Try the Abbey Road

Looking for some quiet time? Most monasteries ask for complete silence or at least have silent hours. Attendance at services is usually optional; guests often spend much of their time in their rooms reading, or taking in the beauty of the grounds. For monasteries in the U.S., check out the guidebook Sanctuaries (Bell Tower, 1996). For an international listing of retreat centers, try www.asrenewal.org or www.retreatsonline.com; if you are interested in Zen centers, try http://www.buddhanet.net/whats_r.htm. [Source: "25 Ways to Reinvent Yourself" originally published in Modern Maturity January - February 2000, transcribed by Greg Olszewski.]