THE WAY OUT IS IN

Mindfulness retreat with monastics from Plum Village


There is no way to happiness.
Happiness is the way

This year we have the great honour and deep joy to welcome monastics from Plum Village in our Soar session, to experience in their company a 5 day long mindfulness retreat.

Plum Village (plumvillage.org/), in southwest France, is the largest Buddhist monastery in Europe and the first monastic community founded by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) in the West. Thich That Hanh is a global spiritual leader, poet and peace activist, who teaches the art of mindful presence beyond all boundaries of cultures and religions. His key teaching is that, through mindfulness, we can learn to live happily in the present moment—the only way to truly develop peace, both in one’s self and in the world.
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Plum Village is where Thay has realised his dream of building a Beloved Community: creating a healthy, nourishing environment where people can learn the art of living in harmony with one another and with the Earth.

Guided by the monastics we will enjoy periods of silence, sitting meditation, walking meditation, mindful eating, relaxation and play. There will be teachings and question and answer sessions, during which the monastics will share with us some of the wisdom  gathered all along their lifelong practice, inspiring us to cultivate a mind of awakening, which really is no other than the art of being  happy in the here and now.

This retreat will take place just before our departure for our 21 day trek towards Delphi, a threshold of mindfulness, gathering us back in just as we are about to walk out, giving us a beautiful opportunity to integrate our experience from the past three months while setting us off on our pilgrimage in strengthened mindfulness.