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Winding Path 10th Anniversary Sangha Retreat at Magnolia Grove Monastery

In 2026, Winding Path Sangha will celebrate its 10th anniversary/birthday, or “continuation day” as we say in the Plum Village community. To mark the occasion, we’re planning a five-day retreat at Magnolia Grove Monastery in Batesville, Mississippi, next spring. The dates offered up by the monastics (each a Wednesday to a Sunday) are:

• May 13-17*

• May 20-24

• May 27-31

• June 3-7

Please Note: May 13-17 coincides with the Honey Locust retreat in Omaha, Nebraska, and at least one Sangha member is planning to attend that.

In addition to determining which dates work best for most of our Sangha, we hope to get a fairly accurate estimate of how many people are seriously considering attending and whether any will need financial help to do so (Magnolia Grove asks for $80 per person per night for shared rooms, or $320 total, and $50 per person per night, or $200 total, for those who wish to bring a tent).

Please fill out this Google Poll by Friday, November 14, with your date preferences (you can pick more than one) and to answer a couple more questions. This is not a registration form; that will come later. This is just to gather some data for the event.

The last "Third Saturday" Walking Meditation of 2025 will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, November 15. The third Saturday walk will resume in the spring, when the weather is warmer. However, the First Saturday Walking Meditation will continue through the winter and year-round. 

A Mindful MenLiving: Weekend Meditation Retreat is being offered December 5-7 at the Retreat Center at Cedar Valley in West Bend, Wisconsin. Details and registration may be found here. 

David Haskin, Jan Cittasubha Sheppard and Steven Spiro will offer their annual "Thaypassana" retreat January 16-18, 2026, at Holy Wisdom Monastery in Madison, Wisconsin. With the theme “Mountains and Sky: Being Stable and Spacious of Heart," the retreat blends the practices of Thich Nhat Hanh and Vipassana tradition. Details may be found in this flyer.

Reading Recommendations Here is a list of Buddhist and Buddhist-adjacent books and poems shared during a recent book discussion led by Sangha member Jack Terndrup:

• Buddhist Book Group Books and Poems 11-02-2025

• Jacque Lusseyran: And There Was Light

• Tracy Cochran: Presence, The Art of Being at Home in Yourself

• Dan Zigman: The Buddha’s Office

• George Pitagorsky: The Zen Approach to Project Management

• Brother Phap Huu & Joe Confino: Being with Business, Zen Ways to Transform

• Overwhelm and Burnout

• Thich Nhat Hanh: Old Path, White Clouds

• Thich Nhat Hanh: The Art of Living

• Thich Nhat Hanh: Call Me By My True Names [Poem]

• Sharon Olds: Photography of the Girl [Poem]

Ongoing
For the latest, most accurate event information, please visit our calendar page and subscribe to our emails list (see the link to the right) so we can alert you about changes, cancellations, and new opportunities. 

Here are some of our ongoing gatherings:

• In-Person Meditation: 7 p.m. on the first, third and fifth Wednesdays of every month. We meet in the St. Francis Chapel (second floor) of Trinity Episcopal Church in Iowa City from 7-8 p.m. IMPORTANT: Because Trinity requires its front door to be locked at all times, we try to have a volunteer staff it from about 10 minutes to 7 until about 5 minutes after. If you arrive a few minutes after that or don't see anyone at the door, please press the doorbell near the entrance and (hopefully) we'll hear you and can come let you in. Unfortunately, once we begin meditation (usually by 7:10 or 7:15 p.m.), we won't be able to let you in. Recitation of the 14 Mindfulness Trainings will follow in-person meditation on the first Wednesday of each month. The trainings are Buddhist precepts developed by Thich Nhat Hanh to provide ethical guidance for life. Those who wish to stay after our meditation time form a circle and take turns reaching each of the trainings. 

• Online Meditation: 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month. Via Zoom. Click here for the link.  (Here's a mnemonic to help you remember when we meeting in-person and when we meet online: "First and Third Meet in the Room; Other Wednesdays Hop on Zoom!")

• Walking Meditation at Hickory Hill Park (Conklin Lane Entrance): 10 a.m. on the first  Saturday of every month and during the warmer months on the third Saturday (check the calendar to confirm when we're meeting), followed by mindful coffee/tea and conversation at Press Coffee, 1120 N Dodge St, Iowa City.

• Men's Group: 8 a.m. the fourth Sunday of every month, at Press Coffee, 1120 N Dodge St, Iowa City.

• Winding Path Sangha Women’s Group: The Winding Path Women's Group meets at 5:30 p.m. on the third Friday of each month, sometimes online, sometimes in person. The gathering is an opportunity for women to get to know one another, explore their meditation and mindfulness practices, and build a sense of community. All are welcome, regardless whether you’re part of the Winding Path Sangha. For more information, and to join an email list for the group, contact Kathleen at palmreaderkathleend@gmail.com. 

Thank you for practice, your friendship, and your smile.