Villa St. Dominic, Dominican Sisters of Sparkill
Saugerties
The Dominican Sisters of Sparkill rent out rooms to lay women and men in the Villa St. Dominic, a house on their riverside property in Saugerties with a stunning view of the Hudson. Fifteen rooms are available, most with shared bath, and the rate includes three meals. Mass is held every morning in the chapel, and guests are welcome (though not expected) to attend. Directed retreats, in which guests consult with a director for spiritual guidance, are also offered.
The retreat – whose grounds have been transformed into a Scenic Hudson-managed preserve with trails, through a conservation easement with the Sisters – also offers individuals a “spiritual hermitage.” Two tiny houses located in the woods, each with a bathroom and kitchenette, are rented out to individuals. The hermitages, which Sister Mary Shay, one of three sisters who manage the rentals, said are in demand, offer a St. Jeromelike experience in which an individual connects with God by living alone in nature – or perhaps just finds the quiet an inspiration for creative work and thinking. Most guests rent the house for a week.
The rates are extremely reasonable: $40 a night for a room and $350 a week for a private or directed retreat; $50 a night for the hermitage. On September 1, the prices will increase to $50, $400 and $60 respectively.
Sister Mary Shay said that many guests are writers and lovers of nature seeking a change of pace from their busy lives. The sisters have been offering the retreats since 1932. For information visit www.sparkill.org or call (845) 246-8941.
KTD Monastery
Woodstock
The Karma Triyana Dharmachakra, a Tibetan Buddhist monastery located on Overlook Mountain, is one of the premier centers of Tibetan culture in the US. Its main shrine room, containing an 11-foot-tall Buddha, was featured in Martin Scorsese’s film about the Dalai Lama, Kundun. The monastery has 15 residents, and individual retreats are available by appointment and through an application process. There are dorms with shared bath as well as private rooms with private bath.
Participation in the life of the community includes attending the daily meditations, scheduled for an hour at 5 a.m. and 7 p.m., which are open to the public; there’s also a 5 p.m. chant session. One of the high points of a stay here is meditating in the peaceful precincts of the shrine room, which is connected to the ancient lineage of Tibet. Visitors can also walk the trails and make appointments with a lama. Wi-fi service is available.
Trustee Kathy Welsey said that a program of three-day retreats, with structured activities, should be available in several months, once the new addition is completed. They’ll be designed to teach people how to meditate and learn the basic tenets of Tibetan Buddhism. Free instruction in meditation is currently available to the public on Saturday at 2 p.m., and an introduction to Buddhism is offered on Wednesday. For information visit www.kagyu.org or call (845) 679-5906, extension 3.
