Sanctuary Hours

Sanctuary Hours is an open-door meditation day at Meditation Mount in Ojai, California, for anyone who wants to spend an afternoon in a quiet garden setting. The sanctuary opens at noon and stays open until sunset, and visitors move through the grounds at their own pace, sitting, walking, or simply being still.

Meditation Mount welcomes visitors through its wooden portal into the International Garden of Peace, a space set apart for reflection, contemplation, and spiritual connection. No one directs your visit. You might set a personal intention, listen for your own inner wisdom, take in the landscape, or rest in the calm of the place.

What to Expect

Because the hours are self-paced, there is no fixed program to keep up with. Several meditative practices are available to deepen your time on the grounds.

Creative Meditation is a guided group meditation offered throughout the day. Visitors sit together to generate blessings and positive energy for the world, sharing a short stretch of purposeful contemplation.

Meditative Walk begins at the portal. The path leads through the International Garden of Peace to a scenic viewpoint overlooking the Ojai Valley. A perimeter trail circles the property, with benches and quiet spots where you can pause to sit and reflect.

Guided audio meditations are found throughout the gardens, where stone markers are inscribed with the Universal Principles and Pathways at the heart of Meditation Mount's mission: a vision of an enlightened and compassionate world that works for all. QR codes at the markers link to audio meditations, so you can explore each teaching at your own speed with your own headphones.

The Setting

Meditation Mount sits above the Ojai Valley, and the viewpoint at the end of the garden path looks out over it. The grounds combine the formal calm of the International Garden of Peace with the more open quiet of the perimeter trail. The address is on Reeves Road in Ojai.

The gate opens at noon and remains open until sunset. To keep the land a sacred space, Meditation Mount asks that visitors leave pets, picnics, and alcohol at home.

Before You Go

Sanctuary Hours suits all levels. No prior meditation or yoga experience is needed, and you are free to sit, walk, or spend the hours in the gardens however feels right. Materials are in English.

Registration is required for each visitor. Advance registration online is encouraged, and on-site registration is available if space permits. Your visit includes:

- Access to the grounds during Sanctuary Hours
- Access to the International Garden of Peace and the scenic viewpoint
- Access to guided Creative Meditation sessions
- Access to the QR-linked guided audio meditations

Bring personal headphones if you would like to listen to the audio meditations. Outside food and drink are not part of the visit.

If Meditation Mount needs to close for unforeseen reasons, registered visitors are notified by email and receive a full refund. Cancellations made within 24 hours of the visit are not eligible for a refund, and refunds carry a small per-ticket processing fee. Members of Meditation Mount may receive a discount at checkout.