Research supports the usefulness of meditation in dealing with a range of psychological problems.
Chiang Mai Meditation
There are a range of meditation options in Chiang Mai.
Weekly Groups
A very welcoming group is the Green Papaya Sangha which meets every Thursday night at the Yoga Studio in the old city. The meditation is in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. The group is suitable for beginners and "old hands" will also enjoy it. There are regular special days organized with an emphasis on the practice of mindfulness meditation.
Intensives at Local Wats
A number of local wats provide a variety of practice opportunities. These include vispassana retreats which vary in length from short 3 day tasters to 10 day and 30 day retreats. Other options are also available.
Well known centres are WatSuan Doc ( close to the old city), Wat Rampoeng (Tapotaram) ( the Northern Meditation Centre)( out of the old city beyond Wat U Mong), and Wat Doi Suthep ( the light on mount in Chaing Mai)
Many of the wats offer opportunities to discuss aspects of meditation with the monks.
Matching what is available to your needs
A very useful discussion of what is available is provided by Brooke Schedneck, a US doctoral student, researching the thai-falang connection through meditation:
There are 5 different types of meditation offerings for English-speakers in Thailand. I will list them from most individualized practice to most group-oriented practice.
1) With some Thai language skills or a person with Thai language skills willing to help, an English-speaker can find a kuti or hut to occupy at a number of meditation centers and temples in Thailand. This type of retreat offers no instruction—one meditates for as long as desired in the style one is used to practicing.
2) The next level is slightly less individual, where one meets once a day with a designated teacher, and may also be able to hear a daily dhamma talk by the same teacher. The rest of the time is dedicated to meditating but one can do this in a meditation hall with a community of English-speakers so this can feel less private.
3) The next level offers many group activities together for a period of 10-20 days. The schedule is set for everyone to come and go at same time, and to participate on most activities together.
4) Level 3 is similar to level 4 but for a shorter period of time such as 1 to 2 nights. All activities are done in a group here and the focus is on beginning to learn how to meditate.
5) Level 5 is not a retreat but a local sangha meeting. For one night a week, there are short meditation sittings, possibly also a dhamma talk, run by a local expat community of interested participants. There are also temples which host an hour or two of English-language meditation instruction a couple of nights a week. Monks who have learned to speak some English instruct in the basics of meditation.
Her excellent bog is Wandering Dhamma .
