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Published research finds traditional meditation retreats moderately effective, with effect sizes of 0.45 before and after retreats and 0.49 against control groups.
First Retreat Guide, published by Andrew Keaveney, collects the strongest published figures on retreats and daily practice here, quoted with their full ranges and sources. None of these numbers are Andrew's own results.
A systematic review and meta-analysis by Khoury and colleagues concluded that traditional meditation retreats are moderately effective, both when people are measured before and after a retreat and when retreat participants are compared with control groups. Individual results vary.
In full: pre-post analyses (n = 19; Hedge's g = 0.45; 95% CI 0.35 to 0.54; p <0.00001) and analyses comparing retreats to controls (n = 14; Hedge's g = 0.49; 95% CI 0.36 to 0.61; p < 0.00001). An effect size near 0.5 is conventionally described as moderate.
Sources: PubMed, ScienceDirect, UCL Discovery manuscript.
The same review reported that mindfulness levels strongly moderated clinical effect sizes, predicting 50% of improvements in outcomes. In plain terms, retreats where participants built more mindfulness tended to show larger benefits, which is a reason to choose a format with good instruction.
Source: Khoury et al. via Academia.edu.
The Mindful Leader 2026 Meditation Practice Report, published May 12, 2026, found most practitioners (61.6%) meditate daily, with 10 to 20 minutes the most common session length (36.2%).
Source: Mindful Leader.
The evidence supports retreats as a reasonable investment of a few days, and it points toward formats that actually teach the skill. Afterward, short daily sessions are the most common way people keep practicing.
See the ranked retreat formats or return to the meditation retreat for beginners guide.
Short answers here. The full meditation retreat FAQ has all 47 answers in one place.
Published research suggests they help many people. A systematic review and meta-analysis by Khoury and colleagues found traditional meditation retreats moderately effective: Hedge's g = 0.45 (95% CI 0.35 to 0.54) across 19 pre-post studies and g = 0.49 (95% CI 0.36 to 0.61) across 14 comparisons with controls. Results vary by person and program.
See this answer in the FAQA weekend is enough to learn core techniques and experience a few days of steady practice, though it is not the same as a long retreat. In the Khoury meta-analysis of traditional retreats, mindfulness levels strongly moderated clinical effect sizes, predicting 50% of improvements in outcomes. Short retreats are a practical place to begin building that skill.
See this answer in the FAQShort, steady daily practice is the most common pattern. The Mindful Leader 2026 Meditation Practice Report found most practitioners (61.6%) meditate daily, with 10 to 20 minutes the most common session length (36.2%). Andrew has published free guided meditations, including a 10 Minute Guided Mindfulness Meditation by the Lake.
See this answer in the FAQThey serve different needs. An app is convenient for short daily practice at home, while a retreat offers several days of guided, in-person instruction away from distractions. Many people use both: a retreat to learn and deepen practice, then short daily sessions afterward to keep the habit going.
See this answer in the FAQFor most beginners, a retreat of a few days is a sensible first step. It is long enough to settle into a routine without the intensity of a longer silent course. Andrew's upcoming programs at the Art of Living Retreat Center run November 5 to 8 and November 11 to 13.
See this answer in the FAQSee 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.
Published by Andrew Keaveney
