ONLINE — Sunday Meditation and Q&A with David Listen
Weekly group sitting meditation, followed by Q&A and brief instructions on the practice. David Listen—a former monk in the Dharma Drum Mountain community, current mental health counselor, and a long-time instructor at the Dharma Drum Retreat Center—will answer questions and share insights about sitting meditation and the application of Chan Buddhist methods of practice in daily life. This program is suited to beginners, advanced practitioners, and everyone in between—after all we're all just beginning anew with each moment.
10:30 AM — Guided meditation
10:50 AM — Talk and discussion
11:40 AM — Silent meditation
12:00 PM — Informal Q&A (for anyone interested)
Every Sunday. Free and open to all.
About the teacher
David Listen has been sharing Chan/Zen meditation and Buddhist teachings for 20 years, leading intensive meditation retreats, classes, and activities at various monasteries, college campuses, and private institutions throughout North America, Europe, and East Asia. Previously known as Venerable Chang Wen (常聞法師), he was one of the few Western monastic disciples of Chan Master Sheng Yen. He had been a monk for over a decade, and in 2015 returned to lay life to share the insights of the Buddha in his own creative way.
David is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, and has done extensive work translating the teachings of Chinese Buddhism into English, both on retreat and in published works. He holds a Bachelor’s in Environmental Studies, a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling, and is currently licensed counselor in the State of New York. He also has his own life mentoring/coaching practice, guiding people in their cultivation of wisdom and compassion on an individual basis. He currently lives with his wife in New York and hopes to continue to share Buddhism in a practical and down-to-earth way via social media and upcoming publications.