In early September, Tibetan monks carefully poured grains of colored sand onto a wooden table inside Slough Farm’s barn, transforming the space into a place of ritual, stillness, and attention.
The monks had traveled from the Gaden Shartse Monastic University in southern India to the Island for a week, during which time they engaged with Islanders and offered blessings centered on compassion, healing, and presence. Initiated by local resident Rachel Elion Baird, the visit emphasized the importance of kindness, mindfulness, and service to others.
More than a month later, on Oct. 26, another group of monks, this time from the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas, set out on a 2,300-mile pilgrimage on foot from Fort Worth to Washington, D.C., with the aim of promoting compassion and mindfulness across communities nationwide. They have walked through freezing temperatures, attracting crowds of thousands along the route, many who join in for a few miles. Following ancient traditions, the monks eat only one meal per day, and sleep outdoors. Political tensions in the country continue to rise as they near the capitol, where they will deliver a message of peace and renewal.
While these acts may sound extreme, the principles that inspire them are not too far removed from Vinyasa yoga classes at Stillpoint or the YMCA, sound baths at Yoga on the Vine, Peaked Hill Studio, or the Edgartown library, and meditation sessions at the Aquinnah Town Hall or other gathering spaces across the Island. Buddhism’s core teachings of awareness, compassion, and intentional living are embedded in many aspects of Island life. You don’t have to don orange robes to practice Buddhism. In different ways, many already do, often without realizing it.
Founded in India, Buddhism spread rapidly throughout the East, where it remains woven into the fabric of culture and society. At its core, the practice emphasizes kindness, humanity, and equality –– values that continue to resonate far beyond formal religious practice. Unlike most, it is a religion without a god, instead focusing on enlightenment and ethical living.
In the forest far north of Thailand, more than 50 miles from the nearest village, Wat Pa Tam Wua, a Buddhist monastery, welcomes travelers from across the world who are curious about the practice of Buddhism. Wat Pa Tam Wua practices Theravada Buddhism, the religion’s oldest existing school, with a focus on Vipassana and mindfulness.
Each day begins at 5 am and consists of meditation, dharma talk, rice offering to the monks, and chanting. Every day follows the same rhythm, and for many visitors, it is spent almost entirely in silence. The vow of silence is not required, but many observe it. Meditation instruction and teachings on natural laws are provided by English-speaking Thai monks.
Luang Ta, a monk at the Thai forest monastery, has traveled throughout America spreading the teachings of the Buddha. “I go many times to America,” Ta said, “Alaska, Atlanta, Chicago, California, New York. Always walking, always happy.”
Before arriving at the forest monastery, Ta spent 20 years walking through Thailand. He passed through cities, jungles, caves, and islands entirely on foot until he found comfort in the nature surrounding Wat Pa Tam Wua.
“Meditation is like a superpower,” Ta said. “Practice meditation to take care of the mind. You can take care of the mind to be happy. Concentrate to understand the mind, and the mind will feel well.”
Ta stated that anyone can practice meditation and mindfulness to feel well, not just Buddhists.
Another monk who teaches alongside Ta, and insisted his name was not important, emphasized this sentiment. “Being mindful is the key,” he said. “The body does not belong to you; you are the mind.”
This teacher monk also highlighted the importance of yoga to train your muscles to be more flexible, allowing you to meditate comfortably. “When you practice and meditate, you will know the truth about ‘Who am I?’” he said.
Meditation is more than just sitting still; it’s an effort to completely clear the mind, to think of nothing at all. The monastery leads guests in six hours of meditation throughout the day, including walking meditation, seated meditation, and lying meditation.
Your mind may wander during practice, but you are told to recognize your thoughts as passing, and make a conscious effort to step back from yourself. “You have to meditate until you see,” said the teacher monk. “I do not want to waste my time to explain what is at the top of the mountain –– you have to train and go climb the mountain and see for yourself,” he concluded.
Though often associated with Buddhism, meditation is not inherently religious. The monks at Wat Pa Tam Wua emphasized that its benefits — clarity, calm, and self-awareness — are accessible to anyone.
On Martha’s Vineyard, these practices have manifested in a variety of spaces.
- Bodhi Path in West Tisbury offers Buddhist meditation and philosophy instruction through weekly meditation sessions and dharma discussions.
- Slough Farm in Edgartown offers fitness and mindfulness sessions including Yoga Nidra and a sound bath, becoming a space of warmth, nourishment, and community.
- Island Insight Meditation Community in Vineyard Haven offers regular meditation, study, and discussion rooted in the teachings of the Buddha and open to all.
- Kohenet Batya Diamond, a Hebrew priestess, leads a virtual Jewish meditation circle in contemplative Jewish prayers, chants, and spiritual teachings.
- Wholesome MV: Wellness in Edgartown offers meditation and other wellness-focused activities both on and off the mat.
- Stillpoint in West Tisbury offers a variety of yoga, Pilates, and meditation classes. They also regularly host Thai monk Boonyod Nonthong (a.k.a. Monk Benny), who leads participants of all levels in a blend of loving-kindness meditation and mindfulness practice. Monk Benny will return on March 14 at 10:30 am.
- The Yoga Barn in West Tisbury offers guided meditation that includes a brief dharma talk, as well as various vinyasa and yoga classes and occasional meditation retreats.
- Mytoi Japanese Garden on Chappaquiddick, while not a formal meditation center, is a peaceful spot to practice, and the Trustees have offered mindful workshops there, including bonsai pruning.
- Yoga on the Vine in Vineyard Haven offers monthly meditation classes as well as weekly yin classes, which are grounded in Buddhist insight (Vipassana) meditation, with three to four restorative poses to help the body settle and support stillness and inquiry. In addition to public offerings, Yoga on the Vine offers a meditation teacher-training program.
On the Island, monks have poured sand into careful patterns, walked silently to the sea, and continued on their way. Others cross the country on foot, or spend decades moving slowly through forests. In yoga studios, libraries, town halls, and quiet corners of the Island, the principles that lead them have taken root, and the message remains consistent: Be present, cause no harm, and move through the world with intention and care for the mind.