Sometimes we need to step away from the busyness of everyday life and simply be. On Sunday, October 11, participants gathered at Wesleyan University’s Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies in Middletown for BFF’s Autumn Silent Simplicity Retreat. Overlooking the peaceful Shoyoan Teien Zen garden, the morning offered time to slow down, settle into…
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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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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,…