Blazing Wisdom new home
Blazing Wisdom in the Catskills will be the administrative, program and project headquarters for Blazing Wisdom Institute. Currently, a small cabin sits in the lap of 14 acres. A trout pond fed by an underground stream is nestled in the bowl of a great lawn below the cabin, with many fruit trees and gardens. Above are a series of pastures, and beyond, new growth pine and maple forest. The property is near the Kensico reservoir, and within a region of pristine beauty protected against environmentally-insensitive development.
The annex under construction, designed by architect Jean Ho with help from General Contractor Ken Schwartz, will connect to the east side of the existing cabin through a breezeway. The new building weds Catskill sensibilities (local hemlock wood exterior with peaked roof and capitals; local oak flooring) to classical Asian structure, with a ground-floor office accommodating two work stations, a library wall for contemporary volumes and traditional woodblock prints, filing and storage. An internal staircase leads to a landing and entry into the meeting and meditation practice/teaching space. An external deck looks upon and opens onto a rock garden and pastures above. Total area under construction is approximately 850 square feet, with a budget in the range of $100-125,000, inclusive of necessary modifications and repairs to the existing structure.
A detached structure on the far (west) side of the cabin will be placed on a permanent foundation and remodeled to house the Institute's Qigong program and other exercise and therapy offered by our affiliated practitioners. Estimated cost: $25,000.