I love the guided mediation and teachings. Simple and practical. No need to be a Buddhist to gain…read morebenefits. It made me feel calmer, lighter, more peaceful---and motivated to develop a sitting practice-- I started a few minutes of sitting a day-- it helped me a lot to just let go and stop all the mental chatter. I'm amazed how I feel more connected --it changes the rhythm of the day!

Great place to learn how to meditate if you are new to it and curious. Also a solid avenue if you…read morewant to deepen an existing practice and commit to studying the Buddha's teaching more in depth. You'll probably want to check on their website, but I believe there are study groups on Tues/Thurs evening, Heart Jewel recitation at 10am M-F, and open guided lunchtime meditation at 12:15 M-F. Sunday morning classes are good for a drop-in: the meditation isn't too long but you work on your concentration and then ponder a topic in depth. The topic I sat in on was on the benefits of meditation - which, even though we may vaguely guess that it's healthy and have ideas about it calming us down or helping us focus better - it's kind of like exercise or eating right: Not all that pleasurable in the immediate, but with time and applied efforts, the benefits begin to manifest. Then we start to habituate our minds to virtue till it becomes more effortless. You know when you start craving healthy food and then are surprised? You're like - "Kale?! Really?!?!" And you like it. Then you LOVE it. Yeah, it's like that. Atmosphere is good. It's Hampton's esque and hard wood, complete with symmetrical offerings on the altar. The folks who go regularly are great and hail from a variety of backgrounds - artists and lawyers and dentists and cops. Kidding! I only vaguely remember meeting artists, but I'm sure some folks there were bankers - after all, this is the Hamptons. Sometimes there are delightful treats like cookies and cakes, and there is always a nice giant vat of tea. Sitting outside in the sun around the Buddha garden was also one of my favorites things; talking to people before and after class. Venerable Norden, the resident nun, is ACE. I was a bit intimidated to meet her at first - there is this secret power that some monks and nuns have due to the depth of their practices - YO - they can SEE your mind. And we all know our minds are total garbage. So it can be a little squirmy and unpleasant-like. But see, here's the deal with her magical powers: she will always find a way to encourage your practice. She is also a surgeon - like the Buddha - who will swiftly and with psychic precision expose whatever silly garbage you're riding on in your mind. The purpose of this is not to harm or intimidate you, but to give you whatever you need in the moment: whether that is a dose of 'calm down - you're not special' or whether it is 'hey, rejoice: you're not doing all that bad - this is all really ok - good, even.' Obviously I prefer the latter!!!! But that is because I am super samsaric and pretty much ONLY care about praise, gain, etc etc. In any case: Buddhism ain't easy. It's a tough, hard, rocky TRUE path for TRUE cessations. It's nice to be able to enjoy the rough navigation of chaotic inner waters in such a beautiful, calm environment amongst kind and curious people.

Totally dig this place. Life is loud and fast moving--Dipamkara provides a sanctuary (even if it's…read moreonly for a little) from that clamor. The classes are always interesting; but more than that I'm always so impressed by the people attending the classes! Every time I've been there thus far, I'd say the people that go are hardcore meditators for the most part. No challenges, discussions, egoic banter, attention seeking, or shallowness... everyone goes, listens, stays still and quiet during the meditations (no one falls asleep either! Or if they have, they're awfully quiet about it), and then leaves. It's... amazing. Really.

I've rethought it (and perhaps matured just a wee little bit), and decided I shouldn't be…read moredisparaging. Different teachings are appropriate to different people, and there's a place in the world and a right audience for those teachings that impart a few drops of the Buddha's message in a solution of colorful and dramatic Asian cultural beliefs and New Age mysticism. As long as those few drops of the Buddha's teaching remain in the solution, it has the potential to help some people progress along the Buddhist path, and if what you hear and experience at the Dipamkara Center resonates with you, then it's probably the right teaching for where you're at right now. Especially so if you're not looking specifically for the Buddha, but are just seeking some peace and calm and help and comfort from wherever it may come. I just want those who do seek a purer, more undiluted view of the Buddha's teaching - which is definitely not comfortable for everybody - to understand that it is available elsewhere (on and off Long Island), and to continue their search. I'm not giving five stars here just because Yelp describes five stars as meaning, "as good as it gets", and, just as, for some people, Dipamkara is the absolute perfect thing, so for others there is better than Dipamkara to be had. *bow*

Classes, discussions, and retreats on Buddhism and meditation as a path of mindfulness and…read moreenlightenment. Website has upcoming events and schedules.

The Hai An Pagoda is my favorite place to be! The meditation hall is spacious and beautiful,…read moredecorated with Oriental carpets, paper lanterns, beautiful statues, and flowers. More importantly, the people are wonderful! A service is held in English every Thursday evening, from 6:30-8:30, and I never miss it! They host an evening of chanting, sitting meditation, walking meditation, a tea ceremony, and a dharma discussion. The Buddhist precepts are reviewed on a monthly basis, and the sangha meets for dinner at the temple before services, on that evening. In addition to the Thursday evening English services, the Hai An Pagoda also holds Sunday services in Vietnamese at 10:30 am. While this is a Vietnamese Zen/Pure Land temple, I would encourage anyone with an interest in any school of Buddhism, and/or in meditation to check it out. It's a wonderful place to practice, and you will be in very good company! :)

An Intimate and small Buddhist Temple with a BIG Hearted monk, named Bhante who always greets you…read morewith a huge smile. The weekly 30min Love and Kindness mediation is fantastic. If you are curious and looking for a location to try or practice mediation I highly recommend Brahma Vihara Meditation Center.

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 monastery was founded by Venerable Lama Norhla under the direction of Kalu Rinpoche and the…read moreKarmapa. I was one of his first students and an early trustee, when the building you see now was just a two space garage waiting to be developed. The buildings were developed mostly by Lama Norhla, his students and practitioners. This monastery was the first in the US, back in 1980 or so, to carry through the authentic three year retreat of Tibetan Buddhism by which a person can become a Lama. A number of Lamas now well known went through the first three year retreat here. You will find the authentic holders of Tibetan Buddhism here. You can not find a more complete monastery, anywhere. This is well worth all efforts to visit and to do a retreat. You will discover the roots of what is now called mindfulness, began here in this tradition. And there is as well so much more...... Mindfulness and Compassion.

Welcoming, Peaceful, a respite from the clanging of the world... love the little shrine room down…read moreby the river especially...

We have been attending your Floating lantern ceremony many times. It is such a beautiful thing to…read moredo. We so enjoyed your exhibition, we came out feeling SO relaxed. We have always been made welcome by all the wonderful kind people there. The lake looked amazing with so many lanterns all lit up. We didn't want to leave all the peace and beauty. Thankyou all for sharing it with us xxxx

I was so serious about celebrating my 100th review thus, it took many months to decide what to…read morewrite. I decided to share something very personal. It helped to focus my career when I got out of school. It showed who is "me" and guided "me" to grow personally and spiritually. I have a full of appreciation till this date. If I can explain how, where and what made "me" to grow, it is going to be not easy. Each step was a huge struggle but I understand my life better. I am still searching for more. It is a life long journey. When I was 21 years old, I met this teaching. It was in New York City. The teaching helped to understand my obstacles as a young person and guided to find how to over come each steps. It helped my relationships with my boyfriend and my friends, and career. After the achievement of each obstacles, I knew I became a better person. People around started to tell me how I changed. I became easy to talk to and well rounded. This change helped to develop a good relationship in a business and able to find and keep my boyfriend for long time without any unnecessary arguments (it was important). If you are looking for an answer in your life, it might be to try. It has been a great help for my life. Because of this wonderful experiences, I can respect others that practicing their teachings because it is not easy to do. The teaching, based on the last teaching of Buddha (Nirvana Sutra), gave a tool to find myself. Then, showed me how to elevate as a human and as spiritually but I had to work very hard. We all have some kind of extra senses, awareness (feeling, six sense..etc.). Some has, or can develop, naturally but most need a help to achieve. I definitely needed a lot of it. After sitting for many trainings at the temple in San Francisco ,New York, Paris and Japan, I have polished my inner "me" to be rounded and understand of the others, differences, and the other world. I hope It makes sense? I am not developed as fast as some. Some trainees catches and go very fast and some are slow. I am one of them. The trainings (it's called Sesshin Training). It helped to see another dimensions. It doesn't end there. The training gives a hint of how to overcome. fundamentally, it is mostly to help and do for others and find appreciation in any situation . When I find another dimension, I feel (some see and some feel more). I am starting to sound crazy but the experiences were real and helped to understand tremendously. The training was not easy and especially at the beginning. It was a battle of not want to see and acknowledge or scare to know about..... real "me". Especially, to experience and to know about an existence of the other world was difficult. This unique training (Sesshin) can be finished in 30 minutes. It depends on where your mind are. If your mind are focused, the training can be finished faster or if it's longer, might be what you needed at that time. I had an experience to sit with one of my friends who is a Yoga trainer. Although I practiced much longer, he finished earlier. It may be that he knew how to breath and focus better. Even many years of sitting and meditating, I am still not where I want to be. I am still having difficulty to detach from my attachments. Yes, I have many....believe me. It is a life long training. Wonderful! Doing more free weights, gain more muscle. If you eat a lot, you gain weight. It is simply nature of law, cause and effect (Karma). If I practice more, I shall achieve my goal. I hope I can before I die. Without the body, I can not help others.... There are two locations in New York. Main temple with a gold reclined Buddha of about 15 feet that I was very fortunate to watch carrying into the temple and had a chance to pour some jewels (not actual jewel, consist of grains of rice and so on..) is in White Plains. There is a training center that offer limited trainings in Midtown, 36th between 6th & 5th Avenue.

The Providence Zen Center is an incredible, healing place. I stayed there for a month in 2022 and…read moreit was a transformative experience. Everyone in the community is so incredibly kind. The mission of the Providence Zen Center is just simply to focus on compassion and practice meditation. That's it. And if by being more compassionate, learning to be more in the moment, learning to be focused and in control of our minds can help make the world a better place and help others, then heck yeah I'm going to keep doing that! I truly believe that people should at least visit the Providence Zen Center once, either on Wednesday nights at 5:30pm for dinner and meditation instruction and practice, or come check out the Sunday morning meditation instruction/practice at 9:00am and the Dharma (wisdom) talk led by a Dharma Teacher at 10:45am. The grounds are beautiful (there is a LOT of space to wander), the people are awesome, and they're even working on doing organic farming! I helped take care of plants when I stayed there. They've been selling their homegrown vegetables in farmer's markets after harvesting. The goodness they put into the local and greater community is immeasurable! It's a nonprofit organization too, so if you donate anything, it's tax-deductible. I sincerely hope that the Providence Zen Center can thrive but that can only happen if people continue to visit and join practice! So if you're looking for a place to grow your mindfulness, your compassion, and your meditation practice, look no further, this is the place for you :)

It has great energy there. Lots of beautiful flowers, plants and trees in lovely gardens. Kind…read moregentle people, absolutely amazing meditation. You have to try. Once you come, you will feel. They serve very delicious homemade vegetarian meal at 5:30 pm on Wednesday. They teach you how to meditate at 9:00 am on Sunday.