2010 Three-day Meditation Retreat

Maggie Milne

I thought the retreat was so fun! I had never been to a meditation retreat before so I didn’t really know what to expect and I wondered if I could go for 2 days without talking and just meditate a lot, but it was actually fine. Not talking actually made me feel calmer. Forty minutes of meditation was a good amount of time because after one hour I get a lot of pins and needles. I also liked to do walking meditation after each session because I quite like to move around after sitting down. During the retreat, I ate much less than usual and didn’t even feel hungry during meals. The first session after the main meal was the one where I felt a bit sleepy.

The Abbess’s talks were also great. I like it how she spoke Chinese, then English because I could listen to the English and then think about what she had said during the Chinese, or I could listen to both and learn some new Chinese words. My time at the retreat was very calm and peaceful. I really enjoyed it and it was organized perfectly! I gained a lot from this retreat and I will work harder to become the master of my mind!
Thank you everyone for an excellent retreat and if there’s another, I will definitely join again!

Michelle Tang

Throughout the retreat, I did my best to control my mind from wandering, and let go of the thoughts that arise. Taming one’s monkey mind is not easy at all. I also used the Seven Round Compassion Contemplation method which was effective in stopping my monkey mind.

Overall, the three-day meditation retreat felt like a cleansing of my mind. It was an event that I would not mind experiencing again. I believe I accomplished a lot in understanding my mind. The saying goes “Old habits die hard”, I still like to converse with people although now, I am more mindful of what I say.

Big thank you again to all Shifu’s for conducting such a meaningful retreat.

Angelina Chung (Sutra Study Class / Tai Chi Teacher)

For me, the three-day retreat was just what I needed to round off a very busy year. It was time out for myself. I find the retreat valuable in helping me to still my mind and to stay focused. As each day passed, the time of silence in my mind increased and so was the depth of my awareness. During the meditation, I also experienced the sudden increased of body temperature on occasions which gave a rather uneasy feeling at the time. However, when it came, I acknowledged and it went. The awareness of this phenomenon was probably brought about by a relaxed mind and body. I realized meditation practice and Dharma teachings are great tools for continuing self-cultivation. I have enjoyed the 3 days of peace, calm and serene bliss.