OUR LOCAL MONASTERIES
Magnolia Grove Monastery | Mississippi
Magnolia Grove Monastery is a both a residential monastery and Mindfulness Practice Meditation Center in the tradition of Plum Village, founded by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh in 2005 in Batesville, Mississippi. Today, more than thirty monastics disciples of Thich Nhat Hanh are in residence.
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Ten years ago Magnolia Grove was little more than 120 acres purchased by a group of committed individuals and families. With hard work, dedication and coordinated effort our community created a large meditation hall with an adjoining commercial kitchen to feed participants, and built by hand a guesthouse to host 120 laypeople.
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Magnolia Grove Monastery is a place to practice meditation and mindfulness. It is where every breath we take reminds us of the wonders of life. It is a place to sit and relax. A place to walk and kiss the earth beneath our feet.
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It is a place to rest under a willow tree on an island in a lotus pond. A place to eat together and savor every bite. A place to listen deeply to the sounds of life and the sound of our hearts. A place to work together to build a community of love and understanding.
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Magnolia Grove is a place where we can stop running, and discover peace with every step we take. A place to remind each one of us that the present moment is a wonderful moment.
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For more information on Magnolia Grove Monastery, please visit their website here.
Blue Cliff Monastery | New York
Nestled on 80 peaceful acres of woodland in the southern Catskill region about two hours northwest of New York City, Blue Cliff Monastery is home to a thriving community of over thirty monastic and lay practitioners who share the art of mindful living with thousands of adults and children every year.
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Blue Cliff is a place to quiet the mind, look deeply, and enjoy the wonders of life within and around us through the practices of sitting meditation, walking meditation, mindful eating, deep relaxation meditation, and sharing togetherness.
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We invite all who wish to cultivate peace and happiness in their lives to join us for a day of mindfulness or a mindfulness retreat. Visitors are welcome year-round.
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Blue Cliff was formerly a family-owned summer resort, in operation since 1939. Today, the various residences have been renovated and winterized, with plans underway to add wheelchair accessible rooms and new dining and common areas. The Great Togetherness Meditation Hall was added in 2008 and can accommodate up to 800 people for meditations and teachings.
For more information on Blue Cliff Monastery, please visit their website here.
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Deer Park Monastery | California
his 400-acre sanctuary rests peacefully in the chaparral mountains of southern California, surrounded and protected by oaks and the natural landscape.
Deer Park Monastery was established in July 2000 by the Plum Village four-fold Sangha. Now, it is a safe and serene refuge for many practitioners to come and learn the art of mindful living and to practice with a community, a Sangha. At Deer Park, the residential community of over thirty monastics and lay practitioners, live and practice together year round under the guidance of our teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh (Thây), in the tradition of engaged Buddhism, practicing mindfulness through out our everyday life. There are two hamlets: Solidity Hamlet (for monks and laymen) and Clarity Hamlet (for nuns and laywomen). The two hamlets come together several times a week to practice.
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At Deer Park, we are nourished not just by the formal sitting meditation sessions, but also by the practice of meditation in our daily activities outside the meditation hall. We are guided by the teachings of Thây on mindfulness and peace-making. We learn to live together as a community and to take refuge in the wisdom of the Sangha.
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For more information on Deer Park Monastery, please visit their website here.
