Plum Village

Page d'Accueil
France
Thénac
Plum Village

A mindfulness practice center and monastery in south-west France founded by Thich Nhat Hanh
(731)

Plum Village is a monastery and mindfulness practice center in the southwest France founded by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh in 1982. If you need to contact us please do so via our website: https://plumvillage.org/contact-us/

26/09/2025

Thich Nhat Hanh’s Vision: The Village Way as the Beloved Community of Engaged Buddhism

When our teacher Thay founded Plum Village, he did not choose the words “temple” or “monastery.” He chose “village”. Why? Because his vision was much larger than a building or a single practice center. He dreamed of creating a refuge for all of society—a living model of mindful, compassionate, and sustainable community.

“Sangha building is the most noble task.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

Brother Phap Dung shares how Thay’s lifelong aspiration was to revive the simple and tender spirit of the lang que (village life): interconnection, mutual support, and closeness to the Earth. In this way, Plum Village is not only a monastery but a living community—what Thay called “Communities of Mindful Living.”

In times of loneliness, fear, and separation, this vision offers us a path of resilience and belonging. It reminds us that:

“The next Buddha will not be an individual, but will be a community.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

Read the full article here 👉 plumvillage.org/articles/thich-nhat-hanhs-vision-the-village-way-as-the-beloved-community-of-engaged-buddhism

(Photo credit: Brother Phap Dung helping to build a new residence at Deer Park Monastery, October 2024; photo courtesy of the Deer Park monastic sangha / Retreat at Deer Park Monastery, June 2025 (Brother Phap Dung in center); photo by Rob Walsh)

22/09/2025

🌿 Mindfulness Verse of the Week 🌿

Lighting this candle,
Offering the light to countless Buddhas,
the peace and the joy I feel
brighten the face of the Earth.

Gathas are short, mindful verses that anchor us in the present during daily activities. At Plum Village, we weave them into waking up, eating, walking, or even washing dishes, inviting peace into every moment.

Try this practice:
✨ Breathe in, recite the first line.
✨ Breathe out, recite the second.
✨ Let your breath guide the rhythm.

As you move through your week, carry this gatha in your heart. Pause, breathe, and reconnect with the beauty of now, joining our global sangha in nurturing mindfulness wherever you are.

Stay tuned for next week’s gatha!

18/09/2025

The Wisdom of Summer: Ripening in Every Moment

Mick McEvoy of the Plum Village Happy Farm and Rewilding Project shares simple, nourishing practices and reflections inspired by the summer. His words invite us to care for our own well-being, and to touch the deep interbeing between people, plants, all beings and the Earth.

By mid-summer at the Happy Farm, most of the crops are in the ground. Together, we have raised plants from seed, cared for them, and protected them. Now, the rain, sun, soil, wind, and pollinating insects take over. This is the season of letting go and of humility. Farmers are only a small part of the process—life itself does the rest.

The word human comes from humus, the living soil. The word humility also arises from humus. As Vandana Shiva reminds us: “To be truly human is to be of the soil and to be truly human is to be humble.”

This summer, the Happy Farm’s young plum trees were heavy with fruit. Some were harvested too early, leading to reflections on patience and ripening. Thich Nhat Hanh once offered us the teaching: “There is no way to harvest. To harvest is the way." Every stage—planting, watering, pruning, and simply being present—is already a harvest.

Ripening in every moment means we don’t need to wait for the “perfect fruit” to enjoy the fruits of life. Each moment on the farm, in the community, or by ourselves is already full of conditions for well-being.

Every moment there is ripening. Every moment there is a harvest. We only need to stop, look deeply, and enjoy.

The article closes with reflective practices:
* Cultivate humility by contemplating how soil and Earth sustain all life.
* Spend time outdoors—in the garden, park, forest, or beach—and notice the ripening of well-being in every breath, every step.

This summer invites us to harvest well-being, edible and otherwise. What will you harvest?
👉 Read the full article now on the Plum Village website. (plumvillage.org/articles/the-wisdom-of-summer-ripening-in-every-moment)

- photo by Kobe Kiekens

15/09/2025

🌿 Mindfulness Verse of the Week 🌿

How wonderful to scrub and clean.
Day by day,
my heart and mind grow clearer.

Gathas are short, mindful verses that anchor us in the present during daily activities. At Plum Village, we weave them into waking up, eating, walking, or even washing dishes, inviting peace into every moment.

Try this practice:
✨ Breathe in, recite the first line.
✨ Breathe out, recite the second.
✨ Let your breath guide the rhythm.

As you move through your week, carry this gatha in your heart. Pause, breathe, and reconnect with the beauty of now, joining our global sangha in nurturing mindfulness wherever you are.

Stay tuned for next week’s gatha!

10/09/2025

✨ Wake Up Retreat 2025 — The Power of Love ✨

"The whole cosmos has come together to create you. You carry the whole cosmos inside you. That is why, to accept yourself and to love yourself is an expression of gratitude."
— Thich Nhat Hanh

From August 9–16, 2025, Plum Village welcomed over 800 young people (ages 18–35) from around the world to our annual Wake Up Retreat. Participants gathered in the simplicity of nature to heal, restore, and transform feelings of despair, anxiety, and frustration about our current global situation into hope, faith, and renewed aspirations.

This year’s theme, The Power of Love, guided us to cultivate the four elements of true love — loving kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity — deepening our understanding, acceptance, and appreciation of ourselves and others. Through workshops and presentations on the Art of Communication, Touching the Earth, and the Five Mindfulness Trainings, we explored how to strengthen our connection to ourselves, our ancestors, the world, and Mother Earth, experiencing the interbeing of all things.

The retreat included inspiring Dharma talks, sitting and walking meditation, mindful exercises, circle sharing, family and affinity group meals, music sessions, and other creative expressions, all of which nourished body, mind, and heart.

📸 We are honored to share some of these precious moments, celebrating the joy of togetherness and the enduring spirit of our Wake Up community. To see more photos from the retreat, please visit our photo album on the Plum Village website.

(plumvillage.org/articles/wake-up-retreat-2025-the-power-of-love)

08/09/2025

🌿 Mindfulness Verse of the Week 🌿

I entrust myself to Earth;
Earth entrusts herself to me.
I entrust myself to Buddha;
Buddha entrusts herself to me.

Gathas are short, mindful verses that anchor us in the present during daily activities. At Plum Village, we weave them into waking up, eating, walking, or even washing dishes, inviting peace into every moment.

Try this practice:
✨ Breathe in, recite the first line.
✨ Breathe out, recite the second.
✨ Let your breath guide the rhythm.

As you move through your week, carry this gatha in your heart. Pause, breathe, and reconnect with the beauty of now, joining our global sangha in nurturing mindfulness wherever you are.

Stay tuned for next week’s gatha!

04/09/2025

🌿 The Great Need for Community

There is a truth that reveals itself when we truly look into one another and breathe together.Mindfulness is not something cultivated in isolation, but something that deepens and blossoms warmly within community.

David Viafora’s new book Thriving Together draws on years of research and practice, showing us how communities can become fertile ground for healing and true happiness.

As Thich Nhat Hanh often reminded us, “The next Buddha may take the form of a community, practicing understanding and loving-kindness.”

When we walk this path together, we realize that we are never alone, and that we can become each other’s deepest refuge.

👉 You can read the new article now on the Plum Village website.
(plumvillage.org/articles/the-great-need-for-community)

01/09/2025

🌿 Mindfulness Verse of the Week 🌿

Earth brings us to life and nourishes us.
Earth takes us back again.
We are born and we die with every breath.

Gathas are short, mindful verses that anchor us in the present during daily activities. At Plum Village, we weave them into waking up, eating, walking, or even washing dishes, inviting peace into every moment.

Try this practice:
✨ Breathe in, recite the first line.
✨ Breathe out, recite the second.
✨ Let your breath guide the rhythm.

As you move through your week, carry this gatha in your heart. Pause, breathe, and reconnect with the beauty of now, joining our global sangha in nurturing mindfulness wherever you are.

Stay tuned for next week’s gatha!

28/08/2025

Summer Opening Family Retreat 2025 Photo Album

“If we do not know how to take care of ourselves and to love ourselves, we cannot take care of the people we love. Loving oneself is the foundation for loving another person.”
— Thich Nhat Hanh

From July 10 to August 2, nearly 2,500 friends from around 50 countries joined Plum Village for our annual Summer Opening Retreat. It was a joyful time of mindful living, togetherness, and deep connection.

Family reflections from the retreat:

“We came to Plum Village for the first time with our twelve-year-old son and seven-year-old daughter. … Our children loved spending the whole day outdoors, free to be themselves. We parents learned to let go and found time and space to breathe, listen, and simply enjoy. Plum Village was truly a place of love and refuge.”
— William Lau & Suki Chan, London

“After years of searching through books and trainings, I finally felt like I truly came home in Plum Village – with my teenage daughter by my side. During the ‘Beginning Anew’ practice, we expressed gratitude to each other, and old frustrations melted away like snow in the sun. In Plum Village, compassion became a living experience.”
— Annick Hoefnagels & Nina Linnebank, Belgium

We warmly invite you to enjoy the photo album and relive the sweetness of practicing together as one big Dharma family.

👉 plumvillage.org/articles/summer-opening-family-retreat-2025

25/08/2025

🌿 Mindfulness Verse of the Week 🌿

Two-thirds of accidents
take place near home.
Knowing this, I am very careful
Even on a short trip

Gathas are short, mindful verses that anchor us in the present during daily activities. At Plum Village, we weave them into waking up, eating, walking, or even washing dishes, inviting peace into every moment.

Try this practice:
✨ Breathe in, recite the first line.
✨ Breathe out, recite the second.
✨ Let your breath guide the rhythm.

As you move through your week, carry this gatha in your heart. Pause, breathe, and reconnect with the beauty of now, joining our global sangha in nurturing mindfulness wherever you are.

Stay tuned for next week’s gatha!

22/08/2025

Honouring the Light of Larry Ward – True Great Sound

The Plum Village Community is grieving the passing of our beloved Dharma Teacher Larry Ward (True Great Sound). He was a lighthouse of the Dharma, a revolutionary spirit, and a visionary of Engaged Buddhism.

Ordained as a Dharma teacher in 2000 by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, Larry wove together Buddhist practice, neuroscience, organizational change, and social imagination. Through what he called “Deep Buddhism,” he integrated mindfulness, trauma healing, and wisdom traditions to support the transformation of racial and collective karma.

Together with Dharma teacher Peggy Rowe-Ward, he co-founded The Lotus Institute, creating a place of refuge and transformation for many around the world. Over five decades, he lived and worked in more than twenty countries, guiding communities, leaders, and practitioners.

He was the author of America’s Racial Karma: An Invitation to Heal and co-author, with Peggy Rowe-Ward, of Love’s Garden: A Guide to Mindful Relationships.

Read the full tribute here: plumvillage.org/articles/honouring-the-light-of-larry-ward-true-great-sound

18/08/2025

🌿 Mindfulness Verse of the Week 🌿

In these vegetables
I see a green sun.
All dharmas join together
to make life possible.

Gathas are short, mindful verses that anchor us in the present during daily activities. At Plum Village, we weave them into waking up, eating, walking, or even washing dishes, inviting peace into every moment.

Try this practice:
✨ Breathe in, recite the first line.
✨ Breathe out, recite the second.
✨ Let your breath guide the rhythm.

As you move through your week, carry this gatha in your heart. Pause, breathe, and reconnect with the beauty of now, joining our global sangha in nurturing mindfulness wherever you are.

Stay tuned for next week’s gatha!

Adresse

Le Pey
Thénac
47120

Site Web

https://plumvillage.org/

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