2026 Chan Meditation Center Family Chan Camp Concludes Successfully on August 16

Walking Alongside Our Children with Gratitude, and Witnessing Their Growth Through Presence and Companionship


The 2026 Chan Meditation Center Family Chan Camp was successfully held from August 12 to 16, with “Gratitude” as this year’s theme and a total of 80 participants. The camp featured a rich and diverse range of activities designed to help participants cultivate deeper self-awareness as well as gain a better understanding of themselves through hands-on crafts and games. The atmosphere was joyful and harmonious, and both children and parents left with a wealth of meaningful experiences and memories.

The program was jointly led by Venerable Chang Jue (常覺法師), Venerable Chang Xian (常賢法師), and Venerable Yan She (演捨法師) of Chan Meditation Center, who planned a variety of inspiring meditation and Buddhist experiential activities. Venerable Chang Jue guided participants in creating a “Gratitude Bodhi Tree.” Through drawing and writing, children and adults reflected on the people and things in their lives for which they were grateful, writing their expressions of gratitude on Bodhi leaves and gradually creating a Bodhi tree together. The teenagers were invited to write down five things they were grateful for, thereby discovering just how many things in everyday life there can appreciate.

Venerable Chang Xian led the adult group in sharing reflections on parent-child interactions. Drawing from their own life experiences, participants exchanged insights and learned from one another, deepening their understanding of gratitude through listening and sharing. After the sessions, it was often heartwarming to see participants gathering around the Venerables to ask questions and seek guidance. Venerable Yan She led the children in Little Wooden Fish Buddha Name Recitation Chan Meditation and Martial Arts Chan. Through games, rhythm, and physical movement, the children developed concentration and a sense of inner and physical balance, experiencing the joy of meditation through both stillness and movement.

The junior counselors at this year’s Family Chan Camp were particularly inspiring. Before the camp began, teachers Kasey-Andrist and Julie Chang conducted three days of training. Throughout the camp, the junior counselors demonstrated strong leadership skills and a wonderful spirit of teamwork. Particularly touching was the fact that several of the junior counselors have already entered college and are now busy with their studies and daily lives. In spite of this, however they still made a special effort to return to Chan Meditation Center and spend time with the children, creating happy and unforgettable memories for them.

The junior counselors shared that they had looked forward to attending the Family Chan Camp every summer. Having grown from participants into junior counselors, they now return with hearts full of gratitude and a desire to give back. They hope to share with younger children the loving care and inspiration they themselves once received, expressing their gratitude to Chan Meditation Center and the camp through meaningful action.

This year, Yang Chao-Hui (楊朝暉) led the children’s group, while Zhang Xiang-Qing (張翔晴) led the youth group. They once again arranged a wide variety of engaging activities, inviting flower-arranging teacher Lisa Lei, volunteer Hou Da-Jun (侯達俊) to lead tea meditation, and yoga teacher Jenny Wan. Through crafts, games, storytelling, stargazing, observing fireflies, and raspberry picking at a farm, the children were encouraged to understand their emotions and develop greater inner awareness and sensitivity.

The teachers coordinating the event, Andy Liaw and Zhang Xiang-Qing, shared that the number of junior counselors who registered this year was higher than in previous years. Their leadership was also more mature and steady than last year, demonstrating a strong ability to work harmoniously as a team. Seeing such significant growth and progress among both children and adults, they felt that the Family Chan Camp is truly meaningful and important for everyone involved.

Although the four-day Family Chan Camp was short, the blessings and gratitude it shared are boundless. The camp concluded successfully on August 16 with a peaceful and warm Gratitude Tea Gathering. It not only brought parents and children closer together, but also planted seeds of gratitude and awareness in the children’s everyday lives, allowing them to bring the wisdom of the Dharma back into their daily routines, where those seeds can continue to grow and flourish.


◎ Text: Chan Meditation Center
◎ Photos: Andy Liaw, 楊朝暉
◎ Translation: Patricia Yang 
◎ Editing: Keith Brown