We’re looking forward to seeing everyone at Won in a few weeks’ time. Our retreat will be focused on deepening our practice as it relates to the Four Noble Truths

Below is the currently proposed schedule. This is, of course, subject to impermanence and change. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to Contact Us. Please review the retreat guidelines here.

Friday June 19
3:00 – 4:00 PM: Registration
4:00 – 4:15 PM: Orientation (logistics, expectations, noble silence, Noble Truths)

4:15 – 4:30 PM: Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion (SN 56:11)
4:30 – 5:00 PM: Meditation
5:30 PM: Dinner / Noble Silence
6:30 PM: Meditation 3 x 20 / Discussion

Saturday June 20
6:30 AM: Early Morning Meditation (Optional)
7:30 AM: Breakfast / Noble Silence
8:30 AM: Morning Practice Qigong
9:00 AM: The Arrow (SN 36:6); First Noble Truth
10:00 -11:30 AM: 3 x 30 Meditation
12:00 PM: Lunch / Noble Silence
2:00 – 3:30 PM: 3 x 30 Meditation
3:30 PM: Free time
5:30 PM: Dinner / Noble Silence
6:30 PM: Meditation / Discussion

Sunday June 21
6:30 AM: Early Morning Meditation (Optional)
7:30 AM: Breakfast / Noble Silence
8:30 AM: Morning Practice Qigong,
9:00 AM: The Fire Sermon (SN 35:28); Second Noble Truth
10:00 -11:30 AM 3 x 30 Meditation
12:00 PM: Lunch / Noble Silence
2:00 – 3:30 PM: 3 x 30 Meditation
3:30 PM Free time
5:30 PM: Dinner / Noble Silence
6:30 PM: Meditation / Discussion

Monday June 21
6:30 AM: Early Morning Meditation (Optional)
7:30 AM: Breakfast / Noble Silence
8:30 AM: Morning Practice Qigong,
9:00 AM: Bāhiya (Ud 1.10); Third Noble Truth
10:00 -11:30 AM 3 x 30 Meditation
12:00 PM: Lunch / Noble Silence
2:00 – 3:30 PM: 3 x 30 Meditation
3:30 PM Free time
5:30 PM: Dinner / Noble Silence
6:30 PM: Meditation / Discussion

Tuesday June 23
6:30 AM: Early Morning Meditation (Optional)
7:30 AM: Breakfast / Noble Silence
8:30 AM: Morning Practice Qigong
9:00 AM: An Auspicious Day (MN 131); Fourth Noble Truth
9:30 AM: Meditation
10:30 AM: Round Robin
11:30 AM: Cleanup / Depart 
12:00 PM: Lunch / Right speech

The post Won Retreat Schedule 2026 first appeared on Cross River Meditation.

Welcome to this year’s Cross River Meditation Center retreat. Thank you for committing your time and intention to deepening your understanding and direct experience of the Buddha’s Dhamma. This retreat follows the principles and practices taught by the Buddha and presented through the lens of the Sutta Pitaka, especially as preserved and clarified by modern teachers and monastics like Thanissaro Bhikkhu. A detailed schedule can be found here.

Our purpose here is simple: to cultivate virtue, concentration, and discernment within the framework of the Eightfold Path. The Buddha’s Dhamma is not an abstract philosophy—it is a practical guide to ending stress and suffering through direct insight into the nature of reality. 

May this retreat bring clarity, calm, and insight.

“The Dhamma is always practiced right here, right now, within our own minds and bodies.”
– Ajahn Chah

The Won Dharma Center (WDC) in Claverack, NY, offers a serene environment for spiritual practice, including self-guided and group retreats. Here are the key guidelines and information to help you prepare:

• Meals: Included in the rate. Vegetarian meals are provided, and special dietary needs can be accommodated with prior notice
• Liability Waiver: Must be signed upon arrival
• Etiquette: Maintain a contemplative atmosphere; observe noble silence during designated times
• What to Bring: Towel, toiletries, and personal items, bug spray, clothing (see below)
• Clothing:
  •  Loose, comfortable, and modest clothing suitable for meditation and movement practices (walking/hiking/qigong)
  • Neutral or earth-tone colors are preferred to support a calm, non-distracting environment
  • Dress in layers – the meditation halls and walking paths can vary in temperature
  • Hat and rain jacket
• Footwear:
  • Slip-on shoes or sandals for easy removal at building entrances
  • Comfortable walking shoes for nature trails
• Sheets, pillows, and blankets are provided
• What Not to Bring: Scented products, pets, candles, incense, or noisy fabrics

Guidelines for the retreat:

1. Maintain Noble Silence throughout the retreat except during Dhamma discussions, interviews, or when asking essential questions. This supports inward turning and deepening concentration.
2. Sila (Ethical Conduct) by observing the 5 precepts:
   • Refrain from killing or harming any living being
   • Refrain from taking what is not freely given
   • Refrain from sexual activity
   • Refrain from false or harmful speech
   • Refrain from intoxicants that cloud the mind
   • Optionally, you can obeserve the Eight Precepts to deepen your practice. Hold the above five plus these three additional:
     • Refrain from entertainment (e.g. phones, tables, media, etc.)
     • Refrain from eating after noon (breakfast only)
     • Refrain from high / luxurious bedding (move mattress to the floor or use a yoga matt)
3. Follow the retreat schedule mindfully (need link)
4. Mindfulness in all activities. Whether sitting, walking, eating, or resting, bring full awareness to your present-moment experience. This is Right Mindfulness—mindfulness within the context of the Eightfold Path.
5. Letting Go of Distractions. Refrain from using devices/phones as much as possible or turn them off completely. Avoid cell phone use in common areas. Trust the simplicity of the Dhamma and the strength of your own direct experience.
6. Supportive Environment. Be mindful of one another’s space and practice. Each practitioner’s journey is their own. Maintain boundaries that support peace and introspection.

The post Retreat Expectations & Guidelines 2026 first appeared on Cross River Meditation.

See you soon!

The post Won Retreat Registration Closed first appeared on Cross River Meditation.

The July 25 session is currently being rescheduled. Stay tune for the revised date.

Cross River Meditation Center and Doylestown Community Zen announce a joint project that seeks to bring lovers of spiritual poetry, from any or no faith, together to write, read, and spontaneously compose before, during, and after meditation.

We will alternate periods of traditional meditation with time to compose, read aloud, or otherwise share the poetry that moves you to greater compassion and connection.

Join us at 6pm in Frenchtown, Saturday April 25th, at the Cross River Meditation Center at 207 Harrison St. Completely free, though donations are welcomed. Parking available.

RSVP at floatingpoetrysangha@gmail.com for more info, press inquiries, or to arrange extra time to read your work at the event.

The post Spiritual Poetry Event first appeared on Cross River Meditation.

Our next study will kick off March 14th returning to The Four Noble Truths which, of course, stand at the heart of the Buddha’s teachings, not as abstract doctrine but as a direct invitation to look into the nature of our own experience. In this text, Ajahn Sumedho presents the Four Noble Truths with characteristic clarity and simplicity, emphasizing that the Dhamma is something to be lived, experienced, verified, and understood in the ordinariness of daily life. Rather than offering a philosophical system, he points us toward a way of seeing that reveals the patterns of suffering, the forces that sustain it, and the possibility of release. His reflections illuminate how suffering arises through grasping and resistance, how letting go is not an act of will but a relaxation of struggle, and how the path unfolds naturally when we relate to experience with honesty, compassion, and awareness.

Throughout this course, we’ll explore these teachings not as distant ideals but as practical tools for understanding our own minds. Each week’s reading offers a lens for inquiry: how self‑view shapes our reactions, how craving and aversion drive our habits, how impermanence softens our clinging, and how the Eightfold Path becomes a lived orientation rather than a checklist. The text encourages us to meet life as it is—pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral—with curiosity rather than reactivity. In doing so, we begin to see the mechanics of suffering and the quiet freedom available when we stop fighting our experience.

This study arc is designed to support that process. Through reading, discussion, meditation, and shared reflection, we’ll explore how these ancient teachings speak directly to contemporary life. The aim is not to accumulate knowledge but to cultivate a way of looking that brings clarity, steadiness, and compassion into the rhythm of our days. The Four Noble Truths are not merely the Buddha’s first teaching—they are a lifelong practice, a map that continually points us back to the possibility of awakening in the midst of ordinary experience.

You can get a free copy of Ajahn Sumedho’s Four Noble Truths here (and it has pictures!).

The post Upcoming Study first appeared on Cross River Meditation.

Merit has a bit of a stigma to it, especially in Western societies; we can easily turn this into an “I-making” process. But this shouldn’t be thought of as a means towards some achievement or recognition or validation. It is meant as a means of deepening practice, integrating the precepts, and cultivating mindfulness. There are three types of merit: giving (dāna), virtue (sīla), and meditation (bhāvanā). These three acts are essential for cultivating a wise sense of self while developing a strong foundation for deeply integrating our practices.

1. Giving (Dāna): This involves acts of generosity and charity. By giving, we develop a sense of selflessness and reduce attachment to material possessions. It helps us cultivate a generous heart and creates positive kamma, leading to future happiness and well-being.

2. Virtue (Sīla): This refers to ethical conduct and moral discipline. Practicing virtue involves adhering to the Five Precepts, which include refraining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and intoxication. By maintaining virtuous behavior, we create a harmonious and peaceful environment for ourselves and others, and we build a foundation for mental clarity and concentration.

3. Meditation (Bhāvanā): This involves the cultivation of the mind through practices such as mindfulness and concentration. Meditation helps us develop inner peace, wisdom, and insight. It allows us to see the true nature of reality and to let go of unskillful mental habits.

We look forward to seeing you! Suggested donation is $50.

The post Spring Hybrid Retreat 2026 first appeared on Cross River Meditation.

The post Fall Meditation Retreat first appeared on Cross River Meditation.

Our upcoming next set of classes will cover The Book of Eights (Atthaka Vagga), found in the Sutta Nipāta, one of the earliest and most radical expressions of the Buddha’s teaching. It emphasizes the relinquishment of attachment to views, even those considered correct or noble. Rather than promoting a fixed doctrine, the text encourages a direct and experiential understanding of reality, free from the conceit of “I am.” The wise person, according to these verses, does not engage in disputes, does not cling to identity, and remains unmoved by praise or blame. This path of non-clinging leads to a profound inner peace, unshaken by the world’s fluctuations. This is the very heart of the Buddha’s teachings Sabbe Dhamma Nalam Abhinivesaya, nothing whatsoever is worth clinging to.

The suttas within the Book of Eights praise solitude, restraint, and the abandonment of craving as essential qualities of one who seeks liberation. The practitioner is urged to avoid extremes—whether of sensual indulgence or self-torment—and instead walk the middle path with mindfulness and discernment. The tone is austere yet compassionate, guiding the reader toward a life of simplicity and clarity. In Thanissaro Bhikkhu’s translation, the verses retain their sharpness and urgency, offering a timeless challenge: to let go of all that binds the heart and to dwell in the freedom that comes from not taking a stance or clinging to our views. We also suggest Gil Fronsdal’s The Buddha Before Buddhism as an additional companion guide.

The post Upcoming Classes first appeared on Cross River Meditation.

We are working through the itinerary and will update here, and in the newsletter, as we finalize it.

Any questions in the meantime, please feel free to Contact Us.

The post Won Retreat Registration Closed first appeared on Cross River Meditation.

Suggested donation is $50

Retreat Agenda

Saturday 8:30am Qi-Gong

Saturday 9:15am 60-minute sit (3x20mins), Sacca-Vibhanga Part 1, Discussion

Saturday 11:30am Lunch and/or walk in the Park–BYO or buy at a local cafe

Saturday 12:30pm 60-minute sit (3x20mins)

Saturday 1:30pm 30- minute Break / Stretch

Saturday 2:00pm 60-minute sit (3x20mins), Sacca-Vibhanga Part 2, Discussion

Sunday 8:30am Qi-Gong

Sunday 9:15am 60-minute sit (3x20mins), Sacca-Vibhanga Part 3, Discussion

Sunday 11:00am 30-minute Break / Stretch

Sunday 11:30am 60-minute sit (3x20mins), Wrap-up

The post Spring 2025 Hybrid Retreat first appeared on Cross River Meditation.