Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos—the trees, the clouds, everything.
Thich Nhat Hanh
From 8 to 15 May, 2026, New Hamlet hosted a Wellbeing Retreat for the body and mind with the theme “There is no way to wellness, wellness is the way.”
Thay has often said that “We humans have lost the wisdom of genuinely resting and relaxing. We worry too much. We don’t allow our bodies to heal, and we don’t allow our minds and hearts to heal.”
During this week, we enjoyed cultivating wellbeing and healing our body and mind by slowing down and pausing, allowing our bodies and minds to rest through the practices of sitting and walking meditation, mindful exercises, hiking in nature, and deep relaxation.
We nourished ourselves with Dharma talks about the Four Pillars of Health, Mindful Consumption, and No-birth/ No-death, as well as presentations on the Five Mindfulness Trainings (the art of mindful living) and the practice of Beginning Anew (the art of mindful communication). In different workshop offerings, we also learned how to connect to inner peace through calligraphy and how to create space in ourselves through posture.
We benefited from mindful eating in silence: eating oil-free and sugar-free food that was cooked lovingly by the Sisters. Through the practices of Dharma sharing, mindful service, and dinner in families, we were able to deeply appreciate our connection with spiritual friends and to feel supported by the beautiful collective energy of our beloved community.
We invite you to enjoy some of these precious moments in this photo album.
You are warmly invited to practice with us this July for our Summer Opening retreat. We still have some availability in Upper Hamlet and New Hamlet.
For those who are experienced practitioners in the Plum Village tradition, New Hamlet is also still accepting volunteers for the Summer Opening retreat.
Young adults (ages 18 – 35) may also enjoy joining us for our Wake Up retreat from 10-17 August, 2026.
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