DDM Abbot President Visits Toronto and New York to Bring Dharma and Loving Care to Local Devotees

On July 27, 2025, Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM) Toronto Centre held a comprehensive English-language event titled "The Great Blessings from Within" at Emmanuel College, which is a part of Victoria University situated in University of Toronto. The event featured a combination of a refuge-taking ceremony, a Dharma talk, a drum performance, and a Chan meditation experience. Venerable Guo Huei, the Abbot President of Dharma Drum Mountain, delivered a Dharma talk on Living Chan, and also transmitted the Three Refuges to lay followers. The event drew over a hundred participants and was marked by a solemn yet warm atmosphere.

That morning, Venerable Guo Huei delivered a Dharma talk in a clear and accessible manner to the public, emphasizing three key points of Living Chan practice: First is "bodily awareness and relaxation": gradually releasing tension from head to toe and maintaining a natural and comfortable posture; second is "breath awareness": the breath is the core of meditation, helping the body and mind settle in the present moment; third is "everyday life is meditation". That is to say, Chan is not limited to sitting meditation; every movement in daily life can be a form of practice. Being aware and attentive in the present moment is practicing meditation in itself.

In addition to the inspiring teaching, a 20-minute Q&A session followed, marked by enthusiastic interaction. That afternoon, Ven. Guo Huei personally presided over the refuge-taking ceremony. This year's ceremony was held in downtown Toronto to allow more people to connect with the Dharma and take their first step toward Buddhist practice, thereby planting the seeds of learning and practicing the Dharma.

This event marked the Toronto Centre's first large-scale and integrated gathering, which had been in planning for nearly a year. The venue, the Department for the Study of Religion of Emmanuel College, known for its over 100 years of religious education history, was specially chosen for the occasion. Nearly 40 volunteers worked together on the day of the event. Prior to this event, Venerable Chang Yuan (常源法師), Director of the Dharma Drum Retreat Center, reminded the volunteers: "Every one of you is a key to the success of this event. You're not just here to ‘help out,’ but to ‘practice together.’" He encouraged them to embrace the spirit of "practice in motion" to face each moment of the event, staying relaxed and mindful, while welcoming participants with a smile — thereby allowing everyone to feel a sense of peace and joy.

After completing his visits to Vancouver and Toronto, on July 28, Venerable Guo Huei and his entourage arrived at Dharma Drum Retreat Center in upstate New York to continue offering guidance and loving care to the Sangha members and volunteers there. After a brief rest, on July 30, Venerable Guo Huei personally presided over the Center's Board of Directors meeting, where he took part in a discussion on the operational and developmental direction of the Center. Ven. Guo Yuan (果元法師), the Center's Abbot, and Ven. Chang Yuan (常源法師), its Director, were also in attendance. A highlight of the meeting was the introduction to an innovative "interlinking strategy and cooperative mechanism". The aim of this initiative is to connect urban and rural Dharma centers. This involves inviting urban practitioners to deepen their practice at Dharma Drum Retreat Center, while also supporting urban outreach and Dharma propagation, thereby building a mutually supportive and complementary practice network.

On July 31, Ven. Guo Huei visited the Manhattan Chan Meditation Center in New York City, where he reviewed the center's space planning and operations. He also led a short but profound Chan meditation session for local volunteers and monastics, helping participants experience a sense of inner peace and Dharma joy.



◎Original text in Chinese and photos: DDM Toronto Centre, Dharma Drum Retreat Center
◎Translation: Patricia Yang 
◎Editing: Keith Brown