Author: Lin Wang Gordon

Sun. 10/25, 9:45am-1:45pm, Pilgrimage in the City: A Contemplative Walk through Lower Manhattan

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Throughout history, pilgrimage has offered a way to deepen faith, seek spiritual renewal, and foster personal transformation. By journeying to places of significance, pilgrims create space for reflection, encounter history, and connect more deeply with land and community. Join Lin Wang Gordon and Felicia Dickerson for a contemplative walk through Lower Manhattan. Moving at a mindful pace, we will visit sites of historical and cultural significance, including the African Burial Ground National Monument, the National Museum of the American Indian, and the 9/11 Memorial. As we walk, we will reflect on the many histories held by this land and our own relationship to place, memory, and community. The walk will be held primarily in silence, with periods of meditation and contemplative practice at various sites, followed by gentle inquiry and opportunities for sharing. Together, we will explore what it means to walk through a city not simply as a passerby, but as a pilgrim—slowing down, paying attention, and allowing the land and its stories to speak to us. Please bring a light snack or lunch …

Sun. 10/25/2026: Asian Diaspora Sangha Monthly Sit, 5:30-7:30pm

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The NY Insight AAPI Sangha is a warm and vibrant space for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to come together in shared practice and community, to foster a sense of connection, understanding, and authenticity. This sangha offers an opportunity for new and experienced practitioners to explore our inner and outer worlds in ways that honor our diverse backgrounds through the heart of the dhamma. The AAPI Sangha meets on the fourth Sunday of each month from 5:30–7:30 PM. Led by NYI Teachers or Practice Leaders, each session includes meditation, a dharma discussion, and an opportunity to explore the dharma in a supportive community. In-person attendance is highly encouraged, as meeting in the physical world helps foster connections that are vital for this community. That said, we understand that some may have circumstances that prevent in-person attendance, and we want to make this community accessible. Please see below for Zoom information. Meeting Date/Time: 4th Sunday of each month | 5:30pm-7:30pm ET | In-Person and Online Location: New York Insight at 115 West 29th Street, 12th Floor Teaching Schedule …

Wed. 10/28/2026: New York Insight Community Meditation Gathering, 6:30-8:30pm

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Although Buddhism is often seen as a solitary path, sangha, or community, is an essential part of meditation practice. However, cultivating this sense of community has been a difficult challenge in this day and age of social isolation and Zoom fatigue. This series of in-person New York Insight community gatherings consists of guided meditation, a talk by one of our teachers, followed by group discussion, and opportunities to socialize and connect with like-minded practitioners. Whether you are brand new to meditation practice, new to New York Insight, or are a longtime, experienced meditator, all are welcome to join us for this series of in-person community meditation gatherings. We hope to see you there! In-Person and Online Location: New York Insight at 115 West 29th Street, 12th Floor (between 6th & 7th Avenue) Please RSVP for in-person or online attendance. If you are attending in person, please arrive 15-20 minutes early to ensure an orderly check-in. Online: You will receive a Zoom link in your confirmation email. Suggested donation is $15, but whatever you offer is greatly …

Saturday, 10/31/2026, Day of Insight – A Daylong Meditation Retreat, with David Grogen

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Photo: New York Botanical Garden, 2025 Saturday, October 31, 2026 Time: 10am – 5pm ET “Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts.” –The Buddha In modern society we are surrounded by noise – traffic noise, endless emails and phone calls, the chatter of people, and so forth. A silent retreat day is essentially a period of extended inward reflection, allowing you to achieve a greater clarity of mind. This retreat day will be one of noble silence for those who want to deepen their practice. It will include sitting, walking, and select inspirational readings for contemplation. Individual interviews will be available. Participants are welcome to bring their lunch to maintain the meditative atmosphere and concentration.

Sat. 11/14/2026: Fall Foliage and Nature Meditation at Chuang Yen Monastery with Maho Kawachi, 10am – 3pm

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Join us for a contemplative day of meditation and reflection amid the fall foliage at Chuang Yen Monastery in Putnam County. This sacred site, home to the largest indoor Buddha statue in the Western Hemisphere, has housed Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi and a vibrant monastic community since 2006. Designed by renowned architect I.M. Pei, the monastery’s serene grounds and elegant halls—the Kuan Yin Hall (1985) and the Great Buddha Hall (1997), inaugurated by the Dalai Lama—offer a peaceful setting for spiritual practice. The halls house 10,000 mini buddhas and many antique Buddha statues. Past participants were deeply moved by the beauty and stillness of these sacred spaces, as well as the opportunity to learn about the monastery’s history, rituals, and deep ties to the Buddhist lineage. We’ll begin our day with quiet exploration, meditating among the walkways and halls as we immerse ourselves in the presence of this living temple. After a lovingly prepared vegetarian lunch offered by monastery volunteers, we’ll head outdoors to walk the grounds and appreciate the fall foliage, connecting with the changing …

Mon. 12/7/2026: BIPOC Sangha Sit, 6:30-8:30pm

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This sitting group provides instruction in insight meditation and fosters mutual support and understanding among the growing community of people of color who find nourishment and inspiration in the practice of meditation. This is held in person and on Zoom. No previous meditation experience is required. Teacher schedule: July 6, 2026 Wildecy de Fatima Jury, Teacher July 20, 2026 Lin Wang Gordon, Teacher August 3, 2026, Felicia Dickerson, Practice Leader August 17, 2026 Isabel Adon, Practice Leader Sept. 20, 2026 Multiple Teachers and Practice Leaders October 5, 2026 Wildecy de Fatima Jury, Teacher October 19, 2026 Jian Ling Gao, Practice Leader November 2, 2026, Felicia Dickerson, Practice Leader November 16, 2026 Jian Ling Gao, Practice Leader December 7, 2026  Lin Wang Gordon, Teacher December 21, 2026 Shilpa Mankikar, Practice Leader Please come 15 – 20 minutes before our gathering begins to allow for ease in check-in. Whether joining in-person or online please consider registering in advance so our Teachers know who is joining.  Walk-ins welcome, please register at the check-in when you arrive. Fee by …

Fri. 2/19/2027, Mountains and Moonlight: Buddhist Wisdom in Classical Chinese Poetry, 6:30-8:30pm ET

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When Buddhism entered China around the first century, it entwined with Taoism and Confucianism, together they weaved the fabrics of Chinese culture and the texture of everyday life.  Along with a reverence for nature, Buddhist insights of impermanence and equanimity flowed into Chinese poetry, giving voice to renunciation and quiet joy. Across centuries, poets from all walks of life—court officials and recluses, the successful and the dispossessed—turned to Buddhist wisdom to navigate uncertainty and flow of life. Some found grace after loss; others withdrew from fame and power, discovering contentment in simplicity and the ordinary rhythms of life. Their poems speak not only of mountains and moonlight, but of resilience, equanimity, and inner freedom—questions as alive today as they were a thousand years ago. What do these poems offer us today? How do we find peace and joy in a noisy world? Besides achievement and success, what kind of life leads to contentment?  In this evening of reflection, we will read Buddhist-inspired poetry across dynasties and poets, meditate, and let insights arise.  Lin Wang Gordon, …

September Newsletter – A Mosaic Summer

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September 7, 2026 When Buddhists talk about emptiness, we don’t mean nothingness, but rather an unlimited potential for anything to appear, change, or disappear.” Mingyur Rinpoche Dear Friends, How have you been? I took a summer sabbatical from writing this newsletter. It’s been a rich summer of travel, growth, and deepening relationships. It’s hard to describe all that happened. As the Buddhist teaching reminds us, life is made up of a mosaic of experiences—ten thousand joys and sorrows, with each experience changing as our perception and memory of it evolve. Who we were, who we are, and who we are becoming are constantly in flux. This lack of inherent solidity can be ungrounding at times, but it can also open us to possibility and a rich life. Emptiness is potentiality. Amidst demanding work pressure, I made time to travel—went to two transformative retreats, took my son to chess camps and tournaments around the country, and traveled to Norway to see the fjords. In June, I attended the fourth training retreat of Spirit Rock’s Community Dharma …

Wed. 9/16/2026: New York Insight Community Meditation Gathering, 6:30-8:30pm

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Although Buddhism is often seen as a solitary path, sangha, or community, is an essential part of meditation practice. However, cultivating this sense of community has been a difficult challenge in this day and age of social isolation and Zoom fatigue. This series of in-person New York Insight community gatherings consists of guided meditation, a talk by one of our teachers, followed by group discussion, and opportunities to socialize and connect with like-minded practitioners. Whether you are brand new to meditation practice, new to New York Insight, or are a longtime, experienced meditator, all are welcome to join us for this series of in-person community meditation gatherings. We hope to see you there! In-Person and Online Location: New York Insight at 115 West 29th Street, 12th Floor (between 6th & 7th Avenue) Please RSVP for in-person or online attendance. If you are attending in person, please arrive 15-20 minutes early to ensure an orderly check-in. Online: You will receive a Zoom link in your confirmation email. Suggested donation is $15, but whatever you offer is greatly …

Mon. 9/14/2026: Midlife Sangha Monthly Sit, 6:30-8:30pm

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Photo: Fall Leaves New York Insight’s Midlife Sangha is a warm and vibrant community for individuals who wish to explore meditation and apply Buddhist teachings to the gifts and challenges of midlife. Our goal is to cultivate a supportive space that fosters connection, encouragement, and authenticity, allowing members to reflect on shared experiences and personal growth. In these monthly sits, we will meditate together and explore questions that arise at this stage of life. Whether you’re contemplating a career or relationship change, navigating elder care or an empty nest, finding joy or seeking deeper meaning in the second half of life, you’ll find a community that walks alongside you, offering mutual support and shared wisdom. The Midlife Sangha meets on the second Sunday of each month from 5:30–7:30 PM. Led by NYI Teachers or Peer Leaders, each session includes meditation, a dharma discussion, and an opportunity to explore midlife topics in a supportive community. Open to practitioners of all experience levels. In-person attendance is highly encouraged, as meeting in the physical world helps foster connections …