STQI Toronto Meditation

This summer was my second experience at the Shaolin Meditation Retreat in Warsaw caves. It was such an escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life that immediately after, I was already in anticipation of the next retreat!

I initially went knowing nothing about Kung Fu, and very little about meditation, but I knew it was something I needed to incorporate into my busy and often stressful life. I felt a bit intimidated being there and knowing nothing but it was such a welcoming and comfortable environment, I got over that feeling very quickly.

Dao walked us through our first of many meditations over the weekend, and I was able to understand how simple (although very challenging!) meditating really is. Being surrounded by pristine nature made it an extra incredible experience. It was amazing learning QiGong, and was such a powerful way to start the day. One morning a doe and her fawn even stopped to watch us in action.

The retreat was a great balance of community and social gathering, silence, meditation, discussions of Chan philosophy, activity, and eating delicious, fresh, and simple food.
Those few days were exactly what I needed to recharge and also taught me how to create balance in my life once I returned home. I left feeling refreshed and with clarity. This is something I know I will be looking forward to each year!

Away from the city and daily concerns, Shaolin retreat was the only place where I was able to completely relax and evaluate my life while spending hours practicing meditation and Qi Gong with instructor Shi Chang Dao. My first retreat was a life changing experience and I don’t ever want to miss this opportunity again. There is no better chance to take a deep look within yourself and learn basics of Chan philosophy, Shaolin meditation, QiGong and even Kung Fu. I know now that I’ll be going to this retreat camping every year!

I have had some sporadic experiences with meditation over many years, but a 3 hours sitting meditation was a new experience for me. Dao did a great job in grounding the group and giving some information on benefits of meditation during the session. I was able to feel relaxed throughout the experience and to be in a meditative state of mind for about 1 hour. On my way home and in the following few days I felt benefits of the session. The experience of the time passing was slower. I was more present in the moment and observant.

I find the 3 hours session much more beneficial than shorter sessions I have experienced earlier. I look forward to the next one in November. Thank you Dao for the experience.

Sincerely, Jasmina

My experience at the Warsaw Caves Meditation Retreat embodied my body , mind , spirit and emotion . A safe beautiful environment to nurture myself . Dao’s guidance and leadership during the meditation, Qi gong . and Kung Fu sessions have made a lasting impact on me. I am grateful . Looking forward to learning more about the Shaolin philosophy at the next retreat.

I really enjoyed the meditation workshop. First of all, it was great to know that there is nothing that I have to do for three hours, and that I was just free to be silent and observe. The atmosphere, with dimmed lighting and incense, was conducive to a mood of relaxed alertness. There were three 20 minute meditation sessions, with instructor Dao discussing Ch’an philosophy between the sessions. It was painful for me to sit cross-legged (I don’t have good flexibility), and I had to tolerate the pain during the first meditation session, making it feel much longer than 20 minutes. However, during the second session, the pain stopped bothering me and I was able to, for brief periods of time, pay attention to nothing but my breath. I was surprised to find out how easy it was to transcend my pain and no longer give it centre attention. After the 2nd session I was eager to continue meditating. Despite the pain, I didn’t want the third session to end, and was very much enjoying the experience. I feel like I became progressively more relaxed throughout the three hours, due to the atmosphere, meditation, and instructor Dao’s interesting exposition of the Ch’an way of thinking. Altogether, it was a very fulfilling experience.

My experience at the shaolin meditation retreat was fantastic. It was a great way to deepen and learn meditation in a way I had never been shown before. I left feeling empowered and my meditation practice has deepened significantly since my return. I look forward to returning next year!

Testimonial from the last session as we dived into perceptions:

It was very peaceful… A good disconnect from all of our daily distractions. The discussions are just enough to provoke the mind and reflect.

Is it possible to have workshops more often? November seems far away…

Anthony- STQI Student