Dear Thay, dear Sangha,
The brothers have wished to spend this rain retreat at Plum Village to spend time with our brothers and sisters there. We will return in January. As soon as we will be able to welcome English speakers again, we will let you know on this website.
We hope with all our hearts that you will be able to find your inner island and take good care of yourself until we return.
Coming back to my body, to my breath, I can smile to life in and around me, face this moment, calm the storms, walk in peace on mother earth.
>> Feel free to go to the Plum Village website to see what kind of retreats they offer.
The Healing Spring Monastery is a mindfulness practice center, in the tradition of Plum Village.
It is located in Verdelot in Seine et Marne, Ile de France.
Today 8 brothers live there permanently.
This former convent, established by our Augustinian sisters of Meaux, who left the place around 2000, has been transformed into a mindfulness practice center. The monastery has a beautiful living space surrounded by 1.8 hectares of green hills. It has a tranquil atmosphere, conducive to spirituality. Nearby there is a spring with many legends and two small rivers.
The buildings can house about 20 monks and accommodate 20 guests at night. After renovating another part of the building, 40 retreatants can sleep there. There is 810 m2 of living space. The Healing Spring Monastery (for brothers and men) and Maison de l’Inspir (for sisters and women) form a refuge in nature, close to Paris and easily accessible from the capital by public transport (85 minutes from the Gare de l’Est). Sisters and brothers have separate activities and come together a few times per week, such as for our days of mindfulness.
The monastics of Plum Village wanted to respond to the growing demand for mindfulness retreats in France and especially in Paris. Lately, the French-speaking retreats at Village des Pruniers are fully booked months in advance.
Together with the sisters of the Maison de l’Inspir – which is located a few kilometres away, in the commune of Villeneuve sur Bellot – the monks organize mindfulness days (welcoming 30 to 50, and up to 100 retreatants) and retreat weekends, in English and in French. We also wish to organize special themed retreats such as: family retreats, Wake Up retreats for young people, retreats for teachers and health retreats. Our aspiration is to welcome about 3,000 visitors per year and spread the seeds of mindfulness to all generations.
Our beloved teacher Thich Nhat Hanh said: “everyone knows that peace must begin with oneself, but few people know how to do it.” At the Healing Spring Monastery, we will have the opportunity to learn this, supported by the monks and all those around us.