Blue Cliff Monastery

Blue Cliff Monastery is a mindfulness practice and monastic training center founded by the Vietnamese Buddhist monk, author, and peace activist, Thich Nhat Hanh. It is a place to quiet the mind, look deeply, and enjoy the wonders of life within and around us through the practices of sitting meditation, walking meditation, mindful eating, deep relaxation meditation, and sharing togetherness. We invite all who wish to cultivate peace and happiness in their lives to plan a visit, for a day or for a retreat. 

Nestled on 80 peaceful acres of woodland in the southern Catskill region about two hours northwest of New York City, Blue Cliff is home to a thriving community of monks, nuns, and lay practitioners who share the art of mindful living with thousands of adults and children every year. Visitors are welcome year round.

Blue Cliff was formerly a family-owned summer resort, in operation since 1939. Today, the various residences have been renovated and winterized, with wheelchair-accessible rooms and plans underway to add new dining and common areas. The Great Togetherness Meditation Hall, built in 2008, can accommodate up to 800 people for meditation and teachings.

Over the past decade, Blue Cliff has hosted more than 460 Days of Mindfulness and over 100 retreats with a range of themes tailored to families, creative artists, Vietnamese speakers, educators, health care professionals, veterans, young adults, and people of color.

Thanks to the generous support of individuals in our community, Blue Cliff Monastery has touched many lives and will continue to water seeds of love, joy, and compassion that can transform our society.

Visit Blue Cliff to register for retreats or learn more about the monastery.

Blue Cliff Monastery's Capital Campaign

In 2019, we celebrate twelve years of beloved community at Blue Cliff Monastery. As we plan for the long-term sustainability and increased capacity of our practice center, we humbly ask for your support to finance Blue Cliff’s repair and construction projects.

As more people learn about the practice, our retreats have become very full, and we often have to form a waiting list for retreats. Our goal is to expand the capacity of Blue Cliff so that we no longer have to turn people away due to a lack of space.

Blue Cliff’s current dining and community hall is worn by the damp New York weather, and too small to accommodate the large numbers of retreatants who wish to attend the center’s events. Blue Cliff is undergoing master planning for a new dining hall and community center, which would include a new kitchen, tea room, libraries, and offices. The cost for this project will be between $4 and $8 million.

With your generosity, Blue Cliff will to continue to be a place of refuge for thousands of people, and a beautiful home for our monastic brothers and sisters for generations to come.