Seven-Day Silent Illumination Retreat by Venerable Guo-Yuan, Mar de Jade Center, Mexico
The Eighth Silent Illumination Retreat from May 27 through June 3, 2017, was successfully concluded under the guidance of Venerable Gouyuan, Abbot of the Dharma Drum Retreat Center.
This retreat was held at the Mar de Jade Center in Mexico, with more than thirty young adults participating. This group of participants is quite diverse as many are employed in different professions, such as teachers, psychiatrists, and environmentalists, just to name a few, and reside in either the States or Mexico. One of the participants, who is also a member of staff at the Center, was inspired to sign up for the retreat and experience Chan meditation after listening to feedback from previous participants.
During the retreat, Venerable Gouyuan gave various Dharma talks, expounding on the Chan concept and methods. These talks were translated to Spanish for the Mexican participants by Laura, Director of the Mar de Jade Center.
The program for this retreat included morning and evening services, the eight-form moving meditation, sitting meditation, yoga, as well as personal interviews. Venerable Guoyuan also incorporated activities such meditation with the sound of chimes as the object of meditation, prostration practices on the lawn, hiking, and direct contemplation.
The retreat concluded with participants sharing the benefits they gained from Venerable Guoyuan’s guidance on the methods of relaxation, individual interview, as well as various Chan methods that combine motion and stillness.
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In addition, fourteen participants decided to become disciples of the Three Jewels; Venerable Guoyuan led them in taking refuge in the Three Jewels and Five Precepts.
Translator: Hao Wang
Editor: Christine Huang, Leefah Thong