Plum Village

31/05/2026

Celebrating Vesak in Plum Village

On the 21st of May, our beloved multifold community gathered in Upper Hamlet of Plum Village France to celebrate Vesak—commemorating the birth, enlightenment, and passing (parinirvana) of Shakyamuni Buddha.

In his Dharma talk, Brother Bao Tang shared that as we bathe the baby Buddha during this celebration, we are also watering the seed of awakening—of deep understanding, true happiness, love, and compassion—within ourselves.

“Today we bathe the Tathagata.
Deep wisdom and clarity bring great happiness.
May all living beings who are overwhelmed by suffering
see the Dharmakaya in this very world.” - Gatha for Bathing the Buddha

We were blessed with glorious weather on this gorgeous spring day, as monastics and lay friends from all over the world came together to practice and honor our ancestral spiritual lineage, as well as the seeds of awakened nature within ourselves and in each other.

We invite you to share in these exquisite moments from our Vesak celebration day.
(plumvillage.org/articles/celebrating-vesak-in-plum-village)

25/05/2026

We are happy to share a selection of Plum Village monastic retreats and teaching tours across Europe in 2026 🌿

From silent hiking in the Alps, to mindful community practice in the UK, Norway, and Greece, France, each retreat offers a unique opportunity to come home to yourself and to the Sangha.

Whether walking through mountains, practicing in nature, or gathering in a shared space of mindfulness, we are invited to cultivate peace, compassion, and togetherness in daily life.

🌿 Featured retreats include:
• Steps of Wonder ~ Hiking Retreat in Rondane | Norway
plumvillage.org/event/tour/steps-of-wonder-a-plum-village-hiking-retreat-in-rondane-norway

• Healing Begins Here: Four Immeasurable Loves | Greece
plumvillage.org/event/tour/healing-begins-here-the-four-immeasurable-loves

• Paths of Happiness: Mindful hiking on Tour du Mont Blanc | Europe
plumvillage.org/event/tour/paths-of-happiness-mindful-hiking-on-tour-du-mont-blanc-2

• Plum Village UK Retreats 2026 | United Kingdom
plumvillage.org/event/tour/plum-village-uk-retreats-2026

If you feel called to join, please visit the Plum Village website retreat page and filter by “Tours” to find more details and registration information.

We look forward to practicing together on the path ✨

20/05/2026

This Sunday, May 24, 2026 🌿

Join a global gathering to celebrate Living Gems, the world’s largest collection of Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings. Discover rare and unseen Dharma talks, hear reflections from senior monastics, and explore how this living archive can nourish and support your practice. 🙏

✨ Two time zones available:
3:00 PM CET
7:00 PM CET

🔗 Register via link in bio

We look forward to coming together as a global sangha.

14/05/2026

Go as a River, Not a Drop of Water 🌿

“Taking refuge in the sangha is a very deep practice. If you are only a drop of water, you may be afraid. But when you become a river, you know you will reach the ocean." - Thich Nhat Hanh

When we sit, walk, eat, and practice together, we generate a powerful collective energy of mindfulness. With the support of the sangha, suffering can be embraced, understood, and transformed.

“The sangha always generates the energy of mindfulness, concentration, and insight.”

Our teacher Thich Nhat Hanh, Thay reminded us that a sangha is not simply an organization, but a living organism. Like birds flying in formation or bees moving together in harmony, the strength of the sangha comes from togetherness, presence, and compassion. “The ground of to do is to be.”

"How can the Order of Interbeing become an inspiration and refuge for the world?”
Thay described this as a collective kōan, a deep question or practice inquiry held by the whole sangha together.

This article is excerpted from a Dharma talk offered by Thich Nhat Hanh during the 21-Day Retreat on 8 June 2002 in Plum Village, France.

✨ If you would like to experience the collective energy of practice and togetherness in Plum Village, we warmly invite you to join us this summer.

Some spaces are still available for the Summer Opening Retreat in July, and young adults are also welcome to join the Wake Up Retreat in early August.

🔗plumvillage.org/event/retreat/adults-summer-opening-2026
🔗plumvillage.org/event/retreat/wake-up-retreat-2026
🔗plumvillage.org/articles/go-as-a-river-not-a-drop-of-water-taking-refuge-in-the-sangha

09/05/2026

Would you like to spend your summer practicing together in Plum Village? 🌿

There are still some places available in Upper Hamlet and New Hamlet for the Summer Opening Retreat in July, as well as a few remaining spaces in the children’s program in New Hamlet. Young adults may also enjoy joining the Wake Up Retreat in August (August 10 to August 17, 2026) ✨

plumvillage.org/event/retreat/adults-summer-opening-2026
plumvillage.org/event/retreat/wake-up-retreat-2026

As we prepare to welcome friends this summer, we are happy to share some moments from our recent Francophone Retreat in New Hamlet, Plum Village France.

Last month, French-speaking practitioners from around the world gathered for a precious week of practice together. Through sitting and walking meditation, Dharma sharing, mindful eating, total relaxation, and joyful mindful service, we cultivated peace, presence, and connection as a community.

We were also joyful to celebrate Sister Chan Khong’s continuation day and Easter together during this special week 🌸

We invite you to enjoy these moments captured in photos, glimpses of peace, joy, and compassion blooming in our hearts.
plumvillage.org/articles/francophone-retreat-2026

08/05/2026

Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Parallax Press 🪷

This affectionate trip down memory lane by outgoing publisher Hisae Matsuda, who recently became a member of the Order of Interbeing, shares the backstory behind Parallax’s publications, celebrating the people who made the books possible, and the team of practitioner-publishing professionals guiding the journey of tomorrow.

This is our third offering in our monthly series in which we feature articles written by an OI member, as we lead up to our June Retreat, celebrating 60 years of the Order of Interbeing.

This post features an excerpt taken from Hisae’s article originally published in the Mindfulness Bell.

This affectionate trip down memory lane by outgoing publisher Hisae Matsuda shares the backstory behind Parallax’s publications, celebrating the people who made the books possible, and the team of…

22/04/2026

Is Peace in Ourselves Healing the Planet? 🌍

To honor Earth Day, we are happy to share a reflection by Brother Đức Niệm on his journey from climate work to monastic life in Plum Village.

While working in renewable energy, he realized that “something was missing… a spiritual dimension and peace within my heart and body.”

During his time in Plum Village, he was deeply touched by Thầy’s words: "Maybe in one hundred years there will be no more humans on this planet if we continue to live as we do now.”

This became a living question for him: How can we have deep peace inside while not closing our eyes to the suffering of the climate crisis? Through practice, he discovered that “cultivating and offering peace and healing” can go hand in hand with caring for the Earth.

“Insight needs to be followed by action.”

🌿 Read the full article on the Plum Village website (link in bio)

🌿 If you would like to spend time outdoors on the land at our Plum Village Happy Farms to be in touch with and support Mother Earth, registration is now open for these two different retreat offerings this spring:

“Coming Home to Mother Earth retreat” in Upper Hamlet from 1-15 May, 2026
“Happy Farm week” in Lower Hamlet from 8-15 May, 2026

(Photo: Global Earth Retreat 2023)

20/04/2026

Summer Opening Retreat 2026🌼
July 11-18 | July 19-26 | July 27 - August 3 (Plum Village, France)

Get ready for a transformative experience this summer at Plum Village’s most popular retreat!

Everyone is welcome; the teachings and practices will be for all ages with tailored programs for children and teenagers. Adults will be able to enjoy the adult program together which includes dharma talks, meditations, and group sharings. (Some programs may be full, while others still have openings at this time)

Whether you are coming alone or with family, you are warmly invited into a meaningful retreat experience. This is the big event of the year at Plum Village!

Registration link in bio
plumvillage.org/event/retreat/summer-opening-2026

16/04/2026

Save the date: Sunday, May 24, 2026

Join a global gathering to celebrate Living Gems, the world’s largest collection of Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings. Discover rare and unseen Dharma talks, hear from senior monastics, and learn how this living archive can support your practice. 🙏

✨ Two time zones available:
Sunday, May 24, 3:00 PM / 7PM CET

🔗 Register via link
plumvillage.org/gems/live-event/celebrating-living-gems

Let us come together as a global sangha.

15/04/2026

“This bitter earth… may not be so bitter after all.” 🎶

Brother Dinh Thanh recently returned from a pilgrimage in Vietnam, walking in the footsteps of our beloved teacher Thich Nhat Hanh. He shares a heartfelt reflection from this journey, touched by the land, memory, and a song that stayed deeply in his heart.

One early morning at Tu Hieu Temple, where Thay was ordained as a novice monk, he sat quietly between Thay’s hut and the stupa where some of his ashes are kept. There, the song This Bitter Earth by Clyde Otis, sung by Dinah Washington, came back to him with deep emotion.

The song speaks of life as both bitter and beautiful. It gently asks:
What are the “fruits” of this earth? What do we choose to cultivate within it? 🌱

As he reflects on the lyrics, a simple question ariseDo we fall into despair and bitterness, or do we cultivate resilience, healing, and compassion—and offer that back to the world?

During the pilgrimage to the forest of Phuong Boi, where Thay once hoped to build his first community, he felt this deeply: the coexistence of joy and sorrow, hope and loss. Even Thay’s own life carried moments of deep hardship, yet also a clear path of practice and freedom.

A reminder from Thay continues to accompany us: “Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me…”

Maybe this bitter earth… is not so bitter after all. 💛

👉 Read the full reflection on the Plum Village website (plumvillage.org/articles/this-bitter-earth-may-not-be-so-bitter-after-all)

Photo credit: Kris Williams
Thay’s hut at Tu Hieu Temple in Hue, Vietnam.
The forest of Phuong Boi (Fragrant Palm Leaves).