I received a letter today saying that Thich Nhat Hanh's Unified Buddhist Church and Plum Village monastery are announcing that they are purchasing land for a new monastery in the Walker Valley of Ulster County, New York, in the USA.This monastery is much needed as the UBC has no monastery on the East Coast and will serve 28 sanghas in New York alone.
The property is 80 acres, 65 of which are forest. How peaceful that will be for walking meditation!!! The land was formerly used as a conference and retreat center. There is a forest, creek (would love to meditate next to the creek) and two small ponds (two other great places to meditate or just contemplate). In includes 13 buildings with 35 rooms. Each room can accommodate 4-6 people with a private bath. The dining room holds about 200 people.
The owner is selling it for the sum of $2,650,000 and the monastics have all but $450,000 of it and are asking for donations to help pay that off.
Thay has named the center Blue Cliff Monastery because on top of a hill it has magnificent views of the surrounding mountains and cliffs. The picture I've attached to this post is of the Trapps Cliffs and Clove Valley of the Mohank Preserve which is near the site of the monastery--I think.
This monastery will be a great place for East Coast practitioners within Thay's tradition of Zen Buddhism to attend retreat and days of mindfulness. Of course, those of different traditions, no tradition or non-Buddhists are allowed and encouraged to visit and attend the different monasteries and retreats offered by Thay and the monastics.
If you wish to donate to this wonderful project then you can send a check written to GMDC (or you can spell it out, Green Mountain Dharma Center). GMDC is a center under the Thich Nhat Hanh tradition located in Vermont.
Here is the address:
Unified Buddhist Church
P.O. Box 182
Hartland Four Corners, VT 05049
If you do not trust me that this is a legitimate project and do not wish to send your money without more verification and information then please contact:
Brother Phap Dang and Brother Phap Duyet at 802-457-9442
or
Sister Annabel - True Virtue at 802-436-1103
~Peace to all beings~
