Overnight Visitors

There are no scheduled retreats as there are at most lay meditation retreat centers. Rather, the Monastery is always in “retreat” mode. All overnight visitors are asked to observe the Eight Precepts and to participate in the Daily Schedule. Please refer to the guidance in the Day Visitors page.

General#

Reservations#

If you would like to come for an overnight visit, just call to make a reservation. Please don't send a letter. Leave a voice message if calling outside the calling hours. See the Contact page for contact information.

Try to reserve early. Particularly for a long retreat of a week or two, it’s a good idea to reserve 3 to 4 months in advance. For shorter visits of just a few days, there is more chance of an opening on shorter notice. Usually, there are five to twenty visitors at any one time. Summer is the high season despite the hot weather.

First-time guests are allowed to stay a maximum of two weeks.

Cost#

The Monastery does not charge for room or board, or for the teachings. They are provided in the spirit of generosity by the supporters of the Monastery and Taan Ajaan Geoff.

Lodgings#

The accommodations are very simple.

There is a dormitory-style guesthouse with 8 rooms and 2 full-baths and one half-bath. The guesthouse is open to both genders but the rooms are private for a single individual. The rooms have a simple bed along with storage and a heater. There is no air-conditioning. (Please bring your own sheets and pillow case.)

There are also 8’x 8’ wooden platforms in the avocado orchard where tents can be pitched. Most platforms have an accompanying walking path for walking meditation. You will have access to bathrooms and showers in the guesthouse or the bathhouse.

Food#

The sixth of the eight precepts basically limits overnight visitors to eating before “solar noon.” Monastery residents generally eat the main meal mid-morning; however, visitors are not prohibited from eating their own food so long as it's consumed before solar noon. Please store your food properly so that rodents and insects do not invade buildings and tents. If you have a medical condition or other compelling reason needing an exemption from the Sixth precept, please obtain permission from a monk at the time of your reservation.

The food at the Monastery is not vegetarian as is sometimes assumed. In-line with the Buddha’s teachings, the monks respect the generosity of all the laypeople and do not refuse any offerings of food. The food available to lay visitors is the same as what’s first offered to the monks. If you have special dietary needs due to illness or allergies, please call to confirm that the kitchen will be able to accommodate them. Lacto-ovo vegetarians usually have no problem, but the Monastery cannot accommodate vegan diets as it’s proven to be too disruptive.

Arrival#

It is best to arrive between dawn and midday. There are more long-term lay residents available during this period to help you sign in, show you to your accommodation and provide any needed orientation. The Monastery can appear deserted in the early and mid-afternoons; if you need orientation just be patient until you see somebody you can ask. Out of consideration for the other guests, please don’t arrive after dark unless you have permission from a monk or in an emergency.

Departure#

Please return all borrowed items in a clean condition. If you stayed at the guesthouse, dust and wipe down all surfaces in the room out of kindness for the next guest. It’s much appreciated if you leave the space better than you have found it. Departure time is generally flexible. Please inform a monk and a couple of long-term residents prior to your departure so we are informed of your general plans.

Eight Precepts#

These training rules are observed by laypeople during periods of intensive meditation practice and during uposatha (lunar observance) days. The Eight Precepts are based on the Five Precepts, with the third precept extended to prohibit all sexual activity and an additional three precepts that are especially supportive to meditation practice.

  1. Panatipata veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami.

    I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures.

  2. Adinnadana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami.

    I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given.

  3. Kamesu micchacara veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami.

    I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct.

  4. Musavada veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami.

    I undertake the precept to refrain from incorrect speech.

  5. Suramerayamajja pamadatthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami.

    I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness.

  6. Vikalabhojana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami.

    I undertake the precept to refrain from eating at the forbidden time (i.e., after noon).

  7. Nacca-gita-vadita-visukkadassana mala-gandha-vilepana-dharana-mandana-vibhusanathana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami.

    I undertake the precept to refrain from dancing, singing, music, going to see entertainments, wearing garlands, using perfumes, and beautifying the body with cosmetics.

  8. Uccasayana-mahasayana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami.

    I undertake the precept to refrain from lying on a high or luxurious sleeping place.

What to Bring#

Do Bring#

  • Reusable water bottle or thermos cup (we have a water filter inside the kitchen and by the outdoor stainless steel sink near the ordination hall).
  • Bedding (bed sheets if you’re staying in the guesthouse)
  • Pillow case
  • Sleeping bag
  • Tent (if you will pitch your tent in the avocado orchard)
  • Sleeping pad (if you will pitch your tent in the orchard)
  • Bath towel and linens
  • Flashlight
  • Alarm clock or watch
  • Work period clothing (comfortable clothes and shoes for gardening and chores)
  • Personal snacks if you have special dietary needs and cannot follow the 6th Precept in the evenings. Again, please discuss this with the monk when you make your reservation.
  • Avoid bringing personal snacks that require refrigeration, as the Monastery usually doesn’t have extra space in the refrigerator.
  • Avoid bringing snacks or supplements that require cooking.

You may wish to bring#

  • Sun hat
  • Sunscreen
  • Umbrella

Do Not Bring#

  • Meditation cushion (We have a large and varied supply, but you can bring your own if you want)
  • Electronic devices requiring significant voltage such as a hair dryer. The Monastery has an off-grid solar system with limited power. More efficient devices such as smartphones are fine.
  • Clothes that are difficult to wash, as there are no washers and dryers on site. There are tubs for hand-washing and clothes lines for drying.

Mental Preparation#

Meditation instruction at Metta Forest Monastery follows the teachings of Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo, a disciple of Ajaan Mun of the Thai Forest Tradition. If you wish to get a head start with these meditation techniques, please experiment with the following materials.

Keeping the Breath in Mind#

The chapter “Method 2” in Ajaan Lee’s Keeping the Breath in Mind contains the fundamental meditation technique. Also, the chapter on jhana is very useful for context, and the Dhamma talks are excellent for getting a feel for applying the technique in meditation.

With Each & Every Breath#

With Each & Every Breath is Ajaan Geoff’s guide on breath meditation based on Ajaan Lee’s Method 2. It aims to be both accessible and comprehensive, and should give any meditator lots of useful ideas to experiment with.

Teachings#

Many of Ajaan Geoff’s transcribed Dhamma talks are available in the Meditations series of eBooks. Thousands of Mp3 recordings of his talks are available at dhammatalks.org. Newcomers might find some of the talk series compiled by theme, such as the Basics collection, the Guided Meditations or the Seven Factors for Awakening, to be more approachable entry points.

Weather#

Winter#

Mostly winter days are clear and mildly crisp. Normal lows are in the low 40s F, but some winters have a week or two of lows around freezing. Normal highs are in the mid-50s to mid-60s F. Winter is also our rainy season, but the historic rainfall average is 13” inches per year.

Spring#

There’s a possibility of rain, but after April it’s rare. Lows in the 50s. Highs in the 70s and 80s. Chance of early morning fog and dewy spiders’ webs across the roads: 100%.

Summer#

It normally does not rain in summer. Lows are usually in the mid-60s; highs in the low-90s to low-100s. It’s worth mentioning that it’s a dry heat, and temperatures in the 90s are quite comfortable in the shade, and especially the deep shade of the avocado grove. However, every summer there are a few heat waves, and sometimes they’re extreme. They last about a week on average. Lows can be from the high-60s to high-70s. Highs can be from the mid-100s to mid-110s. While it’s still a dry heat, this is our most challenging weather since there’s very limited air-conditioning at the Monastery. Coping strategies include, but are not limited to, wearing wet towels on your head and taking cold showers in the afternoon.

Fall#

Fall is nice. Mostly the weather is similar to spring, and we get a lot of 50 F nights and 70 F days with fog in the morning. Heat waves are still possible, but not as extreme as in summer. We are, however, subject to Santa Anas. Santa Anas are hot, dry winds blowing in from the deserts to the east, and they last an average of two and a half days. They can happen any time of year, but mostly in the fall. This, by the way, is the weather phenomenon behind Southern California’s wildfires. It’s generally not a problem, though. We’ve only had to evacuate once in thirty-odd years.