Daily Life in Community

What’s the daily schedule like?

Tuesday - Friday

Sample daily schedule off retreat:

  • The day begins with mindful movement, qi gong, or yoga, and a period of sitting meditation.

  • Noble Silence continues through midmorning, with space to savor breakfast, journal, do any other morning rituals you may have, and cooperatively care for our space.

  • A block of experiential contemplative practice time. On different days this may look like a combination of guided meditation, mindful movement, relational mindfulness and/or nature connection practices.

  • Connect with peers over locally sourced lunch inside or outside on the hilltop. Then take time for yourself — you might rest, read, go on a hike, or work on a passion project.

  • Our four different courses offered for optional college credit — Classical & Contemporary Perspectives on the Buddhist Path, Building Community with Nonviolent Communication, Nature and the Anthropocene, and Contemplative Discernment — will alternate at this time depending on the day.

  • This time will alternate between small groups, 1-1 meetings with mentors and community meeting.

    Your small group is your little family for the whole semester; composed of 6 other students and two staff mentors, this is your squad! Get really real together, process your meditation and contemplative experiences, know each other deeply, laugh, and play.

    Each student will have a 1-1 staff mentor to connect with each week for ~45 mins. These connections are a time to check in on your experience, be deeply heard and seen, and get support from someone a little further on the path.

    Community Meeting happens every Friday afternoon and is a time for the whole community to gather and share what’s alive — any feelings, needs, requests, and appreciations of each other.

  • Do you love to dance? Play D&D? Musical jam sessions? Art party? Nail salon? This is a time to choose your own adventure, to lead or be led by your peers in any group activity you can imagine.

  • Get cozy and heart-connected before bed in the candle lit meditation hall with loving-kindness meditation, and gentle singing or chanting.

Monday is a silent practice day each week, where we practice sitting meditation, walking meditation, eating meditation and mindful movement / yoga / qi gong in noble silence.

Weekends are free time, with no scheduled programming.

THE CAMPUS

C.S. takes place at Potash Hill, a rural campus on the southern foothills of Vermont’s Green Mountains.

Living Accommodations

You’ll live in a dorm room with one other roommate of your gender. Doubles are the default, though a few single rooms are available if you have a special need. Dorm buildings have common rooms and a shared kitchen for personal meal prep.

The Campus

The Contemplative Semester area of the campus includes:

  • Dining hall, lovingly called “the cafe”

  • Meditation hall

  • A tech-use space

  • Gym

  • Game room (with ping-pong and pool table)

All buildings at Potash Hill comply with the ADA standards for accessible design.

FOOD & MEALS

Whos’ cooking for us?

We’ll have two chefs on campus who will lead cooking for us Monday - Saturday. On those days, students who enjoy working in the kitchen can contribute to food prep, such as washing & vegetable chopping.

On Sundays, we’ll cook for ourselves as a community. The Meals & Food Circle will coordinate the meals, all of us will contribute at some point to the prep, cooking and clean up.

What kind of food will there be?

We strive for delicious, healthy, vegetarian meals using as many locally sourced, organic ingredients as possible.

Allergies & Dietary Restrictions

Vegan & Gluten Free options will be available at all meals. We can accommodate common food allergies and dietary needs (such as gluten-free diets, lactose intolerance, peanut allergies, and vegetarian and vegan diets). 

Can I cook for myself?

Yes. There will be a communal fridge you can store food in, and dorm kitchens you can use if you want to cook for yourself.

Can I bring meat to cook for myself, since the meals are vegetarian?

Yes, you can bring & cook your own meat.

DAILY LIFE FAQs

Can I have a car on campus?

Yes.

Can I go off-campus?

Yes! You can leave campus as the schedule allows, including weekends & holidays. We ask you not to leave campus during the four retreat weeks. We have a system of letting staff know what days you plan on leaving campus.

Are visitors allowed?

Daytime visitors are allowed any day. Overnight visitors are allowed only on weekends (not including retreats).

 

How much silence will there be?

ON-RETREAT: The 4 week-long retreats are mostly silent — they include teacher instruction, 1-1 or small group meetings with teachers, and dharma talks (~45 minute talks about the teacher’s experience & perspective on dharma practice and big life questions!).

OFF-RETREAT: there are 2-3 hours of silent contemplative / meditation practice a day, as well as one day per week of silent contemplative practice.

How many people will be part of the program?

~30 students, 8 adult staff, 2 young adult RAs, & ~10 guest teachers and lecturers throughout the semester.

What’s the policy on drugs & alcohol use?

We are asking all participants to abstain from drugs and alcohol use on campus, and to not be experiencing the effects of drug and alcohol use while on campus. Please see our community commitments (scroll down).

What about sex & intimate relationships?

During the 4 silent retreats, we ask that you remain celibate. Off retreat, we commit to using our sexuality wisely and protecting relationships. Please see our mindfulness trainings for more information.

Can I use phones & technology? 

At CS we have a precious opportunity to free ourselves from the addictive pull of screens to create space for more nourishing kinds of connection. To embrace this opportunity, we commit to practice letting go of technology use that hinders our presence with self, others, and the sacred. This includes being device-free during all retreat weeks. Off-retreat, we commit to support ourselves and one another by not using devices in the dorms or common spaces, except for in designated tech areas. Please see our community commitments for more info (scroll down).

What kind of Mental Health support will be available?

We’ll have a dedicated mental health coordinator who’s a licensed therapist on campus. A number of the faculty & mentors are also certified mental health professionals & social workers. 

Additionally, you’ll meet weekly with a small group of students that includes 2 mentors, as well as a weekly 1-1 meeting with your mentor. 

You’re encouraged to continue to work with your own therapist or mental health provider while you’re at C.S. if that is possible and helpful for you.

PLEASE NOTE: C.S. is NOT a program for young people in crisis. If you are actively suicidal, in withdrawal or in need of an inpatient care program, C.S. is not the right fit for you. 

For any other questions about daily life, please email info@contemplativesemester.org

Interested in the Contemplative Semester?

Want to learn in contemplative community?

Get updates on the Spring ‘26 Contemplative Semester!