Retreat Reports: Other Chan Retreats

We have not always designated a retreat as being for one specific practice alone. The following reports relate to retreats designated simply as “Chan”, and which may have included teaching and practice of general Buddhist meditation as well as of Silent Illumination, Koan (Gongan) or Huatou practice.

I came to the New York retreat unsure of what to expect. Earlier retreats at Maenllwyd had afforded powerful experiences and insight into dilemmas. In…

Tantric Retreat, Maenllwyd, July 1994

Driving up to Maenllwyd, knowing that I would be asked, I tried to formulate the reason as to why I wanted to…

On the first evening John told us that he was going to teach silent illumination. This is a method that I have felt affinity for, and have begun to…

I arrived at the retreat in poor shape. I was tired and stressed and, although there were no major problems in my life, the general wear and tear…

I felt very much at home sitting around the fire on the first evening, happy I'd come and ready for the retreat. I'd taken a bit more care than usual…