Ying Chen, PhD
Ying Chen, Ph.D., was born in China and immigrated to the US as a young adult. She took refuge to become a Buddhist with Venerable Ji Ru in 1995. She was first exposed to Chinese Mahayana Buddhism after coming to the US. In 2001, she was drawn to the Theravada tradition. Since then, she’s been practicing primarily under the guidance of Gil Fronsdal. Ying is a graduate of the Sati Center Chaplaincy program and Local Dharma Leader program from Insight Meditation Center. Ying also studied suttas under the guidance of Shaila Catherine. She currently facilitates the Insight Meditation Center support group for people living with illness and co-leads Asian Dharma Circle with Lilu Chen. Before retiring from IBM, Ying worked as a data scientist for 18 years.
Ying Chen's Upcoming Programs
Retreat | On-Land
October 1 - October 10, 2024 | Tuesday - Thursday | 9 nights
Naturally Arising Samādhi [Concentration]
A Few Spaces Still Available! This retreat develops concentration through specific meditative practices that utilize the mind’s natural capacity to become collected and unified. Our focus will be on developing concentration; exploring the experience of a concentrated and contented mind as a natural, mysterious, and beneficial phenomena; and utilizing concentration during Insight practice. The primary teaching method will be two daily guided 45-60 minute meditations, and participants are strongly encouraged to listen to guided meditations ahead of time to experience this style of practice.
Retreat | On-Land
May 1 - May 9, 2025 | Thursday - Friday | 8 nights
Naturally Arising Ease, Awareness, and Insight
Registration Opens - January 2. This retreat offers a potent new approach to Insight Meditation in which we open to enhanced capacities of knowing. After engaging in detailed preliminary practices to help us shift out of reactive tendencies of mind and establish genuine availability and embodiment, we’ll then utilize components of the “Nine Bodies of Consciousness” map to access multiple distinct knowing capacities, including intuitive awareness. This practice method fosters the natural arising of ease, awareness, and insight.