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Dharma Drum Retreat Center is a refuge for people looking to begin or advance their meditation practice.  

Set on 125 acres of pristine wilderness, we offer a tranquil environment in which to explore Chan Buddhist meditation and calm your being, clear your thoughts, and attain a free mind. 

Our retreats are designed for both beginners and experienced practitioners, alike. Some teach the basic principles of meditation. Some teach the foundations of a practice. And some go further, teaching a way of life–from sitting meditation to a moving practice, one that you can bring home with you. Although Chan is an ancient practice, these are all taught in a modern, easily accessible manner. The atmosphere here is friendly and open. 

Chan is a way of life, a foundation of clarity, peace, wisdom, and compassion to enlighten your daily experience. It provides an emotional stability that frees you from anxiety and despair, leaving you with a deeper understanding and feeling of oneness with the people in your life and with all of humanity.  

Our teachings will guide you to live with Chan. 

Where We Are 

The Dharma Drum Retreat Center is located in Pine Bush, New York, an easy commute from New York City. With the dramatic Shawangunk Ridge rising above, the DDRC campus is surrounded by forest, meadowland, walking trails and a stream-fed lake. The natural beauty of our 125-acre campus provides the perfect backdrop for quiet contemplation and practice of Chan Buddhism. 

What We Offer 

Choose from a variety of workshops and retreats, from one-day beginner courses to weekend and weeks-long silent retreats. Some are aimed for people new to meditation, with “beginner’s mind.” Others are intended for rigorous, intensive practice for the experienced practitioner.  

All are based on Master Sheng Yen’s Chan teachings which transcend ethnic and cultural boundaries, integrating the traditional and the modern into a form applicable to both Eastern and Western worlds. This blend of teaching makes our programs at DDRC particularly accessible and effective.