HOW TO GET HERE

The Rockaway Summer House is located at 504 Beach 68th Street, 11692 Arverne. The entrance of the center is on Thursby Avenue.

Take the A train towards Far Rockaway (don’t take the Lefferts Blvd train) to Beach 67th Street station. The center is located two blocks from the subway station.

WHAT TO BRING

Please pack very lightly. Ideally, all your belongings should fit in a small bag or a carry-on suitcase.
Bring a towel and toiletries you expect to use (toothbrush, toothpaste, conditioner, etc.).
If you’re a light sleeper, we suggest bringing earplugs.

ARRIVAL AND ACCOMMODATION

Please arrive no later than 8 pm on Friday. Check-in between 8 pm and 8.30pm. If you arrive late, you may be asked to cancel your stay. Attendance is required for the entire retreat and every scheduled event. This applies to both sleepover and commuter attendees.
Participation in Buddhist Insights events is at the discretion of BI’s teachers and managers. If in Buddhist Insight’s opinion, it is not appropriate for you to continue to participate, you may be asked to leave at any time.
All communication devices (phones, laptops) need to be shut off during the entire retreat. If you need an emergency contact number, please reach out to retreats@buddhistinsights.com to request the phone number of the volunteer who will manage the retreat you’re attending.
Before leaving, please clean up your room and leave all facilities as you found them. Unfortunately we have very little storage space available for personal belongings. Any items left behind and not claimed/picked up within one week will be donated to charity.

FOOD

During your stay, please practice contentment with the food you’re offered: do not bring or purchase food/beverages outside the center.
We provide organic vegetarian food, ethically sourced from small local farms and our own garden. We cannot cater to dietary preferences. If you would like to donate organic and ethical food to the center, please contact us. A list of currently need items can be found on http://rockawaysummerhouse.com/donations/

DANA

This retreat is offered to you as a gift by previous attendees at Buddhist Insights events. We are a grassroots volunteer-run organization that runs entirely on donations and is supported by individuals like you. When donating, please do not think of it as a payment for your participation, but as a gift to others who wish to participate in the future. Your generosity will provide the gift of meditation teachings and practice for all people regardless of their economic circumstances. As a 501c-3 non-profit organization, all donations are tax deductible. You can donate on-site via check or cash, and electronically via Venmo (@buddhistinsights), Paypal and Donor Box.

SCHEDULE

Every retreat has a customized schedule for each teacher and monastic and sometimes evolves as the retreat progresses to adapt to the attendees. What doesn’t change are the start and end times. Below is a sample of the standard schedule.

FRIDAY

8:00pm – Registration
9:00pm – Orientation / Opening Talk
9:30pm – Meditation
10:00pm – Bedtime

SATURDAY

6:00am – Wake-Up Bell
6:30am – Meditation
7:15am – Personal Time / Set Up Breakfast
7:30am – Breakfast
8:15am – Personal Time / Clean Up Breakfast
9:00am – Dharma / Meditation
10:00am – Work Period
11:00am – Lunch
12:00pm – Personal Time / Clean Up Lunch
1:30pm – Dharma Talk / Meditation
5:30pm – Break
6:30pm – Q&A / Meditation
9:30pm – Bedtime

Retreat Guidelines & Schedule