Absolutely. Peace House is open to anyone interested in contemplative practice, regardless of their experience level. Beginners are encouraged but not required to attend our Saturday morning Q&A program—available here.

Absolutely. The Resident Monks, though deeply grounded in the tradition of Sri Lankan Theravada Buddhism, enjoy hearing about other traditions.

Peace House is open to anyone, whether you follow a particular religious tradition or none at all. Our focus is on cultivating inner peace through meditation, and we honor the variety of ways people approach this.

Many people find that wearing loose-fitting clothing is helpful for meditation. Please wear long sleeves and kindly abstain from any sheer fabrics.

You are always welcome to adjust your body as needed during meditation. Please try to do so as quietly as possible, so as not to disturb others.

In general, we recommend trying to notice the sensation mindfully. If it becomes a real distraction, adjust quietly. This practice helps cultivate awareness of discomfort without reacting to it immediately.

You will likely hear others refer to the monks as “Bhante.” This is a polite term of address that corresponds to something like “Venerable",” in English.

When addressing the monks, using 'Bhante' is a respectful gesture rooted in mindfulness and humility. Bowing with hands in a respectful gesture (añjali) is also common.

Please feel free to use this or to refer to each monk by name. To learn more, check our webpage here.

For public transportation, we recommend either getting off at the Central Square T station or taking the 68 bus.

For personal vehicles, Peace House has two street parking passes that we are happy to lend out on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Please plan on arriving at least five minutes early in order to get yourself settled before the program begins.

Arriving early allows you to settle into a mindful space before the program begins, ensuring that your presence is calm and collected.

In the spirit of generosity (dāna), offering financial support to Peace House or food alms to the monks helps sustain our practice and the community, fostering a cycle of giving and mindfulness.

Financial donations can be made here.

If you would like to support the Resident Monks directly, then please consider signing up to offer them food alms here.

Alms-round FAQ

What should I offer?

In Thailand, they say, “Offer whatever you want to eat in heaven”! All offerings are accepted with gratitude.

Is there anything I should not offer?

Please don’t offer money! We are only accepting food for the daily meal. (If you want to offer a financial donation in support of the monks, please do so at cambridgepeacehouse.org/donate) 

Do I have to bring a full meal?

We would really appreciate it if you bring enough for two monks.

But I can’t cook!

We’re near Central Square, so there are plenty of restaurants and shops where you can buy food locally.

Do the monks have any food restrictions?

Not really.

In order to preserve Peace House’s essential quality as a monastic residence, we are not able to offer our space to groups for regular ongoing practice.

We make our first floor available to organizations engaged in work or practice consistent with our mission on a limited basis. If you are interested in exploring the use of our space for a retreat or other occasional gathering, please reach out to us at cambridgepeacehouse@gmail.com

Peace House is a mixed-use building -  part private residence, part public/commercial property.

The first floor public gathering space and library are both fully accessible, and includes an accessible bathroom.

The second floor meditation hall and basement kitchen/dining spaces are part of the private residence. They are made available to guests by invitation, but do require walking one flight of stairs. 

Peace House seeks to make itself as fully accessible to all as possible.

If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to the director, Judy Beals, at cambridgepeacehouse@gmail.com