Khlong Long, Khao Sok National Park, Surat Thani region,Thailand

Renowned meditation teachers Steven Smith and Michele McDonald will teach a unique Vipassana meditation retreat at a remote lake, Khlong Long in southern Thailand. The retreat will also include a mindful yoga practise, taught by Sarah Hegarty, to compliment the meditation practice.

Khlong Long is a remote, beautiful lake in the interior of southern Thailand. Located just on the edge of Khao Sok national park, the lake is hidden amongst towering limestone karsts and prehistoric jungle inside a wildlife sanctuary home to gibbon apes, langurs, giant hornbills, serpent eagles and many other rare birds and animals . . . all in close proximity in the trees and surrounding skies (however there are very few mosquitoes and no black flies). The retreat will be held in the traditional Vipassana retreat style - in silence with periods of sitting and walking meditation, dharma talks, group and/or individual meetings with the teachers, and two optional yoga classes daily.

Accommodation is two-person sharing in floating bamboo bungalows/kutis. The food is wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables from the jungle and local markets and fresh fish from the lake. Fresh drinking water through Swiss filtration system is readily available. There is no electricity. Lighting in the evening is provided by kerosene lanterns . . . the moon and the stars.

Steven Smith (www.vipassanahawaii.org) has been anchored in the Theravadan Buddhist tradition of South-east Asia since 1974. He has trained as a monk and layman with the renowned Burmese monk and meditation master Sayadaw U Pandita and the practice follows a transmission from this lineage. Steven has lead major retreats at IMS (Insight Meditation Society, Barre, Mass), Spirit Rock California, as well as smaller retreats in more remote locations in South East Asia and North America.

Michele McDonald has practiced Vipassana since 1975 and has been teaching at IMS and worldwide since 1982. She has a deep interest in preserving the ancient teachings and in finding ways of expression that make them more accessible and authentic in out time.

Sarah Hegarty previously worked as a Prosthetist/Orthotist. Now as yoga therapist/teacher and meditator, Sarah combines her professional therapeutic skills and knowledge with her personal experience of these practices to weave a body based mindful yoga practice into the retreat. Her focus is to complement the vipassana practice by developing wisdom awareness of the breath and the body from within the body, using techniques borrowed from yoga. The practice facilitates the opening of the hips, pelvis and lower back which allows the body to sit more comfortably and postures that work to maintain the health and strength of the abdomen, spine and legs, and also, how to move and breathe with awareness.

The cost of registration for the retreat is 200USD, made payable to Vipassana Hawaii, via Paypal (Instructions for on-line payment).

This non refundable fee secures your place on the retreat. The cost for nine nights accommodation and all meals is 17,000 Thai Baht, which must be paid in full in Thai baht when we get to the lake. The cost supports the local family who take care of us, the upkeep of the accommodation and lake and also contributes towards transport costs of the food supplies. Park entrance fee is extra, 400 baht which is paid when you sign in before taking the boat ride. Retreat costs are paid in Thai baht at the beginning of the retreat. Please be sure to have enough cash as there are no credit card machines and no cash points in the smaller towns before the park entrance.

In keeping with the Buddhist practice of dana (generosity), the teachings will be offered freely and donations are accepted the teachers.

The cost to get to the bamboo bungalows is extra. The cost of hiring a boat for the round trip is 2000 Thai Baht, which we can share if we meet at the Sanctuary headquarters and take the boat ride together. Those who choose to arrive/leave earlier or later will have to pay for this separately.

There is another retreat being held after this retreat so this year, retreatants will be unable to stay longer once the retreat has ended.

The nearest airport is Surathani which is one hour flight south from Bangkok on Thai Air, Phuket Air or Bangkok Air (approximately $50 one way per person). Vans will pick guests up at Surathani Airport for the one hour drive to the Wildlife Sanctuary Headquarters, near the small market town of Tak Lun. (1500 ThaiBHT can be shared) From here it is a one hour boat ride across a phenomenal lake. Then a half hour hike to "500 Rai Lake". From here it is a 10 minute raft ride to "500 RAI LAKE AND BAMBOO BUNGALOWS."

Here are photos from the most recent Klong Long Retreat. You can find more in the gallery and on www.jungleyoga.com. For bookings, please Contact Sarah Hegarty, the Klong Long Retreat Coordinator.

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