Intensive Chan Meditation Retreat with Guo Gu July 11th to July 18th 2020

This retreat is full at this moment. You will be added to the waiting list. Thank you!

This is a intensive 7-day retreat in the lineage of DDM founded by Shifu Sheng Yen. Guo Gu will be the guiding teacher of the retreat, which will begin on July 11th with an evening meal, followed by an orientation, and end before lunch on July 18th 2020.

Retreats offer a rare occasion to deepen one’s Chan practice and commitment to the path. Many experiences arise in retreats that would normally not surface in daily individual or weekly group practice. Each sitting during a retreat is 30 minutes, punctuated by short periods of mindful yoga or walking meditation. There is also mindful work practice, which is a way for retreatants to integrate their practice to daily situations. Retreatants also get an opportunity to speak one-onone with Guo Gu in personal interview. The retreat will be conducted in English, German translation available.

The prerequisite for acceptance to the retreat is at least 6 months of experience in Buddhist meditation practice. Meditation cushions and mats are on site.

Retreat location: Haus Tao, CH-9427 Wolfhalden

The Meditation Centre Haus Tao is situated in the northeaster part of Appenzell, 500 m above sea-level. 20 minutes by car or 30 minutes by train from St. Gallen, between Rorschach und St. Margrethen, near the Austrian border.

Application: The application form and the retreat fee should be sent by June 28 to info@chan-bern.ch or you could also register to our online registration form.
. Please open or download the form: Download PDF Application Form EnglishDownload Word Application Form English.

Retreat fee (including veg. meals, lodging in with one, two or three bed-rooms):

7 Days CHF 730 /Euro 680 (Sponsor: CHF 800 /Euro 750)
Participants with limited financial resources may apply for a discount on the participation fee.

Bank transfer for Swiss Francs and for Euros:
PC-Konto 60-592636-0.
Chan Bern IBAN: CH97 0900 0000 6059 2636 0.
Bic POFICHBEXXX, Postfinance AG, Mingerstr. 20, CH 3030 Bern with the designation: Chan Bern, 3000 Bern.

With the bank transfer your participation is automatically accepted (if there are still places available).

Retreat Teacher

Guo Gu (Jimmy Yu) is one of Master Sheng Yen’s senior and closest disciples, and assisted the master in leading activities many locations. He began to learn meditation when he was four years old in 1972. Since 1980, he has studied with Master Sheng Yen. In 1991 Guo Gu was ordained as a monk and became Master Sheng Yen’s first personal attendant who traveled with the master. In 1995, he was given permission to teach Chan independently. In 2000, Guo Gu left monasticism and re-entered the world. In 2008, he received his Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from Princeton University and began teaching Buddhism as an Associate Professor at Florida State University. In 2009, he founded the Tallahassee Chan Center.

Master Sheng Yen was one of the greatest contemporary Buddhist Chan Masters. He established the Dharma Drum lineage in the tradition of Chinese Humanistic Buddhism. The training of monks and nuns was one of his major concerns, as well as practicing socially engaged Buddhism and interreligious dialogue. The lineage of Master Sheng Yen unites Caodong (Jap. Soto) and Linji (Jap. Rinzai).

Retreat assistants are practitioners of Chan Bern.

Haus Tao

The Meditation Centre Haus Tao is a Buddhist practice and study centre of the Sati-Zen Community, whose main interest lies in the combination of Vipassana und Zen. Centre and direction The calm and the natural beauty of the house and the environment are ideal for the practice of the meditative way. Centre Haus Tao is under the direction of ZenMaster Marcel Geisser, who bought the house in 1986. Today it belongs to the Foundation for Mindful Living. Haus Tao has the capacity to accommodate up to 19 participants during retreats.