I've been to several meditation retreats through these folks

[www.midatlantic.us.dhamma.org]

I'm wondering if anyone else around here has an active meditation practice and if so, what tradition (if any)?

Lee

Was practicing more or less in the zen tradition for the last 5 or 6 years, but lately have been studying and practicing more in the Theravada tradition. I have a blog on the Satipatthana Sutta (Four Foundations of Mindfulness) at

[bloggingthesatipatthana.blogspot.com]

Once a week I sit with the folks at my local korean zen sangha:

[www.dvzc.org]

And ocassionaly (though it's been a year or more) do retreats at Zen Mountain Monastery. That is actually my place of choice, but it's just too far away and too expensive right now. My plan is to move up to the woodstock/Mt. Tremper area in about 3 years. (www.mro.org)

Next week I'm visiting a Theravadan monastery, the Bhavana society in West Virginia (Sorry for all the URLS)

[www.bhavanasociety.org]

If you've ever heard of "Mindfulness in Plain English," A book on Vipassana meditation, Bhante Gunaratana is the author and he is the abbot of Bhavana society.

It's not a formal retreat, but I'm just going to hang out there for 3 days. It'll probably be more work than meditation, but that's ok. They work only off of donations and volunteers.

-DaveK

I've heard good things about the Bhavana Society. I think they and the folks at [www.dhamma.org] are the real deal because they only take donations and are not money grubbers like so many of the IMS and Spirit Rock affiliated ("insight" into money) ilk.

I'd be interested to hear about your experience at the Bhavana Society when you get back.

Lee

Not to completely defend places that take money, but I think it is very hard to run off donations only. I'll be curious to see how Bhavana functions at all with donations only. I think what you're really seeing is the difference between a secularized, urban, "insight meditation" movement as opposed to a community of Theravadan Buddhists, who live their lives wholly immersed in the practice.

The schedule for my visit calls for about 5 hours of work a day. That might be as much or more than the actual meditation practice! But it's the least I can do for housing and grub and teaching. I also plan on bringing some stuff they need.

I will let you know how it goes!

-DaveK

This organization takes only donations and is not a community of monastics:

[www.dhamma.org]

Pure dhamma, truth, becomes adulterated when you sell it. No one in Goenka's organization gets any financial or material gain from the Vipassana courses they hold.

IMS and Spirit Rock teachers live well off the fees of ignorant new age consumers.

"Those who have a strong feeling of gratitude, and a wish to serve others without expecting anything, are very rare people." -- The Buddha


Some other things to consider --

[www.dharmanet.org]

[www.dhammaweb.net]

[birken.ca]

[www.buddhanet.net]

[zarendhara.net]


An interesting read: Stephen Batchelor's "Buddhism Without Beliefs"

[www.amazon.com]