Who is Thich Nhat Hanh? "Rising Tide" Cohort 2

The course is 15 weeks from start to finish. Starting October 11, 2025 and concluding January 17, 2026.

The total time commitment is approximately 3-5 hours per week, with optional Dharma Sharing sessions over the weekend. 

The approx. time break-out is as follows: 

• 1 hour Dharma Talk (Video)
• 1 hour Interview/Q&A (Video)
• 1 hour Suggested reading/self-study (PDFs)
• 1 hour Optional reading/self-study (PDFs)
• 1 hour Dharma Sharing (Optional; Zoom)

Whether you are new to Thay’s teachings or are a seasoned practitioner, this course will help you to understand the life of a real Zen Master and how to apply his Engaged Buddhist teachings into your life. All are welcome.

This course is offered entirely online, allowing you to participate from wherever you are. To help nurture a sense of spiritual community, there will be weekly Dharma sharing sessions on Zoom, as well as monthly online gatherings with Thay Phap Luu. The course coincides with the Deer Park Rains Retreat schedule, offering lay practitioners a precious opportunity to enter a period of steady, deepening practice in a way that is spacious and harmonious with daily life.

The course is designed with spaciousness in mind, allowing you to engage with the teachings in a rhythm that suits your daily life. Materials will be released each week on Saturday at midnight (Sunday morning). You are welcome to explore the teachings and practices at your own pace, in your own time.

Dharma Sharing will be held on Saturdays or Sundays. Numerous time slots are available for the Dharma sharing groups, and you will have the opportunity to choose from several time slots that work for you, according to your schedule and time zone.

The course is offered for $297. At the same time, we wish for it to be accessible to friends everywhere. If the contribution feels out of reach for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us—we will be happy to find a way together. You can email us at courses@deerparkmonastery.org to request a reduced rate.

The contributions we receive help to support the expanded offering of the monastery, such as the creation of new online courses. At the same time, it is the spirit of generosity that truly sustains our sangha. We are deeply grateful for the many donors and volunteers whose service helps the Dharma continue to flow.

Of course! Given the breadth of content and Dharma teachings provided in this course, several friends have decided to take the course again this year to integrate and sit with the teachings in a deeper way. The weekly Dharma Sharing sessions over Zoom provide a space for discussion, integration, and connection. This allows for a deeper integration of the course content over time. We are also offering a discounted rate to returning participants. Please email us at courses@deerparkmonastery.org to request a discounted rate as a returning participant.  We thank you for your continued support.

The bulk of the content will be the same as last year, with some new bonus material such as new Dharma Talks by Thich Nhat Hanh and interviews with lay practitioners and monastics who knew him. This year we are also adding in 4 live Zoom sessions with Brother Phap Luu.  We will still hold weekly Dharma Sharing on the weekends, which many participants found to be valuable and supportive throughout the course. Whether you are new to the course or a returning participant, we encourage you to have a beginner’s mind as you engage with the content as if for the first time. 

You can reach out to the Deer Park Online Courses team at courses@deerparkmonastery.org for additional questions.