February 13, 2026

What is winter like at Greenfield? Dazzling. Drab. Daunting. Delightful.

All of the above. Really, it just depends on the day…or the week.

Once the golden leaves of autumn hit the ground and lawns lose their green, the landscape is painted in shades of brown. Even on cloudy days Greenfield’s sacred silence prevails.

Snow and Freezing Rain

We never quite know when the first big snow will arrive, but when it does, it transforms everything. Who doesn’t like sunlight on snow? It’s beautiful. But it also means that driving in through the entrance lane and finding a parking spot can be daunting, or even impossible.

This year, the first big snow fall didn’t put in an appearance until late January. And it was an especially challenging one. About a foot of snow hit the ground. That’s problematic enough; but this particular snow fall was followed by freezing rain, layering a coat of ice on top of all those snow drifts. Then, over the next 2-plus weeks temperatures stayed well below freezing. Alas, that meant that services in our new chapel had to be cancelled.

Services and Seva

After a good deal of hard physical labor clearing lanes, pathways, and parking spaces…and the temperature finally rising above freezing…Greenfield Retreat Center resumed its routine.

We were all grateful to get back to meditating together in the physical presence of other members of Master’s family, and also to enjoying Greenfield’s grounds, which take on an ethereal beauty at this time of year—deer wandering through winter-bare trees; sunlight glimmering on snow; sweet, sacred silence.

Grace the Ashram Cat doesn’t let a little snow keep her from her daily rounds.

Here is a video of the beauty of Greenfield in the snow.