Dear friends,
Please join us for Hiking the Path of Mindfulness, a three-day residential retreat in Canmore, Alberta, as part of the Plum Village Tour to Western Canada. Set against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, this retreat will offer a unique opportunity to deepen your mindfulness practice in nature, guided by visiting monastics from Plum Village.
Retreat Overview
Our retreat will take place at the Canmore Alpine Hostel, run by the Alpine Club of Canada. Over the weekend, you’ll engage in practices like sitting meditation, walking meditation, mindful eating and Dharma sharing— all while building connections and community.
From this home base, we will also embark on two group hikes, immersing ourselves in the precious wonder of the mountains. The trails will be chosen based on their proximity to the hostel and level of difficulty, ensuring an accessible experience.
Theme: Mindfulness as a Foundation for Health
Mindfulness practice helps us connect deeply with our body and mind. This allows us to see clearly what we need to do to cultivate physical and mental well-being, for our own benefits and for the benefits of others and the planet.
To heal, we need to learn the art of stopping. When we look deeply at the roots of our individual and collective suffering, we may transform unwholesome habits to nourish well-being, inner peace, fulfillment, freedom, joy, and happiness.
Part of the 2025 Plum Village Monastic Tour
This retreat is one of several events happening across Western Canada as part of the 2025 Plum Village Monastic Tour. Additional retreats and Days of Mindfulness will take place in Edmonton, Vancouver, and Surrey.
To meet the monastics traveling to Canada and explore other events, please visit the tour’s main page on the website of Edmonton’s Going As a River Sangha.
Schedule
Arrival and registration begins on Friday, May 9 from 2:00 to 3:00 pm MST. Departure will take place on Sunday, May 11 at 4:00 pm MST.
View the full schedule.
Registration and Pricing
Registration is closed. If you registered we will be in touch soon.
Retreat costs:
- Standard rate: $300
- Benefactor rate: $350 (I can help support another)
- Financial assistance is also available
Ride Sharing
Fill in the form below to offer or request a ride to the Alpine Club. Coordination is up to participants.
Open the ride sharing form.
“You are here on Earth, and you can get in touch with many wonders of life available to you, in you, and around you. You can practice like: “Breathing in, I am aware that I have a body. Breathing out, I smile to my body, which is a wonder,” and enjoy having a body. “With my body, I can walk on Earth and enjoy the beauty of the Earth.” Mindfulness, concentration, and insight should be presented like this, and then the practice of mindful breathing and walking can help you to be present to get in touch with the refreshing and healing wonders of life.”
–Thich Nhat Hanh