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Explore the freedom that can arise from cultivating forgiveness practice.
Join us for the Annual Yom Kippur retreat at NYI.
A six-meeting intro to insight meditation based on one of the key teachings of the Buddha. Learn how to practice mindfulness in every moment of your life.
Join me as we gather together in person or online to practice and reflect!
Forgiveness practice can begin to loosen the ropes binding us to the past. It can allow us to come more fully into our hearts and can be a catalyst that transforms bitterness, anger, and grief into compassion and lovingkindness.
Let’s celebrate Pride together!
Join me as we gather together in person or online to practice and reflect!
Practicing with other MBSR alumni and those currently taking the course, you will have a day of practice and reflection, and rekindle momentum to continue these practices for time to come.
Mondays, May 4th – June 22nd (skips Memorial Day May 25th), 2026
10:00am – 12:00pm ET
Part 2: Exploring the Seven Factors of Awakening – Cultivating the Beautiful
Note: You are welcome to take this course regardless of whether you have taken Part 1: Recognizing the weeds – Exploring the Five Hindrances.
No matter what you may think about “meditation,” it is, at its core, a cultivation of the mind and heart. And just as in cultivating a garden, we must learn to distinguish the weeds from the flowers (or vegetables!), in our formal and life practices our task is to discern what mind states are harmful and what states support a life of contentment and freedom.
In this, the second part of this series, we will learn how to cultivate the beautiful. In a garden, these are the flowers and vegetables that nourish the heart and body. In practice, these are the Seven Factors of Awakening: Mindfulness, Investigation, Energy, Joy, Tranquility and Collectedness.
Let’s take some time together to explore how to recognize and cultivate these beautiful and supportive mind states.
Register here.
Mondays, March 23rd – April 27th (skips April 20th), 2026 | 10:00am – 12:00pm ET
Part 1: Recognizing the weeds – exploring the Five Hindrances
No matter what you may think about “meditation,” it is, at its core, a cultivation of the mind and heart. And just as in cultivating a garden, we must learn to distinguish the weeds from the flowers (or vegetables!), in our formal and life practices our task is to discern what mind states are harmful and what states support a life of contentment and freedom.
Oftentimes, practitioners focus only on getting rid of the weeds and neglect actually learning how to cultivate the beautiful, thus missing out on learning that cultivating the beautiful discourages the growth of the weeds. There is no need to get rid of all of the weeds before cultivating the crops. (Think of companion planting, for those of you who garden!)
In this, the first part of this series, we will be learning to identify the “weeds” — known as the Five Hindrances. These are: craving, aversion, restlessness and worry, sleepiness and dullness, and doubt.
Register here.
An opportunity to retreat from your busy life and spend a day in practice.
Join me as we gather together in person or online to practice and reflect!
This course will offer an opportunity to explore how to cultivate the five spiritual powers - so that we can have access to confidence, courage, curiosity, collectedness, and wisdom.
Join me as we gather together in person or online to practice and reflect!
Come join us as we investigate and practice cultivating appropriate "seeing, thinking, talking, acting, working, trying, recollecting, and concentrating". As always, each class will include practice, instruction and talks, as well as group dialogue and inquiry. There will be ongoing practice assignments each week.
Join me for a guided meditation.
Join this investigation of the Buddha’s core, foundational teaching. Practice in community as we deepen our understanding of ways to investigate and apply this teaching within our own lives.
Join me as we gather together in person or online to practice and reflect!
An opportunity to retreat from your busy life and spend a day in practice.
Join me for a guided meditation.
Let’s celebrate Pride together!
“I know the world is bruised and bleeding. And though it is important not to ignore its pain, it is also critical to refuse to succumb to its malevolence. Like failure, chaos contains information that can lead to knowledge, even wisdom. That is how civilizations heal.” ~ Toni Morrison
We find ourselves in a moment in time that is calling many of us to respond. But how to do this with care, dignity and without adding to divisiveness? There is a long history of folks using their spiritual practice as a foundation and catalyst for activism, and an equally long history of folks who realize that they need a spiritual practice to sustain their engagement. Marrying these two together is an art and practice that is both skillful and necessary.
Find out more and register here.
This monthly Sunday morning practice is a staple at New York Insight. Similar to our weekday Community Meditation Gathering, In June, I’ll be facilitating this event and will guide you in both seated and moving meditation, offer a Dharma talk, and engage in dialogue with the community.
Suggested donation is $15 but whatever you offer is greatly appreciated. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
You can register here.
Join me as we gather together in person or online to practice and reflect!
Mondays, March 17th - April 21st (skip April 14th)
9:30am – 11:30am ET
These days, the world feels more precarious than ever—political divisions are deepening, the climate crisis is intensifying, wars are proliferating, and the foundations of democracy appear more fragile than ever.
In times of such uncertainty, we often reflexively cling to our identities, opinions, and the need for control. But this grasping—whether to a sense of self, certainty, or the way we think things should be—only intensifies our suffering.
Investigating the Buddha’s teachings on anatta (not-self), anicca (impermanence), and dukkha (suffering) offer a path to navigating this intensity with more clarity and resilience.
In this in-person and online course,we will explore how these teachings apply to our lives and the challenges we face today.
Find out more and register here.
A six-meeting intro to insight meditation based on one of the key teachings of the Buddha. Learn how to practice mindfulness in every moment of your life.
Join me as we gather together in person or online to practice and reflect!
Join me for a guided meditation at the beautiful Rubin Museum of Art.
I hope you will join Jon Aaron and me as we support Stephen Fulder during this important event. Register here.
These are times of uncertainty. It is easy to respond to the many conflicts around the world with anger, confusion, despair, or to even switch off our emotions. We may also be experiencing conflict and divisiveness closer to home, and we can often feel exhausted from what feels like an endless struggle.
During this 3-hour mini-retreat, we will explore how to face these challenges with steadiness, from a more universal and less personal point of view. We will practice meditation that helps us to remember our big soul, and listen to our wise, kind, and liberating inner voices.
Particular emphasis will be given to dharma practice and meditation needed to develop deep inner resources such as trust and equanimity. Teacher Stephen Fulder will discuss his years of experience in leading peacemaking activities in Israel and Palestine, focusing on how to work with our views and those of others who may be against us, as well as how to engage tirelessly in making a difference.
During this event, Stephen Fulder will be joining us via zoom and New York Insight Teachers Jon Aaron and Elaine Retholtz will be facilitating in-person.
Join us for the 22nd Annual Yom Kippur retreat at NYI.
Join me as we gather together in person or online to practice and reflect!
An opportunity to retreat from your busy life and spend a day in practice.
Did you know that Metta, also known as “lovingkindness,” is just one of four Buddhist practices of love? In this course, we will explore each of these practices, putting them into practice and uncovering the insights that arise from each.
Elaine Retholtz, L.Ac. 212.967-6261
an acupuncturist, meditation teacher and healer committed to creating an integrated and mindful approach to healing
