This past Sunday, on June 8, 2206, at 10 AM, a wonderful group gathered for our twice a year Waterfall Meditation & Trek at Wadsworth Falls in Middletown, Connecticut. The weather could not have been better: warm, comfortable, and refreshed by recent rains that left the waterfall flowing with exceptional beauty and power. As we…
On Saturday evening, June 7, 2026, BFF members, friends, and the public gathered at the center for a deeply relaxing Zen Sound Bath Experience led by Kris Emory. Held overlooking the inspirational Shoyoan Tien Zen Garden, the evening invited participants into a space of stillness, mindfulness, and deep rest through the gentle sounds and vibrations…
Recognizing the Hook Most of us know the feeling. Someone says something sharp to us and we replay it all day. We feel lonely and immediately reach for distraction. We become anxious, angry, defensive, or consumed by craving. A single moment catches us, and suddenly the mind is spinning stories, rehearsing conversations, feeding emotions, and…
On May 17, 2026, retreatants gathered at Buddhist Faith Fellowship in Middletown, Connecticut for our Silent Simplicity Retreat: Spring Renewal, a peaceful 2.5-hour morning retreat overlooking the beautiful Shōyōan Teien Zen Garden. The retreat focused on quiet sitting and walking meditation, beginning with basic meditation instruction including the traditional Six Points of Posture. During the…
Why Balance Matters Most of our days are filled with ups and downs, happy one minute, stressed or sad the next. These emotional swings come from how we react to life, often making things harder than they need to be. In Buddhism, balance isn’t about being perfect or emotionless; it’s about finding a stable center…
Love as Our Deepest Nature In the Buddhist tradition, it is said that a future Buddha will appear in this world, known as Maitreya Buddha, the Buddha of Love. The historical Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha, foretold that this Buddha would arise far in the future, thousands of years from now, when the Dharma has faded from…
On Saturday evening, March 14, 2026, the Zen Garden Sound Bath: A Deep Rest & Healing Experience offered a peaceful and memorable gathering as participants came together at the Buddhist Faith Fellowship in Middletown, Connecticut to relax, reflect, and immerse themselves in the restorative power of sound. As guests arrived, many paused to gaze out…
Starting Exactly Where We Are It is easy to believe that spiritual life begins once we are calmer, less reactive, or more disciplined. We imagine that when our circumstances improve or our emotions settle down, then we will practice sincerely. Until then, we feel as though we are preparing to practice rather than actually practicing.…
The atmosphere of the Nirvana Day practice was quiet, reverent, and deeply grounded in gratitude for the Buddha, his life and example, and his teachings. The gathering invited reflection on the completion of the Buddha’s life of wisdom and compassion, and on the living presence of those qualities in the world today. During the service,…
Why Habits Matter Most of our life is lived through habit. We wake up the same way, think the same thoughts, react in familiar patterns, and move through the world on well-worn tracks. Habits give structure to life, but they also quietly shape who we become. In Buddhism, habits are not merely psychological tendencies. They…