Finding Silence: A One-Day Retreat at Dharma Drum Mountain

By Ven. 智覺

20260207, I attended a one-day retreat at the Dharma Drum Mountain branch in Xindian, led by Guochii Fashi.

From the very moment I learned about this retreat, I was filled with joy just at the prospect of being able to participate. Unfortunately, in Taipei, there aren't many opportunities to join in group practice if you don't know Chinese. And I've always believed that Dharma should be accessible and open to everyone. Furthermore, I was happy to see people around my own age present — which has been quite rare in my experience at other Dharma centers.

I would especially like to highlight the work of the volunteers. They helped create a special, comfortable atmosphere and made the very opportunity for practice a reality. I was also deeply impressed by the gentleness and kindness of Guochii Fashi.
During the retreat, I conducted a small experiment on myself: I put away my phone, took off my watch, and stopped keeping track of time until the very end. This allowed me to break free from the hectic atmosphere of the city and my studies, and to focus completely on the practice. I didn't even notice how an entire day flew by.

I was particularly struck by the walking meditation. There was a moment when the teacher would suddenly stop us with the shout, "Where is your mind?" This instantly brought my focus back to the state of "here and now."

Another story that stayed with me was about a woman battling cancer who, despite her condition, continued her practice of prostrations. It immediately reminded me of the phrase: "Death is certain, but the time of death is the most uncertain." No one knows when death will come for them, which is why it's so important to practice right now, while we have this incredible opportunity and a relatively healthy body.

This retreat gave me something I had been missing for a long time — the chance to practice together with a group. I left it feeling filled with energy and hope that next time, I will have the opportunity to attend a similar retreat again.