Dear Friends in the Dhamma,
Welcome to this year’s Cross River Meditation Center retreat. Thank you for committing your time and intention to deepening your understanding and direct experience of the Buddha’s Dhamma. This retreat follows the principles and practices taught by the Buddha and presented through the lens of the Sutta Pitaka, especially as preserved and clarified by modern teachers and monastics like Thanissaro Bhikkhu. A detailed schedule can be found here.
Our purpose here is simple: to cultivate virtue, concentration, and discernment within the framework of the Eightfold Path. The Buddha’s Dhamma is not an abstract philosophy—it is a practical guide to ending stress and suffering through direct insight into the nature of reality.
May this retreat bring clarity, calm, and insight.
“The Dhamma is always practiced right here, right now, within our own minds and bodies.”
– Ajahn Chah
The Won Dharma Center (WDC) in Claverack, NY, offers a serene environment for spiritual practice, including self-guided and group retreats. Here are the key guidelines and information to help you prepare:
- Meals: Included in the rate. Vegetarian meals are provided, and special dietary needs can be accommodated with prior notice
- Liability Waiver: Must be signed upon arrival
- Etiquette: Maintain a contemplative atmosphere; observe noble silence during designated times
- What to Bring: Towel, toiletries, and personal items, bug spray, clothing (see below)
- Clothing:
- Loose, comfortable, and modest clothing suitable for meditation and movement practices (walking/hiking/qigong)
- Neutral or earth-tone colors are preferred to support a calm, non-distracting environment
- Dress in layers – the meditation halls and walking paths can vary in temperature
- Hat and rain jacket
- Footwear:
- Slip-on shoes or sandals for easy removal at building entrances
- Comfortable walking shoes for nature trails
- Sheets, pillows, and blankets are provided
- What Not to Bring: Scented products, pets, candles, incense, or noisy fabrics
Guidelines for the retreat:
- Maintain Noble Silence throughout the retreat except during Dhamma discussions, interviews, or when asking essential questions. This supports inward turning and deepening concentration.
- Sila (Ethical Conduct) by observing the 5 precepts:
- Refrain from killing or harming any living being
- Refrain from taking what is not freely given
- Refrain from sexual activity
- Refrain from false or harmful speech
- Refrain from intoxicants that cloud the mind
- Optionally, you can obeserve the Eight Precepts to deepen your practice. Hold the above five plus these three additional:
- Refrain from entertainment (e.g. phones, tables, media, etc.)
- Refrain from eating after noon (breakfast only)
- Refrain from high / luxurious bedding (move mattress to the floor or use a yoga matt)
- Follow the retreat schedule mindfully (need link)
- Mindfulness in all activities. Whether sitting, walking, eating, or resting, bring full awareness to your present-moment experience. This is Right Mindfulness—mindfulness within the context of the Eightfold Path.
- Letting Go of Distractions. Refrain from using devices/phones as much as possible or turn them off completely. Avoid cell phone use in common areas. Trust the simplicity of the Dhamma and the strength of your own direct experience.
- Supportive Environment. Be mindful of one another’s space and practice. Each practitioner’s journey is their own. Maintain boundaries that support peace and introspection.