Have you ever been on a "Spiritual" retreat type holiday?

[Fidel]

I have never been on a retreat as such, but I have hosted an Ayahausca retreat in my pousada (B&B) which lasted 10 days. Participants drank the tea every other night. The only discipline was no booze, red meat, sugar or salt for the duration.
I got to participate for free but its not cheap if you are paying. Still an interesting option healing/spiritual/meditation retreat setting and a very strong DMT based psychedelic just to make sure! I appreciated the emphasis on non-social interaction during the actual sessions. A very effective way to take mind bending drugs in a group setting.
There are lots of people offering this type of retreat mainly in South America, but DMT seems to attract loonies so anyone thinking of attending one, do your research well!

 

[Dr Jon]

I asked this girl at work from Gujarati about ashram's and she just laughed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajneesh
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sathya_Sai_Baba
http://www.rationalistinternational.net/article/2008/20080310/en_1.html

 

[JWH]

non-social interaction during the actual sessions.

What's non-social interaction? "Let's give each other a bit of space while we're all bugging out"?

 

[Fidel]

What's non-social interaction? "Let's give each other a bit of space while we're all bugging out"?

Pretty much! The next day people are encouraged to chat about their trip but during the night social interaction is discouraged as is dancing or running around.

This group has a big round building in the forest. Everyone gathers in a circle drinks, states their intent and drinks the foul tasting tea and then retires to a mattress which are spread around the walls also in a circle. Next to your mattress you have a bucket to puke in. Everyone does a collective meditation designed to activate the imagination as they come up.
As the brew just takes you the best position for most is lying down,, the lights are off and the only input is some trippy music or sometimes the just as trippy sounds of the forest at night.

For the last few sessions I put on a blind fold and ear plugs to cut out as much external input as possible. It is a very strong experience and some people in the group were talking, shouting, crying or laughing without knowing what they are doing. It took some getting used to not having a fire to sit around with a brew and spliff for the after the peak.
The chat at breakfast time is pretty bizarre some have amazing visions, some totally freaked out and there was one guy who no matter how much he drank nothing happened

 

[Hollis]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajneesh
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sathya_Sai_Baba
http://www.rationalistinternational.net/article/2008/20080310/en_1.html

I had a look round the Ashram at Pune when I was "travelling".. did seem
to fit the bill. Lots of Germans with perms and slightly too vacant smiles. I'm only jealous. I think it costs about 40,000 rupees per night to stay there or summat.

 

[the button]

Why not join a monastic order of some kind?

Benedictines are usually quite receptive to someone just wanting to go and hang out with them for a while. IIRC, their approach to the retreat is quite laid back in that there's someone there you can talk to if you like, but mostly it's just a question of entering into the rhythm of their lives.

IIRC, it's only the contemplative religious orders in the UK that are growing -- the Carthusians actually had a waiting list a few years back.

 

[Dr Jon]

I had a look round the Ashram at Pune when I was "travelling".. did seem
to fit the bill. Lots of Germans with perms and slightly too vacant smiles. I'm only jealous. I think it costs about 40,000 rupees per night to stay there or summat.

Yes, I recall that it was stupidly expensive.
But then this is the gateway to paradise - and the gatekeeper likes his Rolls-Royces...

 

[8ball]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajneesh
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sathya_Sai_Baba
http://www.rationalistinternational.net/article/2008/20080310/en_1.html

I don't understand the last link.

Is there some kind of holiday you can go on where an evil wizard tries to kill you?

Aside from Center Parcs, obv

 

[6_6]

I wanted to go to Mysore in India for Ashtanga practice.
But after hearing my instructor saying she didn't really enjoy it as there were too many rich hippies types of women there with designer yogi clothes, standing and posing. I'm a bit put off by it.
I never see it as a 'spiritual' retreat though, more like a study to me.

 

[Dr Jon]

I don't understand the last link.

Is there some kind of holiday you can go on where an evil wizard tries to kill you?

Aside from Center Parcs, obv

The last link is the antidote to the previous two.
Watch thou for the blah-blah man!

 

[electric.avenue]

skyros holidays!! (though not the skiing )

That's what I was just going to suggest. I'd love to try one of those, but I think they don't come cheap.

Lots of my mates fancy holidays such as this, but end up going away on cheap packages cos they haven't got the dosh.

If you want to chill for cheap, try Turkey, say, Kalkan, or round the Fethiye area.