Special Note: this outdoor candlelight meditation event is open to people of all ages, backgrounds, and beliefs with any level of prior meditation experience (from never meditating to every day meditators). See more detailed description of the event in the schedule part of the description below

Ticket Options: this event is free of charge. However, all of the costs of materials including candles, lighters, food, drink, and other expenses involved in running these events are supported by donations from others. If you would like to pay forward the generosity of the donors who have come before you and enabled us to run a free event, you can become a "Pay It Forward Patron" by selecting that ticket option, or you can make a donation of another amount by choosing the donation option. But if your situation does not allow for a donation, then it is completely fine to select the free option. Thank you for your kindness that will enable us to sustainably offer these types of free events into the future :)

Schedule

7:30 PM - people should try to arrive around this point in order to socialize, listen to some music, have some complimentary snacks, enjoy the beautiful lighted decorations, and start to find their seats on the lawn. As it gets closer to 8pm, the emcee will invite everyone to be seated as the Buddhist monks take their seats on the stage in order to officially start the candle lighting and meditation.

8:00 PM - after some opening words, the monk will guide everyone to light the candles throughout the event grounds. The monk will then guide them in meditation followed by spreading of loving-kindness to the entire world.

9:00 PM - after the end of the meditation, there will be some parting words shared before the end of the program around 9PM. At this point, everyone will be given the opportunity to make any wishes or prayers for themselves, their loved ones, and the world and then light a floating lotus candle that they will be able to place in the pool of water that will be situated in the middle of the event. (See pictures of previous events below for a better idea of what this will look like. Everyone is welcome to stay a little bit longer to socialize, have some refreshments, and enjoy the peaceful music and magical atmosphere of the candlelight under the night sky.

The video below is from an outdoor candlelight event we did at our center last year. The other pictures are similar events that the monks have done both at our center and other locations as well.

https://youtu.be/GCalvi54gDc