Day of Mindfulness

Enjoy a day of mindfulness and peace.

Twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays we hold Days of Mindfulness. We welcome you to come practice the art of mindful living with our community. These days can help support you in your practice of mindfulness, taking an entire day to come back home to the present moment and learn to take care of ourselves. No experience is required and anyone can benefit from even one day of mindfulness. Other activities include a Dharma talk, walking meditation, silent meal, and a discussion of the practice.

The talk is either a live Dharma talk by one of our resident Dharma teachers or a recorded teaching by Thay. Walking meditation is an invitation to practice mindful walking, uniting our breath and movements, remembering our true home  – the present moment. A silent meal, prepared by the monastics, is the opportunity to eat together, looking deeply at our consumption and enjoying the miracle of nourishment. Lastly, a unique practice in our tradition is the way of sharing our practice, called Dharma Sharing. It is an opportunity to give voice to our experiences – our joys and our difficulties – in a calm, receptive, and safe environment. This is also an opportunity to practice deep listening and loving speech.

Please check our calendar or contact our registration office to confirm a date. We look forward to seeing you here.

Example of Daily Schedule:

Tentative schedule for Thursday:

You are most welcome to join us for the morning sitting meditation if it fits your schedule. Otherwise, we are happy to welcome  you at 8:00am.

5:30am – Sitting meditation & chanting (Optional)
7:30am – Breakfast (Optional)
9:00am – Dharma Talk
11:00am – Walking Meditation
12:00pm – Lunch
3:00pm – Dharma Sharing (if conditions are sufficient)
4:30pm – Mindfulness day ends

Tentative schedule for Sunday:

You are most welcome to join us for the morning sitting meditation if it fits your schedule. Otherwise, we are happy to welcome  you at 8:00am.

5:30am- Sitting meditation & chanting (Optional)
6:45am – Breakfast (Optional)
8:30am- Walking meditation
9:45am- Dharma talk
11:30am- Precepts recitation (1st Sunday – The Five Mindfulness Training,
3rd Sunday – The Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings)/ Dharma sharing (2nd, 4th, 5th Sundays)
1:00pm – Formal lunch in the Rising Tide Meditation Hall (2nd, 4th, 5th Sundays)
– Lunch in the dining hall (1st and 3rd Sundays)

For descriptions of the practices above, see our Be Mindful in Daily Life page. If you would like to know which 11:30am activity is planned for a given Sunday, please contact us a few days in advance.

Registration
Registration is not required for a Day of Mindfulness, but please contact us in advance if you are planning to come with a group of more than five people.

Donations
There is no fee for taking part in a Day of Mindfulness, but we suggest a donation of $15.00-$25.00 per person.

Due to long driving distance and you would like to spend Saturday night with us, we warmly welcome you (please arrive between 5:00pm-7:00pm). We suggest a contribution of $30.00-$50.00 per person for a night at the monastery.

Donations are our main source of support, so every offering is greatly appreciated. Your contribution can help us us to keep the monastery open all year. You can make your offering in any of the donation boxes in the Rising Tide Meditation Hall or the dining hall.

Individual Needs
Magnolia Grove is deeply committed to inclusiveness. If you have any particular need for assistance, please contact us so we can offer you as much support as possible. All meals are vegan. There is generally a variety of options available at mealtime, but feel free to bring supplementary food for yourself if you have a particular dietary need.

What to Wear
Please wear casual and modest clothing that is comfortable for sitting (i.e. long sleeve shirt (shirt covering shoulders), long pants (below the knees), loose fitting clothes…). Please wear or bring weather-appropriate clothing and shoes suitable for walking on nature trails so you can fully enjoy the outdoor walking meditation with the community. Please avoid wearing perfumes or other products that may affect those who are sensitive or allergic to scents.

Where should I go when I arrive?
If you arrive early, you are welcome to have tea in the Tea Room (next to the dining hall). If it is your first time visiting us, we kindly ask you to arrive at 8:00am, which would allows us to share some basic practices with you so that your stay could be more pleasant and beneficial. Please plan to arrive at the monastery at least 15 minutes in advance in preparation for the walking meditation.

Ticks
In the spring, summer, and fall, Magnolia Grove is home to deer ticks which do carry Lyme Disease. It is easy to protect yourself if you take a few simple precautions–most importantly, thoroughly checking yourself and your children for ticks each day. Please follow the link to learn more.