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Young People's Chan Retreat
"A Degree in Self-study"
| Teacher: | Chang Wen Fashi |
| Begins: | Friday, April 9th, 2010 check-in 4-6:00pm |
| Ends: | Sunday, April 11th, 2010 5:00pm |
| Student Fee: | $45 |
| Regular Fee: | $160 |
| Transportation: | $45 round-trip (available if enough applicants) Bus will leave from Columbia University, 116 St. & Amsterdam Ave, meeting time 1:30PM |
| Age Range: | 18 - 35 (both beginners and experienced practitioners welcomed) |
As young people in a modern world, whether in school or at work, we may often experience stress and anxiety. We are faced with a constant influx of media and information. Often these things demand our immediate response, making us feel mentally scattered. When thinking about our future, we may be unsure what direction we are going, and sense a lack of purpose in life. Also, our society presents us with conflicting ideas and behaviors from a multiplicity of cultures. In terms of our identity, we may feel that we don't know who we are or where we belong. On top of that, we become exhausted by the fast-paced movement of our busy lives.
On a Chan retreat, we take time to recharge our mental and physical batteries. It is a chance to temporarily put aside all of life's distractions and shine the light inwards on our mind. To do this, we practice relaxing and being present with ourselves. Relaxing and settling the body and mind, we begin to feel a sense of stability and develop a greater sense of self-confidence. Throughout the course of practice, we see how attachment to our ideas and identity can be a great burden, and we learn to gradually let go. The more we let go, the more we are able to use this body and mind selflessly-skillfully functioning in daily life with ease and a greater concern for others' well being. This ongoing cultivation of "self-study" can be done amidst stillness or commotion.
After retreat, we return to our everyday routine with a fresh perspective, able to see the larger picture of life with greater clarity. In our daily activities we continue to cultivate the calm and clarity of silent meditation. With increasing calmness and clarity, we come to know who we are, where we fit in this world. We are able to handle our affairs with purpose, confidence, and genuine concern for others.
Retreat Program
The retreat program consists of meditation practice for beginners, as well as experienced meditators. Instructions will be given on topics related to meditation and Chan practice in daily life. You will be taught to relax your body and clear your mind through Chan meditation: just sitting, standing, walking, moving, eating, working, sleeping… with full awareness.
Chang Wen Fashi
A native New Yorker and resident of the Dharma Drum Retreat Center, Chang Wen Fashi is a western monastic disciple of Chan Master Sheng Yen. For his training, in addition to being of service to the Chan Meditation Center, in Queens, NY, and attending numerous retreats with Master Sheng Yen at DDRC, he also lived in Taiwan, at the Dharma Drum Mountain World Center for Buddhist Education, receiving a monastic education at the Sangha University. After graduating, he received full ordination in 2006, and then continued to serve the Seminary as the counselor for the male students of the Chan Meditation Department. Over this period of training, he attended and assisted with numerous intensive meditation retreats in the Chan Hall and abroad, as well as served as the leader for DDM's International Meditation Group in Taipei. Chang Wen Fashi holds a Bachelor's Degree of Science from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. He is fluent in both English and Mandarin.
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