A Structured Retreat is the Best Place to Learn to Meditate
There are many ways to learn meditation, but none so enjoyable as the immersive retreat set in an idyllic location, where you can truly get away from it all. “There’s a reason why Buddhist monasteries have traditionally been built on high mountaintops or deep in the forest,” says Melvin McLeod, editor-in-chief of the Buddhist meditation publication Shambhala Sun. “Getting into nature and breaking from the usual storylines of our lives helps us to tap into our own deeper consciousness.” He says there has been an upsurge in people looking for a spiritual meditation retreat, rather than the generic luxury vacation experience, especially as baby boomers age and find they’re missing something in life. According to McLeod, “The real goal is to get to the point where actual physical escape is secondary-where the meditation itself is the retreat.”
Travel and Leisure Magazine lately ranked their top 10 worldwidemeditation retreats. Number one on their list was Ananda in the Himalayas, a beautiful 100-acre property in Uttaranchal, India, which has wide views of the foothills of the Himalayan mountains, the temple villages of Hardiwar and Rishikesh, and the Ganges River. Facilities include a 21,000-square-foot spa, meditation and yoga pavilions, a tea lounge, an antique billiards room and the former maharajah’s palace.
Here, individuals will get one-on-one guided meditation custom-made to their individual needs. Stretching, yoga, Buddhist meditation teachings and breathing exercises are taught in hour long classes during the day. This retreat appeals to all kinds of individuals, including a large number of luxury travelers who have never visited a spiritual hideaway till now.
Another place to learn meditation is the White Cloud Sanctuary in Santa Ana, Costa Rica. Just west of the San José capital, you’ll stay in a one-person tile-roofed casita with its own kitchen, bathroom and living area, while enjoying breathtaking mountain views. This quaint 13-acre property amid the jungle mountainside can only take one person at a time, so you’ll be completely alone in your rigorous study of Tai Chi and QiGong meditation. When you’re not meditating, you can take a walk through organic vegetable gardens, horse farms and groves of mango, banana and papaya trees. Meals aren’t included with this program, but you can purchase healthy food at the lodge.
The Holy Isle on the Isle of Arran, Scotland is situated on a private two-mile island. At the north end, you’ll find the Centre for World Peace and Health, which takes you along rugged paths to the green interior, where you’ll learn meditation in the Tibetan Kagyu tradition. Long-term residents can be found living in isolation on the south end of the island, where they’re furthering their studies. The rooms are very minimal, with shared baths. The grounds hold rare wildlife, such as Eriskay ponies and Saanen goats, as well as many indigenous plants.
In today’s stress filled society, meditation for beginners might be just what you need to manage your life more effectively. Learning some easy meditation exercises can calm and focus your mind, and help you gain awareness of yourself and your surroundings.
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