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.

  • Four deeply experiential, interwoven courses offered for optional college credit 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.

A group of diverse people sitting cross-legged on cushions and mats in a circle, participating in a meditation or mindfulness session inside a spacious library or community room with bookshelves, a staircase, and large windows.

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

Weekends are free time, with no scheduled programming. Many students use this time to go on adventures to the nearby town of Brattleboro, or one of the many off-campus hiking destinations.

On the four (semi-)silent meditation retreats interspersed throughout the semester, the schedule changes to help us drop into deeper presence and connection with ourselves and the natural world. We practice noble silence, sitting, walking & eating meditation, mindful movement, yoga & qi gong, and receiving dharma talks from beloved Buddhist teachers. Each student also gets to meet with teachers and receive personal guidance.

A group of people standing in a kitchen or dining area, with a wooden beams and fairy lights in the background, preparing and serving desserts, possibly brownies.
Group of young adults lying on grass outdoors, stretching and smiling during daytime

THE CAMPUS

CS takes place at Potash Hill, a rural campus in the southern foothills of Vermont’s Green Mountains.

An aerial view of a small town surrounded by trees with autumn foliage, featuring houses, a parking lot, and larger buildings in a forested landscape.

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 and campus center

  • Meditation hall

  • Yoga and movement practice space

  • Gym

  • Tech-use space

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

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

A park scene with several white houses, green grass, trees with colorful autumn leaves, and people sitting at picnic tables under a bright blue sky with white clouds.

FOOD & MEALS

Whos’ cooking for us?

We 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 get to cook for ourselves as a community. If you love cooking, this is your time to shine!

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 is 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?

There is a licensed mental health clinician on campus who is available to support students with mental health needs throughout the semester. Several faculty & mentors are also licensed 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 CS if that is available and supportive to 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?

Group of five friends smiling and posing behind a table with three trays of baked pasta dishes in a rustic wooden room, possibly a kitchen or event space.

Want to learn in contemplative community?

Get updates on the Spring ‘26 Contemplative Semester!