Residential guided retreat
You stay on site for several days and a teacher leads each session. This is the format Andrew Keaveney teaches at the Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone, North Carolina, pairing breathwork with meditation.
Definitions
What is a meditation retreat?
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A meditation retreat is a set period, usually a few days, spent practicing meditation away from daily routines under the guidance of a teacher.
A retreat, or retreat meditation as some people search for it, trades scattered minutes for several days of steady practice. First Retreat Guide, published by Andrew Keaveney, explains the main formats here so you can match one to your experience before booking.
What types of meditation retreat are there?
The four formats most people compare are residential guided retreats, silent retreats, Vipassana courses and yoga and meditation retreats. They differ mainly in how much talking, teaching and movement fill the day.
Silent meditation retreat
Participants refrain from talking for most of the program. People searching for a silent meditation retreat near me usually want extended stillness; some practice beforehand helps.
Vipassana meditation retreat
An insight meditation tradition commonly taught as a structured silent course of several days or more. A Vipassana meditation retreat is demanding and suits people ready for long silence.
Yoga and meditation retreat
Physical postures share the schedule with seated practice. Those searching yoga and meditation retreat near me often want movement as well as stillness.
Definition: meditation retreat
A meditation retreat is a structured stay of one or more days dedicated to meditation practice, typically led by a teacher and organized around a daily schedule of sessions, meals and rest. Residential retreats include lodging. Andrew Keaveney's retreats at the Art of Living Retreat Center combine breathwork with meditation, an approach he has taught for over 17 years.
Do meditation retreats work?
According to a systematic review and meta-analysis by Khoury and colleagues, traditional meditation retreats are moderately effective: Hedge's g = 0.45 (95% CI 0.35 to 0.54, p < 0.00001) across 19 pre-post analyses, and g = 0.49 (95% CI 0.36 to 0.61, p < 0.00001) across 14 comparisons with controls. The same review found mindfulness levels strongly moderated clinical effect sizes, predicting 50% of improvements in outcomes.
Source: PubMed abstract and author manuscript.
Finding a meditation retreat near me
Start with centers you can reach by car, then compare format, length, teacher experience and lodging. Searches like yoga meditation retreat Costa Rica are popular, but international travel adds cost and jet lag that can crowd out a first retreat.
In the Southeast, the Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone, North Carolina, hosts Andrew's residential retreats. See the ranked comparison of retreat formats or go back to the meditation retreat for beginners guide.
Common questions
Short answers here. The full meditation retreat FAQ has all 47 answers in one place.
What is a meditation retreat?
A meditation retreat is time set aside, usually a few days, to practice meditation away from daily routines with guidance from a teacher. Residential retreats include lodging and a daily schedule. Andrew Keaveney leads residential breathwork and meditation retreats at the Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone, North Carolina.
See this answer in the FAQWhat is a silent meditation retreat?
A silent meditation retreat asks participants to refrain from talking for most or all of the program so attention can turn inward. Many Vipassana courses work this way. Not every retreat is silent. Andrew's listed programs are a breathwork and meditation retreat and a happiness retreat; confirm whether silence is part of a program on its official listing.
See this answer in the FAQWhat is a Vipassana meditation retreat?
Vipassana is an insight meditation tradition, and Vipassana meditation retreats are commonly taught as structured silent courses lasting several days or longer. That is a different format from the retreats Andrew Keaveney leads, which pair guided breathing techniques with meditation. If you specifically want a strict silent format, a Vipassana course may suit you better.
See this answer in the FAQHow do I find a meditation retreat near me?
Start with retreat centers within driving distance, then compare program length, format, teacher experience and lodging. If you live in or near the Southeast, the Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone, North Carolina, sits in the Blue Ridge Mountains and hosts Andrew Keaveney's residential retreats. Its website lists every upcoming program.
See this answer in the FAQWhat is the difference between a yoga retreat and a meditation retreat?
A yoga retreat centers on physical postures, usually alongside some breathing and meditation, while a meditation retreat centers on seated practice and breathing techniques. Andrew studied yoga, meditation and Sanskrit at an ashram in India; his listed programs are the Breathwork and Meditation Retreat and the Happiness Retreat.
See this answer in the FAQWhat are the best meditation retreats in the US?
The best retreat depends on your experience, preferred format, budget and location. Compare teacher experience, program length, silent or guided format, lodging and travel time. This site, published by Andrew Keaveney, covers his residential retreats at the Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone, North Carolina, and does not rate other centers.
See this answer in the FAQCome sit with us in the mountains.
See Andrew Keaveney's upcoming residential retreats at the Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone, North Carolina, or send him a question about which one fits you.