Sarasota Forest Monastery | Buddhist Monastery in Englewood, Florida | Sarasota Forest Monastery, a Buddhist Monastery in the Thai Forest Tradition

SFM is a dedicated Buddhist monastery rooted in the Thai Forest Tradition, a lineage known for its deep commitment to mindfulness, simplicity, and meditation in natural surroundings.

Weekly Progam on Sundays

10:00 - 10:50 am Morning chanting / meditation

11:00 - 11:20 am Meal offering to the monks

12:30 - 01:20 pm Afternoon group meditation

Following the meal offering to the monks, you can join a potluck on the patio or around the kitchen before participating in the afternoon group meditation session.

Visitors may attend any portion of our weekly program that interests them and fits into their schedule. Beginners are warmly welcome. No prior meditation experience is required to join the program.

The small shed has many foam mats for your use when sitting and meditating in the forest. Please refer to the monastery map for the location of the small shed.

(The morning chanting typically lasts approximately 20 minutes and is then followed by a 30-minute meditation session. At present, the afternoon group meditation is being conducted inside the main building, due to frequent flooding in the forest area and the presence of many mosquitoes. Updated on July 13, 2025)

Group Practice Sessions on Tuesdays

News and Upcoming Events

Please note that there will be no food offering at 10:30 a.m. at the monastery on Friday, July 25, 2025. On that day, the monks will travel to Wat Florida Dhammaram in Kissimmee to participate in the Uposatha Day observance.

There will be morning and evening group practice sessions every Tuesday at SFM throughout this year’s Rains Retreat, from July 11 to October 7, 2025.

Schedule on Tuesday

Morning session:

10:00 – 10:20 a.m. Morning chanting

10:20 - 10:50 a.m. Sitting meditation

Evening session:

07:30 – 08:00 p.m. Evening chanting

08:00 – 09:00 p.m. Sitting meditation

Due to the recent frequent rainfall, the soil at SFM has become saturated, making the grounds prone to flooding even with moderate rain. As a result, visitors may occasionally need to park on wet or softened ground.

If you choose to park along the edges of the gravel driveway or on the sides of Lewis Street, please ensure your vehicle does not block the flow of traffic, as illustrated in the accompanying diagram.

(updated on June 25, 2025)

Phra Ajaan O and Ajaan Chichung will attend the annual meeting of the Dhammayut Order in the U.S.A. in Atlanta, Georgia, from June 6 to June 9. The weekly program scheduled for June 8 (Sunday) will be canceled accordingly.

Phra Ajaan O will continue his trips to Dallas and Los Angeles after the meeting, while Ajaan Chichung will return to the monastery on June 9.