The retreat guide Reviewed October 2026
Three months in a Buddhist monastery?
Understand the commitment.
Explore lay stays, seasonal retreats and monastic training, with current applications, duration limits and the questions to ask before you travel.
About this guide: This update combines Primoz’s original personal observations with a review of current official community information. It is not a first-hand review of every programme. Review My Retreat offers paid marketing services to retreat providers; apply and arrange your stay directly with the community.
Possible — with the community’s agreement.
You can spend around three months in some Buddhist communities, but there is no universal three-month monastery booking. The actual route may be an extended lay stay, a seasonal retreat, a work-and-practice programme or monastic training. Each has its own conditions.
Start by asking what you are applying for. A lay guest does not become a monk or nun by staying for a particular number of weeks. Temporary ordination is a separate religious commitment, and some programmes last considerably longer than three months.
Wat Marp Jan now says it cannot cater to long-term guests. Gampo’s temporary monastic programme has a six-month minimum, while Sravasti’s currently advertised winter retreat is one month. The comparison below makes these limits visible.
Map of 13 monastic community locations
The map covers the communities in the comparison and featured settings, with the three Plum Village hamlets shown separately. A pin does not mean that a three-month stay is available: communities have different application routes and limits. Select a pin for its article section, official website, programme notes and Google Maps location.
Pins show the listed venue location. Confirm the correct entrance and arrival arrangements directly with the retreat.
Duration is not the only question
Compare the current routes.
Some entries offer shorter stays or different commitments, rather than confirmed three-month opportunities. All require the host’s own acceptance.
| Community | Type of stay | Practical distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Plum Village, France | Extended lay stay | Routes vary by hamlet. Three-month Rains Retreats and longer applications exist, but are not automatic extensions. |
| Blue Cliff Monastery, New York | Mindful Living Exchange Program | The 1½–3-month category has prior-retreat, Five Mindfulness Trainings and monastic-reference requirements. |
| Magnolia Grove, Mississippi | Extended lay stay | Initial stays and subsequent letters of request; extensions are normally considered in shorter stages. |
| Zen Mountain Monastery, New York | Residential Zen training | A one-month entry route; longer training requires discussion and acceptance. Not temporary ordination. |
| Amaravati, UK | Monastery guest/community stay | Eight Precepts and community participation. Longer stays or support roles require specific agreement. |
| Cittaviveka, UK | Monastery guest/community stay | A working Thai Forest community, not a retreat centre. Discuss the length and responsibilities through its guest process. |
| Sravasti Abbey, Washington State | Application-based winter retreat | The current advertised 2026 retreat is one month, 30 November–28 December; do not assume three months. |
| Gampo Abbey, Nova Scotia | Lay residence or temporary monastic training | Lay residence starts at one month; 2026 lay spaces are filled. Temporary monastic training has a six-month minimum. |
| Monk Life Project / iMonastery, Thailand | Temporary ordination programme | Standard programmes are 30 days. A separate July–October 2027 Rains Retreat is listed; confirm eligibility and dates. |
| Wat Marp Jan, Thailand | Short lay guest visit | The provider currently starts with visits of up to seven days and says it cannot cater to long-term guests. |
| Nandaka Vihara, Malaysia | Meditation and ordination enquiries | Current site describes meditation and temporary ordination activity; a three-month duration was not verified. |
Life in a community
Five settings to understand.
Real photographs show the named communities and their activities. They do not establish current room availability or acceptance into a programme.
Amaravati Buddhist Monastery
Hertfordshire, UKAmaravati’s guest information describes life alongside a working Theravada community: meditation, practical tasks and shared activities under the Eight Precepts. The opportunity is to participate in daily life, rather than book a private three-month holiday. Formal silent retreats use a different application system. Ask the guest community about longer stays and any current support role instead of assuming that an ordinary booking can simply be extended.
Keep in mind: Get the dates, role and responsibilities agreed in advance. A guest stay is different from entering monastic training.
Plum Village
France and the international communityPlum Village’s extended-stay policy offers different routes in its French hamlets. Upper and Lower Hamlet normally consider long-term applications from people joining the full Rains Retreat; New Hamlet considers requests after a fully paid two-week booking. Continued residence involves the community schedule, communication and acceptance. These are lay arrangements, separate from the much longer path towards ordination.
Keep in mind: Ask the hamlet’s registration office about the current route. The archive photograph shows monastic aspirants, not ordinary lay retreat guests.
Magnolia Grove Monastery
Mississippi, USAMagnolia Grove’s published extended-stay policy begins with an ordinary guest stay, followed by a written request to the community if you wish to remain. Acceptance considers your participation in the shared practice and daily life. Extensions are discussed in stages rather than treated as an unrestricted three-month reservation. Any reduction in contributions is considered individually.
Keep in mind: Its separate Rains Retreat page still contains 2025 application details. Confirm a current cycle directly rather than using those old instructions.
Zen Mountain Monastery
Mount Tremper, New York StateZen Mountain Monastery describes a one-month residential retreat as a common way to begin training. The schedule combines zazen, liturgy, teaching, work practice and shared meals, with an intensive sesshin towards the end of the month. Longer residence is a separate discussion. This Zen training route should not be grouped with the Plum Village five-year monastic programme.
Keep in mind: Read the training schedule before applying. A month of residence has a structured communal timetable; it is not a promise of large amounts of personal free time.
Gampo Abbey
Nova Scotia, CanadaGampo Abbey publishes two distinct options. Experienced meditators can apply for lay residency, with a one-month minimum and practice prerequisites. Its temporary monastic training programme, revitalised in 2026, has a minimum total commitment of six months and normally begins with a month as a lay resident. Neither route should be advertised as an immediately available three-month ordination package.
Keep in mind: The lay-residency page says 2026 spaces are filled and directs readers to future opportunities. Check the current status, prerequisites, stairs and service expectations.
Primoz’s original account
Monastic Life and Spiritual Practice
Written by Primoz, author of the original article. This is his personal account of life in monasteries associated with the Ajahn Chah tradition.
Each Buddhist monastery is different, so it can be difficult to tell you how your life there will be. From my experience, I found monastic life very rewarding, with plenty of free time to spend living mindfully and exploring Buddha’s teachings. That is when you can lay down all worldly duties, renounce all sexual activity and money worries and focus more on your internal development and supporting your fellow lay friends and monastics. You will let go of your beautiful hairstyle (and perhaps your beard), fancy stylish clothes and shoes, comforts, and even your name; you will most likely be given a different name. There might be limitations on your contact with the outside world. In addition, there might be less freedom to move around and do your own personal projects. But that is not necessarily a bad idea! Imagine that you let rid yourself of a bit of decision-making and do what must be done to support the monastery and others within it. During that time, you have an excellent opportunity to observe your reactions and internal feelings. Monastic life offers plenty of solitary time to meditate and get informed about what the Buddha and his disciples teach.
There are great places to meet like-minded people and a better chance of finding suitable mentors and teachers. Additionally, you will likely have to join group meditations and chants. Those chants might not be what everyone enjoys (I didn’t), but they could also give you a greater sense of belonging to a monastic family. The melody of Pali’s ancient words reminds us that we are part of a larger community. But some monasteries also skip group recitations and emphasise more solo practice. And, of course, there are many limitations around food. There will be limited opportunities to eat and even come time for lunch. It will be a formal and slightly ritualized event.
I stayed in many monasteries, most associated with the Ajahn Chah Tradition, so I can offer only a few points from the places I am familiar with. Despite some differences in structure (and some can be more strict), they have some things in common. My monastic day looked like this: I woke up around 4 am. Waking up early was challenging since I am more of an evening man. Therefore, if that is an issue with you, no doubt you would adjust since you would have no other option! After a quick visit to a bathroom, I put on my complete set of traditional robes. Then I left my kuti (basic accommodation, usually a hut, cave or small cottage) and went to Dhamma Hall, where we had to meditate for about an hour. After meditation, there is group chanting in either Pali or English (if you go to a Theravada monastery, but in other monasteries, you might have to follow Chinese or Tibetan chanting). It is time for chores after meditation (which could give us freshness and energy or extra sleepiness). Everybody knows their duty: preparing breakfast, cleaning toilets, preparing seats, hoovering, and more. If you don’t know what to do, don’t worry – you will be told. Around 7 am, a bell rings, and a call for a simple breakfast is made. About an hour later, a work meeting occurs when monks and lay guests come together to discuss the day’s work. After that, work follows, which could be anything from work in the office to work in the forest. Then around 11 am, it is time for lunch. There are chanting, bowing, picking up food, walking back to your seat, and bowing again. After lunch, there is plenty of time to read books on Buddhism, practice yoga, practice meditation, wash clothes or robes or walk in the natural surroundings.
Planning your own stay
Depending on the community, you may follow precepts concerning food, celibacy, intoxicants, entertainment and possessions. There can be shared rooms, practical work and limited time online. Other traditions organise meals, study and practice differently. Ask about the actual schedule instead of expecting either uninterrupted solitude or a conventional holiday.
A service role can be central to the stay. At Blue Cliff, for example, exchange-programme responsibilities are part of community practice and can overlap with public retreats. A reduction in contributions is not the same as a free stay or paid employment.
Lay residence and ordination are different paths.
A lay stay lets you practise within the community without becoming ordained. An exchange or service programme adds agreed practical responsibilities. Temporary ordination is a formal commitment under a particular tradition’s rules; it should not be assumed to have the same meaning, eligibility or duration everywhere.
Plum Village describes an inquiry period and aspirant training before novice ordination, with longer commitments rather than a simple three-month course. Zen Mountain Monastery’s residential Zen training is a different programme in a separate organisation. Gampo publishes its own six-month minimum for temporary monastic training.
Monk Life Project at iMonastery lists 30-day programmes and a separate 2027 Rains Retreat. It is not the same organisation as Wat Pah Nanachat, whose ordinary guest stays are normally limited to 30 days. Confirm the exact community and programme before applying.
Before you commit to a long stay.
- Try a shorter visit where possible. Several communities use an initial period to see whether communal life suits both sides. An extension remains a decision, not an entitlement.
- Explain your background honestly. Include practice experience, relevant retreats and what draws you to that community. Provide the references and information the application actually requests.
- Agree the full practical arrangement. Establish dates, precepts, work, teacher access, accommodation, food, days off and the process for ending or extending a stay.
- Budget beyond room and food. Confirm contributions, deposits, travel, insurance and funds to leave if needed. Donation-supported hospitality does not remove those costs.
- Check entry requirements separately. Acceptance by a monastery does not give immigration permission. Consult the destination’s official requirements and, for UK travellers, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office travel advice before arranging a long visit.
- Discuss support and access. Ask what the community can realistically provide, including diet, stairs, healthcare access and communication with home. Monastic hospitality is not automatically a clinical support service.
Check an older reference before relying on it.
The earlier article mentioned Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center in Missouri for ordination. Current three-month residential or ordination arrangements were not verified in this review, so it is not presented here as an available programme. That does not establish that the centre has closed.
Nandaka Vihara’s current official site describes meditation and temporary ordination activities, but it does not establish the duration of a three-month stay. Enquire about the current programme, language and admission requirements rather than travelling on the basis of an old social-media reference.
Questions people ask.
Can I live in a Buddhist monastery for three months without ordaining?
Some communities offer extended lay stays or seasonal retreats by application. Plum Village, Blue Cliff and Magnolia Grove publish distinct extended-stay routes. Read the conditions and obtain acceptance for your dates.
Is a monastery stay free?
Arrangements vary. Some are donation-supported; others request accommodation contributions or programme fees. Plum Village explicitly says its volunteer opportunities do not provide free board and lodging. Ask about the complete costs.
Can I work remotely while staying?
Do not assume so. A community schedule, device rules, internet access and service duties may conflict with employment. Describe your needs before applying and obtain the host’s agreement.
Do I have to shave my head?
Requirements differ between lay guests, aspirants and ordained practitioners. Do not treat one monastery’s dress or grooming rules as universal. Ask the actual host what your chosen programme requires.
Can a beginner apply straight away?
Some short visits introduce community life, while longer routes have substantial prerequisites. Blue Cliff’s longer exchange category and Gampo’s lay programme specify prior practice. A local group or shorter retreat may be a better first step.
Sources and review notes.
Substantively reviewed on 24 October 2026. Current guest, extended-stay, exchange and ordination pages are linked alongside the relevant options. Magnolia Grove’s Rains Retreat page contains old 2025 instructions, so the current extended-stay policy is the main reference here. Photographs identify their providers; the Plum Village aspirant photograph is an archive image.
For a correction, use our contact form. Programmes, prices, eligibility and accommodation can change; a listing does not confirm availability.
Choose your next step
Choose a community carefully.
Begin with an honest application.
A long stay works best when the daily life, expectations and practical support are clear to you and to the people receiving you.
Compare the routesKeep exploring
About Rob Horsfall
Rob has been interested in spirituality since visiting India in 2002. After completing his philosophy studies at university, he continued studying the Buddha's teachings in Sri Lanka. He returned in 2011 and now spends his time developing Review My Retreat, studying acupuncture and integrating insights from different spiritual traditions into everyday life.
Hi. I am a medically trained nurse practitioner and would enjoy being involved. I have some experience with Buddhist and Christian traditions. I believe I would benefit from an experience of living and working at a monastery. I also feel I can offer my skills in medicine.