Gateway to Chan

A 5-Day Silent Retreat led by Guo Gu

Thursday April 17th - Monday April 21st

Tallahassee Chan Center

1310 Paul Russell Rd, Tallahassee, FL 32301

A special opportunity to learn from one of the few living Chan Buddhist masters in the West

The group photo from the Dharma Gates 2024 retreat led by Guo Gu

Guo Gu

Retreat Overview

In the Chan tradition, there are two main approaches to awakening: the method of silent illumination (mòzhào) and the method of investigating a critical phrase (huàtóu). The former is a settling method of serene reflection on the nature of awareness; the latter is an explosive approach that aims to concentrate and shatter all mental states so awakening manifests.

Aside from the many periods of sitting meditation, there will also be stretching exercises, walking meditations, and outdoor direct contemplation. There will also be mindful eating and work practices. There will be daily Dharma talks by Guo Gu, and opportunities for 1:1 personal consultations (conversations) with Guo Gu.

Retreat practice is an excellent way to deepen our practice, as it allows practitioners to engage with the meditation method in a sustained, focused way under a protected environment with a retreat teacher. Practitioners receive guidance on issues or experiences that wouldn’t normally arise in daily or individual practices.

Arrival, Departure & Daily Schedule

The retreat will begin on Thursday, April 17th. Registration opens at 6:00pm, you are welcome to arrive early to settle in. The retreat will finish at 12:00pm on Monday, April 21st.

Here is the daily schedule for Friday, Saturday and Sunday (April 18th - 20th):

Morning

5:00 Morning Wakeup Board
5:30 Mindful Exercises
6:00 Sitting Meditation
6:40 Morning Service
7:15 Breakfast, Mindful Work
8:05 End of Work Bell (large outside bell)
8:06 Personal Time
8:25 Preparation Bell (small hand bell)
8:35 Sitting meditation, Mindful Yoga, Walking Meditation
12:00 Lunch, Mindful Work

Afternoon

1:05 End of Work Bell (large outside bell)
1:06 Personal Time
1:25 Preparation Bell (small hand bell)
1:35 Sitting meditation, Mindful Yoga, Walking Meditation (Personal Interview)
5:00 Dinner
5:30 Personal time (Kitchen Crew Works)
6:50 Preparation Bell (small hand bell)
7:00 Dharma Talk
8:30 Sitting, Mindful Yoga, Walking Meditation
10:00 Rest; optional meditation

The retreat is run entirely in the spirit of dāna (generosity).
Find out more about dāna here

About the Teacher

Guo Gu first learned meditation as a child in Taiwan. He was introduced to Master Guangqin (1892-1986), one of the most respected Chinese meditation masters and ascetics in Taiwan, at the age of four in 1972 and received instruction from the master. In 1980, he moved to the United States and began studying with Master Sheng Yen (1931-2009). He was ordained as a monk in 1991 and became Master Sheng Yen’s first personal attendant and assistant.

Guo Gu experienced his first breakthrough in 1995 and was subsequently given permission by Sheng Yen to teach Chan independently to monastics and lay people throughout the world. His subsequent experiences of Chan were recognized by other teachers in both the Chan and Japanese Zen traditions.

Responding to a deep desire to take Chan Buddhism beyond the walls of the monastery, Guo Gu gave up his robes and re-entered the world in 2000. He completed a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from Princeton University and is currently a Professor of Buddhist Studies at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. These two dimensions of Guo Gu (theory and practice) come through his teachings, following the footsteps of his teacher.

“Guo Gu” means the result of being a valley. It comes from the Chinese proverb, “To be humble as a valley.” A valley is humble because it is empty, resting at the lowest part of earth, yet it is able to support and nourish all life forms. The second part of his name is “Zheng Xue,” which means authentic learning. Together, the full name means “Authentic learning is to be humble as a valley.”

Lodging

The Tallahassee Chan Center has a limited number of beds reserved for retreatants in gender-separated housing. There are 11 beds in the female dorm, and 11 beds in the male dorm. Note: if you are non-binary, transgender or queer, we will do everything we can to help you feel comfortable and safe. That is extremely important to us. We will correspond with you via email to explore what the best option is for you.

There is also space for camping! The Chan Center is on a 5-acre lot. If you wish to stay at the center before and/or after the retreat, we can help you make those arrangements. The accommodations are bunk-bed style with shared restrooms.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. All experience levels are welcome, including beginners.
Nope. You do not have to be Buddhist to participate in this retreat. Guo Gu’s teachings are deeply rooted in the classical Chan Buddhist tradition and include beliefs that may be challenging for some. We invite you to encounter the teachings with an open, discerning, and inquisitive mind.
The retreat is run on a donation basis in the spirit of dana. There is no required attendance fee. We ask that participants give a deposit of $100 in order to claim your place at the retreat. This deposit is returned back to you at the end of the retreat unless you choose to donate it. We keep your deposit in the case that you don’t show up.
We ask you to donate the amount that feels appropriate and generous for you, given your situation and desire for Dharma Gates to continue to exist in the future.
The food served at the retreat will be vegan. If you have specific allergies or requests, please let us know. We do are best to able to accommodate all dietary requests.
The 5 precepts are training guidelines as the foundation of sīla (ethics) in Buddhism. Throughout this retreat we will all be maintaining the 5 precepts so that we can we can practice in harmony. The 5 precepts are:
1. I will not engage in physical violence or intentionally cause bodily harm to myself or others
2. I will not steal or damage other people’s property.
3. I will refrain from forced, coercive, or non-consensual sexual contact or any other form of sexual harassment against others. For this retreat we will be practicing celibacy.
4. I will not intentionally insult or verbally abuse others.
5. I will not consume intoxicating substances including, but not limited to, alcohol, marijuana, psychedelics or any other illegal substances.
Dharma Gates wholeheartedly welcomes people of all cultural, ethnic and racial backgrounds, sexual orientations, and gender identities. There will be gender neutral bathrooms available and we may be able to provide single rooms if that would make you more comfortable. Our aim is to make retreat practice accessible to all young people—if there’s something we can to do help you feel comfortable to attending, please do not hesitate to reach out to us (team@dharma-gates.org.)
This retreat will be held at Guo Gu’s center, The Tallahassee Chan Center. The address is 1310 Paul Russell Rd, Tallahassee, FL 32301.

It is a 17 minute drive from the Tallahassee Airport for those that are flying. We will do our best to arrange airport pick-ups for you.
Dharma Gates will provide a spreadsheet for participants to self-organize ride shares from the airport and other locations.
Arrival: Please arrive between 5:00pm - 6:00pm on Thursday, April 17th. It is important you arrive during this window so you can go through the check-in process before the evening activities begin.

Departure: The retreat will end at 12:00pm on Monday, April 21st.
We ask that everyone who attends wears modest loose clothing, with subdued colors, prints, and minimal/no words for the duration of the retreat.
We ask you to bring personal hygiene products that are free of artificial fragrance. Some people are sensitive to those scents and it can negatively impact their experience on the retreat.
We are no longer require testing for Covid-19. We are still committed to the safety and health of the retreat container. The intention is to move towards a culture of taking care of ourselves and others by self-monitoring symptoms, and reducing transmission of any possible sickness.