Shambhala Mountain Center
Red Feather Lakes, Colorado

The location The 600 pristine acres of Shambhala spread across a Rocky Mountain valley in the northern part of Colorado. The property includes extensive botanical gardens, a bird sanctuary, several spacious meditation halls, and, most dramatically, the Great Stupa of Dharmakaya, a traditional spired Buddhist shrine. The practice Buddhist meditation in a variety of forms. The program offerings at Shambhala range from week-long “Learn to Meditiate” retreats to multi-week intensive study for advanced practitioners; there are also specialized workshops for children, painters, and writers, and those who prefer to combine meditation with activities like canoeing and hiking. The accommodations 65 elegant, clean-lined single and double rooms, some of which have shared bathrooms. Single-sex dormitory-style rooms, and in the summer, platform tents with shared bathhouses, are also available. Be mindful The staff at Shambhala also leads “Sacred Journeys” several times a year in places like Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet, and Mongolia.

The Middle Way Meditation Retreat
Loei Thailand

The location A compound surrounded by rolling green hills and lush tropical forest in northeastern Thailand (adjacent to Phu Ruea National Park, where the woodland-covered mountains are crisscrossed with hiking trails). The property encompasses several indoor and outdoor meditation spaces, waterfall-fed gardens, and an outdoor dining pavilion. The practice Dhammakaya meditation, a form of Tibetan Buddhist practice that focuses on the center of the body as both an energy center and a gateway to higher consciousness. The accommodations A cluster of spartan but immaculate wooden bungalows, with separate shared bathhouses. Fraternizing between sexes is discouraged, so men’s and women’s ungalows are in different areas. Be mindful Guests are expected to refrain from all destructive behavior while on the retreat, including telling lies and killing any living creature (including mosquitoes).

White Cloud Sanctuary
SantaAna Costa Rica

The location Just west of San José in central Costa Rica, on a jungle mountainside that feels a world away from civilization. The 13-acre property includes a small organic vegetable farm; several outdoor practice areas; mango, banana, and papaya trees (which guests can pick from as they like); and lots of friendly resident animals, including horses, goats, ducks, and rabbits. The practice Only one guest at a time can stay at White Cloud, which allows for intense individual study in Tai Chi and QiGong—Chinese meditation-in-movement practices. Retreat participants adhere to a daily schedule of guided sessions and quiet seated meditation. The accommodations A one-person tile-roofed casita, set at the very top of the property and with glorious mountain views. It includes a single bed, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a living area where, oddly, you can plug in your laptop. Be mindfulThe lodging rates don’t include meals, although meal-plan options can be arranged.

Osho Meditation Resort
Pune, India

The location A slick, modern 40-acre “campus” just outside Mumbai that includes extensive, manicured Zen gardens, a soaring meditation auditorium, seminar spaces set inside a complex of black space-age pyramids, and a few other very unorthodox amenities: tennis courts, a nightclub, and a mini-mall.

The practice “Active meditations” are the signatures at Osho. Although traditional silent, seated sessions are practiced here, they’re interspersed with meditative dancing, whirling, vocalizing, and power-breathing.

The accommodations The Osho Guesthouse’s 60 minimalist-chic double rooms could easily be mistaken for W Hotel accommodations—that is, without the TVs.

Be mindful All guests at Osho must wear dark red robes during meditation sessions. This has to do with the belief of the resort’s founder (also named Osho) that “the color maroon, when worn by many people meditating together, adds to the collective meditative energy.”