Mount Lebanon

Located where the Berkshire Mountains meet the Taconic Hills, the magnificent property of Mount Lebanon and its surrounding lands consists of 344 acres of forest, field, and stream. The geographical boundaries of the Mount Lebanon area are comprised of over 11,000 acres of protected forest and create a vital land corridor for many species of animals and plants.

We recognize with deep gratitude that Mount Lebanon and its surrounding lands are part of the ancestral homelands of the Muhheconneok, currently known as the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans. The history of this sacred land, both known and unknown, is evident in the absolute beauty and magnetism of the landscape experienced here.

The main buildings of the Abode sit at the foot of Mount Lebanon and have a rich history which can still be experienced in the present day. Built by the Shakers starting in 1785, this Shaker site was originally called South Family. It was a community, a chair factory and a working farm. From 1947-1973 this property became the home of a teen summer camp which incorporated Shaker songs, dances and crafts along with their other camp activities. Almost 200 years from the time the shakers first built South Family, the property was purchased by a group of spiritual pioneers who came together to establish a new community called The Abode of The Message. They invested their individual contributions and work hours to restore the main communal buildings that the shakers built, and created a center for esoteric study based in the teachings of Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan and his grandfather Hazrat Inayat Khan.

Photo credit Karamat Hess Photography