Finding Peace and Balance During Uncertain Times
Navigate change, suffering and uncertainty with resources & retreats from Deer Park
Dear Beloved Community,
Our annual Family Retreat concluded with many joyful footsteps and tender moments of connection. The sound of children’s laughter still echoes through the trees in the Oak Grove in Clarity Hamlet. Now, the monastery is alive with the vibrant energy of Teen Camp, as we welcome many young people who are practicing together with sincerity, curiosity, and heart.
In times of great uncertainty, when the suffering of the world feels heavy in our hearts, let us return to our breathing, to take refuge in the present moment. When we come back to ourselves, we create true peace. With peace in our hearts we can water seeds of clarity and compassion in ourselves and in each other.
We invite you to explore below what is unfolding at Deer Park and beyond. In this issue of Coyote Tracks, you’ll find information on upcoming retreats, such as the Vietnamese Retreat, Rains Retreat, as well as our General Practice Retreats. We look forward to building true peace with our Los Angeles friends in a special Day of Mindfulness on Saturday, August 16th in Pasadena, CA.
If you are unable to join us in person, we warmly invite you to connect with us online via the Dharma Stewardship series or our newly refreshed website, which contains many resources and tools for deepening your mindfulness practice.
As you read this newsletter, we invite you to pause. Take a few mindful breaths. Smile to yourself. And remember that our sangha is always here, walking this path with you, holding you with love and understanding.
Bowing in gratitude,
The Brothers & Sisters at Deer Park Monastery
Joyful Happy Farm Updates
The Happy Farm is flourishing, yielding an average of 150–300 pounds of organic vegetables each week, nourishing our monastics and lay friends alike. While our fundraising efforts still have a long way to go—with only $5,324 raised toward our $150,000 goal—we continue to cultivate not only the land but also a spirit of collective care. Community Farm Days are scheduled for the second Saturday of each month through September—please check our website soon for details. Our volunteer program is also growing; those interested in longer-term involvement are encouraged to attend the upcoming Rains Retreat and may reach out to us at happyfarm@deerparkmonastery.org with questions. We invite you to donate to the Happy Farms fundraiser to help sustain and maintain this incredibly fruitful initiative.
Rains Retreat Applications Open
We warmly invite you to join our Sangha of monastics and lay practitioners for the annual 90-Day Rains Retreat at Deer Park Monastery. Learn more & apply today.
Jeff, a Rains Retreat participant, shares his experience of transforming from hurried and angry to mindful and calm. Read more about his experience.
Vietnamese Retreat Registration Open
From August 6 - 10, 2025, this special retreat, Tiếp Nhận Gia Tài, is hosted in Vietnamese for Vietnamese-speakers. We will spend time walking in harmony with nature, listening to Dharma talks, sitting still, eating mindfully together, and using each breath and each step to cultivate the energy of mindfulness. The Hidden Mountain opens her arms to welcome you. Register here.
New Dates Available for General Practice Retreats in Solidity & Clarity Hamlets
Looking for some peace in nature this summer? We invite you to stay with us for a General Practice Retreat. Throughout the duration of one or two weeks, or sometimes a weekend, you spend each day following the schedule of the resident monastics and lay community. Participants enjoy the daily schedule of the monastery and the basic practices such as sitting meditation, walking meditation, and mindful eating. Learn more and view available dates here.
Dharma Stewardship: Virtual Event
Join Dharma Teachers from around the world, including Brother Phap Luu and Dr. Larry Ward, for an online transformative series that highlights the universal relevance of Dharma as the world heads into increasing unprecedented changes. Mark your calendar: Br. Phap Luu will be speaking Sunday, July 20. Learn more and sign up here.
We’re Hiring: Online Bookshop Manager [Application Deadline Extended]
This part-time hybrid (in-person and remote) role will support the management of our online bookstore. The mindful and detail-oriented professional will be responsible for maintaining our e-commerce platform, ensuring an efficient, accessible, and well-organized online shopping experience. Learn more and apply by July 18, 2025.
Alaska Mindfulness Retreat
Join Deer Park Monastics in Alaska for the "Peace is Every Step" Mindfulness Retreat, in partnership with Floating Leaf Sangha. Retreat offers four days of teachings, mindful breathing, walking in nature, total relaxation, deep listening, and Dharma circle sharing surrounded by the beauty of Alaska. Learn more and register here.
Deep Roots, Fearless Hearts: A Mindfulness Retreat In Mexico City
Three monks from Deer Park traveled to Mexico City to host a retreat, titled Raíces Profundas, Corazones Sin Miedo, welcoming over 80 mindfulness practitioners for a weekend of meditation, healing, and community connection. Read More...
Eating Family Meals Mindfully
In his book, Happiness, Thay explains how to eat beautifully with our loved ones so that we may nourish ourselves and the Earth. Read article here.
Creating True Peace | Sr. Ho Nghiem
In this deeply heartfelt Dharma talk, a monastic from the Plum Village tradition shares a warm and practical teaching on how to create true peace in the midst of suffering, change, and uncertainty. This talk was recorded in 2021 and references the pandemic, but nonetheless, through reflections on mindful breathing, impermanence, the Noble Eightfold Path, and interbeing, the speaker invites us to take refuge in the present moment and recognize that peace is possible — here and now. Click here to watch the video
As we joyfully prepare for our upcoming special retreats, we are inviting mindfulness practitioners to join us in service — to help care for our community before, during, and after our Vietnamese Retreat. Learn more about our volunteer opportunities here.
Looking Ahead:
July 19 - Happy Farm Community Work Day
July 20 - 25 - Riding the Waves of Life at Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY
July 20 - Br. Phap Luu speaking on Dharma Stewardship Panel (virtual)
August 6 – 10 – Vietnamese Retreat
August 16 - LA Day of Mindfulness
August 29 - Sept 1 — Alaska Mindfulness Retreat “Peace is Every Step” in Chugiak, Alaska
October 26, 2025 – January 25, 2026 – 90-Day Rains Retreat