is a meditation monastery in the lineage of the
Thai Forest Tradition . Founded in 1990 by
Ajaan Suwat Suvaco , it has been under the direction of
Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Ajaan Geoff) as abbot and meditation teacher since 1993. Currently there are eight American monks and one Thai monk in residence.
The Monastery is outside of Valley Center, California at the end of a road in an avocado orchard surrounded by the mountains and chaparral of northern San Diego County.Being a monastery, its primary purpose is to give men the opportunity to ordain as bhikkhus to practice in line with Dhamma and Vinaya (training rules) taught by the Buddha over 2,500 years ago.
Laymen and laywomen are also welcomed at the Monastery to practice in line with the Buddha’s teachings. Please see the
Visitor Information page about day visits and overnight retreats.
Getting to the Monastery Visitors Construction News Photos Dhamma Contact Mailing address: Metta Forest Monastery
PO Box 1409
Valley Center, CA 92082 USA
Book Requests: The mailing address with "c/o Book Request"
Street Address: (The U.S. Post Office will
not deliver to this address)
Metta Forest Monastery
13560 Muutama Lane
Valley Center, CA 92082
Telephone: 619-813-8461The phone is turned off most of the day, but you are welcome to leave a voice-mail. The message inbox is reviewed at the end of each day, and we will return your call upon request. It is often helpful if you specify some times during the next day or two when you will be available to avoid phone tag. If you need to speak to a monk, incoming calls are answered between 5 and 6pm Pacific Time every evening, usually by Ajaan Geoff. If, during the calling hour, you
still get the voice-mail recording, it means the phone is in use, so try again in ten minutes.
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