Admission at the Peace Pagoda is free and I believe it is open until dusk…read more After parking, there is a decent little hike to get to the grounds. The path is not paved and is not stroller friendly so keep that in mind if you have young kids or mobility concerns. For handicapped individuals, you can carefully drive all the way up to the temple. There is no official parking there but there is room to park. Once you arrive, you'll find a Buddhist peace pagoda, a temple, a pond, a zen garden, and other peaceful areas to explore. The pagoda was built in 1985 and expanded over the years. You can spend 20 minutes here or hours depending on your state of mind. I've been coming here for over 20 years and it's still one of my favorite places to slow down. The koi pond with the lily pads and frogs is always a highlight. I brought my 6 year old son and he was in awe of the temple, the monk drumming, and the quiet nature of the area. He kept talking about it afterward and said it was one of his favorite places he has been to in a while. The pond area almost has a maze like quality to it and the trees behind the grounds feel like a forest waiting to be explored so he especially loved exploring the grounds. Visitors can go inside the temple but keep in mind there are prayer times and other events happening. This is an active spiritual place so people should be quiet and respectful while visiting. There is no food available and I am not sure about public bathrooms. Expect little to no cell service, not just here but in Leverett in general.

A lovely pastoral setting to reflect, and meditate, the Peace Pagoda has lovely rock garden, and…read morethe temple is beautiful. The atmosphere around the compound, shrines, and ponds is one of complete serenity. Prayer ceremonies take place in the early morning, and the evening. It was great learning that there was this lovely Buddhist temple located in the area that we were traveling. Your GPS is your friend to find this wonderful serine location, it is difficult to find without...

My First Time going to a Buddhist Retreat but, it was very Calming and Learned about the Buddhist…read morePractices. Spiritual Teacher and Members no pressure a place to Calm Mediate in Peace. Thank you

I made the best decision of my life when I decided the check out the Odiyana Kadampa Buddhist…read moreCenter. And I'm not exaggerating. Beginner or well-practiced, Buddhist or non-Buddhist...do yourself an honest favor and check out one of their drop-in meditation classes!! They have Centers for practice in, not just East Hartford, but also Manchester, Old Lyme, Hamden, Hartford, and Guilford! Check out their website for class days and times! I just returned from their 'How to Transform Your Life Day Retreat' at the East Hartford location, and I am absolutely thrilled with the experience that I had today. I attended the event with my friend Dereka, a dedicated Yogi (and a Yelp Elite), who agreed that we will both be back for many more meditation classes. *HUGE thank you to Resident Teacher Kelsang Khyenwang for providing us with the her incredible wisdom, hospitality, and compassion. She taught all 4 classes throughout our retreat day with insurmountable love and sincerity. Each class during our retreat was about an hour long, where we were lovingly taught about basic Buddhist lessons that were aimed to teach us how to "step out of the ordinary of our daily lives" to be mindful in what we think, say, and do in order to positively transform our lives and those that we come in contact with. The lessons were so relatable and our Teacher explained them in a way that was not only easily understood, but also profoundly moving. I will absolutely be back for more meditation classes. In fact, when I come back, I want to bring my parents, my siblings, my friends, my staff...pretty much anyone who is willing to come with me. My experience here was THAT good. And trust me when I say you can be any religion, age, gender, etc to appreciate and learn from these lessons. Don't just take my review for it...PLEASE check out one of these classes for yourself!! It will change your life if you let it!!! *This is a 501-C3 non-profit organization that functions on volunteers-- make a donation today to help keep this wonderful Center up and running!!*

The Hai An Pagoda is my favorite place to be! The meditation hall is spacious and beautiful,…read moredecorated with Oriental carpets, paper lanterns, beautiful statues, and flowers. More importantly, the people are wonderful! A service is held in English every Thursday evening, from 6:30-8:30, and I never miss it! They host an evening of chanting, sitting meditation, walking meditation, a tea ceremony, and a dharma discussion. The Buddhist precepts are reviewed on a monthly basis, and the sangha meets for dinner at the temple before services, on that evening. In addition to the Thursday evening English services, the Hai An Pagoda also holds Sunday services in Vietnamese at 10:30 am. While this is a Vietnamese Zen/Pure Land temple, I would encourage anyone with an interest in any school of Buddhism, and/or in meditation to check it out. It's a wonderful place to practice, and you will be in very good company! :)

This beautiful Lao buddhist temple was built in 2002, in Morris, CT; it opened in 2005. It's a…read moreplace for prayer, identity, community, and culture, for the Lao community. I am not Laotion but I am buddhist. There was plenty of parking and space to explore. There are multiple buildings, statues, and a picnic area. I loved the elaborate statues, the prayer spots with incenses, and flowers. The grounds were meticulously kept. I have not been in the buildings for prayer, but I did outside. It's a serene spot and worth a visit!

Laotian temple in the middle of no where but its pretty big. If you're not familiar with the…read morereligion best find a friend because many of the temple goers are Lao.

Great place to meditate and meet others who are interested in a contemplative lifestyle. Beautiful…read morespace right near Haymarket and across from Thorne's

This center has been around the Northampton/Amherst area since about 1977, I hear. If I had known…read morehow much they offer, I'd have explored it much earlierthan I did. Although I've just been exploring for a short time now, this is my take: Warm, empowering, and deeply penetrating approach to meditation, and its affect on society, one's individual life, and the arts. Free (!?!) meditation instruction is available, both beginning and ongoing, if requested. I attended an open house, which seems to be a monthly thing. I meet with a meditation instructor that I clicked with, about once a month, to talk about my practice experience. Their web site shows the diversity and accessibility of their program offerings. Well worth the effort to check it out.

You are home here. Meditate, center, enjoy the beauty of the monastery and the grounds.read more

Very beautiful and serene palace perfect for quiet walk. Even for a non Buddhist like myself one…read morecan find something to appreciate in this place. We came on a rainy overcast day & not even that can take the beauty from this place. There are religious sculpture lining the entrance, a big buddha on the main hall, free books on buddhism, & vegetarian lunch on the weekends you can have for a minimal price. Love, love this place. Will come back on the fall to bring the rest of my family.

Classes, discussions, and retreats on Buddhism and meditation as a path of mindfulness and…read moreenlightenment. Website has upcoming events and schedules.

This Buddhist center is a wonderful place of learning, meditation and community. Unlike stated in…read morean earlier review it is not Zen. The center is Tendai, a Japanese Buddhist school that Zen developed from. Everybody is made welcome at the center. The sangha (community) has been a source of comfort and support to me in times of loss.​​

This is a really beautiful Zen center, with a very lovely evening meditation service (usually…read moreWednesday evenings) followed by a potluck dinner. They have special events, too. It is very low-key and welcoming, and the meditations are held in a beautiful converted old barn. Very nice atmosphere and beautiful Japanese-style ritual.

This school was awesome! We went here for a total of 4 years before we moved. The school was…read morefantastic! The morals they taught the children and the kindness and patience and how gracious everyone was warms my heart. The school was just fantastic, and I am at a loss for words. It was truly an awesome school that worshipped God through everything.

Great school. I have three kids at Cornerstone from Pre-K up to 5th grade. The teachers are…read morewonderful. I love the diversity in the small student body with families from many area churches and equally many ethnic backgrounds.