About Us
The name Bright Dawn is in honor of Rev. Gyomay M. Kubose, the founder of the ABA, a Buddhist pioneer in Chicago, the Midwest and in America and our spiritual teacher. Bright Dawn Home Spread is operated by the American Buddhist Association (ABA), a 501 (C) (3) not for profit organization. Read more about us in.


About the Bright Dawn Home Spread Facilities
Our charming, tranquil facilities, includes a turn-of-the-century Farmhouse that can accommodate 8 or 9 adults comfortably in all seasons. There are warm weather, rustic spaces for many more. Bunk rooms in the huge Barn, the causal Coop de Ville, a tiny meditation hermitage in the woods, as well as tent sites -- all ideal for young people, hostelers, campers and the adventurous.

• The Farmhouse
  6 bedrooms, meditation sun parlor, dining room, kitchen with commercial style range/laundry room and 2 1/2 baths.

• The Coop de Ville
  Beds for 5, loft sleeping bag area for 5

• The Barn
  5 bunk house style rooms sleeps 30, large meeting space

      Typical Programs Per Day/Adult Person
      Farmhouse $40.00 (Suggested Offering)
      Coop, Barn, or Cabin $30.00 (Suggested Offering)

Catered meals are also available and can be arranged to suit individual programs and needs.

About Our Program and Events
Our programs are conducted in a space suitable for meditation, spiritual treks, retreats and workshops that could be for individuals, families or groups. Outdoor events can incorporate our lovely garden, hills, ravines, woods, a mysterious "forest primeval" fen with boardwalks, and all the wildlife -- as well as abundant park and adjacent State Forest trails. Depending on the program and with prior approval delicious, healthy meals can be arranged for a group or may be self prepared or catered in the big fully equipped country kitchen.

About Our Location
We are an easy one-hour drive North of Milwaukee (50 miles) and 2 1/2 hours from Chicago. Ten minutes takes you to Plymouth, an attractive small hub town with conveniences. Lake Michigan beaches are only 24 miles away.

Parks in the surrounding area for spiritual walking and observing nature include:

▪ Kettle Moraine State Forest ▪ B&S Marsh & Wildlife Area ▪ Pigeon River Environment Park ▪ Kohler-Andrae State Park (on Lake Michigan)

To contact us, please see our contact page.

For Thousands of Years, the Buddhist forest monasteries have manifested a harmonious living with nature, being established in the mountains and forests. Tranquil life in the forest helped Buddhist practitioners to improve their inner mind, and at the same time, they also worked for the protection of animals living in the area. With loving and tolerant heart, the Buddhist live with natural vegetation, wild animals in the forest in harmony and for mutual survival. Men used oxygen partly discharged by trees, live by their shadows, and in return, men looked after the trees. Wild animals may come to eat crops planted by the temple without running the risk to be killed. The harmonious living of Buddhism is completely different from the competitive, opposing living and fighting against the nature which tend to destruction for selfish gains. Today, we can still see the landscape of a number of temples and meditation retreats located in the native forests, with green vegetation, clean and refreshing ponds and lakes, clean air, and a variety of species living in peace. These are locations which attract people from all directions coming to enjoy nature, finding peace of mind, getting away from noisy and polluted places. I think it is still not too late for all religions, all strata of the society and all nations to come together, to jointly participate in the protection of the environment for the living species, based on the harmonious model which Buddhism always advocates.

                                                                    Thi'ch Tri' Qua'ng (July 1996)