The times are urgent; let us slow down.

- Bayo Akomolafe

A three-month immersion in Meditation, Community Living and Nature Connection for 18-25 year olds.

Feb 1 - May 8, 2026
Potash Hill, Vermont

Five young adults smiling and standing behind a table with three trays of baked pasta, inside a wooden restaurant or café with a chalkboard sign in the background.

Interested in learning in contemplative community?

Get updates on the Spring ‘26 Contemplative Semester!

Cultivate authenticity, courage and peace in yourself and the world.

A group of young people sitting on grass in a circle outdoors, with trees and houses in the background. One person in the center is speaking, using hand gestures.

These times are calling us into new (and ancient) ways of being. CS will support you to:

  • Slow down to listen to your inner guidance

  • Find presence, ease & balance inside yourself

  • Take back your attention & cultivate a more mindful relationship with tech

  • Navigate uncertainty with resilience & inner peace

  • "I learned in ways that I did not imagine that I would. I learned that life can be a practice. There is a way to relate to my life from a balanced place, which is amazing to actually try out. I didn't expect how much I would actually embody and learn practices in my daily life."

    Josie, 21 - CS ‘24 alum

  • "I can truly say that CS is the best thing I’ve ever done in my life. There are truly no words to express my gratitude and how incredible it’s been for me. It’s given me life in the sense that it’s given me community, an entirely new toolkit for how to move through the world, and a basis of care, compassion, strength and authenticity to guide me. "

    Maia, 20 - CS ‘24 alum

  • "I have never seen so many people change so drastically in such a short amount of time. In three months being here the shift to confident and happy and outgoing was insane to watch happen and I’ve watched it happen in myself."

    Zoe, 18 - CS ‘24 alum

  • "This has been the best experience and place to learn more about myself than anywhere else. Anyone able to get this much direct exposure to meditation and this kind of community for this long is extremely fortunate."

    Oliver, 20 - CS ‘24 alum

  • "My anxiety about where I am in life, the decisions I need to make, and where I should be has lessened as I spend more time in the present. I hope to continue developing this mindset moving forward and to remind myself that it’s okay for things to be as they are right now."

    Elaina, 20 - CS ‘24 alum

People sitting on cushions and meditation benches on the floor in a room with large windows, indoors, meditating.

What is the Contemplative Semester (CS)?

CS is a 3-month immersion in Contemplative Wisdom, Community Living and Earth Connection for 18-25 year olds.

  • A Holistic Curriculum integrating Buddhist, Quaker & other contemplative wisdom, Mindfulness Meditation, Nonviolent Communication & Nature Connection

  • 4 Weeks of Meditation Retreat interspersed throughout the semester, guided by beloved Buddhist teachers

  • Living in Community based on collaboration & shared ethics

  • College credits offered and optional

  • CS is an educational non-profit sponsored by the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies

What will I learn?

At CS, you learn and practice how to…

Find Peace Within Yourself

  • Integrate Buddhist wisdom & meditation into daily life

  • Rebuild your attentional capacity toward deeper focus

  • Work skillfully with strong emotions & habitual thoughts

  • Live with connection & harmony to the natural world

  • Discern & embody your deepest values & purpose

  • Develop a resilient heart & mind that can face anything

Two people practicing yoga outdoors, one doing a handstand and the other doing a handstand with legs up in a V-shape, on a grassy lawn under a partly cloudy sky.

Build Peace Together

  • Access & speak your truth

  • Listen deeply to others with care

  • Skillfully navigate conflict & power dynamics

  • Respond to the polycrisis of ecological, social & political breakdown with compassion & wisdom

  • Apply Buddhist ethics and nonviolence in communication, relationships & issues of social change

People sitting on grass and stone benches outdoors in front of a white house, surrounded by trees with fall foliage, during daytime.

MEDITATION TEACHERS (more to be announced!)

PROGRAM COST

Tuition: $15,400

Tuition fees go toward fourteen weeks room & board at the Potash Hill campus, a living wage for our staff (teachers, mentors, and on-site chefs), program supplies, and other program expenses. Travel to/from Potash Hill not included; we do help coordinate ride shares.

College Credit & 529 Funds

For those seeking a full semester of college credit, we offer up to 12 credits through Naropa University for an added fee.

Families are able to use 529 funds to pay for at least a portion of the semester. Please inquire and consult with your financial advisor.

Financial Aid & Work Study

We are committed to making the Contemplative Semester accessible to young people who could not attend without financial support.

We offer need-based scholarships, and have several scholarships reserved for BIPOC folks with financial need. If you are in need of scholarship support in order to attend, please mark that on your application and we will send you a scholarship form via email.

A park with green grass and fallen leaves, white residential buildings, large trees with some yellow leaves, people sitting on benches, and a clear blue sky with a few puffy clouds.

Applications are open!

Have more questions? Check out our FAQs or email us at info@ContemplativeSemester.org.

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