The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a significant shift in our world, with everything subject to change and eventual disappearance. One of the immediate consequences was the cancellation of our eighteenth on-site Seven-Day Meditation Retreat, which had been held twice a year for nine years since 2011. However, we adapted to the situation by organizing an online version of the May 2020 event called the On-Cloud Seven-Day Meditation Retreat. Despite being physically distant, our hearts were still connected. One advantage of moving the event online was that we were able to extend it to 14 days and increase the total number of participants to 2500.
Gathered in Guangzhou city, participants attentively listen to our Dharma teacher and meditation mentor's instructions on how to meditate during the Seven-Day Meditation Retreat in May 2020.
Participants in Guangzhou city gather together to perform a group meditation practice during the Seven-Day Meditation Retreat in May 2020.
After each sitting meditation session, they do moving meditation to relax the mind and body.
Some participants also engage in walking meditation along the streets of Guangzhou city, covering long distances during the Seven-Day Meditation Retreat in May 2020.
A volunteer is preparing a nutritious lunch for the participants to enjoy.
Participants are performing the dinning ritual at lunch.
Participants in Qingyuan district, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, gather together to practice group meditation during the Seven-Day Meditation Retreat in May 2020.
