Surviving (with joy) a Swealtering Summer Weekthun

 

Weekthun: a weeklong retreat practicing Shamatha Vipassyana meditation.

Summer: a time when it can be 100 degrees  F.

Participant Lianne Ritchi wrote: "An amazing week underlining discipline and precision with gentle compassion. Steve held our group together through a nasty heatwave, with insight and kindness. Our practice with thoughtful contemplations offered openness and bravery. While we enjoyed getting to know each other, the silence and the heat turned us beautifully inward. Thank you all at Sky Lake."

Service as Path

Here is a short, excellent talk on service as path by Fleet Maull:

Service As Path

Enjoy!

Movie review: An Uncommon King, documentary about Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche

Written by Stephen Derrickson

An Uncommon King, the much anticipated film biography of Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, the holder of the Shambhala Buddhist lineage and son of the trail blazing Tibetan teacher Chogyam Trungpa, had its U.S. premier on Nov. 14th, a crisp Fall night, at the Rosendale Theater in the lower Hudson River Valley. A funky upstate New York enclave, uncommon in its own fashion, refers to itself proudly as the ‘Peoples Republic of Rosendale’. It is positioned on the Southern tier of what has been called the ‘Buddha-Belt’ due to the large number of Buddhist retreat centers and monasteries in the Catskill Mountains region; Sky Lake Lodge, a Shambhala center, Karma Triana Dharmachakra, and Zen Mountain Monastery among them. Postponed for a week due to a ‘Noreaster,’ the silver lining in this winter storm was that it allowed the film makers Johanna Lunn and James Hoagland, hopping between Boulder and Halifax, to attend on this note worthy occasion.

I will cut to the chase and say that the film is quite excellent, a skillful and straight forward telling of the extraordinary journey of this unique and accessible dharma teacher. Its premier screening was quite well received, and clocking in at only 72 minutes will probably leave Shambhala students hankering for more. In the lobby conversation afterward I heard the words ‘amazing, inspiring and touching’ uttered by practitioners and John- Q- Public alike. In the spirit of full disclosure I will say I am a devoted student of Sakyong Mipham. I am also a known cinephile, as are the film makers, a fact readily apparent watching the seamless story-telling of Johanna Lunn and the visually striking imagery of James Hoagland, who shot film footage over 17 years, some quite intimate, of the King of Shambhala. And what a story these ‘visions of Johanna’ vividly unfold to us. Devotional not promotional, the film tells its story honestly and directly, and this story has a fantastical, Hollywood quality to it. His father, an unconventional Tibetan master, flees the Chinese invasion first to India over the Himilayas then to the West.  Sakyong Mipham, born as Osel Rangdrol Mukpo in 1962, in Bodhgaya, India, the birthplace of the Buddha, growing up first in a refugee camp, then in America and seems to be a happy-go-lucky kid, western through and through. Coming of age in the era of the spiritual supermarket that his father faced and tamed, he took on the enormous challenge of leading the international network of meditation centers, and taking his seat as the head of an organization devoted to his founder-father, as well as his throne as the King of a society, that of Shambhala. Indeed he is the reincarnation of Mipham the Great, a revered 19th century Tibetan teacher. His father went from the robes of a monk to a suit. He went from a suit to the robes of a King. The Sakyong describes meditation practice in one of his books as being akin to taming a wild horse, done using both bravery and gentleness. One could also use this metaphor in describing how he has tamed and trained the thousands of students of Shambhala, heart broken and face it, shaken and contentious after the death in 1987 of the beloved and charismatic genius Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Quite a legacy to uphold indeed.


Johanna Lunn is an excellent story-teller, clearly guiding us through the Sakyong’s narrative from ancient to modern, through myth and reality, from the East of Tibetan monastic training to the youthful West of college parties, marathon running, and later the making of a pop/rap music video, an ode to no-self. Recognizing that he needed more training the Sakyong returned to India to study at Namdroling Monastery in Mysore, and with the greatest living teachers of the Buddhism of Tibet including HH Penor Rinpoche and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, the head of the Nyingma Lineage until his death, who was a particularly significant mentor to the Sakyong.

Implicit in the film is the idea that there is no separation between the dharma teacher and the teachings. Thus the key concepts of the Shambhala world view are touched upon; basic goodness as the radical and necessary ground for cultivating happy and compassionate individuals as well as an enlightened society, warriorship as the practice of the bravery requisite to be open and gentle toward self and other, the indispensability of meditation, the synchronizing of body and mind, a fresh model of rulership, the Rigden principle.

Shambhala centers would do well to promote local public screenings of An Uncommon King as there is no better introduction to Shambhala and Sakyong Mipham. Don’t wait for the DVD either, for the film looks great on the big screen, its texture swinging from the grainy home video of the wild and shirtless counterculture of 1970’s America to the stunning, vast Himalayas and the intense saturated hues of the flags, shrines and costumes of ancient Tibetan ritual. One viewer expressed that after the films focus on big events, he was longing for a more ordinary 'day- in- the- life of the Sakyong'. A good idea and viewers do get a glimpse of that here, seeing the Sakyong’s courting of Khandro Tseyang Ripa Mukpo, as well as him chopping vegetables and getting dressed just like any guy. Another viewer said they appreciated ‘seeing how the Sakyong was received in Tibet and the rest of the world.’ Glimpses of this include extraordinary footage of SUV’s fording a white water river to bring the Sakyong to a blessing for ten thousand Tibetans, Rinpoche in NYC on a public panel discussion with Queen Noor of Jordan and Rabbi Irwin Kula. Several sanga members cited a moving scene when Karma Senge, the Vidyadara’s nephew, gave the Sakyong the lung for the terma texts the Vidyadara had left behind in Tibet. This was a huge emotional moment as Karma Senge has spent hislife collecting these treasure teachings and was particularly memorable.

One practitioner commented on the ‘absence of crazy wisdom’ in An Uncommon King.  Indeed for those more familiar with Chogyam Trungpa and/or his notoriety than with his son, the healthy, straight forward persona of Sakyong Mipham may come as a surprise. In one scene, beside a mountain stream, the Sakyong says, ‘People have a lot of difficulty in terms of the transition…they didn’t know what to do. But people also don’t realize that I had lost my father too. …I had no doubt in my mind in terms of the basic integrity of the work that I could continue. But I don’t think it was possible or even healthy to do what he was doing.” Perhaps one day Crazy Wisdom, the recent film about Chogyam Trungpa and An Uncommon King could be paired as a double feature? What sparks would fly?

An Uncommon King is the story of enlightened rulership, about one man leading by example, about ancient dignity and wisdom holding a key to the ‘pickle’ the world is in today. It is about recognizing basic goodness in ourselves and in society, training to rule our sacred world beginning with our own minds. This film should certainly bring Sakyong Mipham and the vision of Shambhala to a broader public. I hope it does. It couldn’t be better timing.

Why Meditate?

 “Why do you meditate?”

It’s a simple enough question, and you would think that after spending the greater part of nine hours in sitting and walking meditation, I’d have a great answer. Its origin was innocent enough, not meant to stump me: I was talking to a friend of mine this past Saturday, after Shambhala Level One training had been adjourned for the day. I returned to my apartment that evening with the idea of going out to a local theater performance. When I arrived at the venue, however, I felt overwhelmed by the crowds and the noise, so I simply went home and struck up a conversation with a friend that I knew I could rely on for open, honest dialogue. I was not, however, expecting to be floored by such a direct inquiry.

The truth is that I never asked myself “why.” I was introduced to Buddhism in my late teens by a friend who recommended the work of Alan Watts. In college, curiosity led me to a Zen meditation group, and to take classes on Buddhism and world religions. Over the last few years, I’ve visited local monasteries, been privy to the Zen jukai ceremony, and read numerous texts on the subject. Thinking on it now, I suppose that I saw meditation as a natural extension of my intellectual curiosity, a way to act on the fact that I sensed in Buddhist teachings a font of wisdom. As a relatively young person just starting to build a life, I look to Buddhism and meditation as a guidepost, or a teacher of sorts - something to clarify my intuitive feelings and serve as a catalyst for positive action in the world. Without the act of sitting meditation, Buddhism is mere theory, words on a page.  Meditation is a way to directly experience the fundamental emptiness and impermanence of all phenomena. 

I didn’t say this to my friend, however. I started by trying to correct the popular misconception that to meditate “correctly,” your mind must be completely clear, a blank slate for the entirety of the process. This is nearly impossible for almost everybody, including seasoned meditators. While mental stillness and inner silence is indeed an objective of meditation, it is my experience that the crux of meditation is in the observation of one’s own thoughts. Although I understood in a very cerebral way that subjective thinking is the basis for one’s experience of reality - i.e., who we are can essentially be chalked up to the way we think about ourselves and our lives - it was not until Level One training that I came to truly feel this. Once you have spent several hours at a time simply watching your own thoughts as they come and go, their inherent shallowness and illusory nature becomes quite evident. Ultimately, you can think whatever you choose about anything you wish: “I am good at this,” or “I am bad at that.” And whatever story you tell yourself about who you are is woven into the fabric of your reality. You come to realize that thoughts are the most powerful things in the world, and there is a certain clarity and basic sanity that comes with understanding just how impermanent and malleable they are. 

For him, I came up with the analogy of a rainstorm: imagine that the constant barrage of words, images, impressions and feelings - those mental activities that comprise what I refer to as “thoughts” - is a violent rainstorm. Now imagine that one’s typical state is to walk through that rainstorm without any umbrella, seeking shelter but rarely finding it - and when you do find it, it isn’t very long until you are out in the rain again! I see meditation like driving a car through the rain instead: you cannot make it go away, but you can move through it swiftly and effectively, with headlights and protective covering. You might be able to find more stable shelter that way, or to more deeply appreciate the beauty of the rain. Either way, it protects you from getting wet.

I find Shambhala Buddhism particularly appealing because of its fundamental directive: “creating an enlightened society.” It is not enough to simply sit on a cushion and observe your thoughts. The truly important element of this practice, at least for me, is in the fact that it empowers you to act as a more loving, peaceful, ethically-minded citizen. When you remove the attachment to negative or destructive thoughts, you begin to recognize your own basic goodness, which in turn inspires you to do more good in the world. This might be something as simple as smiling more often, or vowing to be more compassionate toward others (and yourself!) on a daily basis. It doesn’t have to be grandiose, and it’s not a form of self-improvement; it’s just an extension of who you are, already, unclouded by a storm of subjective thoughts.

Each of the levels of Shambhala training is centered around a different element of the teachings. The first level, “The Art of Being Human,” occupies itself with this idea of basic goodness. To me, the recognition of “basic goodness” is all about self-trust. To acknowledge your own basic goodness is to know that, without measures of self-improvement, self-adornment, or elaborate demonstrations of benevolence, your nature is essentially good. This is not about blind or irresponsible optimism; in fact, it’s the opposite of self-delusion - it’s about uncovering a simple but very powerful truth. And it is not to say that human beings are gods or martyrs, or that we don’t make mistakes, but rather that humanity is grounded in a sane and basic sort of goodness that we would all benefit from experiencing directly. Meditation facilitates this direct experience.

It’s somewhat difficult for me to say this, because I recognize that there is an air of mysticism and partiality in saying “humanity is basically good.” Trained as I’ve been, through my education, to look at things from a rational, scientific point of view (as opposed to an intuitive or spiritual perspective), it feels more comfortable to me to say “humanity is neither good nor bad.” But it doesn’t feel right - not anymore. I’m going out on something of a limb, here, but I can feel I can make the bold affirmation of goodness as the natural state of humanity.

Here is something I wrote that Saturday night. I don’t think I need to indicate its relevance:

It just occurred to me that I often force myself to do things just a means of justifying my existence and prior work, i.e., “I have to write, because I’ve spent so much time writing before - I have to build up a sense of self around this idea that I’m a writer, because I need something to hold onto, some way of describing myself, if only just to me.” But nobody is going to think any less of me if I let creativity flow naturally and at its own pace, or if I stop defining myself in X, Y, and Z terms. Like: even if I did none of that, guess what? I’d still be a good person - a genuinely good person - and I wouldn’t need to add anything to that to justify taking up room on this Earth.


It seems to me that many people get tangled in this web of self-definition, of attempting to find oneself through identification with specific vocations, causes, beliefs, aesthetic expressions, so on and so forth. When the basis for any of these is shifted - say, you find yourself questioning your ethical or political beliefs, or you lose a job you’ve had for decades - your very sense of being human is rattled. Likewise, we form strong attachments to people in our lives - friends, lovers, family members - and their loss completely reframes the way we think about ourselves. To be a human in this world entails a certain degree of attachment, certainly to other people, and for most, to a set of features (such as your job, spiritual beliefs, tastes, etc) that comprise your identity. Being that most people do not pursue the life of the ascetic or the monk, the holy person who practices radical non-attachment, I think it is fair to say that this is normal and natural. I would also venture to say, however, that most of us are a little too attached to some idea of ourselves or another; we are too fixed in our habitual patterns, too inclined toward the neurosis that develops as a result of over-attachment.

I meditate because the practice provides me with a perspective beyond this entanglement. It’s not as if, sitting on the cushion, you simply forsake your worldly connections and concerns. Instead, you begin to see them for what they are, to understand the lightness inherent in the reality that all phenomena is transient. Things come and go, and they just are what they are. I take this to be a very positive thing, although I suppose it could be devastating for the person who ascribes an enormous degree of importance to life’s minutiae. The idea here isn’t that you stop caring about the things that define you, but that you approach them in a more calm and balanced way, knowing that the loss of this, that, or the other will not alter the very roots of your existence.

This explanation might seem high-flung or unnecessarily complex, but I realize a direct relationship between the philosophy and its practical application. “Enlightened society” does not look like groups of people sitting on cushions in monasteries across the world. It looks like people who recognize the goodness in all people, and who promote this reality by acting positively in the world.

These are my reasons for meditation, and why I choose to study Buddhism and maintain a regular meditative practice. It looks a little bit different in everybody, and of course there is much more to meditation than just sitting - you can do almost anything with the mind of meditation, from singing and dancing to painting, cooking or running - whatever! As long as you’re present and aware of your mind, you’re on the right path.

So it is with a clear head and an optimistic outlook that I continue my practice and studies. I’m glad to have the opportunity to share my experiences with other people; I think it can only be beneficial.

Warmly,

Emma

Community Visioning Meeting Report

Dear Sky Lake members,

Our Community Visioning Day, August 18th was filled with emerging ideas
and conversations followed by a sumptuous meal. We began with a current
‘state of the center’, evolving into an Open Space Visioning session
creatively led and scribed by Barbara Bash. The intention being to
generate alive questions about how Sky Lake could move forward and
reach out to a wider community. After breaking into groups, we all
gathered again to harvest the heart of what each interest
group discussed. Some volunteered to continue tending the inspirations
from seeds planted in the group conversations.

In summary, the ‘state of the center’ touched on several on going
topics, beginning with our current vitality and the integration of our
programs, B&B and Rentals. Sky Lake as a unique hybrid of a small land
center and local Shambhala Center, our original mandate from the
Sakyong was to create a center for ‘meditation, arts & community’. We
are experiencing the cross-pollination of the B&B with the meditation
center, guests coming with the intention to receive
meditation instruction, participate in pubic sittings and dharma talks.
Rental groups are increasingly requesting meditation instruction and
guided walks on the meditation trail. What were originally ways we
supported our programs, are integrating more and more with Sky Lake’s
purpose as we discover a natural synergy between all three.

Sky Lake’s finances are holding steady after a period of slow rentals
over the winter and spring. They are currently in vital condition after
a period of restructuring facilitated by consultation with Pat Brett,
which is being implemented by the new Rental’s Manager, Emma Stamm, who
along with Amy Glavasich is working on our Social Media presence and
development. Throughout August our B&B has been hosting appreciative
groups and individuals from around the world.

Shambhala International in its role as a continual support and
inspiration was spoken about. Our access to online teachings and a
dynamic and deepening curriculum is every increasing. The Sakyong’s
invitation to the Shambhala mandala for creating Enlightened Society
being the guiding directive for all we do here The structure of the 3
Pillars of a Shambhala Center were described. These being a working
rapport with Governance, Practice & Education and Kasung
(protector principle). Our current model of a Working Council at Sky
Lake is incrementally changing into a Governance Council, representing
those 3 Pillars as well as other working groups in our community, for
example, Health & Wellbeing, Children & Families.

Our current dedicated group of Working Council members are: Jeff
Rubin/Chair, Ben Berliner, Ron Blass, David Daub, Steve Derrickson,
Cyndi Levine, Nadia Scoggins, Sam Scoggins and Jen Woodin, many of whom
have facilitated the running of Sky Lake for several years since our
major transition in 2007. Quarterly group meetings and numerous
committee conference calls throughout the year insure Sky Lake’s
continuing health. Some of these members will continue as the
Governance Council more formally takes it’s seat as Sky Lake’s
governing body .

There was an introduction of Sky Lake’s newly formed Practice and
Education Council and it’s new Coordinator, Jen Woodin who recently
took an oath for that role. Steve Clorfeine and Jenny Bates generously
volunteered as mentors for the first 5 months of the Council, Linda L
Lazin is in the role of Shambhala Training Coordinator, Cyndi Levine as
Administrator, Mary Ranges and myself as members of the Council. Sandy
Sklar has given her time as an organizer of various practice activities
,Ashe and Vajrayana ,and as a master of practice
encouragement throughout the sangha. (though not officially on the
Council) In these few short months the Council has organized quarterly
community Practice Days (Nyinthuns) including the practice of the
Sadhana of Mahamudra, umdze trainings, monthly Open Houses w/ dharma
talks, scheduling the Way of Shambhala programs and adding a general
tone of uplifting our container for practice here that has
greatly benefited the center.

Although we did not get to this topic on the agenda, I wanted to relay
our current request from the Sakyong on Visiting Teachers. During this
next period of time (2 or 3 years??) Shambhala Centers will be inviting
teachers for vajrayana studies instead of for general public audiences.
With the intention being to study and work in our communities to create
Enlightened Society, focusing on the Way of Shambhala teachings (Heart
of Warriorship, Sacred Path, Everyday Life Series, and the
Basic Goodness teachings) and going outward in the world. It is felt to
be less confusing for beginning students to experience Shambhala
teachings at our Shambhala Centers. We are encouraged to invite
teachers from other lineages for the purpose of deepening the study of
vajrayana. This is a departure from our visiting teacher history and
will be this way for now and the near future.

Some of the discussion group subjects for our Community Day were :
Sangha Salons, Mind of Recovery, Beauty & Shelter of Sky Lake,
Contemplative Art Exploration, Touch the Earth, Internet Presence,
Mindful Education for Children, Multi-Purpose Building.

The Multi Purpose Building /Children’s , Shambhala Arts space on the
land next to the meditation trail is a project close to my heart (also
doubling as extra sleeping space for programs). It has been clear that
we cannot serve children and families here without some other area to
do so. The vision for this structure is as a community participating
project ,which could be created incrementally. Possibly first as a
platform/pole barn/or pavilion. How we go about manifesting this
space is as important as the finished product. We already have 3
skillful volunteers for the physical visioning, Architect, David Daub,
trained engineer, Dan Guenther, whose expertise in taking apart old
buildings and re-using materials and knowledge of green building is
vast, as well as seasoned contractor Al Wolcot. When the time comes to
lay our hands on the materials and actually put the structure together
(we already have a donation of a metal roof) I can see our community
coming together with all the varying skills we have for events similar
to ‘barn raising’………..working and celebrating with delicious meals at
the close of construction days. This participation will add to the
sweet satisfaction of using the space for enrichment of our offerings
here to an expanded group of people. I can actually see
children skipping down the trail in the mind’s eye, feel the sun,
elements, smell the lhasang smoke, flowers, hear the music and
laughter. I am committing to seeing the project through to fruition.

Fyi: last week during our hugely successful Dragon Explorers Dharma
Kids Daycamp, taught by Dana Fulmer, Daniel Berlin, Timothy Quigley,
Rachael Timberlake & Alison Pepper ….Sky Lake’s land was singing with
31 children doing nature studies, meditation, drumming, tribal
decorations, feasting and much more. This delightful offering was a
re-igniting of our past children’s programing and much appreciated.

We are anticipating a visit from the Reciprocity Group in the next
year. This group organizes group retreats for youths whose families are
presently living in NYC shelters. Going forward, it feels important to
welcome wider circles of people to benefit from what Sky Lake has to
offer.

This fall Jen Woodin and I will be working on a volunteer and Work
Study system. All of you are invited and encouraged to contemplate what
it is that you could do in a volunteer capacity. Sky Lake is a
primarily volunteer organization and is only as vibrant as our
community participation. Our amazing windows team will be finishing the
final phase of the installation project in the dining room this fall
and winter. The Land Stewardship Group is crafting and enlivening our
meditation trail system. We have office volunteer opportunities,
Practice & Study support teams who could benefit from additional folks,
programs that welcome staffing, events and celebrations that are fun to
assist with……………….

PLEASE STEP UP……. WITH A SERVICE AS PATH ATTITUDE ! ……. You could
be surprised to find what a delight it is to help this vibrant Sky Lake
container continue as a welcoming environment for your community and
those new folks walking through the door.

In the Vision of the Great Eastern Sun,

Katy

Bravery: Taking A Leap

I found this recent (June 2011) written teaching by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche to be quite helpful and want to share it. Thanks to Sky Lake Director, Katy Bray, for suggesting it to me!

Here is an excerpt:

"Abruptness snaps our mind out of discursiveness and habit. Coming face-to-face with our deception, there is a moment of challenging ourselves. To practice truly being present, we cannot vacillate in the moment of immediacy. We must leap if we are to overcome our mockery of awakenment.”

Visit this link to read the complete, powerful teaching:
Bravery: Taking A Leap, by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche

Yours in the abrupt leap,
Carrie Schapker
Sky Lake Head of Education

Rosendale the new "Hot Spot"

Market Market is featured in this NYTimes article about Rosendale and those who come here for a new life.........

*********
May 24, 2010
90 Miles Upstate, a Brooklyn Feel
By SARI BOTTON

ROSENDALE, N.Y. — Until about a year ago, Fredrick Arnold was living the life of a Williamsburg hipster. An aspiring filmmaker with mutton-chop sideburns, he spent his working hours waiting tables at Dumont Burger, and his off hours on projects like an animated music video for one of his favorite bands, Casper & the Cookies.

But after being laid off — “Suddenly I wasn’t just competing with other people in their 20s, but with out-of-work stock brokers, people with Ph.D.’s, and even experienced chefs for a shrinking number of waiting jobs,” he said — Mr. Arnold, 25, moved about 90 miles north to this Hudson Valley town. He found a one-bedroom apartment just off Main Street for $700 a month (he previously paid $650 for a tiny room in a three-bedroom) and a job at Market Market, a cafe and nightclub on the edge of town with an eclectic menu and a distinctly Brooklyn feel.

The cafe, opened three years ago by Jenifer Constantine and Trippy Thompson, a couple of other Williamsburg expatriates, is a place where one might stumble upon a copy of The Brooklyn Rail, the Greenpoint-based publication covering the local arts scene. Maggie Gyllenhaal of Park Slope was recently spotted there having lunch.

“It feels to me like a neighborhood bar in Brooklyn, filled with people who have sensibilities similar to mine,” said John Cox, who moved to Rosendale from Carroll Gardens in 2003, when he and his wife were ready to start a family. “We realized that if we stayed in Brooklyn, we’d need a bigger, more expensive apartment, and we’d be working crazy hours just to be able to pay for day care, never to really spend time with our kid.”

Rosendale, in Ulster County, is hardly the first place to consider itself Brooklyn North or the sixth borough. But like New Paltz and Beacon before it, this depressed former cement manufacturing town of 6,400 has lately had a steady influx of creative freelancers with 917, 718 and 646 area-code cellphones. Some hop on the bus for the hour-and-forty-five-minute ride to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, others telecommute, and many have traded in their office jobs for less psychically demanding ones in landscaping or food service while they pursue their music or art on the side.

“It was a trade-off,” said Heige Kim, a painter who opened a gallery on Main Street last year, and whose husband, Fred Lee, commutes to his job as a database manager for a Midtown law firm.

“When we moved up here, we got more space, and as an artist, especially, you’re always negotiating for more space,” she said. “But now Fred has to ride the Trailways bus every day.”

With the feel of a rough-and-tumble new frontier — not unlike Williamsburg or Red Hook a decade ago — Rosendale offers a break from Brooklyn’s bubble real estate prices: the mean price for a house in 2008, the last year available from city-data.com, was $201,797. The town has a much shabbier look than manicured weekender havens like Stone Ridge or Woodstock, but it is closer to the city than other low-cost towns like Catskill and Hudson. The town lacks a supermarket but has a surprising number of restaurants — four on Main Street alone, including the Rosendale Cafe, a stalwart vegetarian and folk-music institution.

“We make jokes about how many people we keep meeting up here who are from Williamsburg,” said David Soman, a children’s book illustrator who was ahead of the curve when he and his wife moved here in 2001. “There’s a growing contingent. We keep meeting more of them at Market Market.”

Market Market replaced the Springtown Green Grocer, a beloved standby where locals used to shop for organic produce and pick up mostly vegetarian lunches from a salad bar and steam table. “In the beginning people seemed resentful toward us for coming in and trying to do something different,” Ms. Constantine said. “It’s funny, sometimes people will still walk in looking all confused and say, ‘Wait, where are the vegetables?’ ”

But it has become a magnet for the Brooklyn exiles. Situated directly across the street from the Trailways station (you can get your bus tickets there), the cafe has a sleek bar surrounded by reproduction vintage Fornasetti wallpaper. The menu features tacos filled with house-made chorizo, Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, and specials like pork schnitzel with brussels sprout and bacon hash.

“Trippy and I thought it would be good to offer foods that we missed when we moved up here,” Ms. Constantine explained.

Several nights a week, there is entertainment: live music, including a series called Tributon featuring musicians covering the songs of a particular artist; D.J.’s; karaoke; comedy; and videos. Earlier this month, when the band Mercury Rev played music over a silent film, the cafe was packed with people in their 20s and 30s, many in vintage clothes and skinny jeans.

On a recent Wednesday evening, when local musicians Skip Piper, Ross Rice and Jude Roberts took turns playing, Market Market was crowded with urban-expat regulars, including Eric Stern, the bling-bedecked stylist for “The Real Housewives of New York City”; the graphic design artist Woody Pirtle; and D. B. Leonard, a musician and writer who moved from Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan to Woodstock in 2008, but is now hunting for an apartment in Rosendale.

There were a couple of new faces, too. “We moved up April 1,” said Turu Illgen, an architect who just spent three years building a house in Williamsburg with his wife, Angela Voulgarelis, a painter. “After all that hard work, we can’t really afford to live there,” Mr. Illgen said, half-laughing. “The taxes alone would kill us. So we rented it out and moved up here.”