From what we know, this format that we use here with ten days and nine nights originated in Burma for people who work. The retreats started Friday evening and would end Sunday at lunch, so that people would only have to take one week off from work. That's how the format of the nine nights, ten day retreats that we do was established.
Now, as to shorter retreats, weekend retreats, and so on. Rosemary and I don't teach these. We don't feel that there is as much benefit from them. We tried a couple in the early years here. We just don't feel that there is as much benefit. It's feels nice to do a little "weekender", but it does not take you into Dukkha, does it? What do you think we want to happen in your retreat here? Yeah, we want you to go into Dukkha. It's not because we are sadistic, masochistic, whatever, it's because if you don't have at least a bit of struggle here, you won't learn the techniques as well. It's like you kind of have to figure out how Dukkha is, because if every day of the retreat is nothing but bliss and happy feelings, you are not going to learn much here. So we don't mind if you go into Dukkha. We want you to get into something and then be able to use the techniques to find your way out. We actually think that the ten day retreat gives a really nice opportunity for that. It really does. In the first few days, for new people it can be a little confusing. They might get a bit excited and happy, but all of a sudden they realize how much work it is, yeah, and then they start using the techniques more because they have some real Dukkha to work with. And all of a sudden, by the end of the retreat they go, "Wow, I did it!" So that is the reason why we like this ten day retreat format.