Dear beloved young friends,
With great joy, we invite you to come to Deer Park Monastery in Escondido, California for a week of practice, connection, and renewal in nature. Together, we will gather for a special Wake Up retreat for young mindfulness practitioners ages 18–35 only.
From March 15–21, 2026, we will welcome young people from near and far to live and practice together in the spirit of mindfulness. During this week-long retreat, we will enjoy sitting and walking meditation, Dharma talks, mindful meals, and the simple happiness of community life. There will be time to rest, to listen deeply to one another, to walk among the oak trees and mountains, to gather around evening fires, and to touch the spiritual dimension of our lives.
New this year, we’ll be offering a chance to work on the organic Happy Farm and practice Forest Bathing (mindful hiking in nature).
Device-Free Retreat
This year’s theme for the Wake Up Retreat is “Unplug & Be.” To support our collective presence and deep listening, this retreat will be held in a device-free environment. We are respectfully asking all participants to refrain from using cell phones and electronic devices during the retreat.
We understand that many of us travel with our phones. Upon check-in, there will be a Cell Phone & Electronics Liberation Station where you may safely store your devices for the duration of the retreat. This is an invitation to rest from the outer world and fully arrive for yourself, the community, and the practice.
Joyfully Together
This retreat is part of the global Wake Up movement—a vibrant community of young people practicing mindfulness in the Plum Village tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. Wake Up retreats offer a precious opportunity to nourish joy, understanding, and love, both within ourselves and in the world.
If this is your first time attending a retreat in the Plum Village tradition, we warmly invite you to learn more about our practice via our free Essentials of Mindful Living course.
Please share this invitation with friends and loved ones. We look forward to welcoming you to Deer Park Monastery and to walking this path of love together as a spiritual family.
With trust and joy,
The Deer Park Monastery Community
