Upstate New York is charged with peaceful energy and good vibrations. It's no surprise that the east coast capital of the hippie movement and site of Woodstock would spawn an ongoing legacy of spiritual practice. Tucked away in the rolling hills and vast mountains of New York State, there are hundreds of yoga retreats and monasteries to visit, each with unique features and price tags. Many of the retreats customize their fees based on individual requests, so for this article, approximate prices are indicated by $ signs.
YO1 Wellness Center
- Address: 420 Anawana Lake Rd, Monticello, NY 12701, United States
- Cost: $$$
Nestled in the Catskill Mountains, the YO1 Health Resort is an upstate gem. Everything from the sacred geometry of the architecture to the proximity of forests and lakes makes this retreat an important resource.
The resort has a number of programs and options for discerning visitors. The most straightforward way to experience it is by booking a room at the hotel. Starting early in the morning and repeating every few hours throughout the day, there are guided yoga and meditation sessions open to all guests. Following that, aspiring relaxers might want to go for a walk in the woods and take a rowboat onto the lake.
Get back to the hotel and get ready for the day by taking a shower with massage jets after sweating it out in the sauna or steam room. Do all of this before getting breakfast at the resort restaurant, where a professional chef personally serves guests a carefully curated vegan meal.
The resort also has personalized programs for individuals with specific health concerns such as diabetes, obesity, insomnia, and depression.
Chapel Of Sacred Mirrors
- Address: 46 Deer Hill Road, Wappinger, NY 12590
- Cost: $$$
The Chapel of Sacred Mirrors is "a sanctuary for spiritual renewal through contemplation of transformative art," that represents the manifested visions of Alex and Allyson Grey, a power couple in the transcendental spiritualism community.
Visitors can stay at the Grey House, a mansion built in 1862 that combines old-world aesthetics with psychedelic decor, perfect for spiritual retreats. The house has ten bedrooms for all kinds of guests including king beds for couples and dormitories for solo travelers. The house has an art studio, library, and parlor. It is also home to the famous Mushroom Cafe, which serves everything from gluten-free paninis to mushroom kombuchas.
The property is located on 40-acres of forested land, which make up the Wisdom Trail - tastefully organized with walking trails, meditation enclaves, and contemplative artworks.
Zen Mountain Monastery
- Address: 871 Plank Rd, Mt Tremper, NY 12457, USA
- Cost: $$
The Zen Mountain Monastery is a Buddhist institution. They have a Fire Lotus Temple in Brooklyn, NY, where courses and guided meditations are offered, but for aspiring Buddhists who want to experience the religion in nature, their mountain monastery is a must-visit.
The monastery is rich with features without being gaudy. Visitors can stay in dormitories or private rooms. To maintain communal values, everyone eats the dining hall. When not wandering around in the forests and hills, guests can join meditation rooms or go to the community center, which has a gym, art studio, and performance hall. For some intellectual stimulation, there is a library full of Buddhist literature to supplement the meditation with.
The building is a national and state historical landmark and rests on 250 acres of protected woodlands.
Omega Institute New York
- Address: 150 Lake Dr, Rhinebeck, NY 12572, United States
- Cost: $$
The Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY, is an educational retreat center. There are over 100 buildings on the massive, 190-acre campus where students of the soul can learn about holistic living and practices.
Speakers at the institute have included prominent figures like Maya Angelou, Al Gore, and Allen Ginsberg. The institute provides a variety of courses in mindfulness, holistic medicine, theology, self-development, and sustainable living.
Due to the building running entirely on solar power and having an internal water reclamation and circulatory system, much like a plant does, the Omega Center for Sustainable Living is one of the only buildings in the world that is certified as living
Dharma Drum Retreat Center
- Address: 184 Quannacut Rd, Pine Bush, NY 12566, United States
- Cost: $$ (Financial aid available)
Every wonder what would happen if no one made a sound for an entire week? Maybe there's something to learn that words cannot express. The Dharma Drum Retreat Center is one of the top destinations for silent meditation retreats in upstate NY.
The retreat has several programs, some are silent, while others are interactive. They offer courses in various forms of meditation, such as Zen, Huatou, and transcendental, all with the purpose of imbuing learners with wisdom and a sense of wellness and compassion.
Book a retreat and find out if the world might be a better place if everyone learned to live sustainably, eat healthily, and ponder quietly.