31-May-2025

Slowly breathe in, slowly breathe out! The two-day Anapanasati meditation retreat was completed successfully on June 1st. With great compassion, Zen Master guided us, teaching us to relax our bodies, focus on our breathing, adjust our body and mind, and carefully observe the flow of each moment. Immersed in the tranquility of Luk Wu’s natural surroundings, we became aware of our breath and bodies. Our minds gradually became peaceful and pure, allowing us to experience and see through the three marks of existence - impermanence, suffering and non-self, as well as the characteristics of emptiness and suchness, ultimately extinguishing the taint of all mental defilements.

Using the Ten Oxherding Pictures, Zen Master described the ox herder as a metaphor for the practitioner, and the ox as a metaphor for the mind, gradually taming its wild nature. Only when we can just let go and liberate the mind, tasting this clear and pure mind by returning to zero, can we benefit ourselves and others. This two-day-one-night training brought a sense of peace and allowed everyone to cherish the inspiration gained from practice and each learning experience.