Photos / Happy Farm Weeks – Spring 2026

May our heart’s garden of awakening bloom with hundreds of flowers.

Thich Nhat Hanh

This past spring, Plum Village France hosted multiple Happy Farm weeks across our three hamlets with the theme: “Coming Home to Mother Earth.”

During these weeks, we enjoyed being outdoors as a community, listening to the land speak. We explored how the Three Dharma Seals of Non-Self (Interbeing), Impermanence, and No-Birth/No-Death (Nirvana) are profound teachings transmitted from Mother Nature to the human being we know as the Buddha. Earth Wisdom, Buddha Wisdom. Earth Nature, Buddha Nature.

Where better to practice stopping and looking deeply than on the land and in the garden?

Thay has often taught that “”If we practice the art of mindful living together, we see that the other person, like us, has both flowers and compost inside, and we accept this. Our practice is to water the flower-ness in her, and not bring her more garbage. We avoid blaming and arguing. When we try to grow flowers, if the flowers do not grow well, we do not blame or argue with them. We ask ourselves what we can do to help them grow more beautifully. To help a flower grow well, we must understand her nature. How much water does she need? How much sunshine? We look deeply into ourselves to see our true nature, and we look into the other person to see her nature.”

Together we tended to our inner and outer gardens and brought so much life to the land, our Happy Farms, and ourselves. We reflected on and committed ourselves to our deepest aspirations of how we want to live and the qualities that we want to nurture and cultivate in us and in relation to all beings.

We nourished ourselves by slowing down in rhythm with the cycles of Mother Earth; and connecting deeply with the land, each other, and ourselves through our mindful breaths, steps, and service. We planted seeds of love, understanding, and compassion, strengthening our togetherness and appreciation of having friends and support on our spiritual path.

The love that was brought to our Happy Farms will live on in it, season after season, and will also continue to bloom in the garden of our hearts.

You are warmly invited to practice with us this autumn for our Happy Farm Harvest Week offered by all three hamlets from 25 September to 2 October, 2026.