Our regular activities include: 

• Sunday:  Chan Workshop:  Meditation, Book Study & Vegetarian Lunch
• Tuesday:  Chanting and Meditation

In addition to these English activities (described below), we have activities in Mandarin Chinese.  (Web page forthcoming.)

Chan Workshop

The Chan Workshop provides an opportunity to further one's meditative practice and learn basic Buddhist teachings in a group setting. Chan, the Chinese pronunciation of Zen, is a Buddhist tradition noted for its directness and emphasis on meditation.

Anyone is welcome to attend this practice.  Some meditation experience is helpful, though not required.

Please email Dan Baker with any questions:  danbaker_tech@yahoo.com

The Chan workshop is held every Sunday morning from 8:30 to 11:30. The class begins with Dharma Drum's Eight Form Moving Meditation (a mix of yoga movements to loosen up the body and calm the mind).  It is directly followed by a period of seated meditation.

What is the precise relationship between meditation and enlightenment? Between Chan and meditation? And just what is enlightenment? How do we carry the calmness, clarity, wisdom, and compassion experienced during meditation into our daily lives? Is happiness even possible in our harried modern world? Chan often speaks of the emptiness of all phenomenon. What is emptiness? Does it mean that nothing exists? What else distinguishes Chan from other branches of Buddhism? And what are the original teachings of the enlightened Buddha?

Answering these challenging questions necessitates a firm foundation in basic Buddhist teachings. To this end, in a discussion that usually follows the sitting, we actively explore these and other topics in the context of basic Dharma, teachings of Buddha. Techniques of meditation are also examined. Readings serve as a springboard to launch our learning while discussions refine and deepen our understanding. The book currently being read is "Subtle Wisdom: Understanding Suffering, Cultivating Compassion Through Ch'an Buddhism" written by Chan Master Sheng Yen. Iris Wang, a student of Master Sheng Yen's since 1992, facilitates the discussions.

"Subtle Wisdom" may be purchased from your local bookseller, or at our Center, and should be owned by all regular workshop participants.

It is best to wear loose-fitting and comfortable clothing for the workshop.

Contact: Dan Baker: danbaker_tech@yahoo.com

Chanting

DDBMBA-Chicago is pleased to announce the addition of a new English chanting and meditation program.  The center will be open Tuesday evenings for 15 minute English Chanting of the Heart Sutra, with immediate transition to a 40 minute sitting meditation. The center will open at 7 pm. for set up; chanting begins at 7:30 pm.

In many Buddhist traditions there are several ways to prepare the mind for meditation: breathing exercises, visualization exercises, yoga exercises (Chan’s 8-fold movement), and chanting. These concentration exercises ease the transition into one’s meditation sitting. The addition of the new Tuesday evening program provides both an additional group sitting opportunity as well as a new technique for transitioning into meditation.

Melisande Resendiz, a Buddhist practitioner since 2006, has an interest in chanting and is volunteering to lead  this program.  Since this is a new program, we will chant with an audio file by a professional (Guo Go).  Moving forward we will need people to assist in the chanting portion of the evening.  We need people to play any of a number of instruments used in Chan style chanting.  The instruments are very basic and require no formal musical training. If you are interested please contact Melisande at meliresendiz@gmail.com .