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…
Our Saturday, January 31, 2026 field trip to the Yale University Art Gallery was a rich and enjoyable afternoon of art, learning, and community. During our two-hour visit, we explored Buddhist art—especially the fascinating Gandharan tradition, with its blend of Greco-Roman and Buddhist influences—alongside works from Indonesian, Greco-Roman, and modern collections, including pieces by Picasso,…
On Saturday, January 17, 2026, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM, the Buddhist Faith Fellowship hosted a transformative Winter Sound Bath experience at the Mansfield Freeman Center in Middletown, CT, with the serene Shôyôan Teien Japanese Garden as our backdrop. Nearly 40 participants joined us in person for this restorative immersion, led by the gifted Kris…
On January 11, 2026, practitioners gathered from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. for our Beginning Anew Silent Retreat, held overlooking the serene Shoyoan Teien Zen Garden in Middletown, Connecticut. Participants shared that the retreat offered a meaningful way to begin the new year with intention, clarity, and care. In the closing reflection, many spoke of the…
In a World of Division, the Middle Way Late in autumn, as the last leaves had fallen and only a few lingered on the branches above the Shoyoan Teien Zen garden, I found myself speaking words that arose extemporaneously. They were shaped by a reading, the season, and the stillness of that moment. During a…
We would like to give a special thanks for all those members and friends who participated in our Bodhi Holiday Season Food Drive, on December 21, 2025, which took place right after our Meditation & Talk Sunday Meeting, benefiting Amazing Grace Food Pantry in beautiful Middletown, CT. We had a good amount of non-perishable food…
Awakening unfolds as we orient ourselves through view, rest in awareness through meditation, and allow wisdom and compassion to express themselves naturally in how we live together. Buddhism is often described as a path of awakening, but at its heart it begins with a simple and compassionate insight: our deepest nature is already whole. Even…
In the Buddhist path, suffering (dukkha) is often seen as an unavoidable part of life—something each of us meets again and again in different forms. Whether it appears as frustration, loss, or confusion, it often feels like a solid wall blocking our peace. Yet Buddhism teaches that this wall is not as real as it…