Daily Schedule
During the pandemic the vihara is open for afternoon & evening visits ~ click here for more info.
We are closed to overnight visitors through to spring 2021.
5:00 am – Wake Up
5:30 am – Morning Puja (meditation and chanting)
7:00 am – Breakfast
7:45 am – Morning Community Meeting
8:30 am – Work Offering
11:00 or 11:45 am (DST) – Main Meal & Washing Up
1:00 pm – Open Period (for personal practice and study)
7:00 pm – Evening Puja (chanting and meditation)
Staying at the vihara
If you are considering to come and stay, please read our Guest Guidelines thoroughly before contacting the Guest Coordinator to book a visit.
There is space for up to three female guests in a separate building with a dormitory. A sense of privacy is created with the use of room dividers. Recently a new heating and cooling system was installed. Our comfortable trailer is a private space, available for individual use for men or transgender people. The minimum duration for staying at the vihara is one week.
As we have a limited number of spots for overnight guests, please do not make a reservation unless you are sure that you can come. This is considerate of others who are also interested in coming to stay.
We ask guests to arrive between Wednesdays and Sundays, from 8 am to 6 pm. To arrange a stay, please contact us at <guestnun@gmail.com>.
Eight Precepts
Overnight guests are asked to keep the Eight Precepts while staying at the vihara.
Monastic Etiquette
Please visit our monastic etiquette page for helpful guidance on spending time with monastics.
Outside Communications
There is cell phone reception for some providers only at Aloka Vihara Forest Monastery. The vihara does have a landline that is available to visitors for necessary calls. Internet access is limited.
Other Things to Consider
Poison Oak
There is poison oak on the vihara property. Be sure to wear long pants and a long-sleeved shirt when walking outdoors and/or avoid contact with poison oak plants. We are happy to share how to best protect yourself.
Ticks
Some deer ticks in the Sierra Foothills carry Lyme disease, so please be mindful when walking outdoors. Daily body checks are the best protection by far. We are happy to share how to best protect yourself.
Snakes
There are also snakes around the vihara, some of which are poisonous. When walking on the roads near the vihara, stay away from the grassy edges, as snakes have been seen there, very rarely.
Mountain lions and bears
These powerful animals live in the forests of California, please be aware of the possibility to meeting them, especially at dusk and dawn. So far, we have seen one bear in early 2019.