Contact Details

• Organizer：Dharma Drum Retreat Center
• Phone：+ 1 845 744 8114
• Email：ddrc@dharmadrumretreat.org
• Social connect：Facebook Twitter

• Check-in：4:00 – 6:00 PM, 12/2
• End Time：4:00 PM, 12/5
• Deadline：apply by 3:00 pm, 11/30
• No Bus

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will only accept people who can show proof of being fully vaccinated no later than November 18, 2021. During the retreat we will require masks and social distancing. We also require all guests to have a COVID PCR test with a negative result, within 5 days before arriving at our center. Space is limited, so please apply early.

This silent retreat is non-intensive; the simple and relaxed schedule allows you to settle your mind while at the same time allowing you to maintain a constant awareness of your every activity.

Sitting periods are thirty minutes. In between sittings you are guided in gentle yoga and walking meditation.

The retreat also offers a review of basic meditation methods such as breath awareness, as well as brief Dharma talks.

Requirements for Being Accepted

This is an intermediate retreat. The requirements to be accepted are that the applicant has:

• already received basic meditation instruction
• established a daily personal practice
• previously attended at least a one-day retreat

Sliding Scale

This event is priced on a sliding scale. Please consider paying at the highest rate that you can afford. Your generosity supports Dharma Drum Mountain, staff, your fellow practitioners and our continuous efforts to help people to learn and grow.

When you submit your application, select one of the sliding scale rates below. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

• Base: $150
• Sustainer: $300
• Benefactor: $500

Any amount paid above the Base rate is a tax deductible donation to DDRC. Your confirmation email is your tax receipt.

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.