The 3 Days of Meditation and Chan

The meditation and philosophy portion of the Shaolin Retreat runs from Wednesday to Friday. The purpose of these 3 days is for people to find time for themselves and to learn how to apply the Shaolin Chan-Dao (zen) philosophy to find peace in their lives.

Through guided meditation and philosophy with Master Dao, students work on the awareness of the ego-self, clarify and manage the perceptual layers of our minds, to develop the understanding of one's emotions and thoughts, and to connect to the subconscious. These are the Principles of Chan-Dao and we work on them to understand ourselves better, which in turn will help us to find peace.

The day typically begins with Sunrise Qigong to get the blood and energy circulating, preparing the body and the mind for meditation and introspection exercises. No experience is necessary and Master Dao will teach students how to practice and develop the fundamentals of Shaolin Qigong which include breathing techniques, relaxing, awareness, and qi energy circulation.

This is followed by a short meditation session, light philosophy, and a nutritious breakfast. Meditation exercises are practiced in a group tent to provide a more comfortable experience.

After a short rest, we have several 20 minute sessions of guided meditation (still and moving exercises), stretching, philosophy, and contemplation exercises with introspection challenges. We also have group sharing discussions to help each other learn and grow.

By noon, we have lunch together and then students are free to spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying the wilderness and park facilities.