Swami Vivekananda's cottage is a must visit for anyone interested in Hinduism and its vedanta, yoga and meditation. It is only opened briefly in the summer.
Unfortunately Swami Vivekananda's Cottage in the Thousand Islands Park on Wellesley Island in the Thousand Islands will only be open from August 10 to the 24th this year. The cottage itself will be open those days from 10AM to 12 Noon and from 4PM to 6PM. You can certainly walk the grounds when the cottage is not open. Because of the limited hours I expect crowds and would look to go during the week.
The room upstairs where the Swami stayed while he was there for 8 weeks in 1895 (he lectured and taught on Vedanta) has a powerful vortex; one that put me instantly in the balcony a few years ago. Very, very strong. You definitely need to meditate in the room--the vortex is located in the center of the room.
The house and the immediate area rests on Fields of Consciousness. There is another vortex in the rocks behind the house. Meditating on the rocks in front of, or behind the house would be a good thing to do.
Make sure to visit the rock/tree in the back (it is a short 5 minute walk) where Swami Vivekananda achieved the highest state of Samadhi. It said that on his last day August 7, 1895 at the Thousand Islands the Swami went into the back woods to meditate and froze solid in meditation and remained oblivious to torrential rain and is said to have achieved nirvikalpa Samadhi. (Page 104)
“He had a unique experience of inner freedom at the Thousand Islands Park which he expressed eloquently in his poem “The Song of Sannyasin”. He wrote from there to a friend:
“I am free, my bonds are cut, what do I care whether this body goes or does not go? I have a truth to teach—I am a child of God. And He that gave me truth will send me fellow workers from the earth’s bravest and best.” Page 105-106
Source Vivekananda a Biography (1953)
The tree has since died, but a new one has been planted and a memorial erected. It is a short walk to the back.
Per Ramarkrishna Vivekananda web page
VIVEKANANDA COTTAGE
P.O. BOX 1084
THOUSAND ISLAND PARK, N.Y. 13692
Telephone: (315) 482-3031
MY writeup: Swami Vivekananda's Cottage
Here are some helpful links.
Directions to the Cottage
My Video, Swami Vivekananda's Cottage Thousand Islands, NY
Vivekananda's speech to the Worlds Religion that catapulted him to fame. I never noticed it before that he begins Sisters and Brothers and not Brothers and Sisters. BRAVO!
Vivekananda's teachings
Swami Vivekananda's Life Story
I will be at the Faery and Earth Festival Saturday August 19th, at historic Thompson Park in Watertown NY.
I will be:
- Giving a talk on Vortices, or Vortexes.
- Leading Sacred Walks to explore the mysteries and delights of Mother Earth found at Thompson Park.
- Book Signing, both Vortices and Spirals and Sacred Sites in North Star Country will be available for purchase.
It should be a fun day, There will be Entertainment (music, performers, dancers, a puppeteer) Workshops and Vendors selling a variety of Earth, Faery and Pagan items and food vendors as well.
IN THE PAST ADMISSION HAS BEEN A FOOD DONATION. I AM NOT SURE ABOUT THIS YEAR
Thompson Park is included in Sacred Sites in North Star Country and has Fields of Consciousness. It is said that it has a mysterious vortex that acts like a time portal.
A few years back the city put up a sign and designated Thompson Park an AREA 51 location. Evidently when the CIA took over Area 51 in Nevada they nicknamed it Watertown; because THE then head of the CIA Allan Dulles was from Watertown.
I am hoping to talk to Dea, the Druid about the location of the time portal. Over a decade ago at a talk I gave at Naturtyme in Syracuse several people told me that there where ghosts and much more at the park, particularly near the zoo.
As you know my feelings on these matters(ghosts/aliens) is that they are generally indicative of special aspects of Mother Earth located at a particular place. I hope to get out and re-explore once I learn more about the location of the vortex. It should make for an interesting sacred walk(s.)
If you are making the drive and wanting to make a day of it, you should consider visiting Swami Vivekananda's Cottage in the Thousand Islands Park. It is about 40 minutes away. Visiting the place where this great mystic achieved Nirvikalpa Samadhi, the highest state of Samadhi, is annual pilgrimage. I strongly encourage you to visit. You just need to make sure the hours of operation--last year the cottage was open 10-12 and 4-6. It should be still open --but again you need to check before going--it usually closes a week, or two before Labor Day.
Here is my video of Swami Vivekananda Cottage in the Thousand Islands
Swami Vivekananda's Cottage in the Thousand Islands Park will open up for the summer season on July 10 and will remain open to August 25. The house and the shrine upstairs will be open in the morning from 10AM-12PM and in the late afternoon from 4 PM to 6 PM. The grounds are open all the time.
From July 27 to July 30th Swami Yuktatmananda the spiritual leader of the Ramakrishna Vivekananda Center of NY will lecturing on Bhakti--devotion to God; 10-12, 4-6. The lectures are free. The choir will be there and devotees from the center in NYC will be there at that time. So it will be busy--but there may be chanting and singing.
Swami Vivekananda is credited with introducing the eastern traditions of meditation and yoga to the west. He was a great sage and mystic.
The room upstairs where the Swami stayed while he was there for 8 weeks in 1895 (he lectured and taught on Vedanta) has a powerful vortex; one that put me instantly in the balcony last year. Very, very strong. You definitely need to meditate in the room--the vortex is located in the center of the room.
The house and the immediate area rests on Fields of Consciousness. There is another vortex in the rocks behind the house. Meditating on the rocks in front of, or behind the house would be a good thing to do.
Make sure to visit the rock/tree in the back (it is a short 5 minute walk) where Swami Vivekananda achieved the highest state of Samadhi. It said that on his last day August 7, 1895 at the Thousand Islands the Swami went into the back woods to meditate and froze solid in meditation and remained oblivious to torrential rain and is said to have achieved nirvikalpa Samadhi. (Page 104)
“He had a unique experience of inner freedom at the Thousand Islands Park which he expressed eloquently in his poem “The Song of Sannyasin”. He wrote from there to a friend:
“I am free, my bonds are cut, what do I care whether this body goes or does not go? I have a truth to teach—I am a child of God. And He that gave me truth will send me fellow workers from the earth’s bravest and best.” Page 105-106
Source Vivekananda a Biography (1953)
Per Ramarkrishna Vivekananda web page
VIVEKANANDA COTTAGE
P.O. BOX 1084
THOUSAND ISLAND PARK, N.Y. 13692
Telephone: (315) 482-3031
MY writeup: Swami Vivekananda's Cottage
My YouTube Video on the cottage
Directions from 81 north 1) Pay toll and ctross Bridge onto Wellesley Island and take first exit (Exit 51)
2) After exiting proceed to stop sign, turn right and go to second stop sign.
3) At second stop sign turn right, and proceed about 4 miles to the village of Thousand Island Park.
4) At Thousand Island Park proceed to stop sign (near Grocery, Ice Cream Parlor, Tennis Courts).
5) At stop sign turn right onto St. Lawrence Avenue and proceed about 2 blocks until the street ends at Tabernacle building.
6) At Tabernacle turn left, go about one block and turn right up the small road marked with the arrow pointed to “Vivekananda Cottage.
7)Park below in grassy lot--not on the driveway of the house.
