You are home here. Meditate, center, enjoy the beauty of the monastery and the grounds.read more

Very beautiful and serene palace perfect for quiet walk. Even for a non Buddhist like myself one…read morecan find something to appreciate in this place. We came on a rainy overcast day & not even that can take the beauty from this place. There are religious sculpture lining the entrance, a big buddha on the main hall, free books on buddhism, & vegetarian lunch on the weekends you can have for a minimal price. Love, love this place. Will come back on the fall to bring the rest of my family.

The Katog Vajra Ling sangha is dedicated, friendly, and welcoming. Their teacher is a true…read moreinspiration, and an authentic source of pure Dharma. The Rinponche instills above all else harmony with in the community which makes for a safe, friendly environment in which one can practice and study Tibetan Buddhism.

My First Time going to a Buddhist Retreat but, it was very Calming and Learned about the Buddhist…read morePractices. Spiritual Teacher and Members no pressure a place to Calm Mediate in Peace. Thank you

I made the best decision of my life when I decided the check out the Odiyana Kadampa Buddhist…read moreCenter. And I'm not exaggerating. Beginner or well-practiced, Buddhist or non-Buddhist...do yourself an honest favor and check out one of their drop-in meditation classes!! They have Centers for practice in, not just East Hartford, but also Manchester, Old Lyme, Hamden, Hartford, and Guilford! Check out their website for class days and times! I just returned from their 'How to Transform Your Life Day Retreat' at the East Hartford location, and I am absolutely thrilled with the experience that I had today. I attended the event with my friend Dereka, a dedicated Yogi (and a Yelp Elite), who agreed that we will both be back for many more meditation classes. *HUGE thank you to Resident Teacher Kelsang Khyenwang for providing us with the her incredible wisdom, hospitality, and compassion. She taught all 4 classes throughout our retreat day with insurmountable love and sincerity. Each class during our retreat was about an hour long, where we were lovingly taught about basic Buddhist lessons that were aimed to teach us how to "step out of the ordinary of our daily lives" to be mindful in what we think, say, and do in order to positively transform our lives and those that we come in contact with. The lessons were so relatable and our Teacher explained them in a way that was not only easily understood, but also profoundly moving. I will absolutely be back for more meditation classes. In fact, when I come back, I want to bring my parents, my siblings, my friends, my staff...pretty much anyone who is willing to come with me. My experience here was THAT good. And trust me when I say you can be any religion, age, gender, etc to appreciate and learn from these lessons. Don't just take my review for it...PLEASE check out one of these classes for yourself!! It will change your life if you let it!!! *This is a 501-C3 non-profit organization that functions on volunteers-- make a donation today to help keep this wonderful Center up and running!!*

Great place to meditate and meet others who are interested in a contemplative lifestyle. Beautiful…read morespace right near Haymarket and across from Thorne's

This center has been around the Northampton/Amherst area since about 1977, I hear. If I had known…read morehow much they offer, I'd have explored it much earlierthan I did. Although I've just been exploring for a short time now, this is my take: Warm, empowering, and deeply penetrating approach to meditation, and its affect on society, one's individual life, and the arts. Free (!?!) meditation instruction is available, both beginning and ongoing, if requested. I attended an open house, which seems to be a monthly thing. I meet with a meditation instructor that I clicked with, about once a month, to talk about my practice experience. Their web site shows the diversity and accessibility of their program offerings. Well worth the effort to check it out.

Laotian temple in the middle of no where but its pretty big. If you're not familiar with the…read morereligion best find a friend because many of the temple goers are Lao.

This is real Buddhism - based on the Buddha's original teachings, as far as it's possible for us…read moredenizens of the 21st century to tell, and passed along by real Sri Lankan-born and -raised and -educated monks. Buddhism has undergone countless alterations in its travels over the course of its 2,600-year history; each successive culture it's come into contact with has imparted to Buddhism bits and pieces of its own pre-existing religious background, history, and cultural influence, to the point that two people who say the word "Buddhism" today can mean vastly different and even fundamentally opposite things (my last girlfriend and I found this out the hard way). Theravada Buddhism strives for purity: we adhere as closely as we know how to the words and teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha and his closest disciples, and don't admit in much else in our efforts to live by the heart and core of the original teachings. It's not an easy path to tread, and is not calculated to appeal to the sensibilities of the population at large. "The Buddha...reveals that the very things we identify with and hold to as the basis for happiness, rightly seen, are the basis for the suffering that we dread," writes Bhikkhu Bodhi, one of the most learned and highly-regarded scholar-monks we're fortunate to have among us today. The truth of this is a tough pill for most people acclimated to life in the modern world to look at, let alone swallow. The Theravada tradition is about striving to attain this right view, which is why Theravada is less popular today than Northern Buddhism (sometimes referred to as "Mahayana"), the school that encompasses such sects as Pure Land and Zen. While many Northern Buddhist teachings - at least as promulgated in the West - seem to essentially allow the practitioner to go on with their lives as before, living them more mindfully but with their fundamental worldviews largely unchanged, Theravada challenges the practitioner to see the world, the universe, all existence, and most importantly, themselves, in an entirely different way; it requires a complete reworking of one's concept of what is and is not real and of value, the result of which - and indeed, the *intended* result of which - is an alienation from the world as we saw it before. This is deep and difficult work (and can be lonely too, because of that alienation factor: to really get into Theravada is to swim against the stream you've been a part of and have probably taken for granted as constituting reality all your life), and it involves a lot more introspection and intellectual activity than most people are inclined to engage in...with the result that many less-demanding forms of Buddhism have subsequently arisen to allow the masses to feel like they're riding on the same oxcart when in fact their carts are built from pieces and parts produced all over the globe, the origins of only some of which can actually be traced back to the Buddha's teachings. (And I don't mean to convey that if it can't be traced back to the Buddha himself and his immediate disciples, it's of no value by definition - that's just not true (I can be too hard-line sometimes). It just bothers me that there are people out there - and there are whole schools of them - who call themselves Buddhists while openly scoffing at the Buddha's teachings, putting words in his mouth by making up new "discourses of the Buddha" to make it look like he taught what *they* think, and engaging in stunning and bewildering displays of logical acrobatics in their attempts to twist around what he actually did say to make themselves and others believe that he meant...the exact opposite of what he meant. It can be simultaneously hilarious and heartbreaking to see.) What we study and discuss at the Long Island Buddhist Meditation Center is the real deal: the Buddha's teachings (and subsequent valid illuminations thereof), pure and simple - though not always easy. If this sounds like your kind of Buddhism, come join us! You'll be very welcome.

This is a kind, engaged, intelligent sangha. A typical evening begins with chanting, followed by…read moreloving kindness mediation, followed by breath meditation. Then a book of scriptures is passed around, and each person reads a few paragraphs. The monks then enterntain questions concerning the readings. The monks are knowledgeable and authoratative, so you can be assured that their answers and explanations are well grounded. The Q & A is in lieu of a dhamma talk and, in many ways, I feel it's a better way of ensuring that those present understand buddhist thought. Chanting ends the session. Then there is socializing in the dining room as someone usually brings food. The sangha is an especially friendly and open group. You will feel welcome. The house is right next to the railroad track in Port Jeff... so expect a train to go by! Leave your shoes by the door.

Great group of people and great instruction. For those interested in learning more from a…read morequalified teacher look no further.

The center is an authentic place in the Tibetan Buddhist lineage. The classes were really helpful…read moreand it has a very peaceful and sincere environment in the middle of the city. The teacher is very genuine and was available to answer all my questions. A great place if you want to learn meditation in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. I definitely recommend going to a class here!