2 Day Meditation Retreat - 30 & 31 May 2009

Observing Noble Silence

This group of ten enthusiastic members, new and old, were to be a part of something special, we were the first English subchapter group to take part in an overnight retreat at the Fo Guang Shan North Island Temple. We were guided by Venerable Miao Yu throughout the two days.

It was a rare opportunity for those of us who regard the temple as our spiritual home and to experience the monastic life, including learning more about the Buddhist etiquette such as formal mealtimes, and the discipline with which a Buddhist monastic live their life.

While the focus of this two day retreat was to maintain noble silence, each member had personal goals and expectations. We were asked to come with an open mind and be prepared to embrace the different experiences of everyday living in a temple.

Dressed in our silver meditation robes we gathered together in the temple grounds on a clear autumn morning to begin the first day of our Meditation Retreat.

To start the retreat participants joined the English Saturday service Tai Chi and Meditation; this would be our first challenge in maintaining our noble silence while being surrounded by others that were not part of the retreat.

The service was focused on the Buddhism symbolism featured throughout the temple grounds, for instance; the food and candle offerings in the Main Shrine, the tripod incense burner which adorns the front of the Main Shrine, the steps which lead to the Main Shrine, and the beautiful courtyard in the center of the Temple.

Walking meditation took on special meaning when Venerable Yu asked us to imagine we were walking on the lotus flower which is an important symbol in Buddhism because of its ability to thrive in muddy water or in less than desirable conditions.

Through each of the different forms of meditation i.e. sitting, walking, slow walking, standing that we experienced throughout the retreat helped us to foster a sense of calmness, clarity and focus.

Other ideas central to the retreat were living in the present moment and having appreciation for elements in our life we seem to take for granted. An opportunity to contemplate these ideas were during the formal mealtimes, and these gave us an opportunity to reflect and appreciate the food in its entirety, and the five meal time contemplations were fundamental to our understanding of appreciation and the idea of humbleness.

During meal times, and the participation in small chores, we had the opportunity to appreciate how each action however small can be performed with focus to achieve a great result and is part of a much larger picture. Without every chink in the chain so to speak the chain cannot work. Carrying out chores also gave us the opportunity to practice discipline, teamwork, and to engage and fully participate in temple life

Another chance to understand appreciation was through the Tea Chan Service. This was an opportunity to make tea with mindfulness and to serve others and be served. Appreciating the person serving and for the receiver to be humble in the act of giving and receiving. Another element to this motive meditation was to have an awareness on the different taste from each of the participants without judgment or discrimination.

The retreat concluded with a meditative contemplation standing inside the safety of the Temple grounds looking out. The life inside the Temple and the life outside gives us the challenge of trying to attain the same focus and purpose we had experienced over the past two days and that perhaps the community outside the temple can have the same cohesiveness and focus as the one inside.

One of the highlights of the retreat was an informal question and answer session with Venerable Abbess Manshin, where members had the opportunity to engage with the Abbess, as a group. Many of the questions asked came down to the meaning of Karma, and what it means to us.

Participants on the retreat were humbled by the support shown from Venerable Abbess Manshin and all the Venerables of Fo Guang Shan North Island, and our guiding Reverend Venerable Miao Yu. The many volunteers who made the retreat run smoothly with their care and attention are an excellent example of what it is to practice Humanistic Buddhism.