Moon Days of Silence

Upcoming Dates:   Nov 30, Dec 15, 29.

For 2025: Jan 12, 26; Feb 12, 26; Mar 13, 29; Apr 13, 26; May 11, 25; Jun 7, 25; July 10, 26; Aug 9, 23; Sept 7, 21; Oct 4, 19; Nov 5, 20; Dec 6, 20.

Note: During the monastery's winter retreat, Jan 8 - Apr 1, the Moon Days will occur but there will be no Q+A sessions at the beginning and end of each day as the monastery residents will be in silence.

 

The Moon Days of silent meditation take place on the full and new moon days of each month from 9 am until 5 pm. On these days there are two opportunities to ask questions about your meditation, one at 9am and one at 4:15pm. Join us in person at 518 - 2 St (Map/Address at bottom of page) or on zoom. 

 

You are welcome to come for the entire time or any part of the day. When you arrive, please just walk in and come upstairs. Don’t ring the bell, unless the door is locked! The monastery's midday meal is at 11:30am. Feel free to bring a packed lunch and eat when you wish. We maintain silence while eating.

​

You can use these Moon Days to deepen your meditation practice. Sitting meditation is usually alternated with walking meditation. Not only does this give the body some exercise, the mindfulness developed while moving is more easily transferable to sustained mindfulness during regular daily activities. You can walk inside downstairs or outside. Millennium Park is a block away. Some people may wish to sit for 2 - 3 hours to develop deeper meditation.  

​

These Moon Days are calculated according to the ancient Buddhist method. Therefore the dates will sometimes differ from the modern moon days.  NOTE: We decided that if a Moon Day falls on a Monday or a Friday that we would move it to Sunday and Saturday respectively as more people are able to attend Moon Days on the weekend....so our dates will differ a little from the Forest Sangha calendar.