CMC Held "Metta" Summer Camp for Families to Learn Contemplation of Loving-kindness Together

From July 17^th to 21^st, 2024, under the theme of "Metta," the family summer camp organized by Chan Meditation Center (CMC) of Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM) and DDM Buddhist Association was held at Bodhi Monastery this year. More than 60 parents from all across North America brought along their children to participate in the camp. Designed by DDM monastic members, instructors, and young camp counselors, the camp programs revolved around the concept of "Metta." Through engaging in the camp's courses, everyone experienced the change from their mind to their external behavior and speech, thereby gaining fulfilling insights and results from the family camp.

Before the event, a pre-camp training session was held for the young camp counselors. The young counselors of this year were all former family camp participants who had benefited greatly from camps held in previous years and thus aspired to volunteer. Once again, Lester Andrist and Julie Chang were invited as instructors to lead the courses on the topics of "Leadership Skill" and "Being a camp counselor." Through a combination of workshops and group sharing related to concepts and methods such as "contemplation of loving-kindness" and "deep listening" by Ven. Chang Zhai (常齋法師), the counselors, as metta practitioners of the camp, have gotten themselves in the best condition to greet the Family Camp participants.

The adult group was led by Ven. Guo Goang (果廣法師), the Vice Abbess of DDM. She indicated that Buddhist practice is about adjusting and training the mind using the "cognizing mind" as the subject of practice. She encouraged everyone to first prepare the mind by guiding it with right view, in addition to aligning their practice with the three disciplines of morality, meditation, and wisdom, through which practitioners can go from recognizing the self, affirming the self, uplifting the self, to finally dissolving the self. Trupti Shinde, an Indian participant attending the family camp for the first time, shared that she became more and more interested in Buddhadharma after listening to the Venerable's Dharma talks. Another participant shared that it is rewarding to join the camp, during which one can learn how to apply the Dharma in daily life, thereby becoming filled with Dharma joy.

The teen's and the children's groups were led by monastic members, instructors, and young camp counselors. They guided the participants to concentrate the mind on the present moment and to feel the warmth of interpersonal interactions. Through being aware of the existence of others and listening to their needs, the participants practiced to be more considerate to others. During the process of stilling a ping-pong ball on the straw, the participants experienced being clearly aware of the sense of relaxation and concentration. Through the discussion on "relationship networks," the participants practiced treating others more equally by helping one another and casting aside their discriminating thoughts that derive from self-centeredness.

Through an animated movie on Loving Kindness, Ven. Chang Zhai guided everyone to listen to and see others' needs without prejudice. In addition, she led everyone in the Chan practice of loving-kindness contemplation together – relax our body and mind and open up our heart, with loving-kindness arising in our mind, while silently praying "May I be safe, may I be healthy, may I be at ease, may I be happy." Then send these blessings to ourselves, our close family members, friends, pets, strangers, and even people we dislike. By doing so, everyone was practicing to treat all beings with gratitude, equality, loving-kindness, and compassion.

The "outdoor Chan," a tradition of the camp, was also closely related to "Metta," the camp theme of this year. Instructor Kasey Andrist led the participants in the Metta Walk – that is, a silent walk to feel and contemplate the connection between oneself and nature, thereby arousing profound gratitude and a sense to repay kindness. During the activity of making a "dream house," the children also crafted what they envisioned as being their own house of love and dreams. Meanwhile in the yoga class, the participants experienced the unity of mind and body while stretching and moving their body. Finally, during the Chan practice of flower arrangement, everyone connected their present state of mind with the flowers – by observing each flower clearly, they were observing themselves at the same time.

On the last day of the event, everyone watched a retrospective video together. The team counselors also presented CDs that they recorded to express their gratitude and wishes to all the participants, volunteers, instructors, and monastic members. Now that the camp has concluded in a merry atmosphere full of Dharma joy, CMC would like to welcome all those who are interested in the study or practice of Buddhism to come and learn more about the Center. For more information about CMC's lectures, programs, and events, please visit its official website at https://chancenter.org/en/home.



Original Chinese text / Chan Meditation Center
Photos / Liang Ta-jen (梁達人), Family Chan Camp team
Translation / Li Siang-ling
Editing / Keith Brown, YKL