Self-retreat Centers
Below we have included a few options for self-retreat in the United States. These options are great for those who have a teacher who they can be in touch with remotely, and enjoy practicing on their own. Since the pandemic many meditation teachers make themselves available via Zoom or phone calls for remote meditation interviews. Many more options can be found via the TAT Foundation’s website.
Lama Foundation
Founded in 1969 in Lama NM, just outside Taos. This is the place where Ram Dass wrote Be Here Now. 53 years later, this center is still a lively spiritual community. They have an amazing hermitage program, where you can stay from 1 night up to many months, on a sliding scale payment system. The residents of the community support your retreat through bringing you fresh spring water and healthy food that you can cook on a 2-burner propane stove. Whatever cost you do pay includes all your food for the reatreat.
Through the Lama Foundation’s hermitage program, one can meditate in all of their free time, with the only work required caring for your own space, cooking food, chopping wood and tending the wood stove. The two hermitage’s on site are completely off grid, with no internet or running water. A Dharma Gates team member has done a 2-month retreat here December-February. Don’t be afraid to ask for a sliding scale price that meets your needs, they are flexible.
Prajna Mountain Forest Refuge
50 Miles north of Sante Fe, deep in the Pecos Wilderness, lies the Prajna Mountain Refuge at the base of the Truchas Peaks. This center was founded by Roshi Joan Halifax in 2002. Compared to the above option, this option requires a higher level of commitment: in the winter you are snowed in for up to six months. This option is especially suited to longer retreats of between 3 months and 1 year, though shorter retreats may be possible. Not for the faint of heart, one will be snowed in and off grid in the wilderness for many months at a time at this center, melting snow for water, and eating exclusively non-perishables (except some sprouts in the winter!). In the summer its a bit less austere.
Here is the webpage and if you are interested its recommended to directly email Upaya at upaya@upaya.org to begin the process of scheduling a retreat at the refuge. The cost is currently not known, but explain your financial situation and willingness to practice and there may be flexibility to accommodate different financial situations.
Some photos here.
Yeshe Khorlo Retreat Cabins
Located in the Colorado spiritual mecca of Crestone. These retreat cabins offer a bit more on-grid experience, you are just a 1 hour walk to a grocery store and small town. Founded by Bhutanese Tibetan Master H.H. Gangteng Tulku Rinpoche, this is an excellent place to do a self-retreat. There are both on-grid and off-grid cabin options. They are booked months at a time. There is Wi-Fi available in some of the cabins which can be great for those trying to do remote interviews, and disastrous for those with a technology addiction. The cost was $500/month not including food last time this was inquired about. The local health food store accepts EBT-SNAP.
Here is the webpage including many photos of all the cabins.