bench, extra padding, or even one of those baseball game cushions with the attached back. 3. The weather is probably going to be hot, but the meditation room ranges from warm to freezing. I actually ended up just leaving a wool shawl and socks in the room the entire time and put them on as needed 4. Don't freak out about accommodations. There are a ton of single rooms, but you might end up sharing a room as well (with a curtain or divider). If you end up sharing a room, be sure to clarify with your roomie what temperature you will keep the room before you go into noble silence. I waged a silent battle with my roommate over the AC for a day or two which was really frustrating. 5. Don't freak out about food, it is really tasty. And they do have caffeine! 6. Bring a good sun hat and sunscreen - there is literally nothing else to do on break other than walk on this beautiful garden path, so you'll be doing a lot of that :) 7. Go to EVERY SINGLE EARLY MORNING SESSION. Yes, it's at 4:30 and yes you are allowed to "meditate in your room" but you know, seriously, you KNOW that if you "meditate in your room" you will just sleep until breakfast! Those morning sessions were amazing. you enter in darkness and sit with the few other strong ones who made it to the hall, then walk out 2 hours later and the sun is rising over the desert and it is priceless. 8. In the morning session you can meditate standing up if you are falling asleep. The teacher says this at one point, but it's like 1/2 way through so I could have used that info earlier on. 9. Really try to follow instructions to the letter. it really all works together. read more

I am purposely not writing an extensive a review here as you've got to take a 10-day course yourself to be able to judge for yourself. Nothing else can substitute your personal experience of the technique. All I will say is that I've been practicing Vipassana for almost 5 years now since I've taken my first 10-day course, and it had changed my life drastically for the good. You would only see/feel the results after you've gone through the course and have started applying the technique in your day-to-day life. read more

The SCVC is a place where some amazing volunteers offer an amazing service. The food is good, the accommodations are spartan but surprisingly comfortable, and the April setting was breathtaking. But the volunteers are the best part. I would give them 5 stars if I could. I read just about everything I could find online before the class started. There is lots of info out there. However, I was surprised by several things and found the course content disappointing. I left after just three days so take this with a grain of salt. I'm going to focus on four particular things I would have liked to know before signing up: 1) The course is billed as non-sectarian, but it is based on Buddhist dogma. Goenka lost me for good when he started talking about sin and piety on the evening of day 2. These concepts were used to motivate the main objective of vipassana as well as how to achieve that objective. I love Buddhists and have investigated Buddhism extensively. However, I am not a Buddhist. I do not want to detach from my surroundings because doing so does not feel true to me. I think you can only argue that the course is non-sectarian if you believe Buddhism is not a sect. 2) There was a lot more ritual within the vipassana practice than I personally would have liked: frequent singing and chanting in Pali by the teacher and occasional response by the students. 3) Goenka said that some physical discomfort is a good thing for vipassana; otherwise, meditators might fall asleep. You get a 3'x3' cushion and just 8-12 inches from your neighbors' cushions in all 4 directions. 4) I understood and respected the need for silence, but not the prohibition on writing. Journaling would have been helpful. Perhaps this restriction was explained later in the course and I missed it. Repeating my opening, this is an incredible course and an amazing service. Please take my review with a huge grain of salt; it is a minority opinion. In my personal opinion, this course would be especially useful for people who either (a) need to increase their self-discipline, (b) seek to change deep-seated thought patterns, or (c) want to learn Buddhist meditation. After leaving, I went and gave myself a 7-day DIY course in meditation, and would advise the same for others who might be turned off by the points I listed above. read more

Came here in July of 2011. Going back for July 2012 as a server and old sudent. If you are open to Buddhist teachings and meditation please come. My first time I was extremely skeptical. I honestly thought of "cult". I went on their website www.dhamma.org Checked it out. Please read the rules. It is very serious. You will not talk for 10 days. Meditation was a challenge. Accommodations are clean and simple. Food is vegetarian and for those with allergies they serve as many non allergenic foods as possible. There is gluten free bread and all the foods have ingredients posted. Please note that this is only a beginning course and the dhamma is more extensive. The program is for "lay people" not nuns and monks. Religious people are welcome as it is non religious. Check your bed for bugs before you sleep! Bring a donation. You can choose to donate or not at the end. They will absolutely not pressure you. In fact they asked I come for service instead of donating money. Check back in a few months when they finish their meditating pagoda!!! Visit the website to know what to bring. I didn't bring a shawl or scarf and I was freezing in the meditation hall. Don't be scared to come. The accomodations here have AC and heating in the rooms, there are shower stalls, and food is plentiful. Follow the instructions and you will progress. ****More people have caught on to this ABSOLUTELY FREE course and you now need to sign up a few months in advance. read more

The 10-day retreat is not a vacation for the mind, it's actually a lot of work. Strict schedule, but I was so impressed by everyone (students & staff) that attended - made me want to work a little harder. Though nobody knows each other, you become close with the other girls in the dorm through vibes alone. Over 10 days I learned so much about myself and the women around me, and we will likely keep in touch for years to come. If you're considering taking a Vipassana course in CA, you should definitely choose this facility. I was surprised at how wonderful the food was, the staff/service was incredibly friendly and selfless. One of the greatest experiences of my life, I am so grateful! Something everyone could benefit from! read more

I just came back this weekend after only attending the first three days of the program. S.N. Goenka states on Vipassana's website, this technique was a universal law and it does not conflict whit any religions. Just be aware that you will be asked the followings... 1. You will be asked to surrender and take refuge in Buddha, not to the person, but to his character. 2. You will be asked to suspend any form of religious rituals. Praying, meditating on scriptures, any religious mantra, rosary etc. 3. You are asked not to bring any religious objects 4. You are asked to response with the word SADUH, after two or three minutes of chanting, throughout the day, but only if you like 5. No reading or writing I left on the third day because my spirit was disturbed. If you don't like snakes, be careful you might run into one. If the above rules are not a concern to you, then this place is gorgeous. Food is excellent; fresh wholesome healthy vegetarian. You only get fruit and tea for dinner. The single room is cozy and clean with your own bathroom. The stars at night are countless. This place is quiet and has beautiful path for walk. read more

My first and only 10 day sit so far was in 2011. The manager was awesome her name was Claudia I think. I was part of the 4th 10 day course to ever be held there or something along those lines. It was very new and currently expanding. Hot desert but I love the desert. I learned so much about myself during those 10 days in silence. I suffered from depression as a teen. I've learned many coping skills to bring me to a place where I was ready for something like Vipassana. I was not accepted at first but I knew I needed to learn this technique. I worked on myself even more then applied again. I realized I just wasn't ready the first time I applied. Now I continue my practice and no longer suffer. I still get sad from time to time but no longer do I feel suffering because of sadness. All is impermanent, as it is. Everything is donation and volunteer based. However if you have not experienced a complete 10 day sit yourself they will not accept your donation. You will simply be invited to apply for 10 day sit. This center is my Vipassana home everyone was wonderful. Food was amazing. I love the sunflower seed oil dressing! Vegetarian ever since. I went back with my daughter for a children sit. She sat, I served. I went back for a 3 day weekend service and plan to do another 10 day sit soon. They seem to be busy :) My boyfriend has also sat here as well as 5 other friends. Spreading the word and sending them to the website. In gratitude, Metta read more

Arduous Meditation Bootcamp: 5 Star. Ok, first let's be clear. This "retreat" involves spending 10-12 hours sitting in meditation daily, living in silence without any contact nor speaking to another for 10 days, living without your phone, reading materials, computer, or writing materials for 11 days, eating purely vegetarian for 11 days with only fruit & tea for dinner, and sleeping on a VERY hard bed. Stuff will come up for you...your mind will rebel at the discipline that it's likely never had imposed on it like this...you'll feel all kinds of internal judgement about what you're experiencing and how the retreat is run...you'll resent the strict schedule...you'll be amazed at your constant mind chatter...your back, hips and knees will ache...you'll be counting the days to get out... AND without question I give this experience and the facility 5 stars and am so incredibly grateful that I participated. My mind has never accessed such calm and quiet in my life. I now LOVE the Vipassana meditation technique and since completing my first 10 day course just under 2 weeks ago I've implemented a daily meditation practice into my life for the first time, which I absolutely intend to continue. Why? Because I feel better, I'm calmer and more focused, and I strongly sense that my body is healthier with this increased awareness and focus. Amazingly, I'm also now needing less sleep, an unexpected side effect! I went into this experience quite uninformed. A friend who had never meditated in her life recently attended after reading up on the many benefits of meditation written by a neuroscientist. I spoke with her shortly after her return and she reported feeling different since, like her brain had been re-wired in a really good way: she was able to focus more and stay present with conversations more. She told me about the 3 mandatory group meditation sittings every day but somehow I hadn't digested the reality of the routine of 10-12 hours/day sitting for meditation. Physically, with my scoliosis back at age 62, this sitting so many hours was the most challenging part of the experience for me. When I sat for meditations in my room I would lie down often to ease my back spasms, but in the group meditations this was not an option. I persevered. I had many opportunities to work with the sensations of my ever-returning upper back pain. Never in my life have I spent so much focus on nor learned so much about my body. This meditation technique of focusing internally on sensations in the body is WONDERFUL for me, a woman who has spent most of her life in her head! If I got through this, you can too! I would recommend that you read up on the approach (reading the brief book The Art of Living: Vipassana Meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka would be perfect preparation) I ended up piling layers of blankets underneath my bedsheets so that my back and hips would have a little bit of cushion so I could sleep, but if I attend again at a future time (which I plan to do) I would bring some kind of padding for the bed. Some folks like firm...my body can't sleep like that at this point in my life. Bring unscented sunscreen, chapstick & unscented body lotion. The desert air is VERY dry. Bring a sunhat. The desert sun is intense. Finally, if you are at all able to arrange it, I recommend that you take the following day after the workshop ends OFF. This will allow you a day to gently integrate back into all of the stimulation of the world! The facility is new, clean, and very nice. If you are older (or you have special needs) you will be offered a private room with a private bath when you register. There is a lovely 1/4 mile walking path through the desert that I encourage you to walk after your meals when you have break time. The desert is beautiful and I witnessed the most gorgeous sunrise I've ever seen in my life there. I was in such a clear and calm space and it was so colorful and glorious that I will never forget it. If you are fortunate you may be able to experience some of the desert wildlife there: I saw many hummingbirds, industrious ants, a roadrunner, several long-eared rabbits, some coyote scat and a gorgeous tarantula walking slowly across the sand. The volunteers there who did all of the registration, cooking, & serving were wonderful. The house manager and assistant teacher were both lovely, loving and very helpful. The fact that this entire organization is run strictly by volunteers and operates so smoothly is VERY impressive. I HIGHLY recommend this training. It is intense but very much worth the initiation! read more

The technique taught here and at all Vipassana centers is the same 2500 year old technique Buddha taught for reaching enlightenment. This was my first time at a meditation retreat. I did the 10 day course which actually stretches out over 12 calendar days. The experience was challenging but very rewarding. As a beginner meditator, I found the instructions easy to follow. There's no chanting or visualizing involved. The method is secular. There's a wait list that fills up quick; so sign up well before the date you intend to go. Don't go expecting a vacation. Everyone that came with that attitude ended up leaving early because they weren't ready for the long hours of meditation. It's better to arrive with no expectations. The center is located in the desert only five miles from the Joshua Tree National Park entrance. Surrounded by hills and mountains, it's a beautiful and serene setting. The animals that live on the grounds aren't afraid of people! Sleeping accommodations are nice. Like a small hotel room. Showers have a timer to conserve water but can be restarted when the timer runs out. Be ready to share a bathroom depending on which building you're assigned to. TIP: Bring your own pillow if you get neck pain. The pillow in my room was stiff and padded too thin. TIP: Try out meditation sitting poses to find one that's comfortable for you. Each meditation session can last an hour or more and will only seem longer if your leg falls asleep! I found seiza position to be most comfortable but the number of available kneeling benches is limited. So grab one early or bring your own from home. Sitting cross-legged got painful. You can also ask to sit in a chair or against the wall. Meditation cushions and zabutons are provided. TIP: Bring ear plugs in case you have trouble concentrating in the meditation hall because there can be lots of coughing, sniffling and other sounds made by students. The food was delicious. Lots of variety and a salad bar every day. Meals were all vegetarian or vegan. There's no meat or egg used. The food choices tended to be more carbs and sugars heavy. It was too difficult saying no to the yummy desserts! I got back into the bad habit of eating sweets when I returned home. There's no meal after lunch. Fruit and tea is allowed in the evening time but I got sick of eating fruit for dinner pretty early into the retreat. Plus that's more sugar in the diet. There's no cost for the course. Attendees are asked to donate time or money but there's no pressure. I don't want to give away too many details about my 10 days. It's better to experience it for yourself. You'll learn how to meditate properly, if you try it with an open mind. read more

Cool place! Everything went good and would like to refer it to some friends of mine. https://www.divineopenings.com/silent-spiritual-healing-retreat-santa-barbara-california-uk-germany read more

There is not enough space to explain the number of troubles in this practice. Of course, as we are on Yelp, these are personal experiences and we can all see many good ones. In fact, the numerous good reviews are why I attended. I knew it would be difficult...wake up at 4am and start meditating for 2 hrs at 4:30am. Have a simple, short breakfast at 6:30, essentially meditate, meditate, meditate for 11 hrs/day for 10 days plus a Goenka video each evening for 1.15hrs. No dinner except a bit of fruit and tea and to bed at 9pm. As a former ballerina, college scholarship athlete, breast cancer and meningitis survivor, I am no stranger to difficult, long-endurance, mentally and emotionally taxing experiences, and the wonderful personal growth on the end of hard work, deep voyage, self-reflection, and humility. They will tell you up and down that this is not a cult...and just perhaps it's not, but ultimately this is a trouble with people's understanding of the definition of cult and, even more importantly, the qualities of a practice that can result in cult behavior which is the damaging part. 1) Over and over again, Goenka will say that the meditator (ultimately Buddha) was able to see the subatomic particles that make up matter and then proceeds to say that they are made up of the elements "fire, water, earth, air." Okay...seriously??! How is someone still getting away with saying that? As a person with an educational background in the sciences, chemistry, biology and physics, leave these "elements" fire, water, air and earth to the woo woo astrologists. That is not at all in any way whatsoever what atoms are made of!!! Then he says that fire atoms will arise in the body of you eat spicy food and water elements if this and blah blah. This has no grounding at all in science and is complete mumbo jumbo. Then he goes on to preach about the ignorance of others...as he continues to recite ignorant ancient beliefs of what the body was made of. As a side note, even as a scientist I have always appreciated many of the theories of Buddhism, there are some wonderful areas where Buddhist philosophy and discovered science have overlap. The book The Dancing Wu Li Masters is a very, very basic layman's explanation of that at the quantum physics level. However, he takes it too far and anyone with an actual science background can't take him seriously after that very serious display of ignorance. 2) His constant insistence that this is not secularism, over and over and over. When a practice distinguishes itself from another and adds to that 'claiming to be the original' while demeaning other practices is a subversive way, that is secularism at its definition with a cloudy veil of superiority. 3) I do believe one of the worst atrocities is "pretending to be objective" conjecture that nearly all people do not have joy or truth if they do not have this practice. Yes, there are many miserable people in this world. However, there are many wonderfully blissful, fulfilled and incredible contributors to this world who have even better balance that most of those who are heavily devoted to Vipassana. 4) Which brings me to one of the most disturbing points..."equanimity, equanimity, equanimity. Do not create craving or aversion" the constant, constant insistence in Goenka's words. Just as an FYI, if you have to shut yourself away for hours upon hours, day after day, course after course to find "joy", that is not at all balance or equanimity! If you are a person who is this attached to that practice and can't stop it and feel you must always you have....yup, an addiction. 5) He swears to the "smiles on everyone's faces when finishing the course." Again, this is no great secret of Vipassana. Lock anyone away from speaking to anyone and making eye contact, give them minimal sleep and food, make them work, work, work for an extended period of time. Let them accomplish it and then release them...guess what will be on their faces??? A smile. The freedom isn't from Vipassana. The freedom is FROM Vipassana. 6) Too many people think that what they are getting is an emotional, mental, physical result from Vipassana in the way Goenka teaches it. For those people, again remember one of his other favorite words "objectively.' Numerous kinds of programs could be created that would result in the same bodily and mental experiences with the right combo and duration. 7) Be very aware, that the solitude is NOT just for your own personal, purified experience. It is so that you do not share the seeds of doubt with others. They know that if one person shares some concerns as I have highlighted above, the person they share it with will take that information into their experience. Yes, believe me, I get it. "But we want purity of our own experience and to get to our own root." Yes, I completely agree but do understand that this is yet another one of his hypocrisies "blind faith." He shares again and again how he convinces people to question their religions throug read more

I sat this meditation course November of 2013 for the first time. Since then I have done 2 more courses and I just wanted to give this technique an updated review. I absolutely loved it the first time I sat the course and now I have a much deeper understanding of the stuff spoken about during the discourses. I also understand the technique much better and how it works through my own experience of practicing. I read in a review here that this is still somewhat sectarian because it's the teachings of Buddhism. I also felt that a little bit when I started out of ignorance. Growing up in a world that reinforces so much division and separation into groups, it's challenging to mentally break away from that. No one really explained to me why it's not. As I practiced more I just began to realize that it has nothing to do with religion. If i believe in the ideals and thoughts of my friend Tom does it mean I am part of a religion? No. Buddha was a man and this is what he practiced and shared with people. Now if people created a religion in his name that is the choice of the people. It doesn't seem like that was his intention or the intention of any spiritual leader for that matter as most religions were created by people after that leader had died. Another thing I always see happening is people thinking letting go of attachments is like being this empty emotionless shell. Actually it's quite the opposite. The more I have let go of attachments the more I have filled with love and compassion and deep appreciation for everyone and everything. Think of it this one.... we as human beings usually have never experienced letting go of attachments so you really don't know how it feels. What you think it's like to let go of attachments is only a creation of your imagination. People who have ADD and are very hyper: I have heard and read here in reviews that this is not for them. Not true. My boyfriend usually can't stop moving, doing something, making noise almost every second of his life except sleeping. He did the course and he can now sit for one hour straight without moving while meditating. He absolutely loved it and can't wait to go again. The discourses explain everything very clearly yet sometimes things are just fixated in our mind and it's almost like we hear the words but our mind rejects it. I have heard the discourse so many times by now yet I still hear things that I almost feel like my mind blocked. I read a review here that said this course is like a prison and it was a waste of time and it didn't relax him lol. The discourse repeatedly reminds you that this is not a technique that is focused on reinforcing some positive to momentarily make you feel good and relaxed. I provided therapy that did guided imagery and repeated positive reinforcement to give you relaxation and positive feeling so I know the positive effects of that. The discourses even say how that is affective in making you feel good but this technique is not about that. It's about taking out deep rooted issues and letting them go. Making yourself feel good for the moment does not mean there isn't any junk deep in you. This process is meant to purify your mind at the deepest level which means a lot of junk has to come out. Each course you sit can have a different experience but if I sat there and felt bliss for 10 days then I probably won't feel accomplished and I probably didn't do the technique correctly. Unless I have been completely purified and liberated I should have junk coming out of me in the form of moments of irritation and discomfort. If you sit through this course wondering where the relaxation is and bliss right at that moment you are going against the technique because you are craving something which is not there and creating misery for yourself. That kind of pattern is the very thing the technique is trying to change. read more

I signed up for the 10 day course and left after two. When I arrived at the center I noticed there where people who appeared to be in a haze like state and one who was overly happy which struck me as strange. On the evenings orientation we were all in instructed to turn in all things that were related to religious orientation because their teachings are based on a universal law of truth. And anything of religious connection would be a distraction to their teaching. This immediately raised a red flag for me. They also said there would be no talking at all during the ten day course with other students. Day one they played an audio tape of their deceased guru explaining how to breath during the the practice and nothing more. All the while there was an old man and woman at the head of the hall, supposed masters I would guess, that said nothing at all. So we all blindly started to meditate and finally got to the evening meditation when they played a video of their deceased guru playfully explaining how we are going to metaphorically perform surgery on our own minds to take out the anger, resentment, pain, etc, and all the ailments of life's negativity and enter the joyous bliss that Vasspassna teaching can offer. So here we have a video tape giving you the keys to your brain matter without so much a word from the present staff. I soon realized this was a method much like burying your head in the sand. The next morning we all went in the hall for more mediation and my mind felt very groggy. I was ready to eat my coco puffs. I could not meditate any longer without thinking about possible adverse side affects this could have on my personality as well as the long term damage that may occur. I went outside, cleared my head up and told the staff I was leaving. My initial goal was to try and learn better meditation methods but soon found this practice goes much deeper than that. My life prior to setting foot at the center has never been better and have never been happier, do i really need to perform surgery on my head? I called a cab and told the cabbie to head to the saloon I had spotted on the way to the center a few days prior. It was a suprisingly short ride and we were there. I walked inside and heard a familiar song on the juke box, sat down by the bar and ordered a cheeseburger and a beer. As I raised the glass to my lips and took a slow cold sip, I thanked god for my life with all its pain, anguish and infinite beauty and instantly realized I am where im exactly where im supposed to be and I'm living and loving every minute of it. read more