Activities & Events

One-Day Meditation Class (Free) – Online

Led by Abbot Guo Yuan

Beginner

Free

 

 

Begins: Saturday February 25, 2023
Check-in: 8:45 AM
End Date: Saturday February 25, 2023
End Time: 5:00 PM
Deadline: February 22











 
Register the Retreat. CLICK HERE

Although the methods of meditation are simple and straightforward, it is best to practice them under the guidance of a teacher. Without a teacher, a beginner will not be able to find your own mistakes, and it could lead to problem or bad results.

 

In our one-day online meditation class, you will learn the fundamentals of sitting meditation, including proper postures for sitting, as well as how to relax and basic methods of concentration. In addition, you’ll learn about what is the proper environment and equipments for siting, and when will be a good timing within a day. Also, self-massage methods to realease your body and important concepts related to the process of meditation will be provided comperhensively.

 

We would recommend you to wear comfortable clothing, have enough space for sitting, and let your housemates know that you have a class to not interrupting you. You may use cushions to sit on floor or a bench for meditation during the class. If you don’t have one, a comfortable chair is also a good alternative.

When you meditate, you may release the stress building up from the overwhelming daily life.

 

Meditation, Emotional and Physical Well-being

When you meditate, you may clear away the information overload that builds up every day and contributes to your stress.

Based on many scientific research, the emotional and physical benefits of meditation can include:

  • Gaining a new perspective on stressful situations
  • Building skills to manage your stress
  • Increasing self-awareness
  • Focusing on the present
  • Reducing negative emotions
  • Increasing imagination and creativity
  • Increasing patience and tolerance
  • Lowering resting heart rate
  • Lowering resting blood pressure
  • Improving sleep quality

Meditation and Illness

Meditation might also be useful if you have a medical condition, especially one that may be worsened by stress.

Some research suggests that meditation may help people manage symptoms of conditions such as:

  • Anxiety
  • Asthma
  • Cancer
  • Chronic pain
  • Depression
  • Heart disease
  • High blood pressure
  • Irritable bowel syndrome
  • Sleep problems
  • Tension headaches

 

Each person is unique.  Be sure to talk to your health care provider about the pros and cons of using meditation if you have any of these conditions or other health problems. Meditation isn’t a replacement for traditional medical treatment. But it may be a useful addition to your other treatment.

 

Abbot Guo Yuan, a Dharma Heir of Master Sheng Yen

 

 

 

 

Guo Yuan Fashi, one of Chan Master Sheng Yen’s Dharma heirs, is a Buddhist monk trained in Chan Buddhism. In 1985 he first encountered Master Sheng Yen’s teachings while attending a seven-day retreat in New York. He then decided to become a disciple before finally leaving his job in Toronto, Canada, to become a monk in the Chan tradition. He was ordained in 1987 in Taiwan. For over twenty years, he accompanied and became translator to Master Sheng Yen in various Chan meditation retreats in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Russia, and Mexico.

He studied Theravada Buddhism for a year in Thailand in 1991. Upon returning from Thailand, Guo Yuan Fashi was elected abbot of both the Chan Meditation Center (CMC) in Queens and the Dharma Drum Retreat Center (DDRC) in Pine Bush, New York. His responsibilities included attending interfaith services, teaching meditation, and giving lectures on Buddhism. In 2006 he became the director of the International Chan Retreat Center in Dharma Drum Mountain, Taiwan. In 2016 he returned to Pine Bush to become once again the abbot of DDRC. Fluent in Mandarin, Vietnamese, and English, he leads Chan retreat in many countries around the world.