Experience sharing

Reflections on the One-Day Chan Meditation Retreat

Attending the One-Day Chan Meditation Retreat at the Dharma Drum Degui Academy on May 30 was my very first time participating in an event organized by International Meditation Group (IMG). I feel fortunate to have been there, having recently returned from a country in Central America where resources on meditation, let alone Chan meditation, are virtually non-existent.

The day began with a presentation by Venerable Guo Chii (果啟法師), who introduced fundamental concepts which can help us cultivate the right mindset and support our practice across the various meditative activities we would engage in throughout the day, whether standing, walking, sitting, or reclining. She also shared anecdotes from Master Sheng Yen’s solitary retreat, illustrating his deep harmony with nature, where animals would peacefully rest on his body.

Following this, Venerable guided us through yoga and stretching exercises to relax the body and mind and prepare us physically before the sitting session. Once we adjusted our posture, we began with gentle head movements and deep breaths, guiding our minds to relax from head to toe before applying our individual methods. Whenever a wandering thought arose, we simply returned to the method. After the sitting session, the head-to-toe self-massage was another essential step to transition mindfully and release any tension.

This retreat provided a space to deepen my regular practice. For many years, I have used foundational methods like breath counting, breath awareness, and other mindfulness techniques in my daily life, and returning to a space of shared practice felt deeply stabilizing. At noon, we practiced mindful eating, slowing down to savor every single bite consciously. In the afternoon, we experienced walking meditation around the block and in the park across the street. I focused entirely on each step, keeping my gaze fixed just ahead of my feet and letting surrounding sounds pass through my ears without attachment, anchoring my mind to the sensation of my feet and silently reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha with every step.

As we continued walking through the park, observing the trees and falling leaves, feeling the warm breeze, and hearing sounds come and go, I felt deeply conscious of this very moment. I then sat on a stone bench, naturally relaxed and with awareness of the surroundings—a state where my mind, body, and the environment felt completely connected.

We concluded the afternoon with a final sitting session and a group discussion. As a closing for the event, Venerable encouraged us to continue practicing at home. This was a reminder that true practice happens in our daily lives, not just during a meditation retreat or on a cushion; at any moment, we can apply mindfulness techniques and meditation methods to pacify our minds and live consciously in the present. Every opportunity to practice group meditation is a true blessing—a rare opportunity and a precious affinity, even more so being able to be here in Taiwan and practice Chan meditation directly at the centers of DDM.

I am deeply grateful to Venerable, IMG, all the volunteers, the participants, and all the causes and conditions that came together to make this precious encounter possible and to motivate us to continue our practice; it is my sincere hope that more activities can be organized for the foreign community in Taiwan, and that more fellow practitioners—including foreigners—can join IMG as volunteers, helping to share Shifu’s teachings more widely to benefit all sentient beings.

Written by Anita Lin