A Day of Mindfulness in the Santa Cruz Mountains

Saturday, April 25 @ 10:00 am 4:00 pm

Take It Easy: Cultivating Ease with Our Practice

You are invited to a Day of Mindfulness in the redwoods inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh’s teaching on the importance of calm, ease, smiling and letting go when navigating difficult times. Members of a panel will share practices and tools they use from the Plum Village tradition to cultivate ease. The day will include mindful sitting, walking, eating, movement and dharma sharing to help us embody well-being and ease.

LET US KNOW YOU ARE COMING!

To help us with planning and ride sharing, please RSVP here.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

  • Ride Share Organizer
  • Parking Guide
  • Greeter
  • Five Contemplations Reader

For questions or to volunteer:

Natascha Bruckner at njbruckner@gmail.com

Logan Payne at loganpayne@earthlink.net.

Free Donations are welcome

Udumbara Retreat Center / Duc Vien Tinh Uyen

21055 Summit Road
Los Gatos, CA United States
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January Day of Mindfulness

Saturday, January 10 @ 10:00 am 2:00 pm

The Shantideva caretaking team will be offering a simple Day of Mindfulness at Shantideva Monastery.

We’ll start at 10am, so please plan to arrive between 9:30 and 9:45 to park, say hello, and settle in.

We should be done around 2pm.

The location is Thich Tu Luc’s Shantideva Monastery at 30345 Palomares Rd, Castro Valley, CA 94552. It’s about an hour’s drive from Berkeley, SF, or San Jose.

If you’re planning to attend, please sign up here. Parking is limited, so it is especially to sign up if you’re planning to drive, so we can anticipate the number of cars.

Things to bring:

  • Something vegetarian to eat for lunch
  • Water
  • Layers, sunscreen, hat
  • Something to share for tea/snacks (optional)
  • A friend or two! (carpool if you can, please, as there is limited parking)

Activities will include:

  • Movement meditation
  • Chanting
  • Sitting meditation
  • Mindful lunch
  • Dharma sharing
  • Singing

This day is offered free of charge. Donations to support Shantideva are welcome.

See you there!

Free

Udumbara Retreat Center / Duc Vien Tinh Uyen

21055 Summit Road
Los Gatos, CA United States
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Day of Mindfulness at Udumbara

October 18, 2025 @ 10:00 am 4:00 pm

DEAR FRIENDS,

Please join us at a beautiful spot in the Santa Cruz mountains for a Day of Mindfulness in the Plum Village Tradition. Our day will include sitting and walking meditation, a dharma talk, a mindful lunch and dharma sharing practices to invite our true presence and to cultivate our understanding of interbeing.

Please see the flyer for more details.

To help with planning and ride sharing, please RSVP here.

Jim Scott-Behrends

Udumbara Retreat Center / Duc Vien Tinh Uyen

21055 Summit Road
Los Gatos, CA United States
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Shantideva Day of Mindfulness, Hosted by Hella Just Sangha

September 27, 2025 @ 9:30 am 3:00 pm

The Hella Just and Compassionate Sangha* invites Northern California Sanghas in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh to a Day of Mindfulness at ShantidevaWatering seeds of Inclusiveness and Belonging.

Recently ordained Dharmacharyas Prajna Choudhury and Victoria Mausisa will guide us in practices and reflections to help nurture these qualities. 

Tentative flow for the day:

  • 9:30 Arrive and settle in
  • 9:50 Welcoming remarks
  • 10:00 Chanting and silent meditation
  • 10:35 Introduction to the day’s practices
  • 10:45 Break and Yoga/ Mindful Movement offered by Laurika
  • 11:00 Watching Paramita film 
  • and Five Earth Touchings
  • 11:50 Reflection Questions and Q&A
  • 12:30 Eating Meditation followed by Mindful Conversation
  • 1:30 Dharma Sharing Circles
  • 2:30 Closing Circle
  • 3:00 Clean Up 

We will use yoga mats for yoga and Touching the Earth on the outdoor deck, so please bring yoga mats if you have them (and extras for those who do not). 

The location is Thay Tu Luc’s Shantideva Monastery at 30345 Palomares Rd, Castro Valley, CA 94552. It’s about an hour’s drive from Berkeley, SF, or San Jose.

Things to bring:

  • Something vegetarian to eat for lunch
  • Water
  • Layers, sunscreen, hat
  • Something to share for tea/snacks (optional)
  • yoga mats!
  • A friend or two!

Please sign up if you plan to be there. There is limited space for parking, so please plan to carpool (this sign in sheet is designed to help everyone self-organize carpooling).

This day is offered free of charge. Donations for the teaching and to support Shantideva are welcome.

Look forward to practicing together as a river. 

* Since 2006, the Hella Just and Compassionate Sangha (HJC) has been a San Francisco East Bay-based refuge for people of color who are committed to nurturing our mindfulness and meditation practice so that we can be better people, working in better ways, for a better world.

Free Donations welcome

Prajna Paramita Choudhury

Udumbara Retreat Center / Duc Vien Tinh Uyen

21055 Summit Road
Los Gatos, CA United States
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Shantideva Day of Mindfulness, Hosted by New Gen Sangha

June 21, 2025 @ 9:30 am 2:00 pm

New Generation Sangha invites you to a Day of Mindfulness at Shantideva — bringing the Plum Village community in Northern California together for a chance to flow as a river and practice mindfulness as one sangha.

New Gen is a (mostly) young adult sangha based in the East Bay, and we’re excited to offer this gathering as an opportunity for practitioners of all ages to come together, share our diverse energies, and nourish our collective practice.

The Day of Mindfulness will be centered on Embracing Our Interbeing: A Mindful Celebration of Authenticity and Diversity — a day to honor the courage it takes to be our true selves, to recognize the beauty of our interconnected identities, and to hold space for all beings with compassion.

🧘 Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025
📍 Location: Thich Tu Luc’s Shantideva Monastery — 30345 Palomares Rd, Castro Valley, CA 94552
(Approx. 1-hour drive from Berkeley, SF, or San Jose)

🌿 Please sign up here: New Gen_Shantideva Registration & Carpool DOM 6/21/25


Things to Bring:

  • Something vegetarian to eat for lunch
  • Water
  • Layers, sunscreen, hat
  • Something to share for tea/snacks (optional)
  • A friend or two! (Carpooling encouraged—limited parking available)

Tentative Schedule:

  • 9:30am – Arrivals and Parking
  • 10:00am – Welcome, Intros, Housekeeping
  • 10:15am – Singing
  • 10:30am – Walking Meditation
  • 11:00am – Sitting Meditation
  • 11:20am – Short Break
  • 11:35am – Dharma Recording
  • 12:15pm – Mindful Lunch
  • 1:15pm – Dharma Sharing
  • 2:00pm – Dedication of Merit

🙏This day is offered freely, with gratitude for the teachings. Donations to support Shantideva Monastery are welcome.

We’d love to practice with you!

With warm hearts,
New Generation Sangha

Free Donations welcome

Sofia Elizondo

Udumbara Retreat Center / Duc Vien Tinh Uyen

21055 Summit Road
Los Gatos, CA United States
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Shantideva Day of Mindfulness, hosted by Potluck Sangha

August 16, 2025 @ 10:00 am 2:30 pm

You are invited to a DAY OF MINDFULNESS hosted by the POTLUCK SANGHA

at Shantideva Monastery, 30345 Palomares Road, Castro Valley, CA

CARING FOR OURSELVES & TAKING CARE OF THE WORLD 

We welcome you to join us for a day of practice together.  See our approximate schedule below.  

  • 9:30 am – 10:00 am  Arrive and Park
  • 10:00 am – 10:30 am  Chanting and Sitting
  • 10:40 – 11:20  am    Dharma Panel w/Mel Gin, Canyon Sam & Hac Nguyen moderated by Denise Bergez
  • 11:30 – 12:00 noon  Walking meditation or Tai Chi Chi’h
  • 12:00 – 1:00 pm Eating meditation (Lunch) please bring your own vegetarian/vegan meal)
  • 1:00 pm  – 1:45  Small group Dharma Sharing 
  • 2:00 pm  – 2:20  Whole group Dharma Sharing (what’s your takeaway from the day)
  • 2:20 – 2:30   Sharing the Merit of our Practice 

If you are planning to attend, please let the organizers know by Registering Here.  

Lennis Lyon, Claire Heinzelman and Susan Terris (organizing team)

Free

Udumbara Retreat Center / Duc Vien Tinh Uyen

21055 Summit Road
Los Gatos, CA United States
+ Google Map

Day of Mindfulness at the UU Church in San Francisco

March 1, 2025 @ 10:00 am 3:30 pm

Hosted by Home Within Sangha

Please register in advance for the Day of Mindfulness here.

In gratitude to the UUSF for generously sharing their beautiful space, Home Within Sangha will host a Day of Mindfulness to share Plum Village practices with UUSF members and Plum Village practitioners alike. Please know donations are not required, but any contributions will go directly to UUSF as we hope to make this Day of Mindfulness a dana fundraiser to support the Center.

Whether ecological, political and/or economic, there are many causes of stress right now. As Thich Nhat Hanh has said, we cannot bring peace to the world if we do not have peace in ourselves. We cannot help others if we ourselves are burned out. A mindfulness practice allows us to recharge our batteries so that we can be our best selves in the world.

The day will include:

  • guided sitting meditation
  • a brief dharma talk
  • mindful movements & walking
  • a tangerine meditation & mindful eating (tangerines will be provided, please pack a vegetarian lunch)
  • deep relaxation
  • dharma sharing

Please bring:

  • a vegetarian lunch
  • a yoga mat for deep relaxation, if you have one
  • a mug for tea (optional)
  • chairs will be provided for sitting meditation, if you prefer a cushion, please bring one.

All donations will go directly to the UU Church.

To register, visit https://form.123formbuilder.com/6805375/march-1-day-of-mindfulness.

The UU Church is located at 1187 Franklin St in San Francisco.

Free Donations welcome and encouraged

Udumbara Retreat Center / Duc Vien Tinh Uyen

21055 Summit Road
Los Gatos, CA United States
+ Google Map

Shantideva Day of Mindfulness: True Love — FULL

February 15, 2025 @ 10:00 am 3:00 pm

Morning Birds Sangha invites you to a Day of Mindfulness at Shantideva — bringing the Plum Village community in Northern California together for a chance to go as a river and practice mindfulness as one sangha.

WE ARE NOW FULL AND CANNOT ACCEPT ANY MORE ATTENDEES.

Dharma teacher Jo-ann Rosen will be visiting from Ukiah and will offer a talk on the antidote to fear and anger: True Love. Jo-ann will bring teachings from the Dharma and neuroscience to her talk. She will invite us to contemplate the Four Heavenly Abodes during the day: Compassion, loving-kindness, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. (These are also known as the Brahmaviharas: karuna, metta/maitri, mudita, and upekka/upeksha.)

The location is Thich Tu Luc’s Shantideva Monastery. It’s about an hour’s drive from Berkeley, SF, or San Jose, or a 15-minute drive from Castro Valley BART.

Parking is limited. We are expecting a large crowd, so this event is now full and registration is closed.

Please bring:

  • Layers, sunscreen, hat
  • Something vegetarian to eat for lunch
  • Something to share for tea/snacks (optional)
  • A friend or two! (carpooling is advised as there is limited parking)

Tentative agenda:

  • 9:30 am Parking
  • 9:45 am Arrive and settle in
  • 10:00 Introductions Dylan
  • 10:15 Sitting meditation + chanting
  • 10:45 Short break
  • 11:00 Dharma talk
  • 12:30 Break/prepare lunch
  • 12:45 pm Mindful lunch
  • 1:30 Dharma sharing
  • 2:30 Choice: tea/chat OR walking meditation on your own
  • 3:30 End of day
Free Donations for the teaching or for Shantideva are welcome

Dylan Tweney

+1 650-315-9607

Udumbara Retreat Center / Duc Vien Tinh Uyen

21055 Summit Road
Los Gatos, CA United States
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