Buddhist Meditation Retreat: Silent Illumination

About the Retreat

“I have never experienced anything like this retreat. The teachings offered in silence have renewed my energy, even at 73 years old. In this practice, I see the purest and simplest form of Buddhism. The practice of Silent Illumination is very valuable because you can bring it into your daily life.”
— Participant in the meditation retreat at Mar de Jade

This Silent Illumination Retreat is an opportunity to practice traditional Chan Meditation from the lineage of Master Sheng Yen (1928–2009), founder of Dharma Drum Mountain, together with Master Guo Yuan Fa Shi and the monastics from the monastery in Taiwan.

The retreat is held in silence, and we learn simple methods that help us let go of habits of anxiety, stress, and worry, allowing us to find the peace and clarity we need.

The retreat is suitable for all levels; however, it is important to understand that it requires determination and commitment to face the obstacles of mind and body (physical discomfort, drowsiness, distraction, anxiety…). It is also necessary to observe the retreat guidelines throughout, including silence, punctuality, and consistency.

Click to watch a video about the retreat.

Schedule

The Silent Illumination Retreat includes:

* Seated meditation
* Walking meditation in indoor and outdoor spaces, in nature
* Periods of simple work practice
* Dharma talks (Buddhist teachings and concepts)
* Morning Chinese exercises
* Interviews with the teacher
* Rest time to enjoy the natural surroundings

About the Teachers

Guo Yuan Fa shi

Guo Yuan is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk trained in Chan Buddhism. He is a principal disciple of Chan Master Sheng Yen of Taiwan. In 1985, he first encountered Sheng Yen’s teachings while attending a seven-day retreat in New York. He later decided to become his disciple, leaving his job in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to ordain as a monk in the Chan tradition. He was ordained in Taiwan in 1987.

He has been at the heart of Zen retreats at Dharma Drum Mountain. In 1991, he studied Theravada Buddhism for one year in Thailand. After returning from Thailand, he was appointed abbot of the Dharma Drum Chan Meditation Center in Queens and the Dharma Drum Retreat Center in Pine Bush, New York. His responsibilities included participating in interfaith services, teaching meditation, and giving lectures on Buddhism.

For more than 20 years, he also accompanied and served as translator for Sheng Yen at various Chan meditation retreats in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Russia, and Mexico.

He is currently the director of the International Chan Retreat Center at Dharma Drum Mountain in Taiwan. He is fluent in Mandarin, Vietnamese, and English.