Author: Lin Wang Gordon

One Bowl of Congee

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July 28, 2026, Roots and Refuge Retreat at BCBS When I was 19, I was planning to go to Times Square to celebrate New Year’s Eve.  Learning about my plan, my father looked worried, “If possible, don’t go,” he said.  “You never know when the crowd could turn irrational and you could be in danger.” His response surprised me and was uncharacteristic of my dad.  He was adventurous and rarely discouraged me from anything. It’s only in the last years of his life, when he finally wrote down many of his stories, that I finally connected his response to his experience during the Cultural Revolution.   At the age of 18, full of passion and idealism, responding to Mao’s call to “send ‘educated youth’ to the countryside and learn from the farmers”, he volunteered to go to a remote region of Guangdong province with his classmates.  Outgoing and charismatic, my father was soon appointed as a student leader.  In this land of virgin forests, full of red maple trees and fresh air, they sang, cooked, and …

Wed. 6/24/2026: 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. Please contact registration@nyimc.org if you need assistance. Suggested donation is …

Mon. 7/20/2026: 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 …

Wed. 7/22/2026: 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 …

Sun. 7/26/2026: 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 …

May Newsletter – Finding the Sacred in Perimenopause: The Second Spring of Life

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May 17, 2026 At seven times seven [age 49] a woman’s heavenly dew wanes;the pulse of her Conception channel decreases.The Qi that dwelt in the baby’s palace moves upward into her heart,and her wisdom is deepened. The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, an excerpt from the first chapter of a Chinese classical medicine book written around 2600 BC (some say 300 BC) Dear Friends, Happy almost summer! How have you been? I just realized I haven’t written in three months — and what three months it has been. Lately, I’ve been experiencing perimenopausal symptoms: irregular and prolonged cycles that led to anemia, along with dizziness and fatigue. Once I started talking openly about what I was experiencing with friends and family, I discovered how common this is for women my age — and yet, somehow, no one really talks about it. It feels like a best-kept secret. It reminded me of becoming a new mother. Everyone tells you that you may not get enough sleep, but no one tells you that you might not sleep …

Mon. 5/11/2026: 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 …

Fri. 5/29/2026, 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, …

Thu. 5/21/2026: Celebrating Asian Heritage Month with A National Gathering of Asian Insight Diaspora Sanghas, 7-9pm ET

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Celebrating Asian Heritage Month with Asian Insight Diaspora Sanghas A National Celebration of Community and Connection Honoring Asian Heritage Month with Lin Wang Gordon, Tim Hwang, and Joanna Williams Join us for an inaugural gathering to celebrate and connect Asian American Diaspora Insight sanghas across the country. While each of our communities may be small, together we form a vibrant, supportive, and growing network of Asian American Buddhist practitioners. This gathering is an opportunity to recognize and honor that collective strength. This gathering is open to self-identified practitioners of all Asian Diaspora sanghas. Come to connect, share, and celebrate our heritage and help strengthen this growing network of practice and belonging. We kindly ask those who do not identify as members of the Asian Diaspora community to support us from afar as we hold space for our community. Whether you gather with your local sangha in person and join via Zoom, or connect individually from wherever you are, you are warmly invited to come and share in this moment of connection. Participating Asian Diaspora Sanghas include: This …

Saturday, 5/23/2026, Day of Insight – A Daylong Meditation Retreat, with David Grogen

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Photo: New York Botanical Garden, 2025 Saturday, May 23, 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.