Fo Guang Shan North Carolina Hosts Mindfulness Retreat: Participants Share a Spiritual Feast
- FGS NC
- Sep 6
- 3 min read
[Reported by Hai Kuo, North Carolina, USA]
On September 6, 2025, Fo Guang Shan North Carolina held its monthly mindfulness retreat, welcoming 16 participants. Among them were BLIA Washington D.C. Chapter President Elisabeth Hsu, board member Peihua Chiang, and member Hui-Chang Yu, who drove six hours to attend. The full-day program included Buddhist meditation, Chan Doodling art, Dharma study, tea meditation, and evening chanting. Through stillness, creative expression, and Dharma sharing, participants experienced the peace and clarity that regular practice can bring.
The retreat coincided with the Buddhist festival of Buddha’s Joyful Day (the 15th day of the 7th lunar month). In her opening talk, the temple superintendent Venerable Miao Jou encouraged everyone to cherish the time for inner cultivation, to dwell in the present, and to turn inward with mindful practice that brings joy to the Buddha. Venerable Zhi San introduced the retreat guidelines and schedule, then guided walking and sitting meditation. Through the Seven-Point Posture of Vairochana combined with breath-counting, she guided participants to calm both body and mind, allowing them to experience meditation’s transformative strength more fully.
During the Chan Doodling art session, participants enthusiastically shared their reflections. BLIA NC Vice President Gee Chia, attending for the second time, said she is not skilled at drawing, but her son treasured her first artwork, which encouraged her greatly. “We should all learn to appreciate ourselves—simple methods can bring happiness,” she said. Participant Yin Zhang summed up his experience with the phrase “let go of the past, enjoy the present, look forward to the future,” noting that the present moment’s calmness and softness are especially precious. Ting-Ting Yue shared that Chan Doodling gave her the sense of seeing the world from an ant’s perspective—new and delightful. Venerable Zhi San concluded with the phrase, “there is a world in a single flower; a buddha in a single leaf,” reminding everyone to discover the vast wisdom of the Dharma in life’s smallest details.
In the Dharma session, Venerable Zhi San explained the teaching of “Poison Arrows” from the Saṁyuktāgama—how to avoid the suffering of the “second poison arrow,” keeping the mind free from anguish even when the body experiences pain. She elaborated on the Four Noble Truths—suffering, its cause, its cessation, and the path—showing how the Buddha realized liberation through them. She also encouraged participants to apply the truths in daily life, transforming their mindset and using Dharma wisdom to resolve afflictions.
Tea meditation sessions were guided by both Venerables Miao Jou and Venerable Zhi San. Participants eagerly asked questions ranging from meditation methods to applying practice in daily life. Venerable Miao Jou noted, “Even the same cup of tea tastes different depending on conditions; the Dharma is always around us—it depends on whether we can truly notice it.” Venerable Zhi San reminded the group that practice should not be only for one’s own liberation, but also to learn the Buddha’s skillful means to help others find joy and transform afflictions into awakening.
Several participants shared their insights. Si-Jing Luo said meditation helped her recognize how scattered her thoughts were, reminding her to keep cultivating concentration. Anjie shared that although she had meditated before, she struggled with wandering thoughts; using breath-counting this time, she learned to clearly notice and let go of them. She found the Dharma teachings more profound upon revisiting them in this retreat and expressed her eagerness to continue. Visiting scholar Chao-Nan Gao from UNC Chapel Hill, attending for the first time, shared that while the meditation first felt long, he gradually learned to observe his breath and thoughts, experiencing the power of “observing instead of clinging” even when facing physical discomfort. He expressed gratitude to the venerables for their guidance.
Elisabeth Hsu, BLIA Washington D.C. President, said that with her busy work schedule, she rarely has the chance to quietly reflect on her inner world, and this retreat filled her with Dharma joy. She expressed her admiration that Fo Guang Shan Buddhist temple of North Carolina offers such opportunities and her hope that the Washington chapter can host similar events in the future.
In closing, Venerable Miao Jou reminded everyone to “always return home,” encouraging participants to carry the joy and peace of practice back into their daily lives.
