As the nights get colder and the sunlight fades faster, Springwater Center ebbs and flows with nature’s clock. It brings even greater appreciation for the warm midday sun as autumn marches on. Besides upcoming retreats and All Day Sittings, there are lots of opportunities for private retreats and guest stays.
The Center is collecting non-perishable food items that will be donated to the Hemlock, NY Community Food Bank. Cans, boxes, and jars of food are welcome. The pantry is also accepting new & gently used hand can openers. Donations can be dropped off at the Springwater Center lobby before Monday, November 14th!

Staff Opening at Springwater Center

The Center is still looking for people interested in volunteering and/or joining staff. The main benefit is the opportunity to attend many retreats and to work with the Center’s meditative community in the spirit of the work of its founder Toni Packer. A five-week period of volunteering is a requirement before being accepted on staff. If you have interest or questions about joining staff or scheduling time to come visit and volunteer, please email info@springwatercenter.org

Support Springwater Center
Seven Day Silent Retreat with Sandra Gonzalez
November 12-19th
Register here to participate in-person or online.
Sandra Gonzalez has led retreats in both English and Spanish for several years. She began working with Toni in 1988. Previously, she studied for seven years at Zen centers in New York and California.
Sandra wrote, “Presence invites presence when there is no resistance, no ownership of ideas, experiences or things, no worrying, no hurrying, no judging, no defending–just the ease of life when we meet without wanting things to be otherwise. Certainly we all can participate; presence is free and available to all of us. There is a true beauty in this.”
The Center is in a Quiet Week until Sandra’s retreat begins if you’d like to ease into the silence of retreat. There is still in-person and online space available for this retreat with Sandra.   Please email Stacey at info@springwatercenter.org for more information.

All Day Sitting
with talk by Wayne Coger

December 3rd                 

In-Person event


Join us for a day of quiet and listening. The All Day’s optional schedule begins at 8:30 am and includes timed and untimed sittings, a talk offered by Wayne Coger, a vegetarian lunch and an afternoon group dialogue.
Participants are invited to stay overnight as guests. Registration for the All Day Sitting and overnight stay can be made using this form.

Only the day’s talk will be broadcast live over Zoom. Please contact reception with questions at info@springwatercenter.org for more details.

New Year’s Four Day Silent Retreat with Wayne Coger
December 30-January 3
Register here to participate in-person or online.
Wayne Coger has led retreats since 2001. For more than 30 years he worked with Toni Packer, and previously he studied at the Rochester Zen Center.
Wayne wrote, “While I have never had any desire to become a ‘teacher,’ exploring the work of meditative inquiry has been my deepest joy and passion for many years. What excites me is this possibility to look at anything and everything freshly, without inhibitions or structures. It is through this open inquiry that we begin to learn about ourselves. To learn how we are when we are not bound by our ideas and self-images.”
There is still in-person and online space available for this retreat with Wayne. Email info@springwatercenter.org for more information.

The Conversation Continues…


At the last Teacher/Facilitator online dialogue, a question came up around making an effort. Last Saturday, this talk on effortless awareness by Toni Packer, the founder of Springwater Center, was shared during the online Saturday program. 

Online Offerings


Online events offer new possibilities for sharing in the work of this moment with others. See our online offerings calendar for the schedule of online sittings, Saturday Programs and Facilitator Dialogue Sessions. In addition, daily talks can be heard live during in-person retreats.
These events are available at no cost, while donations are always appreciated to sustain the work of the Center.  Auto-debit options are also now available for your convenience.

Support Online Offerings

2023 Retreats/Event List Now Available!


Upcoming, there is another 4-day retreat scheduled for January 13-17 and facilitated by Susan Schepp.  At the end of the month, there is an All Day Sitting on January 28th. If you’d like to plan ahead, check out the newly released 2023 calendar of events here.

Center Closed 12/16-12/26

The Center will close on December 16th for a staff break.  The Center will reopen for guests again beginning December 27th.

COVID Updates

In response to the dynamic nature of COVID, we make every effort to keep our website up to date with the most current information and requirements. If a change occurs for an event you are registered for, we will notify you with as much notice possible. Responses are still being accepted for the COVID Safety Needs and Preferences survey.

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