Holiday Retreat 2026: The Art of Love at Magnolia Grove Monastery

This holiday meditation retreat, The Art of Love, is offered in the Plum Village tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) and takes its name from Magnolia Grove Monastery. It is for anyone who wants to spend the winter holiday period in mindfulness practice rather than in the usual rush, whether or not they have attended a retreat before.

The theme is stated simply: love is a living practice, an art rooted in presence, listening, understanding, and everyday nurture. Rather than treating love as a feeling that comes and goes, the retreat approaches it as something we can learn, tend, and strengthen, in our families, our friendships, and our relationship with ourselves.

What to Expect

Plum Village retreats are known for a simple, unhurried rhythm of mindful living in community. Holiday retreats in this tradition invite participants to slow down, rest, and be nourished by peace and togetherness, breathing and practicing alongside the monastic community. Expect a retreat shaped around presence, deep listening, and the small daily acts through which care is expressed.

Before You Go

Retreats in the Plum Village tradition welcome newcomers as well as long-time practitioners. Registration is handled by the organizer, and it is worth confirming the exact dates and arrangements for this retreat there before you plan your travel, since the monasteries run several holiday programmes across the same season.