Community Life

During your time at the Monastic Academy, you’ll experience what it feels like to be held by a community.

We’ll get up early with you, inspire you to meditate longer than you ever thought possible, laugh with you, listen to you, teach you, and hold your hand when you cry.

We’ll push you because we believe in your potential for growth—and we’ll support you the entire way.

The Location

The physical heart of the Monastic Academy sits in the Green Mountains of Lowell, Vermont. Surrounded by hundreds of acres of forest, the natural beauty outside reflects the natural beauty that residents discover within.

Residents are given ample time to spend in the natural world surrounding the center. Key to the teachings at the Monastic Academy is appreciation and love for the Earth, and the natural abundance that surrounds our center serves as a constant reminder of the singular beauty of this precious planet.

Your proximity to the natural world and your embeddedness in a community of practice is a rich and precious opportunity that will transform your world from the inside out.

Meals

Meals are a special event at the Monastic Academy. They are an opportunity to give thanks for sustenance, for community, and for the bounty of the earth.

Meals begin with a chanting of the Metta Sutta, the discourse on loving kindness. It is a daily reminder to bring kindness and love into everything we do.

In the morning, the meal is taken in silence, occasionally with a guided meditation.

Lunch is often accompanied by a conversation topic of some sort. Topics can vary from issues in the community, discussing practice, or watching a TED talk and discussing it.

The meal ends with the chanting of the four vows. The four vows serve as a reminder of the shared intention that brings the community together.

 

Practicing Together

During your stay at CML, you’ll have regular meetings with Soryu Forall. These meetings are an opportunity for Forall to support you in your practice. You can ask him anything—“beginner” questions like, “How do I sit cross legged?” Practical questions, such as: “What are thought process meditations?” or “How do I combat sleepiness?” Or, his favorite, the juicy questions, such as: “How do I take advantage of being in existential crisis?” or “How do I deal with overwhelming bursts of euphoric energy flowing through my body?”

One-on-one attention from a meditation teacher is extremely valuable, allowing you to overcome hurdles and take advantage of opportunities to move forward more quickly.  This training is none other than world-class.

Living Together

The Monastic Academy is a true community.

Residents work together, live together, eat together, and practice together. This is an opportunity to forge lifelong bonds of deep and true spiritual friendship. Residents are encouraged to help each other find their edge and move past it.

You will be lovingly pushed to grow into your best self.

At the same time you will learn the multifaceted skill of showing up in community. From dealing with conflict to allowing yourself to be deeply seen, there is no substitute for the depth of relationship found in a real contemplative community.

The world desperately needs awakened leaders.

Will you answer the call?

Have a question?