OUR RETREAT CENTER CAMPUS
Chan Hall
Our main meditation hall, Chan Hall, is the spiritual center of our campus and a quiet sanctuary for participants practicing meditation methods. In this beautifully austere hall, with high ceilings and natural colored walls lined with Dharma instruments, people discover stillness. Here, they get acquainted with their very nature, and begin to distinguish their mind from their own essence.
Reception Hall
The ground floor of the Reception Hall contains the visitors’ reception area, the administrative offices, the library, and the adjacent Contemplation Hall. You will need to register in the reception area when you first arrive for a retreat or workshop. Free literature is available here about Dharma Drum; small publications for study and daily reflection by Master Sheng Yen. The sitting area is available for meetings and socializing. The library contains texts in both English & Chinese, including some key titles of Chan Master Sheng Yen’s many publications. You are welcome to sit and read in the library. The second floor is reserved for sleeping quarters and visitors are respectfully asked not to go upstairs.
Contemplation Hall
The serene Contemplation Hall, adjacent to the Reception Hall, is an additional meditation space for individual and small group use.
Dining Hall
Staffed regularly by volunteer chefs and center residents, the modern kitchen in our Dining Hall is 100% vegetarian. This upholds one of the five Buddhist precepts, to abstain from taking life. Mindfully prepared, nourishing meals are served in an inviting contemplative space. The Dining Hall is accented by wood floors and beams, exposed brick and interior and exterior fire places. With its raised stage and altar area, the Dining Hall is also used for events and lectures.
Sangha House
The Sangha House is an updated bungalow style home situated near the Chan Hall. It is one of the first buildings you see on the left when you enter the campus. This is the Abbot’s and monks’ quarters. Visitors are respectfully asked not to approach the Sangha House.
Accommodations
Having a good night’s sleep is one of the most essential requirements for practice. This is what our rooms provide for. Comfortable and basic accommodations are available to both retreat participants and center residents.
Natural Environment
Sitting and walking meditation as well as Dharma study are held both indoors and outdoors, depending on the weather. Paved walkways connect all of our buildings, and unpaved footpaths extend into the woods, around the lake and through the property. There are benches beside the lake. Visitors are welcome to enjoy the grounds – we simply ask that you respect the flora and fauna by causing as little impact as possible.
