All posts filed under: 2025

Sat. 9/20/2025, Day of Insight – A Daylong Meditation Retreat, with Gary Singer

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“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. Date: Saturday, September 20, 2025 Time: 10am – 4pm ET Photo: Red Maple Tree, Garrison Institute

Sat. 9/6/2025: From Skyline to Soil: A Day of Nature Meditation and Ecology Exploration at Governors Island, with Maho Kawachi

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Join us for a joyful day of practice, exploration, connecting, and sharing on the splendid grounds of Governors Island.  Just minutes from Manhattan by ferry, Governors Island is one of New York City’s most treasured green spaces—a vibrant sanctuary crisscrossed with walking paths and expansive lawns, offering breathtaking views of the FiDi skyline and upper harbor. It is home to many environmental restoration projects such as the Teaching Urban Farm, Earth Matters, Billion Oyster Project and more, inviting opportunities to explore and contemplate our relationship as urban dwellers to the natural world. During our time together, we’ll enjoy guided walking, standing, sitting meditation, gentle movement, and inquiries. Along the way, we’ll also learn about the rich history of Governors Island, and tour the Urban Farm —a key site of ecological stewardship on the island. Learn how composting works on a city scale, discover the role of healthy soil in climate resilience, and deepen your awareness of our interdependence with the natural world. Meetup Location: Governors Island Ferry ticket office near Battery Park, Manhattan. Note: All …

July 2025 Newsletter – Honoring Joanna Macy: We Are the Great Turning

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July 27, 2025 “If the world is to be healed through human efforts, I am convinced it will be by ordinary people, people whose love for this life is even greater than their fear.” “It’s walking the razor’s edge of the sacred moment where you don’t know, you can’t count on, and comfort yourself with any sure hope. All you can know is your allegiance to life and your intention to serve it in this moment that we are given. In that sense, this radical uncertainty liberates your creativity and courage.” “The biggest gift you can give is to be absolutely present, and when you’re worrying about whether you’re hopeful or hopeless or pessimistic or optimistic, who cares? The main thing is that you’re showing up, that you’re here and that you’re finding ever more capacity to love this world because it will not be healed without that. That was what is going to unleash our intelligence and our ingenuity and our solidarity for the healing of our world.” – Joanna R. Macy, 1929 – …

Sun. 7/13/2025: Midlife Sangha Monthly Sit, 5:30-7:30pm (In-Person and Online)

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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 …

Wed. 7/9/2025: New York Insight Community Meditation Gathering, 6:30-8:30pm (In-Person and Online)

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Photo: Branch Brook Park, Newark, April 2025 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 Location: New York Insight at 115 West 29th Street, 12th Floor (between 6th & 7th Avenue) Space for in-person attendance is limited. Please reserve your in-person seat in advance. RSVP is not required for online attendance Please join us using this Zoom link:Join Zoom Meetinghttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/84295281177?pwd=XW9B1LV6OF3ePkfVwOMWO6pcxkeXxk.1Meeting ID: 842 9528 1177Passcode: 123Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kb5HHxkZBR If you …

Sun. 6/29/2025: Sacred Homage: Nature Meditation at Chuang Yen Monastery

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Location: 2020, Route 301, Carmel, NY 10512 Time: 10am – 3pm Join us for a contemplative day of meditation and reflection as we pay homage to the rich Buddhist lineage at the Chuang Yen Monastery, nestled in the peaceful Town of Kent, Putnam County.  This sacred space is home to the largest indoor statue of Buddha in the Western Hemisphere and has been the residence of Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi since 2006, alongside a vibrant monastic community. Designed by the architect I.M. Pei, the monastery’s beautiful grounds provide a serene backdrop for contemplation. The elegant Kuan Yin Hall, inspired by the architectural style of the Tang Dynasty, was completed in 1985, while the Great Buddha Hall, where the Dalai Lama presided over the groundbreaking ceremony in 1989, was finished in 1997. We will begin the day by exploring the monastery’s beautiful halls, soaking in the history and tranquility of the temple.  After a vegetarian lunch provided by the monastery (prepared with care by volunteers who dedicate their weekends to this service), we’ll venture outdoors for a …

Thu. 5/29/2025: AAPI Community Potluck to Celebrate Asian Heritage Month, with Tim Hwang, 6:15-8:15pm

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Location: New York Insight at 115 West 29th Street, 12th Floor 🌸 You’re Invited! 🌸 Join us for a heartwarming gathering of AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islanders) community, culture, and mindfulness!  We’re coming together as Asian practitioners to share food, stories, and traditions in celebration of Asian Heritage Month. 🧘‍♂️ Date: Thursday, May 29, 2025🧘‍♀️ Time:  6:15-8:15pm (Doors open at 6pm)🥢 Bring: A vegetarian/vegan dish to share, inspired by your heritage or favorite Asian cuisine.  This potluck is a space to honor our diverse roots, connect with fellow AAPI practitioners, and nourish both body and spirit. Feel free to bring a poem, song, or short reflection that represents your culture or spiritual path.  Let’s celebrate the richness of our heritage, together in community. 💛 This event is intended as a dedicated space for those who self-identify as AAPI.  We kindly ask that those who do not identify as AAPI honor this intention by supporting from afar, as we hold space for our community to connect, celebrate, and reflect.  Families of AAPI practitioners are welcome. …

May 2025 Newsletter – Walking the Labyrinth: A Meandering Journey on Growth, Grace, and Motherhood

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May 25, 2025 “Remember the sky that you were born under,know each of the star’s stories.Remember the moon, know who she is.Remember the sun’s birth at dawn, that is thestrongest point of time. Remember sundownand the giving away to night.Remember your birth, how your mother struggledto give you form and breath. You are evidence ofher life, and her mother’s, and hers.Remember your father. He is your life, also.Remember the earth whose skin you are:red earth, black earth, yellow earth, white earthbrown earth, we are earth.Remember the plants, trees, animal life who all have theirtribes, their families, their histories, too. Talk to them,listen to them. They are alive poems.Remember the wind. Remember her voice. She knows theorigin of this universe.Remember you are all people and all peopleare you.Remember you are this universe and thisuniverse is you.Remember all is in motion, is growing, is you.Remember language comes from this.Remember the dance language is, that life is.Remember.” “Remember” from “She Had Some Horses” by Joy Harjo, 1983 Dear Friends, How are you all? These days my life is packed …