What to Bring

Clothing

There are two mottos for clothing during your retreat: "Be Prepared" and "Be Comfortable".

Weather in Massachusetts is seasonal and extremely variable, especially in the spring and fall, so we recommend that you come well prepared, with clothing selected for comfort rather than style. Outdoor temperatures may be warm enough for shirt-sleeves and cold enough for heavy coats, sometimes within the same day or week!

Winters are cold, with frequent rain, snow or ice. For those who like to walk outside, especially along our marked trails through the woods, we suggest you bring a pair of boots or hiking shoes. As your meditation practice deepens, cool weather may affect you more than usual. Even for indoor wear, you may appreciate long underwear, light gloves, a cap or scarf, warm sweaters or a shawl, and heavy socks. Summers can be hot, and modest lightweight clothing is the norm, including shorts. Please do not bring clothing in noise-making, rustling fabrics such as nylon.

For your comfort in the dormitory accommodations, be sure to bring loose sweat suits, a bathrobe or other kinds of clothing that allow you to go with ease between your room and the bathroom facilities. Also be sure to bring at least one pair of slippers or indoor-only shoes - this helps contribute to the silence and overall cleanliness of our retreat environment.

At the Retreat Center, please bring a sufficient supply of clothing to last the duration of your course. Our laundry facilities are available only for hand-washing of clothes. (The exception to this is the Three-Month Retreat, during which laundry service is provided.)

At the Forest Refuge, washers and dryers are available on each floor of the dormitory accommodation building. Unscented laundry detergent is provided.

Other items to bring

Essential

Sheets, pillowcase, towels. (Please note that IMS carries a limited supply for those with travel weight restrictions.)

All necessary special foods and beverages.

Plastic containers for special foods.

Medicines, vitamins, supplements, etc.

Unscented personal hygiene products. We ask that you anticipate your needs and bring unscented soap, body lotion and other hygiene products with you. (We stock a small selection of these items, for those with travel weight restrictions.) IMS provides unscented shampoo and conditioner in all the bathrooms.

If you are acutely chemically sensitive, please let our office know.

Optional

Sleeping bag, extra blankets (winter).

Extra batteries.

Extra cash/checks. If you are likely to need cash - for purchase of small hygiene or medical items - please bring it with you as IMS does not cash personal checks. We accept credit cards (Visa and MasterCard) and checks to pay for registration fees and donations, as well as for the purchase of books, tapes and other items for sale at the end of your retreat.

Silent clock. Bring a silent clock for your room, if desired. (Please note that beeper watches should not be used in common areas).

Since there are few structured sitting periods at the Forest Refuge, no bell is rung in the meditation hall. You may want to bring a silent watch or clock there, to keep track of time.

Insect repellent and/or head net. During spring and summer you may want to bring insect repellent and a head net to protect yourself from Massachusetts' especially-carnivorous, biting insects. Please remember, however, that strong-smelling repellent should not be worn in the meditation hall. (A limited number of head nets are available for shared use.)

Portable fan. During hot weather a portable fan is often useful for your room.

Your own meditation cushion or bench. IMS provides a basic zabuton (mat) and zafu (cushion) for you, in the meditation hall. Chairs are available for those who cannot sit on a cushion. Please bring any extra meditation props you may need, such as additional cushions, a meditation stool, a shawl or throw rug.

If you wish to practice in your room at the Retreat Center, please bring your own meditation items for this. For a stay at the Forest Refuge, you don't need to bring an extra zabuton - each bedroom has one in it.

A small flashlight.

Additional items for Forest Refuge stays: 

• For longer-term retreats, if you need to send out mail, please bring paper, envelopes and postage stamps. The office doesn't provide these.
• If you need to make personal phone calls, please bring prepaid phone cards.
• You may also want to bring a small tape player with headset or earphones for listening to taped dharma talks in your room.

What not to bring

Please do not use scented hygiene products, cell phones, beeper watches, candles, incense or 'noisy', rustling clothing.