This is a Theravada monastery that primarily serves the Vietnamese community in Riverside County…read more I sat two ten-day silent meditation retreats there. [The last time I was there was four months ago - reposting an earlier google maps review is a tad overdue.] The emphasis is on insight practice (AKA mindfulness, or vipassana "clear seeing"). At this particular retreat the head teacher, the Ven. Khippapanno, offered instruction in anapanasati breathing (as a concentration practice) then moved on to the body sweeping technique taught by Sayadagyi U Ba Khin, and popularized by SN Goenka. We ended the retreat with some Metta practice. If you're used to western meditation centers, sitting a retreat here will be an interesting change of pace. While retreatants will spend 90% of their time in the meditation hall (there are three of them here), their (shared) dorm rooms or the dining hall; the grounds feature a large shrines, a stupha, quite a few interesting statues, and what looks like a large library/guest lounge. Some of buildings are quite impressive, and the shrine is beautiful. When you practice walking meditation, it feels as though you're walking through a small Buddhist city. Please note: Most of the instruction is given in Vietnamese. While the monks and nuns in residence do their best to provide translations of the instructions and talks in a timely manner; it's helpful to have some prior retreat experience, before going on retreat here. I imagine the experience is akin to that of the Europeans and Americans who travel to study at convents, monasteries and meditation centers abroad in the fifties, sixties and seventies, when those places didn't necessarily go out of their way to cater to the needs or whims of Western students. You were expected to make the effort to keep up with them, not the other way around. That said, the people are very, very nice (as one would expect in a monastic environment), the practice traditional and quite rigorous, the food is good and simple and the accommodations spartan but comfortable enough. If I had to compare, going on retreat here isn't as fancy or comfortable as sitting retreats at the Spirit Rock or Big Bear Retreat Centers (which are very nice, but pricey). In some ways, it's akin to the retreats sponsored by Against the Stream, which are held at summer camps that had been re-purposed in the off-season. I'm very glad to have sat retreat here.

This was my 2nd time attending the vipassana meditation retreat. I feel very blessed to have the…read moreopportunity to learn from the best meditation master. He's 95 years old this year and still very sharp. The compassion that he has for all beings really shows during the retreat. He worked really hard day in and day out answering all of our questions. Helping us with the meditation. All of the monks and nuns here are also very helpful. They're very kind with so much wisdom. I recommend this temple for anyone who want to learn meditation and Theravada Buddhism. Beautiful temple, very clean and peaceful here. I cannot wait to attend the next meditation class if they ever have another one this year.

I really love this studio and feel extremely lucky to have found it! I love the challenging classes…read moreand the very precise instruction (including detailed guidance on form and suggestions for trying out more advanced poses and thoughtfully/carefully adjusting one's body to more effectively get into various poses). I also love how the challenging nature of the classes is balanced with a calm, warm, and comfortable studio environment. I've been doing yoga for almost 15 years now and this is tied (with my first hot yoga studio in Albuquerque, NM) for my favorite studio of all time. You rock, Tula! Other stuff: - I love the classes from Angelique and Frank the most but I've truly never had a bad instructor. Laurel and Kyra are excellent too. - This studio offers a ton of different classes at different times. (I first started coming here because it was the only studio in the Redlands/Riverside area that offered evening hot yoga classes that worked with my work schedule.)

This place has really gone down hill. I used to love going to their old location, I was a loyal…read moremonthly member and enjoyed it a lot. Due to finances I had to stop going for a while. Since then, they've moved to a terrible location with 5 parking spots. I drove by there after PAYING for my class and there was NO parking and I took one look at the place and opted out anyways. It's in a very dangerous area- I'm not parking a half mile away to walk on a busy street at night as a small woman. This is really frustrating. Move to an unsafe location, have no parking, can't get your money back for a drop in class, the website NEVER works- and their prices haven't gone down so what exactly are we paying for? The owners Tesla in the private parking lot they have (behind a big black gate) because they know it's in an unsafe location. It's giving scam. Disappointing. I won't be back.

Cleansing session anyone?…read more When you're looking for the perfect way to start the Chinese New Year! This is a temple which my mom's best friend who is Thai recommended as she comes here and brings food for the monks every week. During a Chinese New Year, as you may already know, Asian parents want you to wash all your sins so that you could have a prosperous new year. So mom advised me to visit the Virgin Mary statue in Long Beach and then to this Thai temple. Although I'm not Buddhist, I've been very interested in Buddhism lately as I've read a lot of scientific reviews regarding the affects of sound and prayer of specific séances which can actually heal the body and at other times destroy cancer. The temple is situated on a beautiful lot with tons of citrus trees and a bunch of oversized cock statues. There were three monks who worked on the day I visited. We removed our shoes and went in. We were then provided an envelope to write our name and place a cash monetary donation in. After that you kneel in front of the monks before they simultaneously start chanting. It was such a beautiful feeling and to feel the love and energy through their vibrations which really heals the mind and relieves stress. If you've into sound healing with bowls you'll like this! They then gave both my mom and I a necklace and a bracelet before we left. Traditionally monks are not supposed to touch a woman's hand or body so they delicately placed my bracelet onto my wrist carefully as to not touch my skin. They sent me home with some holy water to rinse in the shower and were so nice that they also gave me a huge serving of their freshly picked loquats and two grapefruits which were both organically grown in their lush front yard garden. The loquat skin was so sweet although the actual fruit was a bit sour. The head monk takes pictures with his guests and texts his guests pictures of their visit. The day after I visited he reached out to me and told me that he will be praying for three days to make me a special holy water. He also told me that when I come back, he had a gift for me and that it was a Buddha amulet from the infamous monk Somdej Watrakang from Thailand. This is the best therapy if you're looking to meditate and clear your mind. There's always a serenity that really cleanses the soul when you leave a temple or monastery. I'm definitely coming back here again and will try to be a regular.

Sometimes we all need reminders about the beauty in simplicity. My Sister took me to an event that…read moreincluded Monk Chanting, Spiritual Speaking, & Light Yoga workout. Blessed.. Monk's could not have been kinder and supportive of your being there. It's their religion to share space in humanity without Material or Current News Events. The talk was a clear attempt to shift our minds to a kinder way of living, which is LOVING... please remember our donations, although never requested, are greatly welcomed and worth the experience without doubt. Namaste & Please Support Love Today & Today Only!

Chua Thien An - Desert Zen Center, http://www.desertzencenter.org/…read more Desert Zen Center 10989 Buena Vista Rd. Lucerne Valley, CA 92356-7303 Temple Phone: 760-985-4567 Email: Thich An Giao Roshi- RoshiAnGiao@outlook.com Email: Thich Tam Vui Mung - DesertZenCtr@gmail.com Very nice and cozy Buddhist free Meditation Center. There're a couple of building for kitchen, meditation hall, etc. The Abbot there has been a monk for many many years. A very nice & compassionate monk. If you want to study about meditation and or Buddhist, contact the center for more info. It is a very nice and peaceful place. I will come back to stay longer to learn & practice meditation.

Sunday service starts with a class at 9:30 AM then formal service at 11:00. No appointment just…read moreshow up:)

Get ready to your yoga pants? What the f with the food. Vegetarian, great - has anyone here never…read moreheard of tofu. Here's your platter of 6 different cruciferous vegetables with a side of beans. Bloated and gassy the entire time and this really took away from the experience. The flavor/preparation of the food was mostly good, I don't understand how it's possible to F up a frittata though. The seating is beautiful and peaceful and the cabins are clean, maybe pack your own food or tell the staff you're on a fobmab diet or something.

Great accommodations, food and teachers (not in that order). Highly recommended. On site hiking…read moretrails, resources and stunning vistas. Have been to five and all very good experiences.

Royal Way retreats are truly a one of a kind experience. Really deep and meaningful, lots of…read morelaughter and joy, all while being extremely practical for my day-to-day city life. If you're looking for spiritual enlightenment, this is definitely the place to find it.

Each and every Royal Way Retreat I've attended has been transformative. Without exception…read more Teachings I've learned are spiritual in nature but are taught in a way that are applicable to everyday life. Not only has my mental and emotional wellness improved through attending RW retreats but my relationships and my business have become more fulfilling and more abundant. So much gratitude to the humble, real and deep retreat leaders. Highly recommend!

Sometimes we need a reset . Our minds are cluttered and we need to take the time to relax. This…read moremeditation center has meditation sessions where it is guided and have one day retreats to learn more about it. The nice thing is that they will be opening up a larger meditation hall! I went to their groundbreaking ceremony and am excited to see when it opens up . I have actually attended this center for decades and the people there are friendly. Check out www.peacepointmeditation.org for their sessions. Included are photos from the groundbreaking ceremony ;)

As a Buddhist of the Thai Theravada tradition, I was excited when I first thought I could attend…read moredharma talks by legit Thai monks here in CA. When I looked into visiting, it was quite odd to me that the website was asking me to pay to reserve a seat before ever even going. This struck me as odd. Only a bit of investigation was needed before I quickly learned this is a cult with tremendous wealth and power. Rather than accepting "Dana," a contribution made of generosity in Buddhism, where no one is turned away due to a lack of funds to meditate, they specifically charge and further proclaim, the more you donate, the 'better your merit. Be careful if you get involved with this group. They advocate for materialism and wealth, which is absolutely not in alignment with the ancient teachings of the Buddha. In fact, his views were *the very opposite*.

Customer service. We came in early for our appointment as a couple. We were scheduled for the…read moreoxygen chairs and then the salt cave. Everything was fine until the salt cave. They weren't prepared for the amount of people scheduled to be in the room. They were short one chair for my husband. My hubby and I waited patiently outside the room for them to bring him a chair while everyone else went in. By the time they set up his chair, everyone was already lying down in their chairs with their blankets and eyes closed. My husband's chair was placed in the back of the room right under the fountain light. Before I had a chance to say something, they announced, we will be closing the door and shutting off the lights. Therefore, I didn't say anything, assuming this would include the fountain light my hubby was under. It wasn't. His light remained on. He tried his best to use the blanket he grabbed to cover his eyes from the brightness. I couldn't enjoy my own experience knowing he was placed in such an awkward position in the room. Once the session was over, I kindly asked the staff member to stay back so I can show her that his chair was placed right under the light in an awkward corner of the room. She immediately said, well you could have moved the chair around. We actually couldn't have based on the size of the room and them bringing us in at a later time, when everyone was already laying down in their chairs with their blankets. Overall, I tried to voice our disappointment with the experience in a respectful and discreet way. The employee became defensive instead of listening to our concerns. She chose to argue back. The employee finally said sorry once we were at the check out counter in-front of everyone, making it more awkward for me & my husband. We paid everything in advance, and when we were trying to leave, she stopped us and said she needed to check we were good to go. Making us stay there longer, just waiting. We don't recommend this place due to the customer service. They only offered a 50 discount for a future experience with an expiration date. We don't plan to come back.

I just had the most relaxing reset at Salt Oasis and I'm honestly still glowing…read more From the moment I walked in, the whole space felt so calming and cozy--like an instant escape from the chaos of everyday life The salt cave was my favorite part it literally felt like a warm hug. The atmosphere is so peaceful, and you can actually feel your body slow down and relax I also tried the breathing chair and I'm OBSESSED it helped me slow my breathing down and I walked out feeling calmer, clearer, and more energized all at once I ended my visit with a sound bath which was the perfect way to fully reset my mind, body, and soul If you've been feeling stressed, anxious, or just need a moment for yourself... I can't recommend this enough ‍ 10/10 experience--this is your sign to romanticize your wellness era

I did not know this place even existed until today, and sad I never made it here before today…read more I didn't catch her name but I was greeted upon arriving and Offered help as I was browsing, eventually asking for help I was shown exactly what I came in for. But the best part was the lady who helped me went out of my way to show me the sound bath items and give me a demo, as well as telling me other things they offered based on what I had talked about. We be coming here again soon.

I enjoy going to The Sacred Journey store in the Canyon Crest Town Center for some me time. Every…read moretime I am browsing throughout the shop, I am filled with a sense of peace and belonging. I know when I go in here, it's like an escape from the harsh realities of the outside world. Here I feel safe to be in contemplative thought and with a relatively quiet environment, it feels nice to not have to force conservation. To cheer myself up, I treat myself to a crystal every once in a while. I carefully read the labels that they have in their selection, and pick crystals based on what I resonate with most. The look is also really important to me as it is symbolic, I am a fan of quirky shaped crystals.

My place of zen. What a wonderful group of people brought together by a wonderful couple who…read moregenuinely care for the community. I am so glad I found this place.

Took their Monday yoga class for the first time last night. It was a very relaxed environment, the…read moreuse of props was great, the flow was very gentle and calming. Exactly what was needed for a Monday night. The room was warm but not uncomfortable and the scents used in the room and during the practice were refreshing. I am excited to go back and try a meditation class but I'm sure I'll be back for another Monday yoga class. What a great way to start off the week.