Southwest Sangha is a contemplative lay monastery dedicated to maintaining a simple and quiet environment conducive to mindfulness and renunciation.  We are a community who has seen that it is possible to awaken in this lifetime, and who create a contemplative environment for ourselves and for those who come here for self-retreat. The community welcomes visitors and residents from all contemplative traditions.  

As a monastery, we follow guidelines that are designed to maintain a safe, positive and supportive environment for the training of the mind. Residents, retreatants and guests are urged to embrace them in the "spirit of the experiment." These guidelines are derived from the rules and precepts practiced for centuries in various monastic traditions. They are intended to foster spiritual development, even though they may impinge on personal expression.