Peace of mind: no time like the present

By JONATHAN FOX

Even here in the mountains, the constant and often mundane tasks of simply going to work, paying the bills and experiencing firsthand the plight of the economy can be stress inducing. While the illusion of serenity may be all around us in the external world we inhabit, it is the internal peace of mind that often eludes us.

How fortunate, then, that there are so many wonderful organizations scattered throughout many of our communities that offer refuge from the hectic and intrusive thoughts that prevent us from truly feeling happy all of the time.

Whether we are seeking spiritual enlightenment, a new outlook on life or a way to further explore our faith in the world around us, it is exploration of the world within us that these multifaceted centers offer in the form of guidance, teaching, learning and personal enrichment.

Koinonia ( Koinoniany.org ), 165 Lakeview Drive, Highland Lake, NY, 800/980-CAMP.

A year-round camp and retreat facility owned by the Martin Luther Camp Corporation serving the church in New York, New Jersey and Northeast Pennsylvania, Koinonia offers retreats, environmental education, children’s programs and a summer camp. The facility’s 1,200 acres and beautiful lake offer year-round indoor and outdoor activities to provide visitors with “a positive learning environment, a memorable spiritual experience, or just a great time in the woods for individuals, families and groups.”

The Himalayan Institute ( himalayaninstitute.org ), 852 Bethany Turnpike, Honesdale, PA, 570/253-5551.

Located on a 400-acre campus in the Poconos, in what is described as a “spiritually vibrant atmosphere,” the institute serves as a meeting ground for students and seekers from “all walks of life who wish to participate in programs such as hatha yoga, meditation, stress reduction, Ayurveda, nutrition, spirituality and eastern philosophy.”

Services offered include self-transformational programs, seminars and workshops, yoga teacher training, spiritual excursions and correspondence courses.

Shalom Sacred Mountain Retreat Center ( shalommountain.com ), 664 Cattail Road, Livingston Manor, NY, 845/482-5421.

Offering courses and retreats for men, women, teens and young adults that address issues including addiction and recovery, spirituality, wisdom schooling and sacred sexuality, Shalom Mountain “exists to promote individual and global transformation through the creation of intentional loving community.”

A self proclaimed “place of empowerment,” the center offers the community a haven for healing, “promoting the inward journey of knowing oneself and the outward journey of creative expression in the world.”

The Upper Delaware Unitarian Universalist Fellowship ( uduuf.org ), Berlin Township Community Center, Beach Lake, PA, 845/252-6626.

The fellowship is currently hosting an “Intersession” series on Sundays through February 28, which highlights poetry, art, film and music as modes of creative spiritual expression. The series is one of a variety of creative and frequently interactive meetings held by the fellowship, whose mission statement says, “We are a vibrant liberal religious community that nurtures the individual spirit and collectively works to build just and sustainable community through creative worship, good works and individual expression. The fellowship welcomes all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, affectional or sexual orientation, age or national origin.”

United Trungram Buddhist Fellowship ( utbf.org ), UTBF Retreat Center, 155 Buff Road, Cochecton, NY, 845/932-8330.

The UTBF is “dedicated to the spiritual advancement of people worldwide through promotion of the principles of nonviolence, social justice and mutual understanding.”

Their literature continues by explaining that the fellowship “endeavors to preserve and promote the rich traditions of the Buddhist teachings, improve educational conditions for the general public and deliver basic spiritual help, healthcare and emergency relief for those in need.”

The center offers public teaching and meditation programs, short-term group and individual retreats and hosts study and meditation groups.

Kadampa Meditation Center ( kadampanewyork.org ), 47 Sweeney Road, Glen Spey, NY, 845/856-9000.

Located on over 80 acres, the KMC and World Peace Temple is dedicated to offering courses, services and workshops that range from “Peace Of Mind Weekends,” “Happy Life” workshops, Guided Meditations, weekly services and a year-long calendar of retreats and classes for adults and teens. Monthly “Food For Thought” gatherings offer anyone who wishes to attend the opportunity to “relax with a brief guided meditation to develop inner peace, followed by a three-course gourmet meal served in the adjacent World Peace Cafe, with a view of the inspiring Temple shrine and surrounding streams and woodlands.”

Their literature states that “although Buddhism is an ancient religion that first appeared in the East, the practices taught by Buddha are timeless and universally applicable. These days, many people are discovering Buddhism offers clear answers to questions and real solutions to problems that cannot be found anywhere else.”