Hmm. I wonder what kind of person I'd be if I had the privelege and luxury to be by myself without having to talk to anyone or be a slave to mt phone, for ten damn days. Imagine!
I want to go to there!
I want to go to there!
In this case they are more a Japanese style of Zen Buddhism... Quite stark and austere.
There are formal retreats during the late spring to early fall. There is a retreat fee and different sorts of lodging prices (from shared dorms to private cabins on the creek).
Some people just go to work and stay there at a reduced to minimal cost (typical work could be anything from landscaping to the kitchen to helping clean cabins). This sort of approach one stays in one of the dorms.
What was surprising to me is the number of people there. Monks/students probably between 80 and 100 with guests in the same range.
Tassajara Zen Center website has more details I believe. There are two other properties as well (in SF and in Marin County).
The retreat my wife and I did was "Zen in the Kitchen" plus an extra day to just unwind. Cooking, for me, is one way I do relax. We really wanted to do their Bread class.
The retreat structure for us was: - meditation in the morning - maybe something like Qigong or similar after that - breakfast (family style) - set up your lunch for the day (pack in tins/lunch box) - morning session - a break - lunch - afternoon session - dinner - evening meditation
It seems like sessions are informal, if you want to wander off and just hike, use the pools, etc, there is no problem.
Oh, and most importantly, the food is amazing (even as a meat eater).
I don't use my phone for anything but SMS and phone calls. I don't have any other apps on it (or at least any apps that I use). Occasionally I use my phone for maps, but that's it.
No Facebook messages, no email, no twitter. I think I do get hangouts, but nobody sends me messages via hangouts/Gchat.
Usually you have to register about 4 months in advance, you can find a center close to you on http://dhamma.org.
Just realize how there will _always_ be new things happening and work never ends and is never finished, so missing 10 days is nothing and no job is so important that it can't be interrupted for 10 days or done by someone else for that period.
How much does registering for the course cost?
[edit] Yup, the article address this: ...these courses are 100% financed by voluntary gifts from previous students (who are explicitly asked not to donate anything unless it is from the pure wish of helping other people).
On my first retreat, I decided to leave after two days. I told my meditation guide at the daily personal meeting that I would stop. He jokingly said "I'll make sure that you get the refund". His light-hearted response made me realize that I made a monster out of my cravings for daily distractions.
I continued the retreat. It was amazing!
> privelege
> and luxury
You would probably see yourself as less of a victim of unfair external circumstances.