Meditation retreats with Andrew Keaveney in Boone, North Carolina

The next meditation retreat with Andrew Keaveney is the Breathwork & Meditation Retreat, Nov 5 to 8, followed by the Happiness Retreat, Nov 11 to 13. Both are residential retreats at the Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone, North Carolina, taught by a teacher with over 17 years of experience in the U.S. and India and four years of ashram study in yoga, meditation and Sanskrit.

It is a strong fit if you want guided breathwork and meditation in a U.S. mountain setting with an experienced teacher. Andrew's retreats suit people who want instruction, not just quiet time, and who can travel to the Blue Ridge for three to four days. If you specifically want a fully silent format, or yoga meditation retreats in Costa Rica or Bali, look at programs that list those directly. Andrew's current retreats are in Boone only.

Andrew's listed programs are short: the Breathwork & Meditation Retreat runs four days and the Happiness Retreat runs three. That length suits people who want more than a weekend meditation retreat but cannot take a week away. Check the date ranges against your calendar to see which one sits best around your weekend. For other short programs, the Art of Living Retreat Center lists everything it runs.

Published research says retreats help. The Khoury et al. systematic review and meta-analysis found traditional meditation retreats moderately effective, with a Hedge's g of 0.49 (95% CI 0.36 to 0.61) across 14 studies comparing retreats with controls, and 0.45 (95% CI 0.35 to 0.54) across 19 pre-post studies. Mindfulness levels predicted 50% of the improvements in outcomes. That research covers traditional retreats in general, not Andrew's programs specifically.

• Khoury et al., Effectiveness of traditional meditation retreats: A systematic review and meta-analysis (PubMed)
• Effectiveness of traditional meditation retreats (UCL Discovery, author manuscript)

Boone sits in the mountains of western North Carolina. For people in the Southeast it is often a drive rather than a flight, which makes it a realistic answer to “meditation retreats near me” for much of the region. Andrew's photographs of the area show morning clouds in the valleys, autumn trees around the center and mountain waterfalls. Directions and travel details are on the retreat center's website.

1. 1.

   Choose your dates

   Pick Nov 5 to 8 for breathwork and meditation or Nov 11 to 13 for the Happiness Retreat.

2. 2.

   Open the listing

   Go to the teaching section of andrewkeaveney.com and follow the link to the program.

3. 3.

   Check what is included

   Read the program page at the retreat center for price, lodging and schedule.

4. 4.

   Register and prepare

   Register through the retreat center, then try a guided meditation before you travel.

New to meditation? Read what to expect from a meditation retreat for beginners, or learn more about the breathwork retreat.

What happens at a residential meditation retreat?

At a residential retreat you stay on site and follow a schedule of guided practice set by the teacher. Andrew teaches breathwork and meditation on his retreats. For the exact daily schedule, meals and lodging of a specific program, check its listing on the Art of Living Retreat Center website, where all of the center’s programs are published.

Where is the Art of Living Retreat Center?

The Art of Living Retreat Center is in Boone, North Carolina, in the mountains of the Blue Ridge. Andrew’s photographs in this library show the setting: valleys filled with morning cloud, autumn trees around the center and nearby waterfalls. Travel and directions are published on the retreat center’s own website.

Is there a weekend meditation retreat?

Andrew’s listed programs are short residential retreats of three to four days: Nov 5 to 8 and Nov 11 to 13. Check each date range against your calendar to see which one fits around a weekend. For other short programs, the Art of Living Retreat Center publishes all of its upcoming retreats on its website.

How do I sign up for a retreat with Andrew?

Start at the teaching section of andrewkeaveney.com, which lists Andrew’s upcoming programs and links to all programs at the Art of Living Retreat Center. Registration for residential retreats happens through the retreat center. Every “See upcoming retreats” button in this library goes to that teaching section.

How much does a meditation retreat with Andrew cost?

Retreat prices are not listed in this library. Residential retreats are registered through the Art of Living Retreat Center, and the price for a specific program is shown on its listing there. To see current programs and find the registration page, start from the teaching section of andrewkeaveney.com.

Are there meditation retreats near me?

It depends on where you live. Andrew’s retreats are held in Boone, North Carolina, which makes them a practical option for people in the Southeast and anyone willing to travel to the Blue Ridge mountains. If you cannot travel yet, his guided meditation videos and podcast conversations are free to start with at home.

Does Andrew teach yoga meditation retreats in Bali or Costa Rica?

No Bali or Costa Rica retreats are listed. Andrew’s current residential retreats are at the Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone, North Carolina. If you want a retreat abroad, look at programs that list those locations directly. If a U.S. mountain setting suits you, the Boone retreats are the ones to look at.

Read all questions about meditation retreats, breathwork and guided audio