90-Day Rains Retreat

As a 90-Day retreatant, Magnolia Grove will be your home. In this spirit, we request that all retreatants join the monastics to joyfully contribute to Sangha service in and around the monastery during the daily service meditation time or as needed (e.g., help clean up after meals, wash pots, mop floors, help outdoors in the gardens, clean bathrooms, sort recycling, and so on). Those who are more experienced in Plum Village practice will also have an opportunity to facilitate lay group practices where needed.

Retreatants are expected to stay at the monastery for the entire retreat, which helps to support the practice energy in the community. If you have any concerns about fulfilling this expectation, we ask that you include this information in your application.

Please be advised that as this is traditionally a retreat for monastics, many activities will be organized into two groups: monastics and lay friends (“lay friends” include both our 90-Day retreatants and our regular weekly guests). Monastics and lay friends will practice together for daily sitting and walking meditation, mindful meals and during Days of Mindfulness on Sundays, however some other activities may be separate.

All our 90-day retreatants will have a monastic mentor who will guide you in your practice. Once a week, our 90-Day retreatants practicing with the sisters will meet with one monastic sister; and our 90-Day retreatants practicing with the brothers will meet with one monastic brother. Should you have any practice-related questions, please refer to this monastic assigned to your group  (who you will be introduced to upon arrival). 

If you have questions about rooms or beddings, please refer to our guest masters.

Should you have questions or concerns about the logistics of your stay (e.g., accommodation, financial contributions, etc.), please speak to our office team either in person or via email at office@magnoliagrovemonastery.org.

If for any reason you need to leave earlier and are unable to complete the 90-Day retreat, please inform your mentor and the office team so we can better understand if there’s any issue we can help resolve or support you with.

Many friends have experienced lessened anxiety, a lifting of depression and improvements in general well-being through mindfulness practice. However, we urge all friends to continue any medication or treatment prescribed by your health care practitioner during your stay.
If you are experiencing any acute mental or physical illness, you may consider coming at another time.

If you are experiencing any chronic long-term mental or physical illnesses, please let us know in this form, and ask your doctor if it is advisable for you to attend a retreat of this length with us. Please be aware that we cannot provide any professional care and should we see that it becomes appropriate to reach out for professional help, we may ask you to leave and seek proper help.

All meals are vegan and communal. Rice, vegetables and fresh fruit are available every day, regularly supplemented by tofu or other soy products, or beans and pulses.

Please be advised that we have very modest facilities and cannot cater to special dietary needs. There are no facilities for you to store or prepare your own food. Please contact the office if you have any concerns about food.

Bed in gender-separated shared rooms, based on whether practicing with the Brothers or practicing with the Sisters. For couples, we have a very limited number of cabins. Camping is also available.

We are doing our best to create easier access for people with physical limitations. We have some wheelchair-accessible toilets and showers in our main toilet block. We also have an all-gender restroom area in the main toilet block.

Please note that attending the 90-Day Rains Retreat (as well as other retreats) is an opportunity to: disconnect from electronic devices; deepen our practice of mindfulness; to be present for each other; and to enjoy the many wonders all around us. As the monastery is a practice environment, we encourage you to greatly limit your use of cell phones and other electronic devices during your stay in order to preserve the collective energy of mindfulness.

Please let your family and friends know in advance that you will have very limited access to the internet during this time. Please note that cell service on our property is weak or not obtainable. Access to the internet is generally limited to “lazy days” on Mondays, and Thursday and Sunday afternoons. Using the internet or your phone outside these times requires special permission from your mentor. We encourage friends to focus their energy at the monastery.

We ask that you do not plan to bring work or other pressing commitments to the monastery during this time. Your stay with us is a unique opportunity to let go of your worldly commitments, to deepen your practice and look inwards.

To help support the collective practice and make the Rains Retreat accessible to friends from many different paths of life, we offer three contribution options:

• Reduced Rate: $2,400 ($800/month)

• Regular Rate: $3,000 ($1,000/month)

• Sponsor Rate: $3,600 ($1,200/month)

This contribution nourishes your full presence in the retreat—covering activities, simple accommodation, three mindful meals each day, and use of the monastery’s facilities and grounds. Choosing the Sponsor Rate is a beautiful way to offer a hand to another practitioner who may not have the financial means to attend.

If your conditions allow, we kindly invite you to offer the full contribution before your arrival. If needed, we are happy to arrange a monthly installment plan.

If you are facing financial difficulty and truly aspire to participate in the Rains Retreat, please don’t hesitate to write to us at office@magnoliagrovemonastery.org. We will do our best to find a way for you to join the practice.

We hope to make the retreat accessible to all. Please note in the application Google form there is a section about financial assistance – we ask that you please see this section, and fill it out if needed. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any special needs or concerns.

*Cancellation more than 3 days before the retreat – a cancellation fee of $50.00 will be charged.

*Cancellation less than 3 days before, including during the retreat (e.g., a retreatant decides to end their retreat early) – 100% of the full fee will be retained by us.

Arrival day and Welcome: Friday, October 2, 2026 (arriving early to settle in)

Opening Ceremony: Sunday, October 11, 2026

Closing Ceremony: Sunday, January 10, 2026

Departure Day: Sunday, January 10, 2026 (or early morning Monday, January 11, 2026

For more information about traveling to and from the monastery, we invite you to visit this page.

For more general information about attending retreats at Magnolia Grove Monastery (e.g., when to arrive, what to bring, etc.), we invite you to visit this page.

If you are interested in becoming a monastic, (monk or nun) please consider joining us this Rains Retreat for a direct taste and glimpse of monastic life up close.
In our Plum Village tradition, we balance our personal monastic aspirations with living in harmony with our community.
It is easy to idealize a monastic life so what better way to know if this is for you by immersing yourself in a direct experience in monastery life?

What if you’re interested in this retreat but are unable to attend the entire 90-Days?

No worries, our regular personal retreat slots are still open during this 90-Day Rains Retreat. While the time frame coincides, the only difference for those applying here is the commitment to stay and practice for the entire 90 days. Please choose your options of weekend, week, week+weekend, or two weeks if you are interested in a shorter stay here. 

If you are intrigued and would like to stay a month or longer but not a full 90-days, please first register for our 2-week stay then kindly submit a letter of requesting to extend your stay to our office/monastic in charge of short term guests and we will review requests every two weeks. Please also include in your letter any aspirations for your stay with us or transformation and healing you’ve experienced in your practice with us so we can better understand and support you.