Kansas Sanctuaries, Retreats, and Sacred Places

Sanctuaries: The Complete United States--A Guide to Lodgings in Monasteries, Abbeys, and Retreats

by: Jack Kelly, Marcia Kelly

The Kellys provide information on 127 sanctuaries in 37 states that accept visitors of all denominations. Most places are Christian, but some are Buddhist, Sufi, Hindu, and Jewish, and a few are without specific religious ties. Each two-page description includes a line drawing of the monastery and information on its history, location, religious affiliation, accommodations, prices, and facilities. The typical sanctuary is located in a tranquil rural location offering simple accommodations at modest prices. There are exceptions, however, including a monastery on the South Side of Chicago, a Zen temple in downtown New Orleans, and the luxurious Rancho La Puerta in Baja California.

Amazon Price: (as of 11/10/2009)

A Place for God: A Guide to Spiritual Retreats and Retreat Centers

by: Timothy Jones

Chicago Tribune,
Each entry describes the personality of each center as well as details about the facility's accommodations and points of nearby interest. Both practical and profound questions are addressed: What should I pack? Why should I go? What do I do once I get there? A wonderful resource for modern pilgrims in search of a piece of silence in a noisy world.

Amazon Price: $20.70 (as of 11/10/2009)

Healing Centers & Retreats: Healthy Getaways for Every Body and Budget

by: Jenifer Miller

A comprehensive collection runs the spectrum from the gestalt focus of the celebrity-studded Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, to the hatha yoga and massage offered at the rustic Trillium Retreat Center on Vashon Island, Washington, to the plush Aveda Spa Retreat in Osceola, Wisconsin. Miller's visited all these centers (lucky duck!), so you can fully trust her evaluations.

Miller also lists thorough descriptions of centers aimed at treating chronic ailments and disease (such as migraines or heart disease) through the use of biofeedback, Ayurvedic medicine, craniosacral therapy, nutritional treatments, Chinese medicine, or a customized combination thereof.

Amazon Price: (as of 11/10/2009)

Vacations That Can Change Your Life: Adventures, Retreats and Workshops for the Mind, Body and Spirit

by: Ellen Lederman

Ellen Lederman lists more than 200 soul-enriching vacations, including Buddhist and Sufi retreats, hypnotherapy weekends, wilderness survival excursions, and weeks spent swimming with wild dolphins. Vacation listings are divided into Holistic, Spiritual, Healing, and Health Promoting, Self-Improvement, and Learning retreats.

Amazon Price: (as of 11/10/2009)

101 Vacations To Change Your Life: A Guide to Wellness Centers, Spiritual Retreats, and Spas

by: Karin Baji Holms

Amazon Price: (as of 11/10/2009)

Visiting Thich Nhat Hanh: An American in Plum Village

by: Starr Regan DiCiurcio

Book Description
Visiting Thich Nhat Hanh is the story of one American's long journey from an urban classroom and suburban home in upstate New York, to the monastery of Vietnamese Zen master, Thich Nhat Hanh, in France. It is the story of an even longer interior journey integrating Catholicism and Engaged Buddhism. Join the author as she experiences the kaleidoscope of her days in this extraordinary community.

About the Author
Starr Regan DiCiurcio is an educator, a Kripalu yoga teacher and a writer. She taught in China for American Field Service and was a Fulbright Memorial Fund Scholar in Japan. Thich Nhat Hanh gave her the Dharma name, Boundless Lamp of the Heart, in 1998. She is an aspirant to The Order of Interbeing of his community.

Amazon Price: (as of 11/10/2009)