Quan Am Nam Hai Monastery

Quan Am Nam Hai Monastery, a Mindfulness Meditation Practice Center, is a mixture of traditional and modern Mahayana Buddhist Mindfulness Meditation. The Monastery sits on 20 plus acres of serene landscape, and is surrounded by a forest of Pines, at 1309 North Star Ave, Panama City, Florida. The Monastery originally opened and began welcoming visitors on April 22, 2012, and was founded by the Most Venerable Thich Tinh Tu and The Vietnamese Sangha Congregation in America. It is currently direct by Abbess Venerable Thich Thanh Dieu Giac (also known as Master Tran).

          For the past five years Master Tran, Monastics, and lay Sangha have labored to build a beautiful monastery. Their intent in doing this is so everyone who visits can spiritually benefit from their time there. We invite everyone to take advantage of this facility and of Master Tran's teachings and guided meditation every Sunday from 9 to 11am, or just simply come and enjoy the peaceful and lovely atmosphere of the Monastery. Here is a short welcome poem from Master Tran, that she would like to share as a warm welcome to you and to all: 

“Quan Am Nam Hai Monastery
Embodies calm and peace 
The Great Compassionate Bodhisattva
Hears the cries of the afflicted, and compassionately comforts the suffering.
Lush green forests and warm sand beaches
Sowing the seed of happiness and joy
Illuminating love that touches the soul.
A place of learning for young and old…”

          One of the attractions of the Monastery is a 22 foot tall granite stone statue of the Great Compassionate Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva.  Avalokteshvara means "the One who listens and responds to all cries," and we have named our Monastery after Her.  Currently, our contractor, Break N Ground, is in the process of excavating a three acre pond and building a tea house gazebo in the center of the pond, while landscaping of the grounds around the 22 foot tall Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva statue continues. This project is estimated to cost (with completed landscape work) approximately $300,000.

          Master Tran’s aspiration is to build this monastery in such a way that everyone can benefit in learning, practicing, and feeling welcomed to Quan Am Nam Hai Monastery.  And especially, this project is dedicated as a prayer for the world - that it be free from all natural disasters and war. May everyone love and respect each other regardless of ethnicity, background, faith, belief, sexual orientation, or whether young or old.

          We hope to receive financial support from you and especially from philanthropists around the world.  Please support and join us to make this benevolent project possible for the benefit of all beings. Thank you in advance to any donation we may receive for this project. May peace, joy, and prosperity be with you and your loved ones. We hope to welcome you to our Monastery soon.

          If you would like to write us, the address of the monastery is: Quan Am Nam Hai Monastery, 1309 North Star Ave, Panama City, FL 32404. For more information about the Monastery please visit our website: quanamnamhai.org or like us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/quanamnamhai.monastery.

Every day, you are drowning: Drowning in your company’s demands, your customers’ wants and needs, your family and friends’ drama which is filled with nothing but constant nagging and gossip. You’re drowning in trying to keep up with the latest trends and owning the newer car model or updated phone. Maybe you follow celebrities or other people who don’t even know you exist and wouldn’t blink twice if something bad were to happen to you. You are drowning in the constant bombardment of bad news, political unrest, popular culture to include movies, music, and social media, and that noise between your ears; the non-stop thinking. All you want is a moment of clarity; a breath of fresh air. That’s all you want when you’re drowning; to breathe...

Now, imagine a place where you can escape from the daily stresses of work, school, and the constant noise in the world, even if it’s only for a moment. We can be at ease and finally breathe again. Imagine a place where warm smiles and positive vibes are abundant. It doesn’t matter what your skin color is or where you come from because everyone is welcome here!  The food is delicious, the area is peaceful and serene, and there’s ALWAYS someone there willing to listen to your worries and concerns.

Luckily for you, there is a place like that. It’s at the Quan Am Nam Hai Monastery at Panama City, Florida. There, you will be greeted by Master Tran, Su Co Thanh Dieu An, and Su Co Giac Tu. There’s also a dog name Lotus and a cat named B. Sometimes if you’re lucky you can see then playing by chasing one another on the grass around the trees.

The first thing you will probably be intrigued by as you walk through the gates, is the smell in the air. Su Co Giac Tu makes the most delicious food you can imagine. It’s all vegetarian and even if you aren’t, after enjoying one of her succulent dishes, you may consider becoming vegetarian yourself. It’s so delicious and flavorful that even the thought of it will have your mouth watering and your stomach growling.  

You may notice Su Co Thanh Dieu An, a small lady with gloves on, doing some yard work. Su Co Thanh Dieu An is Master Tran’s mother and even though she may be the oldest one there, she is still very strong and healthy. She cuts the grass, waters the plants, and helps trim the trees. She’s always there with enough energy to work all day and when the sun finally sets, you will still see her smiling.

Last, but definitely not least, there’s Master Tran. Master Tran is someone who is able to listen and understand your problems on a very deep level. Her presence feels like a warm, cozy, room; not too dry or too humid, but just right. You feel comfortable and at ease. Her words flow into your mind like a clear stream of water making its way into the blue ocean. You can easily understand her and implement what she says into your life in order to be happier and more joyful.

Finally, there is someone who truly understands you and can save you from drowning.
Someone that can provide that breath of fresh air you’ve been longing for.
Thank you Master Tran.

After a nice walk, you enjoy a warm meal and you can sleep at night with ease, knowing tomorrow when the sun rises, that this place will still be here for you; a place that you can honestly call home.

Now imagine waking up that following morning with all of that gone. Everything was damaged or destroyed, the once beautiful and serene walking path is now covered in garbage and debris, Lotus and B are trembling with fear, and everyone has only a very limited supply of food and water. Master Tran, Su Co Thanh Dieu An and Su Co Giac Tu has worked so hard to build this beautiful place for us and now it’s all gone. Their home…our home, has been ravaged by Hurricane Michael and now they have to rebuild everything, but with your help, we can make it whole again.

We can only imagine the tragedy of waking up with a home that was once so beautiful just to have it all broken and destroyed into pieces.

Unfortunately, this is the reality for Master Tran, Su Co Thanh Dieu An and Su Co Giac Tu. They all have to suffer through every morning, day, and night. Like a nightmare that they can’t wake up to.