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Founded | 2013 |
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Founder | Soryu Forall |
Services | Monastic Services and Training |
Website | monasticacademy |
The Monastic Academy is a non-profit, contemporary monastery based in Lowell, Vermont.
The Monastic Academy (known fully as the Monastic Academy for the Preservation of Life on Earth, also known as MAPLE) is a contemporary monastery based in Lowell, Vermont.[1] It was founded in 2013 by ordained Zen Buddhist monk Soryu Forall.[2] His teachings are based on Shinzen Young’s Unified Mindfulness, and he has studied under gifted teachers from religions and philosophical constructs including Lakota, Dine, Abenaki, Christian, Zen, Theravada, Ambedkar, and Kagyud Buddhist traditions.
The Monastic Academy is a non-profit that provides residence, training, events, and co-working at their facility. Participants assist in contemplative practice, non-profit work, buildings and grounds maintenance, and community involvement.[3]
The Monastic Academy’s core teachings are based on the integration of awakening and responsibility.[4] The Academy pursues personal and societal transformation through training in mindfulness, meditation, and leadership.[5] Participants are encouraged to find solutions for environmental and social issues through Buddhist teachings, community, and ethics.[6]
Their approach is a blend of monastic traditions with modern life, focusing on cultivating wisdom, power, and love.[7] Their goal is to nurture empathetic leaders who can address the complexities of modernity and are committed to societal progress and personal development.[8]
The Academy offers multiple venues for practice at their retreat center, including a three-month training program, co-working opportunities, and an AI Residency available by application. Local awakening events are held to engage new and old students.
The Monastic Academy holds an annual Vision Quest with coach, ceremonialist, and educator Darren Silver, who encourages participants to engage with nature through immersive experiences.[9]