What we’re about
### PAUSE. BREATHE. BE LOVE.
The Buddhist Faith Fellowship in Middletown, Connecticut, is a practice and training center with an open and nurturing community, dedicated to spiritual fulfillment and enlightenment. Here, mindfulness flourishes, kindness is practiced, wisdom is embraced, and compassion is at the heart of everything we do.
Join the Buddhist Faith Fellowship for meditation, gatherings, courses, retreats, field trips, and making new friends. Our inclusive programs offer meditation and mindfulness training and practical teachings to help you pause, breathe, and cultivate wisdom, compassion, and inner peace. No experience is required—beginners, truth-seekers, and all are welcome to connect and grow. Explore our Connecticut Buddhist community today!
Visit our main web site for calendar of event and plenty of information on Buddhist philosophy and practice. Take a look at our web site at http://bffct.org/bff
Upcoming events
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Meditation and Talk Sundays & Food Drive Volunteers Meeting
Wesleyan University Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies, 345 Washington Terrace, Middletown, CT, USSpecial Note: Volunteer Meeting to Organize the Bodhi Season Food Drive (see below)
Join us on Sunday mornings for a warm, accessible, and supportive community gathering rooted in mindfulness, compassion, and everyday Buddhist wisdom. These meetings offer a welcoming space for people of all backgrounds—newcomers and long-time practitioners alike—to slow down, breathe, and reconnect with what truly matters.
Each session includes:
• Quiet Sitting Meditation
A simple, relaxed period of mindful breathing and calm awareness to settle body and mind.
• Voice Meditation
A gentle, mindful vocal practice that helps open the heart, steady attention, and deepen presence.
• Dharma Talk and Practical Teaching
Dharma Teacher G.R. Lewis, with over 35 years of meditation experience, offers a short teaching on Buddhist practice, wisdom, and mindful living. Each week explores a new theme—ranging from compassion to resilience to the art of inner freedom—so there is always something fresh to learn and reflect on.
• Discussion, Q&A, and Shared Reflection
Participants are invited to ask questions, share insights, and explore how to bring mindfulness and compassion into daily life. This communal reflection helps deepen understanding and connection.
Our gathering is designed to be both practical and universal—you do not need to identify as Buddhist to participate. Everyone is welcome.
• Parking: Free street parking on Washington Terrace but there is also parking on Mt. Vernon Street which is the side street, next to the center.
• Meeting Rules: In order to maintain a harmonious and respectful environment, practice kind speech, be courteous, and abstain from talking about current politics or display or wear political or offensive symbols or imagery. Those unable to follow these rules will be asked to promptly leave.
• Suggested Donation: $10–$20 (cash, check, PayPal or Vemno)
Your support helps sustain the Fellowship and its mission of offering inclusive, heart-centered practice opportunities. Checks are payable to BFF of CT. Thank you in advance for your generous support.
• What to Expect? To learn more about our Meditation & Talk Meetings, visit our FAQ: Sunday Meetings web page HERE.
### Special for December 7: Volunteer Meeting for the Bodhi Season Food Drive
After the meditation and talk, we’ll hold a brief volunteer meeting to organize the upcoming Bodhi Season Food Drive, which will take place on Sunday, December 21.
We are looking for volunteers to help:
- Coordinate donated items
- Deliver food to a local Middletown food pantry
- Assist with simple logistics before and during the drive
- Help spread the word within the community
If you’re interested in supporting this meaningful act of generosity, we warmly invite you to stay after the gathering.
More information on the Food Drive can be found here:
Holiday Season Food Drive & Community Gathering
https://bffct.org/bff/events/holiday-season-food-drive-community-gathering/9 attendeesMeditation and Talk Sundays
Wesleyan University Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies, 345 Washington Terrace, Middletown, CT, USJoin us on Sunday mornings for a warm, accessible, and supportive community gathering rooted in mindfulness, compassion, and everyday Buddhist wisdom. These meetings offer a welcoming space for people of all backgrounds—newcomers and long-time practitioners alike—to slow down, breathe, and reconnect with what truly matters.
Note: Meetup RSVPs don’t reflect our full attendance. We usually have at least 12 people each Sunday, including regulars who do not RSVP online.
Each session includes:
• Quiet Sitting Meditation
A simple, relaxed period of mindful breathing and calm awareness to settle body and mind.
• Voice Meditation
A gentle, mindful vocal practice that helps open the heart, steady attention, and deepen presence.
• Dharma Talk and Practical Teaching
Dharma Teacher G.R. Lewis, with over 35 years of meditation experience, offers a short teaching on Buddhist practice, wisdom, and mindful living. Each week explores a new theme—ranging from compassion to resilience to the art of inner freedom—so there is always something fresh to learn and reflect on.
• Discussion, Q&A, and Shared Reflection
Participants are invited to ask questions, share insights, and explore how to bring mindfulness and compassion into daily life. This communal reflection helps deepen understanding and connection.
Our gathering is designed to be both practical and universal—you do not need to identify as Buddhist to participate. Everyone is welcome.
• Parking: Free street parking on Washington Terrace but there is also parking on Mt. Vernon Street which is the side street, next to the center.
• Meeting Rules: In order to maintain a harmonious and respectful environment, practice kind speech, be courteous, and abstain from talking about current politics or display or wear political or offensive symbols or imagery. Those unable to follow these rules will be asked to promptly leave.
What to Expect? To learn more about our Meditation & Talk Sundays, visit our FAQ: Sunday Meetings web page HERE.
Meditation and Talk…5 attendees
Beginning Anew Mindfulness Retreat – Winter 2026
Wesleyan University Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies, 345 Washington Terrace, Middletown, CT, USDate: Sunday, January 11, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: Mansfield Freeman Center, Wesleyan University, 343 Washington Terrace, Middletown, CT
Contribution: $60 (early bird discount until December 15, 2025)
Last Day to Enroll: January 9th.
Start 2026 with a morning getaway of serenity, clarity, and interconnectedness in the presence of a beautiful Zen garden.
This 2.5 hour Sunday morning retreat will be guided by Dharma Teacher Rev. G.R. Lewis. This retreat invites you to pause, reflect, and set compassionate intentions for the year ahead over looking the inspirational Shôyôan Teien Zen garden.
In a supportive community and atmosphere of noble silence, we’ll practice mindfulness together to let go of past burdens and welcome the possibilities of the new year.
Spaces are limited and this annual retreat fills quickly. Reserve your spot early and give yourself the gift of renewal.
Note: Meetup RSVPs don’t reflect our full attendance. We usually have at least 12 people each Sunday, including regulars who do not RSVP online.
Visit our web page to learn more and to enroll ASAP, HERE6 attendees
Past events
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