Trying to find a meditation retreat centre or monastery in Australia where I can meditate pretty much full time (I don’t mind having to help cook/clean as part of the daily schedule) for an extended period of time. Does anyone know any centres and/or monasteries apart from the Vipassana centres? Having a bit of a tough time to find a place.

I also don't mind paying a reasonable amount for week to week accomodation.

I am also studying and practicing The Mind Illuminated. 

Thank you

There's the BSWA in Perth if you want to check out Thai Forest Theravada style Buddhism.

Bump

Hi Tom

Good question. There's also the Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre (http://bmimc.org.au/) which I think has some people stay to cook and clean. Not sure of the details. 

I'm curious why you exclude the Vipassana centres. I guess you mean the Goenka ones. Having spent a lot of time in them myself, I can see there are advantages and the opposite to those places. So I'm not a devotee of their cult. It's just that I'm curious to know your reasons if you don't mind to share. 

Thank you everyone for your replies.

I have nothing against Vipassana (Goenka lineage), in fact I have sat and served there myself . The reason why I excluded them here is because I am trying to explore other retreats/monasteries in order to maximise my retreat time (and for future references). At the moment I am interested in doing longer retreats, and no Vipassana centres (in Australia) at the moment has space available for me. 

Ok. I understand. Yes, it's a tough time. I've been involved the past few years in hopping around Asia to spend as much of each year in retreat centres. The availability and affordability of training opportunities is staggering (my website details some of them here : https://placestomeditate.wordpress.com/), but this year has thrown a huge spanner in the works for anyone who wants to practice intensively for a decent period. I can only suggest hanging on till next year when the country opens a bit more then head for Asia. 

All the best!

Yeah nice. I have actually already visited your website as part of my research thank you haha. At this rate I am going to rent cheap accomodation and just run my own solo retreats 

following

im looking for somewhere i can go and stay at with my dog!  

Hey there Tom - I've just purchased a 100acres (as the crow flys) of wilderness, tucked into a mountain range on a beautiful river in NE NSW. It's got a little 3 bedroom house, and I'm setting it up as a share house for meditators who want to do self directed retreats. It's very early days, but I have spare beds and rooms available for sincere practitioners if you wanted to come soonish.
The vision is a permaculture farm that can feed 10 to 15 practitioners. The house will be able to accommodate up to 8 people, and I am planning to build secluded aircrete meditation "caves" around the property. I offer the space freely, and welcome support in whatever way feels good and right for the individual.

Let me know if this is of interest. And feel free to pass on the message. 

With metta,
​​​​​​​Ben

https://detongling.org/retreat/individual-retreat/

​​​​​​​This is the best one that I know of. 

Hi Ben,

I found this thread as I have similar sentiments to the OP (tom). I'm from Sydney and have friends and family in NE NSW so travel there often (when not locked down). Your plan is my dream, I had always intended on doing what you say you have done/are doing, but you are a little ahead of me. I would be very interested in discussing how I could be involved in any way that you are comfortable with. I'm somewhat of a novice, I've been practicing alone (wussily) for ten years but have not done any formal retreats or training - I've been looking into these two locations (http://bmimc.org.au/)(https://psmc.org.au/activities/) but your suggestion sounds very appealing. Reply on here or to my email (sol.eon.mon@gmail.com) if you were interested in following this up with me.

Regards,
​​​​​​​Edward