The Path to Peace: Pastry's & Pagoda's

March 11th marked the day of Great Transition. I left my job, packed up my belongings, and set sail returning to my heart's beating song. A song of peace, freedom, and compassion. I had finally moved out! It was no one-step-after-another but rather a full dive into what came next.

Dhamma Dhara | 3-Day Vipassana Retreat

In the same day I moved out, I was driving hours north into western Massachusetts to take part in a 3-Day Vipassana Retreat at Dhamma Dhara, the first US center out of many more to come for Goenka Vipassana. At this point, I had already taken part in a 10-Day Silent and 3-Day Silent at Dhamma Pubbananda (Delaware, US) and Dhamma Torana (Ontario, CA). A familiar routine in unfamiliar territory. It was a beautiful opportunity to visit the US' root center for this tradition and the towering pagoda was a beacon in the night. A blessing in this weather, the entire center was connected by hallways. Not once had I stepped outside during the course (though you could to walk along the charted paths if you so please).

In my heart, Dhamma Torana remains my favorite Goenka center for its beautiful property and lodging, but Dhamma Dhara had its own treasures to offer. The meditation hall was spacious and encompassed what seemed to be 200 participants, one half for the men and the other for women. The most exciting part? Solo rooms! Due to the large facility, every retreatant was given a solo room with an attached bathroom. No one had to share shower spaces or sleeping quarters. They share this is most ideal to cultivate an environment with the least amount of distractions as possible, putting all our concentration on the meditation at hand. It certainly allows me to rest easy without the nagging thoughts of "what is my roommate thinking about me?".

For those unfamiliar with Goenka Vipassana, we cut off all external stimulation (no reading, writing, talking, tech, music, exercise, eye contact, etc.) in order to come back to ourselves, bringing awareness to our bodily sensations without discrimination (equanimity). The retreat follows a structure that eases the way through three stages: Anapana, Vipassana (w/ Adhittana), and Metta. 1) Following our breathing and the sensations around our nostrils. 2) Bringing awareness to our bodily sensations (body scan) with an equanimous mind and practicing Strong Determination to not move. 3) Generating love and compassion for ourselves and all beings (including those who have harmed us).

Breaking the silence on the final day among the sunrise was like the clouds parting from my mind. Refreshed and grounded in my body, mind, and the moment. I got to share the moment with my partner, a special rekindling after days apart with no contact but a silent collective support from the community and each other. This laid the grounds for clarity on my aspirations, projects, and what comes next. The past had become the past and I was ready to face the now.

Nichiren Peace Pagoda & Wat Kiry Vongsa Bopharam

Following the retreat, we visited the Nichiren Peace Pagoda and a Cambodian Buddhist Temple called Wat Kiry Vongsa Bopharam.

At the Pagoda, I found peace. On a cold and cloudy day, not many people walked the grounds having hiked up there from the parking lot. Never in my life have I seen a building so tall that my eyes struggled to conceptualize its depth. A field lay before us scattered with monuments telling stories of peace and support from the indigenous people of the land. Standing erect at the end of the field was the 100-foot Pagoda, adorned with intricate sculptures and lotus pathways. A temple was found to the left, where chanting and services may happen. While no people came forth, a friendly she-cat made herself known and followed us around. On the opposite side of the property were the healthiest pine trees I had ever seen surrounding a frozen pond, prayer flags strewn between the branches. We enjoyed a vegan tofurky and cheese sandwich among the rock garden. A bizarre phenomena graced our senses.. the two of us at different times heard what appeared to be the Nichiren daimoku chanting despite no one and no recordings present. It was as if the breeze and land carried the message through the Earth.

At the Cambodian Temple, I found trust. Unattended and open, the temple offers refuge for those passing through. Leaving our shoes at the door, we stepped into an intricate building with a golden altar, murals around the ceiling, and open meditation cushions. It amazed me how generous the practitioners were to leave the space open even when not in use and the trust that comes with that (granted they had cameras). With great timing, their bathrooms were my grace and seeking warmth away from the wind eased my body.

A friendly cat at the Nichiren Peace Pagoda in Massachusetts.

Cape Cod National Seashore

Our first day at the seashore was full of gale force winds and rain. At least it scared off the common visitor. Two days spent exploring the coastline was full of twists and turns. Admittedly, this was the most difficult part of the trip for me. I am usually the first to jump at the opportunity to hike, but after a harsh and cold winter, my body was fed up with frozen fingers and dragging rain into the car (where we were sleeping). On top of that--I was on my period. Not the most pleasant combination of elements.

All was better when we discovered a red fox! We drove slowly, watching it run side-by-side with our view as it went in and out of bushes. Being off-season allowed the wildlife to come out without thousands of humans on top of them, saving for special moments such as these. In a parking lot, another red fox came out.. and tried to get in the car... but we compassionately shooed them away. I was very excited to find out great white sharks are a common sight on the shore, but disappointed we weren't in season to view them. I always loved sharks.

The couple of trails we did were refreshing, taking our first steps into spring 2026. I may have complained a little at the start, but the frustration melted away with the snow as I felt the sun once more and could finally return to my much loved hobby of hiking.

Providence Zen Center

To end off our trip, we visited the Providence Zen Center in Rhode Island, a Seon (Korean Zen) center in the Kwan Um tradition of Buddhism. To my surprise, it was a lot more established than I had previously realized. Walking inside, there was a board full of flyers of their many ongoing activities--Kyol Che (their 3 Month Rains Retreat), art events, sangha, and more. We were given a lovely tour then it was off to eat vegan dinner together, a wonderful Polish delight. Orientation and the gift shop followed.

It was beautiful observing the similarities and differences between Seon and Thien (Korean and Vietnamese Zen) and within Plum Village specifically. The Dharma Teachers robes were much like the robes you see Priests wearing in Japanese Zen. Instead of inviting a bell, they used a Jukbi (a wooden stick used to guide meditation and attention). We started with chanting the Heart Sutra in English followed by another chant in Korean, booklets were handed out and I very happily joined in. The collective energy gathered between chanting has always deeply nourished me. We then sat for 25 minutes followed by 10 minutes of walking and ended with another 25 minutes of sitting.

Another pagoda! Outside of the retreat center, was a towering pagoda built with intricate Korean architecture. I am unfamiliar with the exact style, but it reminded me of Tang Dynasty architecture in China. It was the first building to greet you as you pulled in. Pulling out, an expansive clear sky of stars waved us goodbye.

Wildflour Bakery and Cafe

You may be wondering where the pastry's come into play. I have a big appetite for dessert and it only grew with appreciation when I became vegan years ago. It's a lot harder to come across baked goods unless you make them yourself and pray it comes out edible (thankfully I am a great vegan baker and love enjoying some homemade cinnamon rolls and pie). In Rhode Island, we discovered Wildflour Bakery and Cafe. This was everything I could ever want packed into one place. Fresh breads and desserts lined the counter, it was an endless ever-going display. Cookies, brownies, scones, cupcakes, Bundt cakes. On top of that, a variety of fresh drink options and sit-down cafe foods. I think it took us about 10 minutes standing there, jaws dropped, trying to decide what to get. We split a vegan tuna fish salad sandwich and buffalo tempeh wrap with a blackberry earl grey cupcake on the side. The portion sizes were large for the price and the cupcake sent me to heaven early. What a beautiful place to dine in full of other vegans with tables to spare. If I lived closer, this is where I'd pull out my laptop to work surrounded by endless delights (but my wallet would probably disagree).

All in all, this trip reunited myself with the world after having been dormant for half a year working to make my aspirations a reality. February I tackled health concerns, March I moved out, April I buy my first car, and from there we go with the wind.

Smile & Be Well,

Nanala