The listing is fully booked, get notified when dates are available
We’ll only ever send you one email notification and will never spam you
(No availability) 5 Days Silent Meditation and Yoga Retreat in New York
A Marriage of Meditation and Yoga Retreat New York
This silent retreat will flow from periods of sitting meditation - on cushions or chairs - to walking meditation to several periods of yoga practice each day. The yoga is grounded in the tradition of Viniyoga, a style that is in turn grounded in awareness of breath and the physical movement that flows out of that breath awareness. So the awareness work moves seamlessly from meditation in seated stillness to meditation in movement. Beginners to yoga and meditation are very welcome.
Meet the instructors
Highlights
- All Vinyoga sessions
- Sitting meditation sessions
- Meditation in movement sessions
- Coffee, tea, and light snacks
- 4 nights accommodation
- All meals vegetarian
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Yoga styles
5 days with instruction in English
Accommodation
You will be accommodated at Light on the Hill Center in private rooms.
Inner light lodge
The lodge is a uniquely designed facility with large windows overlooking a sweeping view of rolling hills and meadows. It houses up to 30 people and it has 18 single rooms, four double rooms (eight people), and a small meeting space (260 square feet) that can be converted to a bedroom for four.
The simple carpeted rooms have comfortable beds, excellent soundproofing, heat, and ceiling fans, as well as a large window overlooking the beautiful grounds. Four bathrooms with a total of eight showers and 10 toilets are a short walk down one of the halls.
The central sacred meeting space is hexagonal in shape (1160 square feet) and has continual windows on three sides with a 32-foot high tee-pee-like ceiling coming to an apex with a pyramid-shaped skylight. It is equipped with a sound system that includes eight speakers and a CD / Cassette / iPod player, an LCD projector, padded chairs, back jacks, pillows, blankets, and kneeling benches.
The dining room looks out on the beautiful view and offers plenty of space for enjoying gourmet meals and meaningful conversation. The fully equipped commercial kitchen is stocked with healthy, organic, often locally grown food for vegetarian meals that feed the body and soul.
Several spaces are available for breaking into smaller, more intimate groups, such as a small meeting space with comfortable couches and a wall of windows, a smaller multi-purpose room, two seating alcoves in the lobby area with couches and chairs, as well as an expansive deck overlooking the vista.
Just outside the lodge are walking trails, one of the two labyrinths on the property, Pathlight Cottage (available to group leaders), a firepit, and stillpoint sanctuary. Groups larger than 30 (up to 42) may use the cottages and huts as needed.
The meadow cottage
With its view of the surrounding hills, The meadow cottage has a sleeping loft, wall-to-wall carpeting, a fully-equipped kitchen, bath with shower, propane heater, wood stove, and a deck extending on two sides. The sleeping loft has a double bed and two single beds; there is also a comfortable pullout queen-sized bed on the main floor. There is no electricity except for an occasional - use outlet run by a generator, which also works the water pump. All the appliances, lights, and heaters are run on propane.
The woods cottage
The Woods Cottage is nestled protectively within a forest clearing. It has two bedrooms on the main floor and a sleeping loft, fully equipped galley kitchen, wood stove, propane heaters, wall-to-wall carpeting, two bathrooms with showers, and decks on three sides.
One of the bedrooms has a double bed and the other a single bed. The loft has one double and one single bed. There is no electricity except for an occasional - use outlet run by a generator which also works the water pump. All the appliances, lights, and heaters are run on propane.
The huts
Two fully-insulated, carpeted retreat huts, are each equipped with deck, outhouse, sliding glass doors, and propane heater and lights. The Pond hut has two single beds and sits on the lip of one of the ponds. Retreaters staying there have access to the shower in the Woods cottage. The Healing hut has a single bed with distant views of the hills and a pond. It is available only when all the other facilities are full.
Instructors
Jeff Collins
Jeff is a retired hospice social worker in Ithaca and has been leading silent retreats for over 20 years at various centers, including at Southern Dharma in North Carolina. He has been practicing meditation in the Zen and theravadin traditions for over 30 years and has done three three-month retreats at IMS, and has also been engaged in diamond heart work for over 20 years.
Gisela Konrad
Gisela has been a yoga teacher for 30 years, studying under Gary Kraftzow, Richard Miller, and the late Joan Ruvinsky. She has completed two of the three-month retreats at IMS.
Retreat location
This retreat will take place at the beautiful retreat center Light on the Hill, in Van Etten village, New York, USA.
Stillpoint sanctuary
In September 2013, the dedication of Stillpoint sanctuary was celebrated. The sanctuary is a small chapel near the lodge labyrinth. The simple interior is graced with meditation cushions and comfortable chairs, and accommodates six to eight people.
Those walking the labyrinth can deepen their experience by visiting the sanctuary afterwards. This sacred space also provides a retreat within a retreat, where individuals attending a group retreat in the lodge can find a place reserved for quiet solitude, reflection, and insight.
The sanctuary is open to the public at any time of day or night for prayer and meditation.
The labyrinth
Many individuals and groups enjoy a walking meditation while on retreat. Light on the Hill offers two large, outdoor grass and rock labyrinths. Many participants have reported deep experiences and insights gained by walking a labyrinth.
In an eleven-circuit labyrinth such as the one at Light on the Hill, the path meanders throughout the whole circle. There are 34 turns on the path going into the center. Depending on the pace, the walk to the center can take from 5 - 45 minutes; the spirit of the walk can be serious or playful. People often walk in groups, following the same path but in different locations on the circuits, developing both individual awareness and a sense of community.
People use a labyrinth at times of uncertainty, when facing an important decision, for healing emotional wounds, during illness and bereavement, when awestruck by joy, or to do their spiritual practices.
Features
General
- Dining area
- Environmentally friendly
- Garden
- Kitchen
- Labyrinth
- Lake
- Meditation garden
This Yoga Retreat is vegetarian-friendly
Click to see more vegetarian-friendly Yoga Retreats
Food
You have included in the price all the daily meals. Meals at Light on the Hill are gourmet vegetarian with many vegan options. They use organic ingredients wherever possible. Light on the Hills receive high praise about the food they serve. Coffee, tea, and light snacks (fruit, nuts, nut butters, and rice cakes) are also provided throughout the day in the lodge
If a person has a more restrictive diet than vegan of gluten-free, Light on the Hills suggests that the person bring his or her own food. Light on the hills need to know any dietary restrictions three or four days ahead of the event.
Those wanting meat can bring cold cuts and cans of tuna, etc. but no meat is allowed to be cooked on the premises. Light on the Hills asks that no liquor be served.
Things to do (optional)
- Meditate in the sanctuary
- Walk the labyrinths
- Walk by the pond and in the surrounding forests
What's included
- 4 nights accommodation
- All meals vegetarian
- All Vinyoga sessions
- Coffee, tea, and light snacks
- Meditation in movement sessions
- Sitting meditation sessions
How to get there
Driving directions from Rochester and points Northwest
- Take New York Thruway east to Exit 42 Geneva.
- Take Route 14 south (Route 14 makes a few turns in Geneva).
- Just past Watkins Glen, turn left on Route 224. Continue on 224 for 18.1 miles to Blake Hill Road.
- You will pass the turn off to Route 223 and then see a billboard on your right just before Blake Hill.
- Turn left on to Blake Hill Road.
- Light on the Hill is located exactly one mile up Blake Hill Road. If you are attending a function at Inner Light Lodge, go one mile up Blake Hill and make your first left after the beige colored house. You will see the lodge ahead of you and can check-in there.
- If you are having a retreat in one of the cottages or huts, go one mile up Blake Hill and stop at the beige colored house which is on the left to check-in.
Driving directions from Syracuse
- Take Route 81 south to exit 12, Homer.
- Turn left off the ramp on to Route 281 which becomes Route 13.
- Take Route 13 south through Ithaca.
- At the fork of Route 13 and Routes 34 and 96, bear left (Routes 34 and 96) to Spencer - about 15 miles.
- At blinking light in Spencer, turn right and go 4.2 miles to Blake Hill Road. The route numbers change on this road from 34 to 224 but just keep going straight until you reach Blake Hill Road.
- There is a large gray and brick red building (Vergason Technology), a two-story beige house and beige trailer on right just before Blake Hill. Turn right on Blake Hill Road.
Driving directions from Ithaca and points Northeast
- Take Route 13 south.
- At the fork of Route 13 and Routes 34 and 96, bear left (Routes 34 and 96) to Spencer - about 15 miles.
- At blinking light in Spencer, turn right and go 4.2 miles to Blake Hill Road. The route numbers change on this road from 34 to 224 but just keep going straight until you reach Blake Hill Road.
- There is a large gray and brick red building (Vergason Technology), a two-story beige house and beige trailer on right just before Blake Hill. Turn right on Blake Hill Road.
Driving directions from Ithaca College and South Hill
- Take Route 96 B south to South Danby Road (about two miles beyond Danby).
- Make a right on South Danby and go about 8 miles until it ends. (This road turns into Crumtown Road which needs to be kept in mind upon returning).
- Make a right (Routes 96 then 34 then 224) and go 7.1 miles to Blake Hill Road. There is a two-story beige house and beige trailer on right just before Blake Hill.
- Turn right on Blake Hill Road.
Driving directions from Binghamton and points Southeast
- Take I-86 (Route 17) west to exit 64 (second Owego exit).
- Follow the signs to Route 96.
- One mile past Owego, Route 96 makes a sharp left.
- Continue taking Route 96 which turns left again in Candor (96 B continues straight). This is easy to miss, so keep watching for turn once in Candor.
- Continue on Route 96 through the blinking light in Spencer (at this point the route number changes to 34 and then 224 but just keep going straight) and go 4.2 miles to Blake Hill Road. There is a two-story beige house and trailer on right just before Blake Hill.
- Turn right on to Blake Hill Road.
Driving directions from New York City
- Take the George Washington Bridge to Palisades Parkway to Route 6 (left hand fork).
- Follow on Route 6 until it merges I-86 (Route #17).
- Follow directions for Binghamton.
Driving directions from Elmira and points Southwest
- Take Route 13 to the third light (Route 224).
- Turn right on Route 224. Proceed 10.2 miles to Blake Hill Road.
- There is a billboard on your right just before Blake Hill. Turn left on to Blake Hill Road.
- Alternate Route: Take Route 13 to second light and make right on Route 223. Follow 223 as it twists and turns until it ends at Route 224. Make a right on 224 until Blake Hill Road.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 100% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
You recently viewed
