When the Path Gets Interrupted When we begin practicing, we often imagine the path will gradually become calmer and clearer. And sometimes it does. But just as often, what we encounter are interruptions, often self-generated obstacles that quietly pull us away from practice. We intend to meditate, but the day fills up and we postpone…
Most of us spend much of our lives trying to fix ourselves. We tell ourselves that if we were a little more patient, less anxious, healthier, wiser, calmer, or even more spiritual, then we would finally be enough. There is nothing wrong with learning and growing. The Buddha encouraged us to cultivate generosity, ethical living,…
Do not recall. Do not think. Do not anticipate. Do not meditate. Do not analyze. Rest naturally. These six brief instructions were given by the Indian Buddhist teacher Tilopa over a thousand years ago. At first glance they may seem impossible or even confusing. How can we stop recalling, thinking, anticipating, or analyzing? And what…
On Sunday, August 2, 2026, in Carmel, New York, from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, nearly 25 BFF members and friends gathered at Chuang Yen Monastery for our annual guided tour and shared vegetarian lunch, deepening our experience, knowledge, and appreciation of Buddhism. Highlights included time in the Great Buddha Hall — home to the…
On Sunday, July 26, 2026, a small and dedicated group of yogis gathered at Buddhist Faith Fellowship’s serene Shoyoan Teien Zen Garden at the Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies in Middletown, Connecticut for two and a half hours of quiet, restorative practice. The morning opened with a mindful review of the Six Points…
How much of our stress comes from needing to know? We want to know what will happen next, whether we are making the right decision, how other people feel about us, and whether our plans will succeed. Much of our anxiety arises not from uncertainty itself, but from our discomfort with uncertainty. We search for…
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…