Bringing Zen Into The City – Meditation Centre

After 5 years of being a monk and travelling to learn from various teachers and traditions, I have returned to lay life.

The life of a monk in the city is extremely worldly. I can only be a monk in the countryside. But my many moments of awakening brought me closer to society in the sense that I feel the need to share my understanding with them and pave a way; to walk amongst the people.

Even if I cultivate as a hermit, which I'll enjoy, I wouldn't last long in the mountains because the moment I gain new insights, I will feel the natural need to return to society to walk alongside the people. My current practice is to transcend form and formlessness.

Therefore the need to return to laylife and expose myself completely to the elements is necessary. In other words, to be completely naked and burn everything to the ground; a new rebirth. It has been an emotional and painful occasion for my teacher, friends, family and myself. But as my master said, it’s time to “descend the mountain”.

I am going to set up an urban practice centre that will serve as a refuge sanctuary for city dwellers. I will be creating secular based practice to cater to different needs. So as to open new Dhamma doors for both Buddhists and non-Buddhists. I need to take on the form of a layperson in order to do more engaged work that can reach out to more people in the city.

We are looking to collectively raise SGD 15,000 to buffer for the first 6-months running cost of the meditation centre. Afterwhich, the centre will be self-sustained by our programs:

Meditation classes/courses

Mindfulness workshops

Sharing circles

Spiritual discussions/discourses

One-to-one mindfulness coaching

Collaboration with other holistic activities

The centre will bring about benefits such as:

• Manage and reduce stress and tension
• Bringing zen into everyday life
• A sanctuary for city dwellers to shut-off and rest
• Cultivating understanding and compassion towards ourselves and others
• Restore inner peace
• Restore trust and harmony within ourselves and society
• Bring about reconciliation in ourselves and our relationships
• Increased mental strength and resolve
• Increased energy
• Increased productivity
• Improve focus and concentration
• Understanding body-mind-nature connection
• Contribute towards a more peaceful society
• Move society in a positive direction
• Community Building
• Advocate Work-Life balance

Please come together to pledge your support in bringing zen into the city.

With metta,

Dhammakamo Chuan Fa

Author of ‘Garden Of Mangala’ and ‘Daydreams of a Millennial Monk’

Practiced and learnt from the teachers of:

Wat Buddhaguna Singapore

Wat Pahkor Suvannaram (Hat Yai, Thailand)

Kuansamroot Meditation (Hat Yai, Thailand)

Bodhinyana Forest Monastery (Western Australia)

Plum Village France

Tushita Meditation Centre (Dharamsala, India)