Places That Reset The Mind
There's something powerful about stepping away from ordinary routines and settling into a place built entirely around stillness. Meditation retreats offer room to slow down without the usual noise tugging at your attention, and many retreats around the world invite you to feel the difference. When you want structured silence, teachings rooted in ancient traditions, or simply a setting that supports clearer awareness, these 20 retreats are waiting for you.
1. Plum Village, France
A peaceful rhythm greets visitors at Plum Village, the first monastic community founded in the West by Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh. Thousands arrive near Bordeaux each year for mindful communal living that blends sitting meditation, walking meditation, mindful meals, and dharma talks.
2. Insight Meditation Society, United States
In Barre, Massachusetts, the Insight Meditation Society offers a quiet space dedicated to Vipassana, emphasizing mindfulness and insight into the nature of reality. Founded in 1975, it helped introduce Theravāda Buddhist meditation to Western practitioners. Retreats range from three days to three months.
Charles K. Stevenson on Wikimedia
3. Gaia House, United Kingdom
Gaia House is located somewhere in Devon and specializes in silent insight meditation retreats rooted in the Theravada tradition. Its residential programs take practitioners through structured Vipassana and mindfulness practice designed for deep contemplative experience.
4. Vipassana Research Institute, India
The Vipassana Research Institute in Igatpuri is dedicated to studying and teaching Vipassana as taught by S.N. Goenka. It offers ten-day residential courses emphasizing self-observation and mental purification, and it shares these courses worldwide at no charge, thanks to its donation-based model.
5. Wat Suan Mokkh, Thailand
Set in a tropical forest in southern Thailand, Wat Suan Mokkh was founded by Ajahn Buddhadasa and is known for its ten-day silent meditation retreats. International practitioners gather here for authentic Thai Forest tradition training surrounded by natural quiet.
Wit Pimkanchanapong from Bangkok, Thailand on Wikimedia
6. Kopan Monastery, Nepal
Kopan Monastery near Kathmandu welcomes Westerners seeking Tibetan Buddhist meditation practice in a friendly setting. Founded in 1969 by Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, it offers retreats and teachings on Buddhist philosophy for international practitioners. Monthly weekend courses and a month-long November program draw many to deepen their practice.
Gisela Giardino from Buenos Aires, Argentina on Wikimedia
7. Eiheiji Temple, Japan
One of the Soto Zen school’s two main temples, Eiheiji Temple, was founded in 1244 by Dogen Zenji. Monks train here in zazen meditation and strict Zen monastic discipline, with visitors invited to participate in retreats. Surrounded by cedar forests, the temple’s atmosphere enhances its contemplative character.
8. Pa-Auk Forest Monastery, Myanmar
In the forests of Myanmar, Pa-Auk Forest Monastery is known for its strict Theravāda training, which includes samatha and vipassana practices. International practitioners come for intensive retreats that emphasize deep insight work and the development of jhana states.
9. Amaravati Buddhist Monastery, United Kingdom
This is a Theravāda Thai Forest Tradition community offering silent meditation and monastic teachings. Visitors can join day visits, attend free workshops, or stay on a donation basis while following the Eight Precepts. The peaceful countryside setting supports deep contemplative practice.
10. Green Gulch Farm Zen Center, United States
Part of the San Francisco Zen Center network, it provides retreats, zazen sessions, dharma talks, and guest stays. The area’s valley setting near Muir Beach offers quiet trails, ocean air, and a tranquil atmosphere ideal for deep mindfulness practice.
Mind meal~commonswiki on Wikimedia
11. Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, United States
During the guest season, folks get to enjoy natural hot springs, vegetarian meals, and quiet canyon surroundings. Its remote environment creates a rare space for deep stillness and uninterrupted spiritual retreat. This is the oldest Soto Zen monastery outside Japan.
Mind meal~commonswiki on Wikimedia
12. Plum Village, Thailand
Founded in 2008 and moved to its current, beautiful, ecologically designed campus in 2013, this place houses 160–200 monks and nuns and welcomes guests for week-long or longer retreats throughout the year. Activities include mindfulness practices such as mindful eating.
13. Songgwangsa Temple, South Korea
Songgwangsa Temple in South Korea is one of the three jewels of Korean Seon (Zen) Buddhism and is known as a significant center for meditation and monastic training. Located in Suncheon, Jeollanam-do, the temple sits amidst lush forests and mountains.
by The Chosun Bimbo on Wikimedia
14. Dhammagiri International Vipassana Center, India
Apparently, this center was established in the 1970s (first course in 1976) and now serves tens of thousands of students each year. It is famous for its Burmese-style pagoda with 400+ individual meditation cells, extensive gardens, and a nice hilltop setting.
15. Wat Ram Poeng (Tapotaram), Thailand
Meditators who want a serious, traditional Buddhist retreat in Thailand, more of a committed training period than a casual wellness getaway, should consider this one. Wat Ram Poeng is suitable for determined beginners as well as experienced practitioners.
16. Tushita Meditation Centre, India
In the Himalayan foothills near Dharamshala, Tushita Meditation Centre introduces practitioners to Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism through courses grounded in the Gelug tradition. Its programs combine Buddhist study with meditation. International students looking for authentic Tibetan teachings are drawn here.
17. Spirit Rock Meditation Center, USA
Spirit Rock is one of the most recognized insight-meditation centers in the United States, drawing around 40,000 visitors a year. Programs range from drop-in classes to silent two-month residential retreats. Teachings center on Vipassana and loving-kindness within the Theravada tradition, with occasional guidance from Zen, Tibetan, and non-dual teachers.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center on Wikimedia
18. Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery, Scotland
The first Tibetan Buddhist monastery in the West was founded in 1967 by Akong Tulku Rinpoche and Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Today, it is a large complex with a richly decorated temple, stupas, gardens, and accommodation for residents and retreat guests.
19. Shambhala Mountain Center, United States
A key feature of this area is the Great Stupa of Dharmakaya, a large traditional Tibetan stupa begun in 1988 and consecrated in 2001. Accommodations range from simple lodge rooms and cabins to seasonal tents and dorms.
20. Nā Uyana Āranya Senāsanaya, Sri Lanka
Nā Uyana occupies more than 5,000 forested acres of mountains and ironwood forest. Its community follows the Pa-Auk Samatha–Vipassanā method under strict Vinaya discipline, supporting deep concentration and insight work. Over 150 monks live here alongside foreign practitioners in simple huts.
KEEP ON READING
