We are delighted to introduce the 2024 Summer Chan Residency Program, led by Guo Gu, aimed at enriching participants’ understanding and practice of Chan. This initiative, designed for English speakers with prior intensive meditation retreat experience, signifies a pioneering step towards establishing a sustained Chan training environment in the West.
This pilot program begins on June 13th and ends on July 11th, with options to join for two-weeks, and includes intensive study periods, a 7-day meditation retreats, all hosted at the Tallahassee Chan Center. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply as we update this website with more information.
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- Residents are required to stay on site at the Tallahassee Chan Center. Vegetarian meals will be provided.
- Guo Gu will teach classes on Chan using a text to be announced prior to the program start. Each program day will include several hours of intensive study and discussion.
- Residents are required to complete one 3-day meditation retreat and one 7-day intensive retreat during the program.
- The program will only have noble silence during the two retreats.
- Leaving off the premise is discouraged. Permission must be granted by the teacher for special circumstances.
- To ensure a harmonious environment conducive to practice and study, we will encourage restricted usage of phones.
To promote the opportunity for more interested people to join, we’ve adopted rolling admissions. Admissions will end when the available slots are filled, so it is best to apply as soon as you can. Please be aware that due to the preliminary nature of this launch, we ask all applicants to have previously participated in a 7-day intensive Chan (or Zen) meditation retreat. For young adults (18-35) who have never done a retreat before, we encourage you to apply regardless of your retreat experience.
We have an upcoming 3-day intensive retreat from April 12 – April 14, and an upcoming half-day retreat held on April 21. Be prepared to provide two non-relative character references in the application. For those asking for a scholarship: If you cannot make a deposit at this time, please email us at tccresidenceprogram@gmail.com with information on your situation and we will send you the application link.
We will have scholarships available for those who need it and are accepted to the program. More details to be sent out in early April.
You will receive a link to the application after making the deposit payment.
| Program Duration & Tier | Supported | Regular | Sustainer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Month | $500 | $700 | $1,000 |
| Two-Week Program: Study | $250 | $350 | $450 |
| Two-Week Program: Practice | $550 | $650 | $750 |
Note: Your deposit will go towards the fee for each tier. Payment plans will be available for the supported, regular, and sustainer tiers. The supported tier covers the basic participation cost, the regular tier includes additional teaching and maintenance costs, and the sustainer tier comprehensively supports the center and other participants. Please be aware that the requested additional payment for the two-week study and practice periods incorporates the cost of the seven-day intensive retreat included in the program. The pricing for the two-week programs is set at a higher rate per day compared to the monthly option, as our preference is for participants to enroll for the full month.
If you are a young adult (18-35), a woman, a person of color, LGBTQ+ or economically disadvantaged, we welcome and especially encourage you to apply. Different types of financial assistance are available. In the application, there will be a question about your need for a scholarship.
We support all gender expressions at the center, and have three dorms available with dormitory-style bunk beds on the Tallahassee Chan Center property. We will be releasing more information soon.
Please click here for the weekly schedule. Click here for the daily schedule.
The program features over 3 hours of daily study and discussion. Initially, we will explore “Hoofprints of the Ox” by Master Sheng Yen for foundational Chan insights. Later, we shift to “Six Gates to the Sublime,” a Tiantai meditation guide on the breath by 6th-century Buddhist monk Zhiyi.
Note: Residents will be asked to secure their own copy of the texts themselves. For those who require financial assistance, we will provide the PDFs.
