LGBTQIA+ Communities
At Deer Park Monastery, we open our hearts to all who seek refuge, mindfulness, and spiritual connection. Guided by compassion and inclusivity, we warmly welcome members of the LGBTQIA+ community to practice with us in a safe and loving environment. However you identify, wherever you come from, and whomever you love — you are welcome here.
At Deer Park Monastery, we open our hearts to all who seek refuge, mindfulness, and spiritual connection. Guided by compassion and inclusivity, we warmly welcome members of the LGBTQIA+ community to practice with us in a safe and loving environment. However you identify, wherever you come from, and whomever you love — you are welcome here.
Inclusive Housing & Retreats
For those attending our Special Retreats, sometimes we offer shared gender non-conforming housing that is LGBTQIA+ friendly (when we get enough demand/interest for it). We recognize the importance of creating spaces that honor and affirm each individual’s identity, allowing for a deep and joyful experience of mindfulness in community.
For General Practice Retreats, we will gladly work with you to select the best hamlet for you and your family, ensuring that your retreat experience is peaceful and supportive.
Rainbow Family Dharma Sharing
We offer Rainbow Family Dharma Sharing groups during select retreats, providing a dedicated space for LGBTQIA+ practitioners and allies to share their experiences, joys, and challenges on the path of mindfulness. These sessions cultivate understanding, healing, and connection within the Plum Village tradition.
Mindfulness Communities in the Plum Village Tradition
We are grateful to be part of a global network of mindfulness communities inspired by the teachings of Thích Nhất Hạnh. Here are some LGBTQIA+-affirming Sanghas and mindfulness groups connected to our tradition:
Rainbow Sangha of the UK - Meets weekly on Tuesdays / contact rainbowsanghauk@gmail.com
Rainbow Sangha Ireland - Meets monthly on Sundays / contact rainbowsanghaireland@gmail.com
International LGBTQIA+ Sangha - Meets twice monthly on Sundays / contact sanghaqueer@gmail.com
Chrysanthemum Sangha - Meets weekly / contact chrysanthemumsangha@gmail.com
LGBTQ+ – World Interbeing Sangha - Meets monthly on Sundays
Additional LGBTQIA+ Resources:
- Love and Relationships: Inclusivity & Understanding Suffering in the LGBTQIA+ Community By Sister Bội Nghiêm on November 2, 2022
- Be Beautiful, Be Yourself: Q&A with Brother Trời Bảo Tạng on November 7, 2024
- Thich Nhat Hanh on Homosexuality and Discrimination
- Expanding the Spectrum of Love: Br. Bao Tang and Rainbow Family Sangha members share heartfelt reflections on nurturing inclusiveness [Plum Village]
- Engaged Buddhism / The Rainbow Family: Engaging with Suffering in the Present Moment [June 20, 2022]
Explore Online Courses
From time to time we offer multi-week courses related to mindfulness, the teachings and life of Thich Nhat Hanh, and a variety of similar subjects. Please see our schedule of upcoming courses.
Plum Village App
Take the Deer Park Monastery and Plum Village community with you wherever you go. The Plum Village app is designed to cultivate mindfulness, compassion, and joy through guided meditations, deep relaxations, practice poems, bells of mindfulness, and other practices — all through a mobile device.
