The whole cosmos has come together to create you. You carry the whole cosmos inside you. That is why, to accept yourself and to love yourself is an expression of gratitude.
— Thich Nhat Hanh
From 9 -16 August, 2025, Plum Village hosted our annual Wake Up Retreat for young people aged 18 -35. We welcomed over 800 participants from around the world who gathered together to live simply in nature to heal and restore ourselves and to transform some of our despair, anxiety, and frustration about our current global situation into hope, faith, and renewed aspirations.
This year’s retreat theme was the Power of Love. We learned how to cultivate the four elements of true love: loving kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity, in order to have a greater understanding, acceptance, and appreciation of ourselves and others. Through workshops and presentations on the Art of Communication, Touching the Earth, and the Five Mindfulness Trainings, we increased our awareness of how to deepen our connection to ourselves, our ancestors, the world, and Mother Earth, realizing the interbeing of everyone and everything and how ultimately there is no separation. We nourished ourselves with inspiring Dharma talks, sitting and walking meditation, mindful exercises and total relaxation, circle sharing and mindful meals in families and affinity groups, and music jams and other creative expressions.
We invite you to delight in some of these precious moments in this photo album and celebrate the joy of togetherness and our beautiful, beloved Wake Up community.
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