June 2024 - Day of Mindfulness (Sundays)

We openly and warmly welcome the diversity of your experience to this place of refuge and healing - wherever you come from, however you look or identify, whomever you love.

Days of Mindfulness at the Monastery

Most Sundays 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.

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.

We welcome you to come practice the art of mindful living with our community. This day 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.

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.

8:30 am – Walking Meditation Please meet in front of the Big Meditation Hall

9:45 am – Dharma Talk

11:30 am – Mindfulness Trainings 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

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 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.