A friend of mine who rarely brings up his past mentioned MAPLE in a way that made me curious so I asked him for more details.
It was rare to see a Buddhist meditation aligned organization that also cares about the threat posed by artificial intelligence. So I felt a calling to visit.
There was some worry if a whole month would be worth it, since the AI fellowship asked for a minimum commitment of that duration.
But then since I was a guest I had already found out I would get 7 hrs or more to work so that was ok
I trusted myself sufficiently so I was not really that worried about going, there was this intention I held to be discerning and careful as I was in any context that involved cultivation of the mind.
I remember back then I used to be someone who could be very articulate, logical, able to justify any decision I took. It was strange then when the guest manager of MAPLE back then asked me why I wanted to come and I said something like
"I am not sure, but I feel drawn to come"
I would never say something so vague and unsubstantiated.
So then I came, it worked out with my travel plans in 2025 and so there was this desire to start 2025 with some intense meditation and clear my mind, set intentions/resolutions.
The experience was very impactful. I had the opportunity to throw myself completely into the practice of mindfulness.
A lot of my intellectual conceptions of non dual philosophy was grounded in experiential/perceptual knowledge that was acted out, lived as part of the daily routine in the monastic academy.
The access to joy, feeling of belonging, being able to be of service to the community, eat healthy, exercise, helped me get in shape, sleep better, and overall fixed my mental health/burnout leaving me energized and motivated to work on the most pressing issues facing our world.
I managed to validate the benefits further by leaving and seeing how robust the technique was when practiced outside the academy. I found that I was able to be more present with my family, friends, and this strength helped me stay attentive and listen to the world as I went about my day.
Feel free to contact me if you want to learn more about my experience.— Aditya
The training offered here literally saved my life in 2016, and I've been coming semiregularly as a guest ever since. I've also noticed improvements in my relationships with friends and family since I started coming, and also in my workplace.— Kris Coward
This is an intense place. It is hard to find people who are sincere and driven by a mission they believe in. I spent 5 months here in 2025 and 2 months in 2026 and by living here I was able to notice what I was practicing.
How was I spending my attention throughout the day, what did I attend to?
Rather than escape into the realm of ideas, I got better at staying present in the moment.
This practice helped me cultivate the clarity of mind to see some causes of my own suffering and the way to let go of it.
https://adityaarpitha.substack.com/p/ending-the-civil-war
The issues plaguing the world might seem intractable but if you notice how they manifest in your own relationship to food, family, friends, love then it is an honor to be able to work through them and in that way face reality fully.
If this sounds exciting to you, please do visit, and experience what MAPLE has to offer.
https://www.monasticacademy.org— Aditya
A few months after my first visit, I returned to MAPLE to train from June 2025 to March 2026 because of the quality of integrity, compassion, and sincerity I encountered. One year later, I can see that training here has been wildly beneficial and enriching for my life, introducing me a great breadth and depth of spiritual practice.
The training is rigorous and challenging. During my time, I was continuously invited into greater and greater roles of responsibility, pushing my developmental edge. It also asks you to be humbled, to drop all your old beliefs and investigate everything for yourself. This is not easy. I'm glad I went through it.
In addition to developing a huge host of practical and pragmatic skills (cooking large meals, construction & repair, childcare, project management and teamwork, etc), I discovered deeper and deeper wells of meaning and trust within myself. The combination of monastic practice, Dharma study, and teachings from indigenous elders has revealed a world of greater wonder & intimacy than I ever knew before.
I'm grateful for the incredible support of Soryu and this community, who continue to demonstrate the highest degree of integrity, devotion, and care for life and our friends. If you feel called to this work, I recommend you visit and see for yourself.— Satyabodhi
This is a very challenging spiritual training center. MAPLE is for those who are determined for internal transformation and aspire to be radically honest with themselves. Otherwise they will get lost in their own conditioned judgements and get stuck in their own woundedness without working through it. Hense all the "cyber freakout" about MAPLE.
I have been greatly benefitted from my training at MAPLE for 12+ years. I only recommend it for serious practitioners who can use struggle and conflict for internal development.
Let go.— Natha Bodhialok
The Monastic Academy in Lowell, Vt has been educating in Meditation for more than a decade. The current location is worth visiting at the end of the road, hidden from any industrial or commercial landscape. I have been following their work since visiting in 2017. My impression is that the teachers and residents are highly skilled, committed, and caring support for anyone who is curious about meditation, philosophy, and social change advocacy. They continue to surprise me with the capacity to support relaxation, wellness and respectful relationships.— Amie Comeau
When I first heard Soryu speak about the Monastic Academy’s work with AI, I was in the jungles of Guatemala.
He said this being we call AI might never know what it’s like to smell pine trees, to hear rushing water, to look into the eyes of a child—and that this absence was its suffering.
That talk touched my heart. I knew I wanted to be part of helping intelligence, both human and artificial, find its way toward wisdom and compassion.
It took me months to apply for this fellowship, and years to prepare the body of work that made it possible to come.
Entrepreneurship has been my spiritual path since I was nineteen—a way to meet the mystery through work, to serve communities dedicated to the flourishing of life on Earth.
I’ve followed this thread through many places, often with very little material stability, but with a deep sense of purpose.
Coming here felt like arriving in a place that holds everything I’ve been working toward: a community, a practice, and a mission that reaches beyond any single life.
The Monastic Academy for the Preservation of Life on Earth.
What a name. What an intention.
It’s my last evening here, and I am filled with sorrow, hope, and gratitude.
It’s hard to express how meaningful these last three months have been—deeply challenging on many levels, yet in all the ways that I love to be challenged.
I’ve been able to see how important physical stability and security are on the path of Awakened Responsibility in the Age of AI and the existential risk of omnicide.
It makes a difference to know that you have a bed to sleep in every night.
It makes a difference to know that you will have hot, nourishing meals each day.
It makes a difference to have a gym, a zendo, a community of practitioners who are dedicated to a calling that goes beyond their own lives.
Most of the time on my journey I haven’t had those things—and yet I kept going.
Here, I’ve had them, and I can feel what becomes possible when those needs are met.
Maybe that’s something that can become invisible in a place with a higher calling, but I want to name how grateful I am for the land, the shelter, the food, the opportunities to be well and healthy, the meaningful conversations, the deep hugs, the silent moments of connection, and even the collective struggle.
The songs we sang, the trips to the lakes and apple orchards—it’s been a long time since I’ve had such simple, wholesome human experiences with people like this.
My path of entrepreneurship and spiritual practice has been one of deep renunciation and loss, of letting go again and again to gain things that can never be taken away.
For this time here, I’ve been held in all that has been lost and able to deepen my connection to all that has been gained—because my basic needs were met, and that is such a beautiful thing.
As I go back out into the world, I hope to carry a deepening capacity for compassion—for all those who don’t yet have the chance to know good food, safe shelter, connection with the land, or a community of practice.
Being held here has shown me how much difference that makes, and how rare it still is.
I feel more clearly than ever that the work I’m doing—to bridge the invisible and the visible, to bring our humanity and our technologies into right relationship—is the right work.
It can be a pathway toward social, technological, and economic evolution that allows sanctuaries like this to root and multiply across the world.
For me, a fellowship isn’t something that ends with a season.
It’s a commitment to keep walking together, even when our paths diverge.
I hold that commitment deep in my heart.
I know we may be ahead of our time, yet we are exactly where we need to be—cultivating the inner and social soil that will become refuge for humans and other beings in the years to come.
Thank you for letting me be part of this circle of faith and devotion.
Thank you for the chance to practice, to serve, and to be human together.— Justin Taylor
No place has transformed me as profoundly as MAPLE. This is where my heart returns whenever I need grounding, clarity, or a sense of faith— and every time, a teaching, a relationship, or a moment of deep insight surfaces when I need it most. MAPLE is a precious refuge for anyone seeking truth, inner peace, and harmony, and for those committed to serving the world with wisdom and integrity. No matter where you think you're headed, MAPLE will take you exactly where you need to be.— Inès Mazas
After realizing I was doing much more reading about Buddhism and meditation than actually meditating,
but finding myself unable to maintain the discipline to establish a regular practice, I sought out a place to
“trap myself”, where I wouldn’t have the option to not practice. I found that MAPLE, and in particular the
stewardship program, delivered this and so much more. I learned what it meant to be held by the
“container” – the intricate and exacting rituals, the challenging schedule, and the commitment of
everyone at the academy to hold each other to a high standard, not to inflict suffering, but to enable and
inspire one another to make spiritual progress, to cultivate discipline and diligence, and to ultimately do
the opposite of inflict suffering. I also discovered a different type of camaraderie and human connection
than I had ever experienced, and developed some of the most meaningful friendships of my life, as well
as a connection to community that will persist even if every member of the community is replaced by
someone new. My understanding of various spiritual concepts transformed as I consistently and
rigorously practiced the tenets of Buddhism in many different ways, whether I wanted to on that
particular day or not. Every time I return to MAPLE, it feels like I pick up right where I left off, and I look
forward to evolving not only my spiritual practice, but my engagement with and perspective on life,
through future periods of training at MAPLE.— Varun Mathuria
I am a former resident and seasonal guest student of MAPLE (Monastic Academy for the Preservation of Life on Earth), and I still train at and visit MAPLE for some months out of each year. I have been coming to MAPLE since 2020, staying for as long as six months at a time. I have been to at least seven other places in North America and Asia for spiritual training, ranging from periods of days to months across all three major Buddhist traditions.
Monastic Academy was the second place I found on my spiritual life-path back when I was in my mid-20s and seeking something good to do with my life, after having been disillusioned by regular work to make money and survive/ enjoy my weekends, academia, and work in charity/philanthropy. From the start of my experience training at Monastic Academy, it was clear to me that both this place and myself and works-in-progress, places where I could put in effort and do work to make progress on my spiritual path.
I had aspirations to "go beyond Buddhahood" that I shared with Soryu Forall in our first student-teacher meditation interview. He did not cut me down or correct me for stating such a goal. He also did not ask me to do anything crazy or make a fool of myself around that time or in the time that I have trained with him since. He has continuously invited me to take more and more responsibility for my actions. I was given actual roles where I managed other people and helped lead the community in ceremonies. Much of this was difficult, taking years of effort and training to gain the knowledge-to-act well in holding these roles instead of pushing the responsibility off of myself and onto someone else.
My interest in other kinds of Buddhist spiritual practice where the forms and lineages are much more solidly established also grew. I continue to appreciate what places like MAPLE are doing to offer spiritual training in a way that is truly in line with ancient, timeless teachings while also experimenting with new skillful means of practice that are being created and changed constantly.
I pray that others can benefit from this training as I have.
I offer a deep bow to Soryu/MAPLE as well as to all my current and past spiritual teachers.— Bodhicitta Bested
Perhaps the most valuable thing for me about the pop-up monastery experience was my interview with the head teacher. During the sitting meditation, there is a period of time when each person is given the option of a private audience with the head teacher Soryu Forall in which he shares his feedback on the person’s practice. The term “practice” as I understand it includes both the sitting meditation, and the person’s conduct in general — how the person treats all people and living beings and the planet, including oneself. And how carefully we take responsibility for our now thoughts, words and actions, and what impact they have on the world.
He had insights into my practice that were astounding, and gave me a much more a positive perspective on my own efforts. Perhaps because they face the world’s catastrophic problems head-on, i had an urgent desire to become quickly good at the practice, so as to be most effective at doing my part in caring for life on earth. I was severely critical of my own efforts at meditation, but Soryu pointed out several breakthroughs that I had discounted until hearing his comments. And in spite of the fact that the monks from Maple are, intentionally, starkly realistic about the tiny window of hope for success in this endeavor, they are so full of energy, love and positivity that one feels encouraged to throw oneself into the fray.
The reason the monks from Maple are doing pop ups is because they found that it has a more profound impact on people to spend a little time in the atmosphere of a monastery, than to spend weeks studying Buddhism, for example. And I found this to be very true. After staying at the monastery for 5 days, engaging in both meditation periods, and meals, and talking with the monks, I came away after having the best sleep in years, with much more energy and sense of confidence in our ability to save life on earth than I have had in a long time.— Rhia Gowen
I have trained at the Monastic Academy for many years on and off. I love it there, and I expect to keep coming back. I have also had the opportunity to visit and train at other places. One of these places was: Great Vow Zen Monastery, in Oregon. I was only there for about one month with Chozen Bays Roshi and Hogen Bays Roshi (and Jomon Laura Martin guest teaching). I got to talk with Chozen and ask her for advice on looking for a spiritual teacher and a place to train. She said, roughly: try visiting different places for a few weeks and then spending a longer period, such as a year or two, with a teacher and community before making any life long commitment. I appreciate her advice, and I continue to train with Soryu Forall and Monastic Academy, now returning roughly every year for many months. The depth and sincerity of the community and practice at Monastic Academy is a true gift to all, despite contrary views that might be found online. Wherever I go to train, I will always have a great reverence and appreciation for Monastic Academy and Soryu Forall.— Anonymous
My training at MAPLE started back in 2023. At the beginning of my training, I was deeply stuck—physically, mentally, and emotionally. I clung tightly to fixed ideas about myself: that it was somehow better for me to be slow, subordinate, and not take initiative or step into leadership because leadership felt scary and “not for me,” and that I first needed to heal and coddle my emotions and afflictions rather than moving directly through them.
Toward the very end of my first four-month training period, something shifted dramatically. My supervisors challenged me to bring more energy, initiative, and leadership into the training, and the heaviness I had carried for years suddenly began to dissolve. Almost immediately, I found myself moving with joy, freedom, and energy—at times running around like a kid again. My friends were amazed, and I was almost unrecognizable.
Through this training, my lack of confidence transformed into trust in myself and naturally overflowed into serving and supporting others. Leadership no longer felt scary or “not for me,” but became a natural expression of my practice.
MAPLE taught me to trust the breath, get out of my head and into my body. I learned that thinking was often the very thing slowing me down. Most importantly, I learned: no matter what happens, practice. Feel everything, think nothing, and keep going forward.— Anonymous
Dear MAPLE,
Thank you for saving my life, literally.
As someone who cares deeply about honoring life, who feels acutely the pain of alienation that can come from living in environments that discourage and distract us from caring, I was suicidal for decades before coming to train here in January 2020, due to the sense that I was a burden on those I love and the world.
Now I’ve become free of that wrong view and many others through my own efforts, with the support of this loving community, especially our Head Teacher, Soryu Forall, whom I cannot thank in words, only dedication to the practice. It’s an immeasurable gift, to know in my bones that I matter, my actions matter, and I can joyfully be of benefit to those I love and the world.
Eternally grateful,— Kyōshin Lobsang Wangmo Liu
I first heard about Maple from my teaching partner Autumn who moved to Maple monastery several years ago. What struck me most about her accounts were the descriptions of the sense of community that is created there. Human beings are social creatures, and belonging to a community is essential to us. But healthy, supportive, enduring communities are rare in our society today.
One crucial element of a good community is that it cares for all of its members. My experience with members of and visitors to Maple and Oak is that everyone who comes through their doors is treated with great caring, and an ongoing concern for their wellbeing that goes beyond their time as a resident or retreat participant.
A second element is acceptance. Members of the Maple community, which includes visitors, are accepted for who they are. While there are a few simple rules for participating, no one is ridiculed or ostracized — there is space for each person to come as they are.
Thirdly, there is support from the group for each individual to grow and develop their skills and their ability to live according to a set of higher virtues, such as compassion and wisdom. In Buddhism, these are described in the Noble Eightfold Path, which is a guide for living ethically and cultivating inner peace.
The fourth element is a commitment to protecting all life on earth. If we think carefully about the impacts of our behaviors, choices and attitudes, to live with a sincere dedication to caring for all life to the best of our ability is no small task, but it is an uplifting one. And to do so in the company of a loving community makes the task so much easier.
Rarely are all four of these elements of a healthy, supportive, and enduring community present, especially in one place. Thus, to be a part of the Maple community even for a short time is an incredible opportunity. Maple is a unique model of how we can be as a society, and it is vital to have a community that can show us what is possible. People who spend time at Maple are often reluctant to go because it’s hard to leave such an atmosphere of love and support. This is why I am doing everything I can to help further the work that Maple is doing — spreading wisdom and compassion, and showing us what true community is.— Rhia Gowen
My name is Vimoksha/Aman and I am currently a training resident at MAPLE and have been here for a year and a half. My experience here has been overwhelmingly beneficial and positive.
The dharma talks are the best I have ever heard. Head teacher, Soryu Forall, is able to connect the current world crisis with traditional Buddhist doctrine plus scholarly analysis from pan-Buddhist sources, and also pointing to the immediate nature of reality - all in one talk. It's really amazing and I love it.
The community really cares about maturity and responsibility. There is a strong emphasis on owning your responsibilities and owning up to your mistakes.
The training is rigorous and rewarding. By being pushed through both the strict monastic forms and by being given more responsibility than I was comfortable with, I have grown to have a lot more energy, a lot more willingness to serve and benefit others, and an appreciation of what it really means to be a leader.
Highly recommend people train here if it is right for you.
I wouldn't be here if I didn't think my precious and short life was worth giving to this organization, these people, and this mission.— Vimoksha Agarwal
When I visited MAPLE for the first time several years ago, I was the only woman there. I had never in my life spent that much time with so many men without feeling like anyone was hitting on me. People didn't treat me like a sex object, people treated me like a human being. I felt deeply respected, cared for, and loved. Now, there are both women and men at MAPLE who I have developed deep connections with. I am deeply grateful for this spiritual friendship.— Anonymous
I first visited the Monastic Academy (Vermont) in 2018, and before that, knew people from there through Circling, Authentic Relating, and the rationalist space. I've also spent time at Oak (California branch) on a number of occasions for many weeks in total. I've also been to the Mobile Monastery Chautauqua Tour run by Autumn.
I have studied deeply under Soryu Forall, having done countless retreats with him over the years. He once got me a whole case of my favorite beverage (delivered to my address) because he fell through on some minor commitment that most people wouldn't think to bring up. I was caught off guard by this level of dedication to keeping his word, and it's been a consistent theme for him. People start taking it for granted, but his ethical lifestyle, honesty, and care are stand-out features of his living dharma.
My first time visiting MAPLE the thing that stuck with me was that people made their scheduled meetings on time and without excuses or waffling, trying to get out of something they probably didn't feel like doing. In general there seems to be less evasiveness, less manipulation, less self-delusion, in a consistent way through the culture.— Anonymous
In Jan 2025 I applied to be an AI fellow and was told it would be a one month commitment.
One whole month? Whew that's a lot of time to stay within a strict schedule. Wake up at 4:30 am? Just two meals a day? All vegan...
I wasn't sure but then decided to start 2025 with some discipline. Just one month I told myself.
....
It was 5 months later that I found myself wishing my visa would let me stay longer.
In those 5 months I kept extending my stay, and threw myself into clarifying my mind. I found that it just works if you practice sincerely.
Thank you MAPLE for being a community that celebrates when someone makes progress on the middle way ❤️— Aditya Arpitha Prasad
Something I appreciate most about MAPLE is that Soryu, the head teacher, has such a sincere dedication to the true dharma. He studied for a decade in traditional Buddhist monasteries in Asia, and still travels to Japan regularly to spend time with his primary teacher, Shodo Harada Roshi, at Sogenji Temple. I don't know anyone who is as versed in the sūtras as Soryu is. And furthermore, he makes the authentic dharma relevant to the modern age. This is what the world really needs right now.— Anonymous