Each year, hundreds of people leave behind their digital screens and busy schedules to journey up an unpaved mountain road, seeking spiritual respite in the heart of the Catskill Mountains. They arrive at Dai Bosatsu Zendo to participate in week-long sesshin (intensive Zen retreats), introductory Zen weekends, and our Open Space program at Beecher House.
The Dai Bosatsu property spans 1,400 acres of pristine wilderness, surrounding a clear lake in New York State’s Catskill Park preserve. By day, the air is fragrant and pure; at night, billions of stars glimmer in the absence of light pollution.
Beecher House, built in 1875 by James Beecher, brother of Henry Ward Beecher and Harriet Beecher Stowe, sits on the shore of this lake, the highest in the Catskills. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s 1852 novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, galvanized the movement to end slavery in the United States. In the early 1970s, Dai Bosatsu Zendo’s first resident community lived and practiced at Beecher House.
In 2021, Beecher House was completely renovated and restored. It now features a new solarium and an expansive deck overlooking Beecher Lake, with a wide view of the mountains beyond. The main monastery building, designed in traditional Japanese architectural style, is just a short walk away.
During spring, summer, and fall, the Beecher House Open Space program offers a variety of retreats, including yoga, shiatsu, reiki, forest bathing, Zen arts, environmental awareness, 12-Step programs, and wellness weekends for those living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses. Visitors enjoy walking the gentle hiking trail that circles the lake and encountering the wildlife, including beavers, geese, bald eagles, and trout leaping from the sparkling waters.
We invite you to support Beecher House and our unique Open Space program with a donation today. Your contributions are essential for protecting and maintaining this historic building and continuing to offer the gift of spiritual exploration and transformation in a wondrous natural environment.
Thank you in advance for your generosity.