On Sunday, September 20, we warmly invite you to join us at Deer Park Monastery for a special Day of Mindfulness celebrating the Sun, the radiant source of energy that sustains all life on our beautiful planet.
September 20 / 9:00 am - 2:30 pm
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DonateThich Nhat Hanh, Love In Action: Writings on Nonviolent Social Change“We have to remember that our body is not limited to what lies within the boundary of our skin. Our body is much more immense. We know that if our heart stops beating, the flow of our life will stop, but we do not take the time to notice the many things outside of our bodies that are equally essential for our survival. If the ozone layer around our Earth were to disappear for even an instant, we would die. If the sun were to stop shining, the flow of our life would stop. The sun is our second heart, our heart outside of our body. It gives all life on Earth the warmth necessary for existence. Plants live thanks to the sun. Their leaves absorb the sun’s energy, along with carbon dioxide from the air, to produce food for the tree, the flower, the plankton. And thanks to plants, we and other animals can live. All of us—people, animals, plants, and minerals—“consume” the sun, directly and indirectly. We cannot begin to describe all the effects of the sun, that great heart outside of our body. When we look at green vegetables, we should know that it is the sun that is green and not just the vegetables. The green color in the leaves of the vegetables is due to the presence of the sun. Without the sun, no living being could survive. Without sun, water, air, and soil, there would be no vegetables. The vegetables are the coming-together of many conditions near and far.”
Dear Friends,
On Sunday, September 20, we warmly invite you to join us at Deer Park Monastery for a special Day of Mindfulness celebrating the Sun, the radiant source of energy that sustains all life on our beautiful planet.
In 2008, Deer Park became the first of our monasteries around the world to install solar panels. This was one of the seeds we planted in our community in the spirit of sustainability, and that seed continues to nourish us today. 🌱☀️
Last year, we celebrated our inaugural Sun Day, gathering our community to learn, reflect, and be inspired about ways we can care for our precious Earth. We are happy to continue this tradition and come together once again in gratitude for the Sun and the many ways its energy supports life.
Solar energy also offers a meaningful path toward a more sustainable future. Today, solar power is among the most affordable forms of electricity, offering opportunities for lower energy costs, greater energy independence, and long-term sustainability for homes and communities.
As we practice together, we can remember that the Sun is not separate from us. With every mindful breath and every peaceful step, we touch the conditions that make our lives possible, including the light, warmth, food, water, and energy that connect us with all beings.
On this Sun Day, let us walk together in gratitude for the Sun and renew our commitment to caring for our precious planet.
We warmly welcome you to join us for this special Day of Mindfulness as we celebrate the Sun, practice together, and explore how we can nurture a more sustainable future. 🌍☀️
After lunch, we invite you to join us for a Green Tour of the monastery grounds, where we’ll explore some of the ways Deer Park is putting mindful care for the Earth into practice. The tour will include a look at our solar panels, the heat exchanger serving our new building, and our humanure composting system as practical examples of how we can live more sustainably and in harmony with the Earth.
May the light of the Sun continue to shine within and around us.
Please register to attend below. Advance registration is required.
PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN VEGAN OR VEGETARIAN LUNCH. We are currently unable to provide lunch.
Children's Program on this Sunday: There will be a children's program offered during the Dharma talk and recitation ceremony for ages 6-12.
When a Day of Mindfulness is sold out, please check back on Eventbrite, as more spots will become available when people cancel. Please note we do not keep a waiting list.
If you have registered and need to cancel, and if you have an Eventbrite account, you can cancel through your account. If you do not have an Eventbrite account, please let us know about your need to cancel by emailing our registration office.
Note for OI members: Members of the Order of Interbeing are welcome to come on any Day of Mindfulness and do not need to register. We invite you to come wearing your brown jacket.
Essential Practices of Mindful Living (video series): To learn more about the basic practices that are included during our Day of Mindfulness program, please click here.
We ask that all guests please observe our dress code. To respect and support our collective energy of practice, we ask everyone to dress modestly for the duration of their time with us. Please wear sleeves that cover the shoulders (short sleeves are acceptable), shirts that cover the midriff and back, and long pants or long skirts that are loose-fitting and cover the knees whether standing or sitting. Casual attire is fine, but please do not wear shorts, tank tops, nor tight-fitting clothing.
Donations. For participation in the Day of Mindfulness, a donation is greatly appreciated to keep the monastery open and able to receive guests. You will find donation boxes in the meditation and dining halls or you can donate online.
Scheduled events occur rain or shine.
8:00 AM – 10:00 AM - Gate open to receive registered visitors
9:00 AM - Outdoor walking meditation
10:15 AM - Dharma talk with Brother Pháp Hội (in Vietnamese)/ Children's program offered for ages 6-12
11:30 AM - Recitation of the Five Mindfulness Trainings
12:30 PM - Lunch (please bring your own vegan or vegetarian lunch)
1:30 PM - "Sun Day" Green Tour of the monastery grounds
2:30 PM - End of day
Read more about Thay's devotion to Mother Earth and relationship to Father Sun in 10 Intimate Conversations with Mother Earth and A Love Letter to the Planet. For the book The Sun My Heart, meditations on science and mindfulness, look here.
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.
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.
