Buddha Purnima: New York-based Ashokan Meditation Center (AMC) will host a free online Visakha Puja Daylong Retreat on May 30 to celebrate Buddha Purnima, led by Theravada monk Ajahn Wade Bhuripanyo.
New York’s Ashokan Meditation Center has announced a free “Visakha Puja Daylong Retreat” to mark Buddha Purnima online meditation retreat celebrations on May 30. The virtual retreat will be led by Theravada Buddhist monk Ajahn Wade Bhuripanyo and streamed live via Zoom, allowing participants from around the world to join the daylong spiritual program.
Located in New York State’s Hudson Valley region, AMC said the retreat combines traditional Buddhist rituals with meditation practice. The program will run in three sessions from 8:00 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. Eastern Time, and attendees may join either the full retreat or selected sessions.
According to the organizers, the online-based retreat reflects a growing trend in modern Buddhist practice, enabling people across different countries and regions to access traditional teachings and meditation practices without geographical limitations.
Buddha Purnima: What to Expect at the Visakha Puja Retreat
Visakha Puja, also known globally as Buddha Purnima, commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and Mahaparinirvana of Gautama Buddha. The daylong retreat will include Buddhist chanting, guided meditation, readings from the Pali Canon, silent meditation sessions, and spiritual reflection activities.
The morning session, titled “Faith, Aspiration, and Refuge,” will focus on the Buddha’s birth and the development of faith in Buddhist teachings through meditation and discussion.
The afternoon session, “The Path to Awakening,” will feature extended meditation practice and readings from ancient Buddhist scriptures, including the Mahaparinibbana Sutta. Discussions will center on enlightenment, compassion, and the path to liberation.
The evening session, “Immortality and the Unconditioned,” will conclude the retreat with contemplative teachings on non-attachment, liberation, and the Buddha’s final passing into Parinirvana.
Ajahn Wade Bhuripanyo described the event as both a meditation retreat and a traditional religious observance honoring the life and teachings of the Buddha. Although rooted in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, the retreat is open to practitioners of all experience levels.
Ajahn Wade Bhuripanyo was ordained in Thailand in 2014 within Ajahn Chah’s Thai Forest Tradition and has more than 32 years of meditation and Buddhist practice experience. He also regularly shares Dharma teachings on YouTube.
The retreat will be streamed live across multiple time zones worldwide. While it begins at 8:00 a.m. in New York and Montreal, the program starts at 1:00 p.m. in London, 7:00 p.m. in Bangkok and Jakarta, and 9:00 p.m. in Seoul and Tokyo.
AMC stated that the teachings are being offered freely as a “gift of Dhamma,” adding that Visakha Puja is not only an opportunity to honor the Buddha, but also a time to deepen mindfulness, wisdom, and compassion in daily life.
Based in the foothills of New York’s Catskill Mountains, Ashokan Meditation Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting Thai Theravada Buddhist meditation practices and simple living teachings. Through online platforms, the center continues to expand access to traditional meditation practices for a global audience.
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