Visitor Guide
The art of mindful living
Coming to Plum Village for a retreat is an opportunity to enjoy simple and peaceful living, and to learn how to cultivate the energy of mindfulness, so we can have more freedom, peace and happiness in our daily life. It is also a chance to nurture our inner growth as we take time to look deeply in order to transform both our individual difficulties and the difficulties in our society.
At Plum Village we learn how to weave mindfulness into all our daily activities, and live each moment of life more deeply. We practice meditation throughout the day – while eating, walking, working mindfully, sitting, or simply enjoying a cup of tea together.
Community life
Everyone staying at Plum Village participates in community activities such walking and sitting meditation as well as community work such as arranging the meditation halls, cleaning bathrooms, washing pots and other simple tasks as part of the daily practice of mindfulness.
We emphasize community practice so that we can support each other, benefit from our collective energy, and learn to live together in harmony. We request everyone to contribute to the collective energy of practice by joining in all the scheduled activities.
Monastery setting
Plum Village is centered around a core residential monastic community of over 200 monks and nuns. As part of your practice on retreat, we ask you to support the monastery atmosphere by following the principles of mindful and ethical living as expressed in the Five Mindfulness Trainings. The Five Mindfulness Trainings are the foundation of the Plum Village community, bringing happiness and meaning to all that we do. Specifically, we request that all retreatants refrain from sexual activity, smoking and drinking alcohol or consuming drugs. In Plum Village we follow a vegan diet, and respectfully ask you not to bring any non-vegan foods to our practice centre.
Who can come
People from all religious backgrounds, cultures, political perspectives, sexual and affectional orientation, gender identity and its expression are welcome for a retreat with us. We also do our best for people with physical disabilities to be able to attend all activities, please contact us before visiting so we know how best to support you.
Health
Many friends have experienced lessened anxiety, a lifting of depression and improvements in general wellbeing through mindfulness practice. However, we urge all friends to continue any medication or treatment prescribed by your health care practitioner during your stay.
If you suffer from any chronic long term mental or physical illnesses, please let us know, and ask your doctor if it is advisable for you to attend a retreat with us. Please be aware that we cannot provide any professional care. If you have any concerns regarding this matter please ask us for clarification.
Arriving without a booking
Please note, that we are not able to host guests who arrive without a booking. We also cannot host guests who wish to stay overnight outside of the retreat dates. Thank you for your support and understanding.
How to Register
Enjoy completing the registration at least 2 weeks before your intended arrival date. A confirmation email will be sent to you as soon as possible.
The registration for 1 week-stay will be available again at the beginning of 2023. Thank you
Contact by email: Visitus@thaiplumvillage.org
Trang Web tiếng Việt: www.langmaithailan.org
Language
Thai, Vietnamese, and English.
Translation system will be provide in international retreats.
Clothes
Thai Plum Village is a mindfulness practice center and monastery, home to diverse cultures. To respect and support our collective energy of practice, We request you wear non-revealing clothing at all times: long or short sleeve shirts covering the upper body and pants, shorts, or dresses, that are roughly knee-length.
A white costume is not required.
Food
All Thai Plum Village meals are prepared by the monastics and volunteers with much love and mindful work. All 3 Meals in Vegan: vegetarian with neither dairy nor eggs, and our staples are usually rice, noodles, bread. We are vegan in order to nourish our compassion and protect our planet.
We eat our meals together in mindfulness. We usually have 20 minutes of silent eating at the start of lunch and dinner, and breakfast is usually fully in silence. Eating in silence helps us appreciate the food deeply, and cherish the presence of those around us.
We regret that we’re unable to cater to specific individual dietary requirements or medical needs, nor provide cooking or refrigeration facilities. Please bring your supplements (or allergy replacements) as necessary. Therefore, please bring your medications or supplements if necessary (only vegetarian-based food and supplements are allowed).
What Should Bring
● Mosquito or insect repellant
● Flashlight, hat, water bottle, umbrella as we will have activities outdoors
● Warm Clothes (coat/jacket)
● Socks, woolly hat for the winter (November to February)
● Comfortable shoes/sandals to support walking meditation
● Your own medicines or supplements as necessary
● Earphones & extension cord or headphones (3.5 mm) to listen to the translation.
● You can bring running sneakers, soccer shoes, table tennis rackets, badminton rackets, etc. to play during the sports time.
● For supporting us, Please bring your own sleeping bag or beddings (we will provide pillows). Bed sheet, Blanket and pillow rental is available if needed. This helps us reduce the amount of water necessary for frequent washing.
How to come here
Thai Plum Village International Practice Center is located at Pak Chong District in NakornRatchasima which is about 240 km. North-East of Bangkok. It approximately takes 3.5-4 hours from downtown Bangkok (Victory Monument).
You can come here by Public Van, Train, Carpooling and your vehicles
To see more information click here
Arrival and Departure
Arrival and departure days vary depending on the season. Please arrive at the specific time and date in the registration information. To co-create the calm and stable energy of our retreats, please understand that our community practices meditation and noble silence in the evening until the next morning so please do not arrive any other time after sunset. (after 18:00 until the 7:30 next morning)
In order to support and protect our Mother Earth, we would apply a weekly NO CAR DAY on Sunday, you are also invited to practice with us - So please do not arrive or depart on Sunday.
Please kindly bring your passport for registration upon arrival.
Regulations during stay
● All visitors are required to register online and have already received a confirmation email before coming
● Except for medical emergencies, please do not go out of the Monastery.
● We are unable to welcome pets. Thank you for your support and understanding.
● Minors under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent(s) or an adult.
The Monastery only receives participants older than five years old.
● Please clean your own space regularly according to the instructions of the Monastery.
● If you are currently taking any medication, please make sure that you bring them with you.
● As a Mindfulness Practice center, the internet is not available so please kindly arrange everything before coming. We recommend asking friends & family to support your retreat by limiting phone communication.
Donation (Dana)
The monastery is non-profit and therefore sustained by donations. As you feel comfortable, you may like to make a contribution for food and accommodations and to support the monastery.
For more donation information Click here
Accommodation
All rooms at the Monastery are organized in a community style. You will practice living in the same room with other practitioners to support each other in practice easily. Male and female practitioners will be arranged in separate areas. Male practitioners will stay at the laymen's guest house, next to the brother Hamlet. The female practitioners will stay at the lay women's guest house next to the sister hamlet. On the female lay friend's side, each room will have 4 bunk beds (for 8 people); on the male lay friend’s side, each room will have 8 bunk beds (for 16 people). There are no dedicated family rooms.
A mattress, pillow, mosquito net, and blanket will be provided to you on the day of arrival. You are also encouraged to bring a personal sleeping bag for comfortable night's stays and to allow the monastery to reduce electricity and water usage for laundry, thereby protecting our environment from harmful chemicals and carbon emissions. Please be aware that there will be no air conditioning and hairdryer (for female lay friends) in guest houses. However, with an environment surrounded by mountains, hills, and green trees, you can enjoy open space and fresh air.
Due to limited accommodation, tents are used as accommodation in the retreats, if needed.
