Joy in Every Moment

Dear practitioners and friends,

We are happy to offer a precious opportunity for practice this year again. In spring, seven nuns and monks from Plum Village will accompany us on a retreat designed for young people, but open to participants of all ages, focused on the theme of joy: the joy that we can choose to cultivate within ourselves… so connected to the joy outside of us which allows us to touch life deeply in the here and now.

Retreat dedicated to 18-35 year olds and open to the entire community.

Although designed for the 18-35 age group, the retreat is aimed at practitioners of any age and “length of experience”, including beginners.

When

The retreat starts on Wednesday, April 29th check-in will be from 3 to 5pm. The first activity will be dinner at 6pm. The retreat will end after lunch on Sunday, May 3rd.

Where

Amma Italy Center, at Nebbioli Location, 44 Gavi (AL).
Easily reached by car or train. A shared file will be made available to participants to offer/search for car rides and possibly share the trip. It will also be possible to indicate on the file the possibility of offering/searching for a ride from Arquata Scrivia train station to Amma Italia Center (about 10 minutes away).

The facility is fully accessible to people with mobility difficulties.

Activities

Morning meditation, body awakening practices, meals in mindfulness, teachings, meditative practices, group sharing, evening meditation and noble silence. All teachings and practices will be in Italian or English with Italian translation.

Food

Meals will be vegan. Any food intolerances/allergies must be reported at the time of registration.

Retreat Cost

Individual participation fees for the retreat cover Amma Italia association membership fee (required to have individual insurance), accommodation, meals, teachings, and a contribution to the teaching community. Please consider choosing the highest rate you can offer.

REDUCED: covering the essential costs of your retreat. We offer this rate to make our retreats accessible to everyone.

SUSTAINING: this rate fully covers your retreat costs and contributes towards monastic training, facility maintenance of Plum Village.

SUPPORTING: your generous contribution helps provide scholarships for retreats, healthcare for monastics, fund essential projects, and maintain Plum Village as a welcoming refuge for all.

SCHOLARSHIP FEE: For those who need financial assistance. This reduced rate of 250 euros for one bed is available thanks to the generosity of other retreatants. Availability is limited.

You can write to us at ritiroplumvillageita@gmail.com we will review your request

**Those who choose to book a room at nearby B&Bs are asked to register for the retreat only after having identified the B&B, managing the reservation independently. Here is a list of nearby facilities.

Registration

To ensure the best organization, registration must be made no later than April 15th:

• Link to register in English

You will receive a confirmation email containing the payment methods. Once payment is  done, the registration will be considered complete. Registration will close when 130 participants are reached, after which a waiting list will be set up.

Cancelation

In the event that you are no longer able to participate to the retreat, if it is possible to replace you with another participant, the entire amount will be refunded, otherwise the amount paid will be allocated 50% to the facility and 50% to support the monastic community. Please, notify us of this in advance ritiroprimavera2025@gmail.com.

What to bring

Personal sheets and towels, your own meditation cushion or bench, a yoga mat or blanket to use on the floor, notebook and pen, personal hygiene products (e.g. soap, shampoo). The facility provides numerous chairs. We suggest comfortable clothing, also for physical activity of “body awakening”, slippers/socks for indoor spaces and for the meditation room, which is to be accessed without shoes.

We look forward to seeing you… with joy!