Educating for Interbeing, Rhythm of the Earth, & More
January 2026 Issue of Coyote Tracks from Deer Park Monastery
Dear Beloved Community,
As we step together into this new year, we pause to bow in gratitude for all that has been and to open our hearts to what is unfolding. May 2026 be a year of deepened practice, tender connection, and renewed commitment to walking the path of mindfulness — for ourselves, for one another, and for our precious Earth.
We are happy to share many new offerings, invitations, and community updates as we begin the year.
This Sunday January 18th we honor our beloved teacher Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh on the four-year anniversary since his transition. Watch the Livestream.
We joyfully announce that Rhythm of the Earth Mindful Music Festival returns to Deer Park for its third year on May 9, 2026. Save the date!
Brother Phap Dung will be hosting a new in-person & online course this spring, Honoring the Roots, Tending the Branches: Evolving and Adapting A Living Buddhist Tradition (Plum Village) in America.
Join Jon Kabat-Zinn, Kaira Jewel, and Brother Pháp Lưu for a timely and inspiring dialogue on Educating for Interbeing on February 6.
The Thích Nhất Hạnh School of Interbeing is currently hiring for several positions including a Head of School and Founding Teachers.
We are delighted to share the joyful news of a new dwelling in Simplicity Hamlet, now home to Action Wake Up practitioners living and practicing together during their time in the program. The friends have recently moved in and are in need of essential household and furniture items to support simple, mindful living.
Registration is now open for the Wake Up Retreat, a device-free week of mindfulness for young adults ages 18-35, March 15–21, 2026.
Early bird registration ends January 20 for the Colorado Retreat. Join us for a nourishing, family-friendly retreat in the Plum Village tradition in Estes Park, CO.
Thank you, dear friends, for walking this path with us. May the new year support us in cultivating understanding, compassion, and the courage to live in a way that truly reflects our interbeing.
With love and trust in the path,
Your Brothers and Sisters at Deer Park
Wake Up Retreat Registration Now Open
We warmly welcome folks aged 18-35 to join us for our annual Wake Up Retreat, March 15-21. This device-free retreat will offer you a chance to deepen your mindfulness practice, work on the organic Happy Farm, and practice Forest Bathing (mindful hiking in nature). Registration is now open.
Book Club: Reincarnation
Did you know that Parallax Press hosts a monthly book club? The book for January is Reincarnation by Thích Nhất Hạnh. Save the date for a special book club discussion over Zoom with Thay Phap Luu: January 24 at 9:00amPST. Order and begin reading Reincarnation in advance of the discussion. Get your copy here and check this website for more details about the book club.
Honoring the Roots, Tending the Branches: Evolving and Adapting A Living Buddhist Tradition in America
Brother Phap Dung will be hosting a new in-person & online course this spring, Honoring the Roots, Tending the Branches: Evolving and Adapting A Living Buddhist Tradition (Plum Village) in America. This hybrid course will be taught live in person on Saturday evenings from 7-8:30 pm PST and the recordings will be available for folks joining online. The course will begin recording on March 7 and continue for eight weeks. More information will be available on our website soon.
Educating for Interbeing
Join Jon Kabat-Zinn, Kaira Jewel, and Brother Phap Luu in dialogue, moderated by Meena Srinivasan, for a timely conversation exploring a bold educational vision: Educating for Interbeing. Together, they bring decades of lived practice, teaching, and leadership in mindfulness and education within the Plum Village community and beyond, and will explore why educating for interbeing is essential to the future of education. Register for free here.
Now Hiring for the Thich Nhat Hanh School of Interbeing
The Thich Nhat Hanh School of Interbeing is searching for a Head of School, Founding Teachers, and a Contemplative Curriculum Writer. If you or someone you know feels called to support this vision of education grounded in wisdom and compassion, we warmly encourage you to apply or share this opportunity.
Furniture Donations Welcome on January 18th
We are happy to share the joyful news of a new dwelling in Simplicity Hamlet, which will be home to the Action Wake Up practitioners as they live and practice together during their time in the Action Wake Up program. The friends are currently moving into the house and are in need of most essential household and furniture items to support simple and mindful living, particularly a large refrigerator, basic kitchen items and a washer/dryer.
If you feel inspired to offer a donation, please email Veronica at vero@veronica.earth with a brief description of what you would like to donate. She will respond with the appropriate drop-off address. You may drop off your items on Sunday, January 18th following the Day of Mindfulness.
With appreciation, we kindly ask that donations not be dropped off at Deer Park Monastery, but delivered directly to the house. Thank you for your generosity and care in supporting this new dwelling.
Colorado Retreat Early Bird Prices Ending
The Sun My Heart Retreat • August 9–15 • Estes Park, CO
Join us for a nourishing week of mindfulness practice in the Plum Village tradition. This family-friendly retreat invites us to slow down, reconnect with nature, and cultivate healing in ourselves and our communities. Early bird registration ends on January 20.
Hiking Zen Retreat at Deer Park
Join the Deer Park monks and nuns for mindful hiking and camping in the chaparral mountains surrounding Deer Park Monastery in Escondido, CA. March 1-7, 2026. Hiking experience and self-sufficiency in managing your own camping, sleeping, and cooking systems is required. We invite you to apply to attend this retreat here.
Rhythm of the Earth Mindful Music Festival Returns to Deer Park
Save the date: May 9, 2026, Rhythm of the Earth Mindful Music Festival returns to Deer Park for the third year. More information coming soon!
Love Letter to Deer Park: Unplugging
Just a few days after arriving at a Deer Park retreat, a busy professional realizes she won't be needing her laptop, phone charger, or backup batteries after all. Read the full love letter here.
Deepen Your Practice: Cake in the Refrigerator
If we have not yet been able to buy a bell or set up a Breathing Room at our home, we can use a cake. It is a very special cake that is not made of flour and sugar like a sponge cake. We can keep eating it, and it is never finished. It is called The Cake in the Refrigerator. Read about this practice here.
Looking Ahead:
January 18, 2026 – Memorial Ceremony on the Fourth Year of Thầy’s Passing (Join the YouTube Livestream here)
January 22, 2026 – Joyful TNH School Of Interbeing Sharing Circle [Online]
January 25, 2026 – Pravāraṇā Ceremony to end the 2025 Rains Retreat
February 6, 2026 - Educating for Interbeing Event [Online]
February 16-19, 2026 – Lunar New Year’s Eve (Tết) Ceremonies and Celebrations
February 28, 2026 - Happy Farm Community Work Day
March 1-7, 2026 - Hiking Zen Retreat (registration now open)
March 7 - May 3, 2026 - Honoring the Roots, Tending the Branches: Evolving and Adapting A Living Buddhist Tradition in America (Course)
March 15-21, 2026 – Wake Up Retreat (Ages 18-35 only) Registration now open
August 9-15, 2026 – The Sun My Heart Retreat — YMCA in Estes Park, Colorado