Tathagata Meditation Center

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li wang

via Google

My deepest gratitude for the center, teachers and everyone working here. Keeping everyone in my thoughts and sending metta.

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Phung Vuong

via Google

This was the longest and most strictly regulated meditation retreat I've ever attended, compared to previous ones in Thailand and India. There were times I wanted to leave the retreat early, but I'm truly grateful to myself for staying and completing it. I sincerely thank the monks, especially Sister Sayagyi Daw Vimalanani, and Ms. Ha Truong (coordinator), and all the volunteers. Their quiet guidance and support helped me understand my own mind better. "Handing over" my phone to the retreat for 15 days wasn't easy. But after 15 days, I realized I was less dependent on it and more present with myself. Instead of being caught up in social media and news, I learned to use my time more meaningfully—turning inward to observe and understand myself. The program was quite challenging, with 8 hours of seated meditation each day (1 hour each session), interspersed with walking meditations. The first two days were really difficult — I almost wanted to give up because of the pain in my legs. But after speaking with the nun, her compassion and wisdom helped me move from fear to courage. I realized that pain is always present in the body; it's just that in daily life, we are too busy with external things to notice it. By following the instructions on practicing mindfulness, I gradually understood my own reactions and habits better. The food at the center was delicious and nutritious. We only ate two meals a day and stopped eating after 12 noon. In the first few days, I felt hungry, but gradually my body adapted — and my sleep became easier and deeper on an empty stomach. I also observed a transformation within myself: from worrying about not eating enough, to recognizing my habit of "overeating" at each meal, and then gradually developing a sense of gratitude for self-understanding through each simple meal. Each meditator was provided with a small, clean bedroom. The shared bathroom was always clean, and I never had to wait to use it. If you have the opportunity, I hope you will give yourselves a few weeks of quiet reflection. This was the most intensive retreat I have attended, compared to my previous experiences in Thailand and India. There were moments when I wanted to leave early, but I am deeply grateful that I stayed and completed it. I sincerely thank the teacher (Sayagyi Daw Vimalanani), Ms. Ha Truong (coordinator), and all the volunteers. Their guidance and quiet support helped me understand my mind on a much deeper level. Letting go of my phone was not easy at first, but after 15 days, I felt less attached to it and more present with myself. Instead of being drawn into social media and news, I learned to spend my time more meaningfully, turning inward with awareness. The program is intensive, with eight one-hour sitting meditation sessions each day. The first two days were very challenging—I almost gave up due to the physical pain. However, after speaking with the teacher, her compassion and wisdom shifted me from fear to courage. I realized that pain is always present; in everyday life, we are simply too distracted to notice it. Through her guidance on “noting,” I gained valuable insight into my own patterns. The food was delicious. We ate two meals a day and stopped eating after noon. At first, I felt hungry, but my body gradually adjusted—and I found my sleep became easier and deeper. I also observed my mind moving from worrying about not having enough, to noticing moments of greed, and eventually to a deep sense of gratitude. The accommodation was simple and comfortable, a clean private room, with thoughtful touches like extra blankets and an alarm clock. The shared bathrooms were always clean, and I never had to wait. If you have the opportunity, I highly recommend giving this gift to yourself.

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Jen

via Google

Absolute gem in the heart of San Jose. I'm a fairly novice practitioner and did a 1-day retreat and had a wonderful experience. It was rigorous and authentic. The other practitioners here were very disciplined. It's totally different from the Americanized model of meditation "affinity groups" based on ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation etc. Despite being in a major city, the center is on a huge property and buffered from street noise. It's actually very quiet and the grounds are filled with shaded and unshaded walking paths for the walking meditation. The parking lot entrance is around the back on 1138 Roberts. Highly recommend for both novice and advanced practitioners.

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Atalia Dayan

via Google

A great opportunity for a long retreat teaching mahasi sayadaw vipassana