Find yourself and look within… meditation is the bridge to happiness
Open your mind. Heighten your awareness. Build your calmness and inner strength.
Maybe you need a digital detox. Are you addicted to your phone? Spend an hour, a day, a week, or a month without fidgeting with electronics, without social media, without hunching over a laptop. Is it possible? See for yourself.
Whether you want to relax and chill, or focus and amp up your concentration, meditation retreats are a mental exercise — the goal of Buddhist meditation is not just to refresh your mental health, but to allow us to be able to understand reality and improve our lives even when we are not on the meditation cushion.
Here are some reputable, non-profit, Buddhist meditation retreat centers and programs, starting with those for young adults, though many are open to all adults. Financial assistance up to full scholarships is available at most.
Comprehensive Buddhist retreats at DRBU include beginner’s tracks, spring Guan Yin Retreat, summer Sudhana Center retreat, and more
Dharma Realm Buddhist University Extension
Next In Person Retreats for 2024: March 23 - 31, June 1 - 8, July 7- 20 (for High Schoolers), plus regular online & hybrid events in California
A welcoming place for all to experience American Buddhism
Young Adults Explore Buddhism at Sravasti Abbey
For ages 18 - 29
June 14 - 20, 2024 in the rural Pacific Northwest
Experience the peaceful woodland environment of the
Dharma Drum Retreat Center in upstate New York
Multiple day and week long Chan (Zen) retreats throughout the year for all ages
Young Adults (Emerging Adulthood / ages 18 - 35) free retreat June 18 - 25, 2024
For High School Students
Summer Program for Teens at DRBU
More Residential Retreat Opportunities
Woodenfish Summer Program
An annual month-long cultural experience exploring Asian monasteries and cities, open to young adults and mostly free! No experience needed. For 2024, will be in South Korea.
Insight Meditation Society
An American multi-denominational retreat center with diverse offerings
Sravasti Abbey
The spiritual heart of Western monasticism in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition in America, there are online and in person retreats
Theravada Groups:
Thai Forest Monasteries
No scheduled retreats but many people join the community for extended stays. You can find texts and audio recordings of guided meditation and talks at dhammatalks.org
Wat Metta, in Southern California
Abhayagiri Monastery, in Northern California
Bhavana Society
A Sri Lankan Forest Monastery in West Virginia (closest major airport would be Washington DC)
Vipassana Meditation
Silent meditation retreats in the Goenka inspired tradition
Mahayana Groups:
Dharma Realm Buddhist University
Several retreats open to all ages throughout the year in Northern California as well as online classes
drbu.edu
Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association
Many regular retreats, mostly at Dharma Drum Retreat Center in upstate New York, but also at these other locations:
Dharma Drum Retreat Center (NY)
dharmadrumretreat.org
Dharma Drum Los Angeles
ddmbala.org
Tallahassee Chan Center (Florida)
tallahasseechan.org
US Zen Institute
The new Amata Meditation Center is a rural retreat center near Washington DC
uszen.org
Texas Buddhist Association
The rural American Bodhi Center hosts residential retreats near Houston TX.
americanbodhicenter.org
Thich Nhat Hanh mindfulness tradition
Three American monasteries continue the legacy of the renowned Vietnamese monk and peace advocate, headquartered at Plum Village in France.
Magnolia Grove Monastery (Mississippi)
magnoliagrovemonastery.org
Deer Park Monastery (Southern California)
deerparkmonastery.org
Blue Cliff Monastery (New York)
bluecliffmonastery.org