How deeply do we listen to others, ourselves, and the world around us? Do we ever feel unheard, misunderstood, or disconnected? Although our modern technology allows us to reach into outer-space, somehow we have neglected the ancient technology that allows us to connect to our inner-space.

Over the millennia, spiritual teachers have pointed to listening as a gateway to our awakened potential. There are many dimensions: somatic listening--observing what is arising in the body and staying grounded in conversations with others; empathic listening--accepting our emotions and feelings as they are and extending this open-heartedness to others; panoramic listening--tuning into the interconnected field of our environment; and sacred listening--respecting and serving the highest potential in ourselves and others.

Join us for a unique full-day retreat on Monday, October 9th (9:45-4pm) , where we will explore the practice of deep listening through the dimensions of somatic, empathic, panoramic and sacred listening together with special guests Jin Chuan and Jin-Wei, two young Buddhist monks, who are coming all the way from Berkeley, California! 

We will gather at Trishna and Deep's home in Southwest London (Walton-on-Thames), where we recently hosted a memorable retreat in June.  We are very happy to offer lifts to/from the train station - Walton-on-Thames is accessible by SWR trains from Waterloo, Vauxhall and Clapham Junction.

A photo from our recent visit to Berkeley Buddhist Monastery this summer!
From left to right: Jin-Wei, Jin Chuan, Rev. Heng Sure, Deep, Trishna, Ariyana, Sareena

About Jin Chuan and Jin-Wei

You may enjoy getting to know Jin Chuan and Jin-Wei in this interview, in which they share the value of noble friendship on our journeys through life, and below is a little more about their backgrounds.

Bhikshu Jin Chuan was born in New Jersey and grew up in the Silicon Valley. In high school, he began exploring Christianity and Buddhism, and discovered his “calling” to be a monk–to the surprise of his family (and himself). While studying physics and religious studies at Stanford, he joined Dharma Realm Buddhist Youth and frequented Berkeley Buddhist Monastery. In 2005, he became a resident at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. He became a novice in 2011 and a bhikshu in 2013. In 2016, he received an M.A. in Buddhist Classics at DRBU where he now serves as an assistant professor and chaplain.

Bhikshu Jin Wei was born in Poland and began his meditation practice in 1999. After living a fun but unfulfilling bohemian lifestyle, he encountered a Polish translation of the Sixth Patriarch Sūtra that inspired him to dedicate himself to Dharma practice and service. He volunteered in various hospitals and helped organize DRBA Delegations to Europe. In 2013, he came to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas as a Sangha and Laity Training Program student. In 2015, he took novice ordination, and in 2017, full ordination. In 2020, he graduated from the DRBU M.A. in Buddhist Classics.