Retreat Reports: Silent Illumination Retreat

We publish selections from retreat reports written after Western Chan Fellowship retreats, to illustrate the range of experiences people go through as they investigate themselves in silent meditation. These reports are printed anonymously and may be lightly edited.

Finely Tuned

Calligraphy for the character Chan

As I write this, two days after my return, I am fine tuned. My heart is brilliant, clear and unobstructed. Someone throws a ball for a dog, which…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2012 , Anon , Koan Retreat Reports

Letting go of this, letting go of that: what then?

Calligraphy for the character Chan

I arrived at my first Western Zen retreat with no expectations and was looking forward to spending five days meditating in the beautiful Welsh…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2012 , Western Zen Retreat Reports

Not a Bad Starting Point!

Calligraphy for the character Chan

The WZR was my first retreat with the WCF. Before that I had been practicing Zen in the Soto tradition for about eight years. I participated in about…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2012 , Western Zen Retreat Reports

30 Years Later

Calligraphy for the character Chan

The retreat gave me a space and context to deal with a situation that seemed overwhelming and allowed me to feel grief and sadness freely, without any…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2012 , Western Zen Retreat Reports

Until Next Time...

Calligraphy for the character Chan

As I neared Maenllwyd I could see where I needed to get to as I recognised it from the pictures but I wasn’t sure which way to go. One way had a…

Western Chan Fellowship CIO

Categories: 2012 , Western Zen Retreat Reports

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