There is concern on how a person will reach the retreat centre if he does not have his own vehicle. There is no guarantee of lifts provided by the retreat. But, hopefully, there are other retreatants or the former retreat participants who can offer lift for the person who is visiting the centre for the first time.
To travel some paths through the public transport is possible, but it may involve a lot of changes in the destination. So, one has to travel by train to the provided station and take a taxi. The taxi fare is also known to the person by the retreat centre and sometimes half the way is traveled by bus too. The bus tour is taken to avoid the taxi fare, but sometimes such buses frequency are infrequent and may not be at suitable time.
So if a person has to avoid the taxi fares, he will need to start early in the morning to get the bus to the village and from there, he will need to walk and carry his baggage with him. The centre may be situated near a farm track and it may take a while for the person to reach it.
But if he is traveling by a public transport, he will surely need to plan his return journey. Usually, it is not impossible to get a lift from the retreat centre to the station or to a place from where the person can get a taxi. The retreat centre does not provide all the information of the location and the travel method because the centre is not open for casual visitors. The full details are provided only on the confirmation of the booking by the person.
Other considerations of the retreat
At most of the retreats, they can ask the person to arrive from 6 to 7 pm. They do not serve meal on the first evening and so they advise such people to plan to eat during their traveling tour itself. One can bring along with him sandwiches to eat on arriving the centre.
After the retreat
It is advised that the participant try to plan a couple of days alone after he returns his home from the retreat. The centre realizes to stay alone will not be possible as there may be limits on the number of days leave that the person may have taken from work. There may also be a family or any other engagements which is difficult to avoid for the person.
But, it can be possible for the person to arrange some quiet time with himself as he would appreciate it. To have spent many days in a silent retreat centre, he may find it as a re entry to the daily noise and it may be an overwhelming experience for him. Further, such participants can experience such intensive meditation practice which establishes awareness inside him. This won’t get switched off instantly the moment he comes out of the retreat. It may take some time for the person to adapt to the surrounding sudden noise.
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