are there buddhist monastaries/religious cloisters

If you're allowed to meditate in your room from 4-6.30, I'm blatantly just going to stay in bed everyday.

But yeah, a nature break would definitely be much more enjoyable. You might not learn the breathing techniques to alleviate stress or be cut-off enough to re-think your goals in life. But it'd put some colour in your cheeks and give you time to read a couple of books.

The only problem when you decide to do sth such as meditation on your own, you end up not doing it, especially if you're a watmmer.

most of the zen centers i know about usually wont let you do more than a day long stay unless you've got some experience. if you've not *sat* for great lengths of time in meditation it's unlikely you'll last for a week. the pain will be awful and you'll be bored out of your mind. I would warm up with a 1-2 day retreat first (zen centers call these sesshins)

my brother is a buddhist monk in Thailand and I grew up a zen buddhist so I'm not pulling your chain. 10-hour days of sitting/walking meditation are TOUGH.

  On 3/23/2011 at 5:42 PM, Franklin said:

most of the zen centers i know about usually wont let you do more than a day long stay unless you've got some experience. if you've not *sat* for great lengths of time in meditation it's unlikely you'll last for a week. the pain will be awful and you'll be bored out of your mind. I would warm up with a 1-2 day retreat first (zen centers call these sesshins)

 

my brother is a buddhist monk in Thailand and I grew up a zen buddhist so I'm not pulling your chain. 10-hour days of sitting/walking meditation are TOUGH.

Yeah, but Zen and Vipassana are two different traditions. Zen requires one to sit properly, it's really painful indeed, whereas Vipassana just requires you to sit down.

while zen does spend a bit more time focussed on proper sitting to align the spine, this actually helps ease pain. without this proper form sitting is much more difficult especially for beginners.

good luck ;)

  On 3/23/2011 at 6:50 PM, Franklin said:

while zen does spend a bit more time focussed on proper sitting to align the spine, this actually helps ease pain. without this proper form sitting is much more difficult especially for beginners.

 

good luck ;)

it's not only about the spine, it's also about legs and joints. Lotus position is painful for legs and joints, not for the spine. With Vipassana you can sit against a wall for instance.

  On 3/23/2011 at 4:13 PM, Coalbucket PI said:

I'd rather just walk somewhere remote and camp for a week, commune with nature and shit.

This is what I need.

Are handstands allowed?

zen absolutely does not require lotus or half-lotus positions. most of the north americans that i know that are practising zen meditation sit in a burmese position or seiza position with pillows under the ass. link to what the positions look like:

positions

I guess what i'm getting at is that it matters not how you sit, it will be painful on any joints not used to having your natural weight applied to them.. even if you are allowed to take some of the weight and apply it to the wall.

i might be ok...im naturally double jointed on my legs.

for some reason im able to move my legs in very strange positions...by all logic they would crack open.

when i was a kid i used to put my legs over my head and then walk around on my hands...was cool.