Serene in the Oneness of Things: A Restorative Winter Retreat
191 Cragsmoor Rd, Cragsmoor, NY 12420, USA
Up to 15 in group
Feb 5 - 7, 2027
Retreat Highlights
- Intimate setting with personal access to the teacher
- Interactive sessions with question and answer periods
- Yoga sessions
- Shamatha and guided meditations
- Delicious all-vegetarian meals with locally sourced ingredients
- Option to extend stay on Personal Retreat
- Extensive library of dharma books
- Expansive wooded grounds with beautiful paths, flora and fauna
About this Retreat
Charles Ryoshin Kalmanek began his Zen practice in 2001 after a trip to Japan. He received Jukai in 2002, was Shuso in 2013, and was given the role of Dharma Holder (Hōshi) from Ryotan Eiger Roshi in August 2023.
Ryoshin worked in software technology for over 40 years. He teaches Zen meditation at the Village Zendo in New York City and Shakti Yoga in Maplewood NJ. He is an aspiring playwright and fiction writer, whose work explores themes of change and loss, the many ways that we are the product of causes and conditions, our human failings and our capacity for compassion and joy. Ryoshin lives in New Jersey with his wife Sarah and two very good dogs.
Rev. Keely Rakushin Garfield is a certified E-RYT 500, YACEP yoga teacher, and a highly regarded YTT instructor. She is an Urban Zen Integrative Therapist (UZIT), a Reiki Master, and an ordained Buddhist chaplain, board-certified by the Association of Professional Chaplains. Keely practices Zen Buddhism in the White Plum Asanga lineage at The Village Zendo. She has served on the faculty of many yoga centers, and her career highlights include leading UZT trainees in Haiti, creating a popular online restorative yoga training for YogaRenew, teaching yoga and Reiki for Yoga Journal NYC, and facilitating a pranayama workshop for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Alongside her wellness work, she is an acclaimed choreographer, dancer, and educator with her own company, Keely Garfield Dance. She currently serves as a Director of Spiritual Care and palliative care chaplain in a hospital setting. Keely’s broad experience provides her with exceptional insight into how health and vitality are deeply rooted in mind-body awareness. She centers a spirit of philosophical inquiry and compassionate concern at the heart of all her endeavors.
www.keelygarfield.nyc
Details of this retreat
RETREAT BY INVITED PRESENTER
In this final month of winter, be serene in the oneness of all things. This restorative weekend retreat offers each of us an opportunity to reconnect with our bodies through gentle yoga and movement, and to reconnect with our mind through Zen meditation or zazen. Our practice will be guided by an ancient Chinese sutra, the Hsin Hsin Ming, or Faith in Mind sutra, whose core teaching is that the Tao or the Way is immediately available to us at all times. Together, we will explore how its teaching can be our guide through these challenging times, as we learn to trust the wisdom and compassion of our own heart-mind.
“As Ryoshin’s student, I’ve found his grounded and patient approach makes the essence of Zen feel clear and accessible. His deep understanding of Zen’s ancient stories, rich history, and sincere practice brings the teachings to life in a way that continues to support my own journey.”
"Keely is clearly a skilled yoga instructor, with the gift of intuitively teaching participants of different experience levels who come to the mat with different intentions. She truly encourages her students to trust, which results in connection."
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
This retreat unifies body, mind and spirit through Zen and movement practices.
Anchoring in our bodies as a place of grounding and insight, we will engage in a blend of somatic practices including restorative yoga, breathwork, and guided movement. You'll discover simple ways to release physical tension while cultivating deep curiosity and calm.
Zazen is a practice in which we “drop body and mind” and are fully present to our moment by moment experience. We let go of any expectation of improving or getting anything from our practice: we just sit. Our mind slows down. We develop insight into our habits of mind. We become intimate with our life and the life of the world.
Together these practices give us a strong foundation for whatever challenges we face in our everyday life.
When not in class, relax in the Center’s beautiful environment. Enjoy the view from the patio or a nearby hike, curl up with a book in the library or contemplate the stars while sitting by the fire pit.
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
Intimate setting with personal access to the teachers
Interactive sessions with question and answer periods
Shamatha and guided meditations
Delicious all-vegetarian meals with locally sourced ingredients
Option to extend stay on Personal Retreat
Extensive library of dharma books
Expansive wooded grounds with beautiful paths, flora and fauna and walking trails
OPEN TO ALL
There are no prerequisites for this program; it is appropriate for all.
SCHEDULE
(subject to change)
Friday, February 5
3:00 PM
Check in begins
6:00-7:00 PM
Dinner
7:00-8:45 PM
Orientation
Welcome and Introductions
Overview of the Schedule
Introduction to Zen Meditation
Introduction to Restorative Yoga
Question & Answer
Breath Awareness-Relax
8:45-9:00 PM
Training for Service Positions (Morning and Afternoon/Evening Jikidos)
10:00 PM
Lights Out
Saturday, February 6
7:00-7:30 AM
Breath Awareness-Revitalize
7:30-8:00 AM
Morning Meditation
8:00-9:00 AM
Breakfast
9:30-10:30 AM
Restorative Yoga
10:30-11:00 AM
Meditation
11:00-11:30 AM
Dharma Talk
12:00-1:00 PM
Lunch
1:00-3:00 PM
Personal Time
3:00-4:00 PM
Guided Movement Practice
4:00-5:00 PM
Afternoon Meditation
6:00-7:00 PM
Dinner
7:30-8:30 PM
Dharma Study “Practicing with Whatever Arises in Life”
8:30-9:00 PM
Evening Meditation
9:00-9:10
Breath Awareness-Relax
10:00 PM
Lights out
Sunday, February 7
7:00-7:30 AM
Breath Awareness-Revitalize
7:30-8:00 AM
Morning Meditation
8:00-9:00 AM
Breakfast
9:30-10:30 AM
Restorative Yoga
10:30-11:00 AM
Meditation
11:00-11:30 AM
Dharma Talk
11:30 AM-12:30 PM
Group Sharing, Four Vows
12:30-1:30 PM
Lunch
1:30 PM
Checkout and Departure
Getting Here
Directions
CAR. You will find a link for driving directions on our website. The parking lot is immediately to your left when you enter the Center grounds. You may drive up and drop your luggage at the Welcome Center, but may not leave your car unattended there; someone will be happy to shuttle you back down to the parking lot.
TRAIN. From Newark, La Guardia and Penn Station, you can take the Metro North train into Middletown, New York, approximately a 30-minute drive from the Center. For teachings, retreats and other special events, we will provide van service at set times. Otherwise, please take a taxi from the train station to the Center.
BUS. From New York City, you can take the Shortline Bus into Ellenville, New York, approximately a 15-minute drive from the Center. For teachings, retreats and other special events, we will provide van service at set times. Otherwise, please take a taxi from the train station to the Center.
PLANE. Newark, La Guardia and Stewart Airports all offer convenient services. From Newark or LaGuardia you can complete your trip by train; from Stewart you may rent a car or take a taxi service.
Accommodation
Our two residence halls offer a simple, peaceful environment that supports your retreat experience, with rooms for those on both personal and solitary retreats. Each room has a meditation cushion and zabuton. Rates include breakfast, lunch and dinner with the resident community, as well as towels and housekeeping. All guests are welcome, but not required, to join the daily meditation and other activities (although separate tickets are required for all ticketed events).
• Our junior suites have a double bed, private bath, private terrace, a refrigerator and ample room for practice.
• Our private rooms have a double bed and room for private meditation, with a shared bath.
Rooms may be shared by those in a committed relationship.
Private Room: Single
This comfortable room has a double bed and ample room for meditation. It is outfitted with a desk and small table suitable for a meditation object; it shares a bath with one or two other rooms. All rooms are furnished with linens, pillows, blankets, coverlets, and towels, as well as a meditation cushion and zabuton. The room rate includes three delicious vegetarian meals each day; in addition, there is a tea station on every hall.
Private Room: Couple
This registration fee is for two people. This comfortable room has one double bed, and may be shared by couples in a committed relationship. With ample room for meditation, it features a desk and small table suitable for a meditation object. All rooms are furnished with linens, pillows, blankets, coverlets, and towels, as well as a meditation cushion and zabuton. The room shares a bath with one or two other rooms. Room rates include three delicious vegetarian meals each day (6 total meals for a couple room); there is also a tea station on each hall.
Junior Suite: Single
These large rooms have one double bed, a private bath, private terrace, a refrigerator and ample room for practice. Each room has a small table suitable for a meditation object and a meditation cushion and zabaton, as well as a desk and an armoire. Room rates include three delicious vegetarian meals each day; there is also an in-room tea station.
Junior Suite: Couple
This reservation fee is for two people and includes three delicious vegetarian meals each day (6 total for a couple). This large room has one double bed, which may be shared by couples in a committed relationship. In addition, it has a private bath, private terrace, a refrigerator and ample room for practice. Each room has a small table suitable for a meditation object and a meditation cushion and zabaton, as well as a desk and an armoire.
Meals
Menu Types
Ancient wisdom describes food as a source of prana, or life force. The Dharmakaya Center for Wellbeing was founded on the premise that nourishing food is integral to wellbeing. Our chefs are passionate about creating meals that are both flavorful and healthy. We use the freshest, most nutritious, least processed foods available; when possible our ingredients are organic and locally sourced.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included in your accommodation fee. To promote good health, we serve delicious, varied, nutritious vegetarian food, with options at every meal. All our meals are served on a buffet, with ingredients listed next to each dish, enabling guests to avoid dairy, as well as glutens, nuts and other allergens.
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