Special Topics
Q&A for Meditation Beginners
What are the rules to follow when practicing in the meditation hall? Should we keep silent all the time? Is it difficult to adapt to communal practice? Ven. Chang Cheng, experienced in guiding Chan practice, will answer some of the frequently asked questions. Ven. Chang Cheng, Director of Dharma Drum Mountain's Meditation Activity Department 1. After entering the meditation hall, do we really have to keep silent at all times? A: Yes. "Keeping silent" during the retreat pe...
Five Basic Trainings for Meditation Practice
Regulating our Diet, Sleep, Body, Breath, and Mind Before starting our meditation practice, we first need to adjust and relax our body, to make sure our mind is sufficiently calm before adopting the practice methods. Therefore, as a basic training, one of the essential principles for spiritual practice is to regulate five aspects of our daily life: our diet, sleep, breathing, physical body, and mind. The purpose of meditation is to regulate our mind, but its foundation starts with regulati...
What are the Regulations in the Meditation Hall?
Reasons Behind the Rules in the Meditation Hall: While attending a seven-day Chan retreat in the meditation hall, we are expected to lead a vastly different lifestyle. What regulations are to be followed, and in what way can the rules facilitate our practice? Ven. Guo Yuan (DDM Chan Hall master) Cellphones and Valuable Belongings Upon check-in, the organizer will collect participants' valuable personal belongings, such as cell phones and purses, to be kept away in a safe place. This...
A Guide to Meditation Practice
How do we arrange a meditation practice activity suitable for ourselves? The DDM Meditation Center has designed a series of meditation practice activities, ranging from a few hours to several days in duration, catered to different levels of practitioners. Practitioners can therefore arrange a progressive journey towards spiritual purification according to their individual levels of practice. Beginner's courses This series of lessons is the best entry-level course for those who are &nb...
Dharma Instruments Used in Meditation Retreats
Speaking is prohibited throughout the entire course of meditation. In addition, Dharma instruments are used to signal the timetable, instructions and change of activities. When explaining the rules for the meditation hall, the monastic instructor will also give an introduction on the purposes of different Dharma instruments, as well as the expected response upon hearing them. 1. Percussion Board The percussion board is an essential tool during the retreat. It is used to signal the time to...