​Meditation Schedule

In-person programs

Monday Night Meditation
Monday nights
34 West 15th St, 3rd Floor, NYC (Still Mind Zendo)
6:30pm – 8:00pm
fee by donation

Monday Night Teaching Schedule - May
May 5 - Peter Doobinin
May 12 - Paul Weinfield
May 19 - Peter Doobinin
May 26 - Paul Weinfield

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May Daylong Retreat
with Peter Doobinin
Saturday, May 10 
PS 3, Hudson & Grove Streets, NYC 
10am – 5pm
fee by donation
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Please visit the Schedule page for more information about programs.

New York Dharma is a refuge for insight meditation/Theravada Buddhist practice in New York City.  The group is led by Peter Doobinin.  Participation is open to all sincere meditation students.  We welcome all people regardless of cultural and religious background, race, socio-economic class, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, education, physical ability, or ability to pay.  We look forward to seeing you.

The insight meditation teachings offered in the group come from the Theravada Buddhist tradition. Theravada practice is derived from the core teachings of the Buddha, as found in the Pali Canon, the earliest surviving record of what the Buddha taught.  At NY Dharma, we practice primarily in the style of the Thai Forest tradition.  

Community is an integral component of dharma practice.  As the Buddha taught, community is made of kalyana mItta - spiritual friends, including teachers and our fellow dharma students.  In NY Dharma it is our vision to provide a community of likeminded people committed to dharma practice.  Being part of a community that embodies trust, care, kindness, and joyful companionship, we are able to make a wholehearted effort to alleviate suffering and find greater happiness in our lives.  

Peter Doobinin is the guiding teacher at NY Dharma. Peter has dedicated his life, for more than 25 years, to teaching the dharma.   As a founder of New York Insight, Downtown Meditation Community, and Berlin Dharma, Peter has sought to teach students to develop dharma practice as lay people, living amidst the speed and complexity of contemporary life.  Over the years, Peter's focus has been to work with small numbers of students, in an effort to provide a close teacher-to-student relationship. 
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​"The Joy of Living"
a talk given by Peter Doobinin on the occasion of his 25th anniversary as a dharma teacher

Peter Doobinin · 19 March 2023 - The Joy of Living

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​"Judging Others, Judging Ourselves"
a talk given by Peter Doobinin on February 12, 2023

Peter Doobinin · 12 Feb 2023 - Judging Others Judging Ourselves

NY Dharma - Our Message

NY Dharma is a place where likeminded beings practice insight meditation/Theravada Buddhism in an effort to achieve mental, emotional & spiritual growth.  Our message to you is the message of the heart, the message of wisdom, lovingkindness, compassion, joy, peace & freedom.


NY Dharma - Our Practice

The elements of dharma practice that we make effort to develop:

 1- To cultivate parami.
   -Parami is the expression of our goodness.  It includes the skillful qualities of generosity, ethical conduct, renunciation, truthfulness, effort, determination, discernment, lovingkindness, patience, equanimity.  As we develop these qualities, we find joy in our goodness,            
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 2- To cultivate concentration, specifically the qualities of jhana.
   -We develop concentration according to the Buddha's instructions, by practicing mindfulness of breathing.  In doing so, we cultivate the jhana qualities: singleness of mind, ease, internal pleasure & contentment, equanimity.  Developing these qualities, we become established in concentration that is maintainable throughout the course of our days.
 
 3-To maintain present moment awareness and the qualities of jhana in all postures.
   -We learn skills to support us in our efforts to maintain mindfulness of breath and body, and an easeful abiding, in all our activities, as we go through our days.

 4-To develop in skillful action.
   -We cultivate the skill of heedfulness.  Heedfulness enables us to abandon unskillful action: action that brings about affliction for ourselves and others.  In turn, practicing heedfulness, we're able to take skillful action: action informed by wisdom, compassion, & lovingkindness.

 5- To cultivate insight.
   -We develop the skills for practicing in accord with the Buddha's teaching on the four noble truths.  We learn to comprehend and thereby abandon what we're doing that's preventing us from the happiness of the heart.   

 6- To know transcendent happiness.
    -We learn to incline to the state of awakened awareness -the quality of unconditioned happiness- that becomes available to us as we abandon what's blocking us from the heart.
                   

Happy Yogis at the April 2023 Eight-Day Retreat