I'm looking for a Buddhist retreat to attend.

[patrick t. cakes]

I'm planning a trip to the west coast, (Cal. up to Oregon)
and wanted to spend some time in a Buddhist monastery, to learn and experience and see
if Buddhism is something, as a spiritual philosophy, I want to study further. What little I know about Buddhism

Keeps me coming back, little by little for more. I'm planning on moving out to Oregon this coming spring (perhaps for grad school)
and wanted to take a bit of a road trip, up the coast and hopefully meander my way into an enlightening experience.

I'm a little concerned about running into charlatans or disingenuous individuals and really want an authentic, enjoyable experience. Any advice? Thanks in advance, P

[FreeState]

1. Do you already meditate?

Most retreats are meditation heavy - so unless you are already comfortable meditating for 1/2 an hour at a time or more, depending on the retreat, you might want to look for a weekend or day long retreat if this is all new to you.

You might want to check out Spirit Rock (just outside of San Francisco). They have a variety of retreats for different levels (Western/American Theravada based, started by Jack Kornfield etc).

http://www.spiritrock.org/

[patrick t. cakes]

2. Thank you.

I don't meditate. I've tried but it's extremely difficult to
maintain. This is very new and I'll heed your advice. Thanks for the link.

[oxymoron]

3. Try Deer Park Monastery in Escondido, CA

Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. I will be going on a retreat there with him in September. I know they have weekly daily/events. http://deerparkmonastery.org/

You also might check out his books. Very accessible and simple teachings on mindfulness. http://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Here-Discovering-Present/dp/1590308387/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1304601038&sr=8-10

A Collective Awakening for the Future of Our Planet: http://vimeo.com/8184071