Manifesting a Vision of a Mindful and Compassionate Society
MorningSun is at the same time a retreat center offering programs grounded in the practice of mindfulness and sustainability, and also a resident staff community who use a daily practice of mindfulness as a foundation for training themselves and others in the art of living deeply and sustainably. The rural campus, with simple facilities surrounded by gardens, ponds, forests and trails supports all participants to find calm and ease as they embark on their retreat journeys.
Programs build age-appropriate skills founded on each participant’s capacity to live and work from a place of peace and clarity within themselves. MorningSun sends its program participants; adults, families, youth and children, out into the world as inspired and stable people; capable of offering their best in whatever way they choose to bring transformation and healing to the world.
“The salvation of society depends, in the long run, on the moral and spiritual health of the individuals who compose it.”
– Thomas Merton, The Ascent to Truth
Summary of Activity for 2025
2025 Program Highlights
Throughout the year, MorningSun continued with its staple weekly offering of a Day of Mindfulness (Sundays – 28 of them this year). We have been holding this program since visioning for MorningSun began, more than 22 years ago, in Temple, NH!!!
During the Winter, Spring and Fall, we continued to host Mindful Living Weekends (MLW), a shorter retreat program that brings practitioners of all experience levels together from Friday night through Sunday afternoon. There were 7 weekends offered this year. The MLWs draw old friends and new friends from across the New England States and New York. Several sangha groups from nearby cities, have organized amongst themselves to attend these weekends as a group, nourishing their connection and deepening meditation practice collectively. It brings MorningSun great joy to be able to nourish other community circles.
Again, we hosted the 5-day Educator Retreat, welcoming more than 30, during which a special Recognition Ceremony was held to celebrate the achievement of Wake Up Schools Educators who completed Level II training. We set up in the El Cielo building to conduct the ceremony in a hybrid fashion, as 5 of those receiving attended virtually.
Continuing our efforts to support families and youth, MorningSun offered a 5-day All Ages retreat during which more than 50 young and not-so-young friends practiced with sincerity, joy and ease. We hosted the Annual Compassion Ceremony, with lanterns and prayers released onto the pond under the night sky. This program also has deep roots in MorningSun, all the way back in our Mindfulness Adventure Camps in 2005.
A second BIPOC retreat was held this year, with an expanded program to support All Ages. Once again, diane little eagle, Marisela Gomez and Kenyatta stewarded the practice for the BIPOC community including children.
MorningSun closed the summer with a wedding!!! Austin and Merrilee were married in the Circle Garden and the festivities carried into the evening!
At the close of the year, some of our residents combined their talents and inspiration to offer a special Advent program leading to the Solstice Celebration, based on the practice of the Four Immeasurable Minds (Loving-kindness, Joy, Compassion, and Equanimity). Their music and poetry guided each Day of Mindfulness for four weeks, enveloping those attending in a unique and evocative musical flow, and inviting all into meditation and song.
2025 Brief Summary of Operations
Forest Hall renovations slowly continued, between programs, throughout the year. The entry room received a roof, closet, and a new door, with stairs and an accessible ramp. A gravel path was built from the Circle Garden to Forest Hall, winding through the trees, and topped with white stones and the sparkle of thousands of mica chips. ($20,403)
Summary of Activity for 2024
2024 Program Highlights
In 2024 MorningSun offered a total of 27 Days of Mindfulness, and added another Mindful Living Weekend (to bring the total to 6).
A very special retreat unfolded in the early Spring, as a group of women gathered to create a 4-day “Women As Elders” retreat, connecting in a healing and visionary circle, and sending a ripple of awakening out to the world.
Over the summer MorningSun hosted TWO All Ages Retreats, each 5-days. The first was focused around family practice with younger children, and the second around the experience of teenagers. Over 50 adults and 35 children participated in the retreats.
In the fall, after a special Day of Practice with visitng monks and nuns from Blue Cliff Monastery, MorningSun gathered a Regional Order of Interbeing (OI) Retreat for members and aspirants of the OI. Nourishing the connective tissue between practice groups from all over New England brought a lot of joy.
2024 Brief Overview of Operations
Through the Spring, construction of Hummingbird Hall continued, and our warm season food serving and tea pavilion was put into use over the summer.
Then in the fall, the next phase of campus renovations began, with the enlarging of Forest Hall. The old interior entry corner and storage loft were ripped out in order to increase the size of the meditation hall. New wide pine floorboards were laid and earthen plaster was spread on the walls to shape the new space. Then a full entry, for coats and shoes and storage was framed off the east side of the building ($10,490). Construction will continue into 2025.
Summary of Activity for 2023
2023 Program Highlights
2023 began for MorningSun with a celebration of the Lunar New Year at Blue Cliff Monastery, in upstate New York. Several households from the community took time to connect with the monastics there in the atmosphere of joy and sincerity.
It was a big year for retreats, with 26 Days of Mindfulness and 5 Mindful Living Weekends and several groundbreaking events.
In June we created a 7-day in-person experience called the Earth Healing Retreat in parallel with the Earth Holder retreat being held in Plum Village in France. Our program of shared daily practice of sitting, walking, eating and discussion at MorningSun was lifted by the live streaming of talks and workshops presented in Plum Village. More than 30 people attended at MorningSun, with many hundred attending virtually around the world.
In the heart of summer MorningSun offered a 5-day All Ages Retreat, a 3-day Wake Up Retreat, and a 4-day Educator Retreat.
And we wrapped up the season with the first ever BIPOC Retreat in Plum Village Tradition in New England. It was a 4-day event with guest teachers diane little eagle, Marisela Gomez and Kenyatta. This retreat also pioneered a new scholarship, the Spiritual Refuge Fund, recognizing the systemic hardship of poverty which supports BIPOC practitioners beyond retreat fees to help cover costs incurred by missing work and by their families at home while they are on retreat.
In the fall we welcomed Dharma Teacher and author Joanne Rosen to lead a 4-day EMBRACE retreat for trauma informed mindfulness practice.
As winter arrived, Lynn Deeves and Honey Bear collaborated on a weekend Musician Retreat and the year closed with the Solstice Retreat and Celebration of Light.
2023 Brief Overview of Operations
2023 saw a gentle surplus of revenue which allowed MorningSun to make two important infrastructure investments. The first is the completion of wall plaster, paint and trim in the El Cielo Retreat Building ($4,600). And secondly, we began construction on Hummingbird Hall – a shed-roof pavilion to become our new warm season food serving space. This is a permanent structure that replaces our old and worn vinyl tent. ($18,000) YAY!
Brief Overview of Programs and Operations in 2022
MorningSun celebrated tremendous success with its programs in 2022! After the full closure due to Covid in 2020 MorningSun continued to steadily renew its standard program offerings like in-person Days of Mindfulness and the always full Mindful Living Weekends each month. Additionally, highlights like the Educators Retreat for those working in schools and with children, and a Gratitude Weekend to celebrate our supportive donor community were added to the schedule. Other retreats for families, young adults and trainings in mindful living were offered as well. See the full list at the end of this article.
In 2022, the Mindfulness Center offered a total of 44 programs reaching more than 780 people over the year.
The Facilities Expand
The most visible development at MorningSun has been the construction of the Compassionate Heart Pavilion, a screened-in gathering space overlooking Blueberry Pond that provides shelter from rain and insects in the spring, summer and fall. Each retreat offered this year benefitted from this wonderful facility improvement at MorningSun.
A Relatively Stable Year for Finances
Our finances have continued to stabilize after the pandemic closure, due to high program attendance and a committed donor base. MorningSun is filled with gratitude every day for the Circle of Bodhisattvas – MorningSun’s sustaining members – who make recurring donations on a monthly or annual basis to support the operations.
Looking Forward
Looking forward, MorningSun is planning a full range of programs in 2023 and beyond, adding special events like a 4-day BIPOC Retreat in Fall 2023 and an Earth Holder Retreat organized in conjunction with the Plum Village Monastic Community in France.
Additionally, a fundraising campaign is getting underway to build an accessible walking trail with scenic benches along the edge of Blueberry Pond and finishing with a new accessible entrance to the Forest Meditation Hall. The trail, along with existing accessible features in the Barn Retreat House will allow many more people to enjoy the beauty of MorningSun.
Detailed Program Summary for 2022
In Person Days of Mindfulness (27): One day retreats with a program that includes an orientation to mindfulness and a series of engaged meditation sessions including sitting meditation, walking meditation, mindful movement, group discussion circle and mindful eating led by facilitators from MorningSun Mindfulness Center. Attendance of Days of Mindfulness varies between 15-30 people throughout the year.
Online Days of Mindfulness: (2) One day retreats offered online with a similar program to the in person days of mindfulness, featuring a series of engaged meditation sessions including sitting meditation, walking meditation, mindful movement, group discussion circle and mindful eating. These continued to draw a large audience, with between 45 and 75 attendees.
Mindful Living Weekends: (8) These weekends are structured to give participants a lot of time in silent meditation and deep rest for half the time, and a more interactive program for the other half, a balanced retreat experience. Always full, with a wait list, most MLWs have 20-30 attendees (depending on seasonal camping).
Educators Retreat: (1) A 4 day retreat for classroom teachers, administrators, social workers, others in the educational field. The retreat offered 34 participants a chance to refresh themselves and cultivate their own personal mindfulness practice as a base for any sharing of mindfulness with others, as well as developing an experiential understanding of the practices, and developing the language and skills needed to bring the practice back to the communities they serve.
Wake Up Retreat: (1) A 5 day retreat for young adults (ages 17-35) Through peer led practices and daily teachings from seasoned practitioners, young people have the chance to discover new insights and strengths within themselves using the timeless practices of sitting, walking, and eating meditation, deep listening, and conscious arts, music, and movement. Lots of young folks show up to camp out for these retreats in the summer, and our group had 37 people.
All Ages/Family Retreat: (2) One of these retreats was a 5 day retreat and the other was a 3 day retreat. These are for families of all ages, young and old. Participants are immersed in an atmosphere of mindful living. The program blends meditation practices for mindful parenting, and a special children’s program supporting young people to learn the basics of meditation and mindfulness practice. This summer the retreat was overflowing with 60 people including 26 children.
Thich Nhat Hanh Continuation Retreat: (1) During this 5 day retreat 40 participants celebrated Thich Nhat Hanh’s life and teaching by highlighting and practicing many of his deep and wonderful transmissions.
Retreat for The Order of Interbeing (OI) (1) Members of the OI from all over New England helped to organize this retreat for 30 members and aspirants to practice, connect and share resources.
Winter Solstice Weekend Retreat: (1) A weekend retreat centered around a Ceremony and celebration of spiritual/inner light in the dark season of the year. It is a multi-faith event with space to honor various cultures and traditions.