Awareness in Christ Retreat: Wakeful Inquiry

Awareness in Christ Retreat is a series of meditative explorations into key aspects of deeper meditation in the context of micro-retreat. We will cover salient dimensions of jhana (lucid concentration), aruppa (immaterial absorption), vipassana (deep insight), mozhao-chan  默照禅 (silent illumination), huatou-chan 话头禅 (critical phrase), anuttara-yoga tantra (highest integral blissful wisdom), mahamudra (nature of awareness), and dzogchen (pristine awareness in essence and effulgence)—all luminously held in the presence and power of Christ.

Today's retreat focuses on huatou (话头) or critical phrase. We shift from meditation of the early Buddhist texts into meditation of the Chan/Zen tradition, a lineage traceable according to traditional accounts to Maha Kasyapa, one of the chief disciples of the Buddha. Of the two main meditative approaches in Chan/Zen, critical phrase (similar to a Zen koan but in nuclear form) is a penetrating practice of inquiry invoking a vivid sense of perplexity, wonderment, and investigation that retraces the mind back to its empty source where the reified self is dissolved. This practice can be found in all lines of Chan transmission though often erroneously regarded as found only in the Linji (or Rinzai in Japan) school alone. Chan master Dahui Zonggao 大慧宗杲 (1089-1163 C.E.) gave the method of huatou a special place in Chan practice. The retreat is offered in two blocks: first from 9:00 to 11:00am SGT and second from 1:00 to 3:00pm SGT. Anyone is free to attend either the morning or afternoon block, or both.

In each retreat block, we begin with a guided meditation session with pointing-out instructions for about 45 minutes. This is followed by a 30 minute break where we can choose to continue sitting, do walking meditation, or have a restfully meditative break, each in our own locations. After that, we come together for co-presencing of awareness in loving silence, with or without guidance/pointing-out instructions. This is followed by Q&A and a time of sharing and discussion. A short affirmation and blessing will wrap up our time together.

All registrants for this retreat will receive a single Zoom link for both morning and afternoon blocks. Please indicate which retreat block you wish to attend, or if you wish to attend both blocks.