Top Zen Buddhist Retreats in the United States

Tired of vacationing in hotels on crowded beaches, or visiting pristine natural areas only to find them spoiled by masses of tourists? If you're yearning for a radically different type of holiday, want feel more spiritual, or just want to find some peace and quiet, a retreat in a Buddhist monastery may be just the ticket.

The monastery retreats are meant to teach people about Zen Buddhism, and they encourage all visitors to actively participate in the programs. The visitors must follow the "Eight Gates" of Buddhism during their stay at the monastery. This means practicing Zen meditation, studying Zen teachings, and following the ethical guidelines of Zen Buddhism. The monasteries have causes that they support as part of their ethical beliefs.

Many Zen Buddhist monasteries in the United States have weekend retreats designed to teach tourists about their philosophy. For example, the Zen Mountain Monastery in New York hosts weekend retreats year-round on a variety of topics. Their most popular retreat is their "Introduction to Zen Training Retreat," offered four times a year at just $225 a session. This fee gets you dormitory-style accommodation, food, and all of the weekend teachings. An added bonus is the gorgeous setting. The Zen Mountain Monastery sits on 230 acres of forest in upstate New York.

Their activities include meditation, teachings from an Abbot, and participation in their charitable causes. They also have sessions of Zen art and Zen exercise, such as Tai Chi. They recognize that people need to work to live, so they include teachings on how to integrate Zen living into your working life.

The Zen Monastery Peace Center is located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. They have a secondary location in Delaware, for Zen enthusiasts on the other side of the country. Like the Zen Mountain Monastery, they offer retreats for those who are new to Zen, as well as people who wish to further their Zen education. One of their retreats, titled "There is Nothing Wrong With You" Retreat, offers to free participants from their own critical and self-hating inner voices.

Other Zen Buddhist monasteries in the US that offer retreats include the Green Mountain Dharma monastery in Vermont, the Dai Bai Zan Cho Bo Zen Temple in Seattle, Washington, and Clouds in Water Zen center in Minnesota. If none of these monasteries are located near you, there are plenty with their own websites for you to search among online.

A Zen Buddhist retreat may not be the best option for everyone. If you have questions, you can read the monastery's literature online or get in touch with a local Buddhists who may have experienced one of these retreats.