Hong Kong remains wrapped in the lingering warmth and humidity of late summer, reminding us to find ease even amidst the heat. Plum Village Hong Kong invites all to pause, breathe, and smile, keeping mindfulness at the heart of each day. Here are some event recap in the past two months and upcoming events in the coming two months.
Event Recap
1. 2025 Plum Village Hong Kong Summer Retreat
 Singing meditation and dharma talk in the retreat |
 Walking meditation during the retreat |
We held our quarterly summer retreat at Lotus Pond Temple from Wednesday, July 16 to Saturday, July 19. The theme was “Happiness Begins With Your Lovely Smile.” Whether married or single, everyone was invited to explore the practice of mindfulness together and discover ways to face challenges with greater calm and clarity, bringing more positive values to our daily relationships.
We especially encouraged families to attend, as practicing mindfulness together allows all family members to learn practical ways to handle everyday situations—skills not often taught in schools. Friends, teens, and children all enjoyed the retreat and took home memorable experiences.
Unfortunately, due to an approaching typhoon, we had to end the retreat early at noon on July 19. Buses were arranged to transport participants safely from Lotus Pond Temple back to the city so everyone could prepare for the storm.
2. “Walk With Me” Movie Post-screening Sharing Session
On Saturday, August 23, Emperor Cinemas cordially invited Plum Village Hong Kong to co-host a post-screening sharing session for the film “Walk With Me” at Emperor Cinemas, Times Square, Causeway Bay.
The documentary “Walk With Me” offers an intimate glimpse into the daily life of our teacher Thich Nhat Hanh and the practitioners at Plum Village in France. With its warm, gentle approach, the film reminds us that simply pausing and breathing with awareness can help us rediscover inner peace and strength, even amidst the busyness and distractions of daily life.
Following the 94-minute screening, members of the monastic community held a 30-minute sharing and Q&A session. During this time, they offered personal insights and practical guidance on how to bring mindfulness into everyday living, enriching the experience for everyone in attendance.
3. Pavarana Ceremony (Rain Retreat Closing Ceremony)
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The Pavarana Ceremony, held this year on August 24, marks the conclusion of a period dedicated to deep practice, study, and community living. For three months, monastic members stay within the temple grounds, following a tradition handed down for over 2,500 years since the time of the Buddha. The word “Pavarana” means “invitation,” reflecting the ceremony’s spirit of openness and humility: monastics invite one another to offer gentle feedback, fostering harmony, reflection, and growth within the sangha.
After the ceremony, Plum Village Hong Kong will be closed for ten days, until September 4, 2025, as the community enters a period of rest and renewal. During this time, the temple will not receive visitors. The Sunday Day of Mindfulness will resume on September 7, 2025. These “lazy days” offer monastics space to relax and catch up on personal needs and family matters after months of dedicated practice.
Upcoming Events
1. Wake Up Retreat
Wake Up group will have two weekend retreats coming in Sep and Dec. Combining awareness of breathing with mindfulness in daily activities, we will learn to take care of our body and mind through walking, eating, sitting, total relaxation, listening, and sharing. This helps us cultivate peace and transform sufferings.
Theme: Taking Care of Oneself (Body)
Target group: people with age between 18 – 40
Date: 13-14 Sep 2025, 13-14 Dec 2025
Venue: Lotus Pond Temple, Ngong Ping, Lantau Island
Cost: HKD $200 (paid by cash)
For details, refer to the Facebook page.
Click here to register.
2. 2025 Body Mind Retreat – Peace in Oneself, Peace in the World
Our quarterly autumn retreat – 2025 Body Mind Retreat, themed Peace in Oneself, Peace in the World, will happen on 22-26 Oct. Through mindful breathing, walking, and daily practices, we will learn together how to transform pain into peace and discover the wonders of life in each precious moment. This retreat offers a nurturing space to listen to Dharma talks, share insights with others, and cultivate happiness and togetherness within a supportive community. Come experience how the peace within us can ripple out and bring harmony to the world around us.
Theme: Peace in Oneself, Peace in the World
Target group: Adult
Date: 22-26 Oct 2025
Venue: Lotus Pond Temple, Ngong Ping, Lantau Island
Cost: HKD $2500
Registration open on Sep 4th. For more details and registration, please refer to the event page.
3. Sunday Day of Mindfulness
Sunday Day of Mindfulness is led by the monastics of the Asian Institute of Applied Buddhism (AIAB) to integrate mindfulness into daily life. Every Sunday, we can enjoy the happiness of being present in the moment through a series of mindfulness activities. In addition, practicing together as a sangha is an enjoyable experience and strengthens our practice.
More details and the schedule are here.
- Schedule: every Sunday, 9:30 – 16:00
- Venue: Lotus Pond Temple, Ngong Ping, Lantau Island. (Here for transportation options.)
Participants are invited to register on the website.
4. Friday Night Practices
Friday Night Practices are “lite” mindful practices in town and online. They include singing meditation, sitting meditation, walking meditation, passage reading, and dharma sharing. Through each practice after a busy week, we hope to generate collective energy that brings healing and transformation within ourselves and the community.
Practice sessions in Sep and Oct are as follow:
- Sep 5th, 19:30 – 21:15 (Zoom/online, English)
- Sep 19th, 19:00 – 21:00 (In-person, Chinese)
- Oct 3rd, 19:30 – 21:15 (Zoom/online, English)
- Oct 17th, 19:00 – 21:00 (In-person, Chinese)
If you are interested, please register here.
5. Monday Night Practices
The youthful Wake Up Group will continue to have Monday Night Practices at the Flower Market. The practices are conducted in Cantonese, and the upcoming sessions will be on:
- Sep 29th, 19:00 – 21:00
- Oct 27th, 19:00 – 21:00
Venue: Prince Edward, Kowloon
Registration is required, and it opens one week before each session on the Wake Up HK Facebook page.