Embodied Experiencing in Daily Life
GuoGu’s Events
Embodied Experiencing in Daily Life
About this program
An important part of Chan practice for lay people is to see that the coalescing of feelings and perceptions that make up our vexations is merely the manifestation of selfing. Learning to directly see this process unfold, and not allow any “self” to solidify, is an important practice toward liberation.
One method that helps us practice this is “embodied experiencing.” We are already embodied, and we are always experiencing, so it should be easy to do this! And yet, we often find that we are caught in vexations and haven’t been freed.
This program offers an opportunity to practice deeply with this method through four weeks of specialized practice in daily life, concluding with an immersive weekend retreat. Each week emphasizes a different theme — you will practice that theme for a week, receive guidance, and share your experience with a group via Zoom.
At the concluding retreat, available either in-person or hybrid, you can use these methods in greater depth and without ordinary distractions to deepen your practice.
Program Structure
Part One · Online
Weekly Practice Sessions
Sundays, 7–8pm ET
Sept 13 – Oct 11, 2026
Practice a weekly theme in daily life, then gather on Zoom for guidance and group sharing.
Part Two · In-person / Hybrid
Concluding Practice Retreat
Oct 16–18, 2026
Tallahassee Chan Center
An immersive weekend to practice embodied experiencing in greater depth, free from ordinary distractions.
Weekly Themes
| Week 1 · Sept 13–20 | Experiencing change in postures and movement of body |
| Week 2 · Sept 20–27 | Experiencing vedana — along with senses and perception/concepts |
| Week 3 · Sept 27–Oct 4 | Experiencing greed and aversion — along with intention/sankhara |
| Week 4 · Oct 4–11 | Experiencing endings |
| Week 5 · Oct 11–18 | Practice with the experiencing itself — culminating in the weekend retreat Oct 16–18 |
Your Commitment
For the best practice experience, we ask you to commit to the following:
- Meditate for at least one 30-minute session per day
- Each day, emphasize the practice theme of the week as you go about daily life — no special schedule or changes to your routine are needed
- Note any insights, themes, and experiences that feel significant; keep a journal over the course of the program
- Attend the weekly group Zoom and share your experience
- Attend the final weekend retreat, either in-person or by Zoom, for an immersive experience in embodied experiencing
Retreat Schedule · October 16–18, 2026
Friday, October 16
| 3:00–4:30 pm | Registration and seat selection |
| 4:30–5:00 pm | Introduction and begin noble silence |
| 5:00–6:00 pm | Dinner, clean-up, and personal practice |
| 6:00–9:00 pm | Evening session: talk, sitting, walking, and movement meditation |
| 9:00 pm | Bedtime |
Saturday, October 17
| 7:00 am | Sitting meditation and short liturgy |
| 7:45–8:30 am | Breakfast and work assignments |
| 8:30–9:00 am | Personal time and practice |
| 9:00 am–12:00 pm | Morning session: talk, sitting, walking, and movement meditation |
| 12:00–1:00 pm | Lunch and work assignments |
| 1:00–2:00 pm | Personal time and practice |
| 2:00–5:00 pm | Afternoon session: talk, sitting, walking, and movement meditation |
| 5:00–6:00 pm | Dinner, clean-up, post-dinner walking |
| 6:00–7:00 pm | Personal time and practice |
| 7:00–9:00 pm | Evening session: talk, sitting, walking, and movement meditation |
| 9:00 pm | Bedtime |
Sunday, October 18
| 7:00 am | Sitting meditation and short liturgy |
| 7:45–8:30 am | Breakfast and work assignments |
| 8:30–9:30 am | Personal time and practice |
| 9:30 am–12:00 pm | Morning session: sitting, walking, and concluding discussion (noble silence ends) |
| 12:00–1:00 pm | Lunch and clean-up |
| 1:00 pm | Continue practice in daily life! |
Facilitator
Ashley M.
Course Facilitator, Tallahassee Chan Center
Ashley M. is a course facilitator at the Tallahassee Chan Center. She leads this program in embodied experiencing, a method of Chan practice suited for lay practitioners in daily life.