Zen Mountain Monastery: Retreats and Training in Zen Buddhism

Welcome to Zen Mountain Monastery

Coming into Being The Dragon Hall

Join us in the creation of a new multi-purpose building to increase our capacity for retreats, workshops & residencies.


Featured Retreat Calligraphy in Color

with Kazuaki Tanahashi

January 16-18, 2009


Located on 230 acres of forest preserve in New York’s beautiful Catskill Mountains, Zen Mountain Monastery (ZMM), the mainhouse of the Mountains and Rivers Order (MRO), is one of the West’s most respected Zen Buddhist monasteries and training centers. Since its inception in 1980, ZMM has offered spiritual practitioners innovative ways to engage the Buddhist teachings through a wide range of retreats and residential programs that take place within the context of authentic, full-time Zen monastic training. Throughout the year, our teachers, staff and special guests lead retreats that highlight each of the areas that form ZMM’s unique training matrix: the Eight Gates of Zen, a Western rendition of the Buddha’s Eightfold Path. Read more about us.

Coming Into Being...


We have launched our new website for the Dragon Hall fundraising campaign. The Dragon Hall is a much-needed new building on the grounds of ZMM. Please visit the site to find out more or to make a donation. View a short video of ZMM's history.

Upcoming Retreats

Also see our full Retreat Calendar

ZTW closed

Jan 9-11 Introduction to Zen Training Retreat

with ZMM Staff

This is the Monastery’s most popular retreat. Designed for those new to Zen, the weekend introduces the most important aspects of traditional Zen training within the context of the unique Eight Gates program...
tracking

Jan 16-18 Nature Tracks

with Jim Bruchac

We will spend this weekend exploring a winter forest with a master tracker who combines Native American philosophies, legends and observation skills with recent scientific techniques. Emerging from the concentrated awareness of zazen, we will venture into the woods of Tremper Mountain to identify tracks and discover from them how the animals are able to survive the winter months...
calligraphy

Jan 16-18 Calligraphy in Color

with Kazuaki Tanahashi

We will begin by exploring the 1700 year old wisdom of East Asian calligraphy as we look at ancient Chinese masterpieces. Then we will engage the heart of the learning and creative process by faithfully copying selected ideographs in different styles.
While practicing basic aesthetics and techniques of brushwork, we will notice how our imperfection and inner criticism keeps us from fully enjoying each moment...

Visiting the Monastery

Sunday Morning Program

9:00-9:30 Morning Service
9:30-11:00 Zazen
11:00-12:00 Dharma Discourse/Dharma Talk
12:00-1:30 Community Dinner and Clean-up

Wednesday Evening Meditation

Many Wednesday evening meditation periods during the year are also open to the public. Newcomers will receive beginning instruction in Zen meditation and orientation to the Monastery. Please call the training office at (845) 688-2228 if you plan to visit on Wednesday.

Once you have received an introduction on either a Sunday or a Wednesday, you can join us for all meditation periods during the weekly schedule (except for sesshin once a month) .