The 3-month retreat is not a means. It is an enjoyment. It is life.
Thich Nhat Hanh
Join us for our 90-day Rains Retreat (2025-26) where we reconnect with the wonder of life and deepen our mindfulness practice.
The 90-day Rains Retreat is an annual retreat whose origins date back to the time of the Buddha. It is a time for monks and nuns to deepen their studies, practice, and focus on building the monastic sangha.
In Plum Village, we also welcome lay friends to join us and participate in the 90-days of practice alongside the monastics, either for the entire 90 days, or for one or two weeks. This creates a joyful, community experience, and a time for collective healing and transformation.
Please note that unlike the themed retreats, retreatants coming for the Rains Retreat will mostly follow the activities of the residential community. There will be some sessions designed to suit retreatants who are new to the practice.
Important information about joining us for a retreat
- Sample schedule
- Accommodation and pricing
- Information about our hamlets
- Transportation, what to wear, what to bring, and meals
Joining the full 90 Days Rains Retreat
For friends interested in joining the full 90 days, please note that the teachings, mentoring groups, and daily communications are predominantly in English. We do our best with French and Vietnamese translation, but this may not always be possible.
- Arrival day: 21 October 2025
- Opening Ceremony: 23 October 2025
- Closing Ceremony: 20 January 2026
- Departure Day: 21 January 2026
Registration
We aim to open registration at the end of May 2025.
Practicing for 1 or 2 weeks
More information coming soon.
More about the Rains Retreat at Plum Village
- Read about the “fruits” of the a previous Rains Retreat from monastic and lay participants
- Watch a video made at Upper Hamlet documenting a Rains Retreat
- Listen to an episode of The Way Out is In about Rains Retreats at Plum Village
- Read guidance from Thich Nhat Hanh about practicing during a Rains Retreat
