Find a place to meditate.
This page is dedicated to providing resources for people interested in finding a residential Buddhist monastery or retreat center to train at. All of these monasteries have either been directly visited by our team or have been recommended by our mentors and advisors. In some cases we may be able to connect you for a phone call with a current or former monastic or lay resident to these centers. We try to write about these opportunities with objectivity, but of course there will always be some unavoidable bias.
Our intention is that we continue to refine and build these resources out over time. If you have information that you believe would improve these recommendations, please let us know!
Theravada, or “the path of the elders” is practiced primarily in countries Thailand, Burma, and Sri Lanka. This lineage attempts to follow the teachings and traditions of the historical Buddha and the Theravada commentaries: it aims at cultivating wholesome states of mind and liberating the individual practitioner from suffering.
Mahayana, meaning the “great vehicle”, is practiced primarily in East Asia -China, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea. This school includes Zen Buddhism, but many other traditions as well. The basis of Mahayana practice is the Bodhisattva Vow - a deep dedication to awakening for the sake of all sentient beings, thereby relieving all suffering everywhere.
Vajrayana, the “Diamond-Cutting Vehicle” is practiced primarily in Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, Northern India, and the Himalayas generally. A fusion of early Buddhism with Mahayana, Indian tantra, and native shamanic traditions of Tibet, Tibetan Buddhism is known for being colorful, esoteric, and employing an enormous variety of practices for the sake of individual and collective liberation. It is the historically most recent Buddhist development.
Do you have a teacher and practice already and are just looking for a quiet place to meditate? A self-retreat is a great option if you are looking to go deep in your practice and feel that you have the support remotely via phone or Zoom meditation interviews. We have included centers that are on the more economical side, where you can do any practice you like, with minimal oversight or obligations.