Visiting Our Center
- General Visiting Info
- Days of Mindfulness
- Special Retreats
- Registering for Your Stay
- Accomodations & Contributions
- What To Bring
- General Transportation Info
General Stay: Throughout the year our doors are open to receive guests. You can come for a stay outside of our Retreat program. We encourage you to come for a minimum of one week in order to really settle down, to relax, and to have the opportunity to thoroughly absorb the practice. It is also possible to come for a weekend. A stay longer than two weeks will require formal request from you in the form of a letter and a decision made by the community.
(Please note that each retreat on our program may have different arrival days. Also after each retreat, the community will be closed for a few days to clean up. You may contact us to find out about these dates.)
Example of Daily Schedule:
| 05:00am | Wake-up | 12:30pm | Lunch |
| 05:30 | Sitting Meditation/ Chanting | 2:00pm | Personal Time |
| 07:00 | Exercise | 03:00 | Dharma Discussion/Activities |
| 08:00 | Breakfast | 05:00 | Sitting/Chanting |
| 09:30 | Working Meditation | 06:00 | Dinner |
| 11:30 | Walking Meditation | 07:00 | Self study time |
| 10:00 | Lights out. |
Noble Silence is practiced from 9:30 pm till after breakfast the next day.
Mindfulness Days: Twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays we welcome all our friends for Days of Mindfulness. Activities begin at 9:30 am with either a live Dharma talk by one of our resident Dharma teachers or a recorded teaching on CD/DVD by Thay. Other activities include walking meditation (forest walks), lunch (in contemplative silence for the first 15 minutes), and a discussion of the practice in the afternoon. Sometimes there might be other activities arranged for the afternoon. The day usually ends around 4-5 pm. We welcome day visitors. There is no cost incurred for the day participation, but dana or donation is greatly appreciated.
A sample Day of Mindfulness schedule:
9:30 Dharma Talk
11:00 Break (refreshments available in our Tea Rooms)
11:30 Walking Meditation
12:30 Lunch
2:30-4:00
Dharma Sharing
Annual Summer Retreat takes place around the last week of June or first week of July and lasts for about one to two weeks. It is a family retreat where a program for children (6-12 years old) will be provided. If there is sufficient number of young people, a teen program would also be provided. If you wish to participate, please contact us or visit our website for actual dates and information on how to register.
Annual Winter Retreat takes place around mid November and lasts for three months. The Retreat is a wonderful opportunity to deepen our practice and understanding of the Dharma. It is our main monastic retreat and is equivalent to the traditional 3-month Rainy Season Retreat, which has existed since the time of the Buddha. During this time, monks and nuns gather to practice as a Sangha, a community of practice. However, lay practitioners, who are eager to deepen their practice, are warmly invited to join the monastic community during our Winter Retreat. You do not have to attend the full three months but a minimum stay of one week is requested.
Other Retreats: Retreats of various themes are also offered. Please see our Calendar of Events for list for the dates.
To Register: If you wish to participate in either a listed retreat or just come for a general stay, please contact us by phone or email for more information and/or registration forms. Completed registration form (there will be different forms for the different retreats) can be emailed, mailed by post, or faxed to us. For a listed retreat, please send in a deposit (minimum of $50) to reserve your place.
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW FOR
- Registration Form
in .DOC or .PDF for general stay
Accommodations are simple rooms, most being dormitories between 3-6 beds/bunk beds. Each room has its own private bath/shower. No single rooms are available. Camping is possible between June and October. If you wish to camp, please bring your own tent.
Donations, contributions, and scholarships: We wish to open our doors to as many people as possible and for this we have established as low a suggested contribution as we can. We rely on the financial support of visiting practitioners and donations in order to cover the costs of running, renovating, and upkeep of the monastery. Contribution is per adult per night stay, with lower amounts for seniors, students, teens, and children. Contribution covers food, utilities, tuition, and housing.
We, however, do not want to turn anyone away because they lack financial resources hence we have established a scholarship fund. Your generosity will benefit others who might not be able to afford to come, and yet who aspires to learn and cultivate this beautiful path of transformation and healing. Everyone who can is invited to contribute to this fund. Scholarship forms are available on request.
What to bring? Sleeping bag, towel, alarm clock, flashlight, house slippers, personal toiletries,andstereo headphones (with a long extension cord if possible) for translated talks.
Transportation: All guests are encouraged to come on Arrival Day. For a general stay, the arrival/departure day is Friday of every week. Please arrive before 6 pm. If you use public transport, please arrange to arrive to Middletown, NY at either the bus or train station. We can pick you up from there. For further details, please see our Travel Directions to BCM.
We look forward to practicing with you.
The brothers and sisters at Blue Cliff Monastery.
I know you are there and I'm so happy :)