Days of Mindfulness at the Monastery
Most Sundays and some select Thursdays we open our monastery to those who would like to come and practice with us for the day. This is an opportunity to discover the practice of mindfulness with our community and to enjoy the peace and beauty of our monastery and its magnificent sprawling grounds.
We invite all newcomers to visit us on Sunday so you can receive an introduction to the basic practices of mindfulness. This is the day that most people visit us.
See below for a typical schedule of events. Please note that the schedule is subject to change if the Sunday falls at the end of one of our themed retreats. Check our calendar of events for dates of themed retreats throughout the year.
If you have been to the monastery a number of times already and are familiar with our practice, you are also welcome to join us on a Thursday. Please be aware that the monastics have some separate activities on Thursdays.
Please check the calendar in Eventbrite for days when we welcome guests throughout the year and register for free. Donations to cover costs and support the upkeep of the monastery are always welcome.
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.
Tentative schedule for a 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.
5:30 am – Sitting meditation & chanting (Optional) *
6:45 am – Breakfast (Optional)
8:30 am – Walking Meditation (Please meet in front of the Rising Tide Meditation Hall)
9:45 am – Dharma Talk
11:30 am – Precepts Recitation *
- 1st Sunday – The Five Mindfulness Trainings *
- 3rd Sunday – The Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings *
- 2nd, 4th, 5th Sundays – Dharma Sharing
1:00 pm – Lunch
- 2nd, 4th, 5th Sundays – Formal lunch in the Rising Tide Meditation Hall *
- 1st and 3rd Sundays – Lunch in the Dining Hall
After Lunch – Mindfulness Day Ends
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.
- * Friends are welcome to sit anywhere in the meditation hall (on either side) behind the monastics for ceremonies, precepts recitation, sitting meditation, and formal lunch.
Tentative schedule for a Thursday:
A typical schedule of activities:
5:30 am – Sitting meditation & chanting in Rising Tide Meditation Hall (Optional)
6:45 am – Breakfast (Optional)
8:30 am – Walking Meditation (Please meet outside of the Brothers’ dining hall)
9:45 am – Dharma Talk
11:30 am – Dharma Sharing
12:45 pm – Lunch
After Lunch – Mindfulness Day Ends
Our bookshop is generally open for one hour after lunch.
Registration
To help us with the preparation, we kindly ask you to please register for a Day of Mindfulness.
Donations
There is no fee for taking part in a Day of Mindfulness, but we suggest a donation of $15.00+ per person.
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 at office@magnoliagrovemonastery.org 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.
