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...

It's difficult to find the words to describe AMI. A school? A philosophy? A community? The site is…read morea wonderful place where a philosophy is taught by the institute's founders within a community. There are classes in a variety of topics related to the study of yoga science and meditation, and opportunities for practicing it. All of this in the midst of the beauty of one of the founders' amazing artwork. The basic 6-week Learn to Meditate course is life-changing, though there is a shorter Saturday morning intro class, as well. Experience it yourself! Tonight I enjoyed one of the monthly Friday "Dinner & a Movie" evenings. A delicious catered vegetarian meal (this one Italian) and a film with discussion (this one "A Little Chaos," with Kate Winslet) with a nice group of people. Very enjoyable!!

American Meditation Institute is a wonderful place for learning meditation. I have been a student…read moreat the institute through distance learning and once a year conferences for the past three years. Learning to practice meditation using the teaching has transformed my life and lowered my stress levels significantly. I recommend that everyone at least take the beginning meditation course as a starting point. Meditation is good for everyone but it takes discipline and persistence. Being a part of the institute gives you support to keep learning and growing. Namaste!

Anahata School House Yoga and Healing Arts Welcoming from…read morethe start, Anahata School House Yoga and Healing Arts has lived up to its name. Ellen (Gentle Yoga) and Aly (Ayurvedic Yoga) were warm and inviting. As a first-time participant they asked me if there were any injuries to be aware of. Indeed, there were, and they attentively suggested alternative approaches to poses or props that would help. The monthly membership has made it possible to attend several classes a week and keep my body and mind in a much better place. Anahata is not only yoga classes. They offer workshops, Ayurvedic Bodywork, and community potlucks once a month. All which I've had the lovely opportunity of participating in. When you come to Anahata School House--you come to a place of rejuvenation, healing, and community.

Anahata school Yoga guided by Howard Rosenberg is a wonderful practice that everyone should…read moreexperience. The space is very calming, spacious, and the people are so welcoming and inviting. This type of yoga has helped me so much with my Osteoarthritis. I recommend Howard to anyone who needs mind body and soul balancing.

I'm writing this as a concerned parent after my daughter attended a 10-day Vipassana retreat at…read moreDhamma Dhara. Before attending, she was loving, connected, and in close contact with our family. After the retreat, there was an immediate and complete cutoff in communication with all of us--something entirely out of character and deeply painful. The staff were kind when I reached out, and I respect that many benefit from this practice. However, I don't believe there is enough awareness about how intense 10 days of silence and deep introspection can be, especially for someone already going through major life changes. When such a drastic shift happens so suddenly, it raises real concerns about vulnerability, influence, and lack of support during reintegration. Families should be aware and prepared for possible unexpected changes. If my daughter ever reads this: you are loved, missed, and always welcome back

I wish I knew about this 10 years ago even 20 it was intense, but so life-changing... So well…read moreorganized... The food was great even though I don't particularly like vegetarian vegan food. It was wonderful... And thankfully previous students had clean very well, and the place was spotless. I will go back and serve on a course... Try and get the time to go and do this. You will be thankful.

This was my first Retreat at Spirt Fire. I was the presenter and had the orpputinity to see more…read moreinto the dealings of how the center is run. Tim and Steve made our stay unbelievably comfortable. The Retreat center has a warm, clean, well kept, welcoming feeling from the moment you step out of your car. We were welcomed with open arms. The feeling entering the retreat center was lovely and so were the rooms, and other accommodations. The food prepared by these two chefs was out of this world. It nurtured everyone to the core. The energy on this solid quartz mountain is pretty special. The hikes are great, even though during our stay it was icy and slippery, so we didnt venture out too much. I highly recommend this retreat center. It's all done with TLC and you can feel it! I can wait to come back!

I recently conducted my first retreat at Spirit Fire and if I could give them a million stars, I…read morewould...they earned every single one of them. Coming from California to Massachusetts without doing a site visit prior was a bit daunting however, Tim's amazing customer service and attention to detail during my planning process quickly set my mind at ease. The center itself was GORGEOUS -- inside and out. I instantly felt welcomed -- amazing energy and a peaceful, magical, healing property/ atmosphere. The food and service exceeded my expectations in every way. Every attendee commented on how "at home" they felt at Spirit Fire. While this may have been my first retreat there, it won't be my last.

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.

What a beautiful experience I'm so glad we happened upon the event. We need more of this in the…read moreworld. Hannah was wonderful and the live music so soothing. Everyone should meditate and the world would be a better place. I believe the Saratoga location has a guided meditation the 3rd Monday of every month. Lots of other healing services offered. Thanks Hannah!

From the owner: We are best known in the Adirondacks for reiki sessions and trainings, sound healing, meditation…read moreand high frequency healing art. We offer over 100 classes a year.

This was my first time in Wisdom of the Ages' new location. While it seemed like a smaller space,…read moreeverything seems to fit inside without feeling claustrophobic. I wish I'd taken more photos... they have a HUGE collection of gem/crystal beaded, stretchy bracelets. They have everything other mystical shops tend to carry, and offer psychic and mediumship services. I was looking for a Tibetan singing bowl & settled on the little one in the picture ($47).

Adorable store! Masks and hand sanitizer (at the door) required. Felt super safe and was able to…read moreenjoy my visit without worrying about the people around me. A great selection and everything is priced very well! Will definitely return soon.

I had the pleasure of working with Bettina Zumdick during a Macrobiotic (holistic health)…read moreconsultation. Just sitting in the presence of Bettina felt healing. Our session was informative and detailed. I left with lots of information on how to reverse a handful of health conditions and emotional issues. She also gave me great advice on energetic practices to incorporate as well. The special thing about Bettina is she looks at the whole person: from a physical, energetic, emotional and spiritual perspective. Her aim is to address all of these in the session. After our initial consultation I followed up with Bettina multiple times, with both questions and the need for encouragement. Each time, her words landed straight into my heart... its like she knew exactly what I needed to hear. She was never pushy with her advice, but full of love and compassion. She is a truly gifted practitioner and teacher. I'm 6 weeks into her recommendations and have felt huge shifts in my health, weight, and spiritually well being. If you're looking for a holistic approach to wellness and health, I cannot recommend Bettina highly enough.

From the owner: * Health, Diet and Wellness Consultations * Tarot Readings…read more* 9 Star Ki Astrology Readings * Macrobiotic Health Consultations