Tallahassee Chan Center

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Tallahassee Chan Center

Tallahassee Chan Center (TCC) offers group meditation, workshops, retreats, outreach programs, and regular lectures. All are welcome! On the West Coast?

Our group consists of a community of helpful, resourceful, and gentle people. Guo Gu is the founder and teacher at TCC. The Tallahassee Chan Center (TCC) is a community of practitioners learning and living the Buddha’s teachings through the tradition of the Dharma Drum Lineage of Chan (Zen) Buddhism, as established by Chan Master Sheng Yen. TCC was founded in 2009 by our teacher Guo Gu (Dr. Jimmy Yu), one of Master Sheng Yen’s senior and closest disciples. Dr. Yu was a monk for ten years, earned his doctorate in Buddhist Studies, and is now an associate professor of Buddhist Studies at Florida State University. Contact us for more information. The Chan (Zen) center hosts weekly sitting practice every Monday and Wednesday evenings at 6:30 pm, Sunday mornings at 9:30am, and meditation instructions on select Thursday evenings at 6:30 pm. All events are at our center located at 1310 North Paul Russell Road in Tallahassee. We have weekday morning meditations from Monday - Friday at 7:30am - 8:00am. Check out our West Coast meditation at 7:30am PST (10:30am EST), also Monday-Sunday. We offer meditation instructions on the 1st Thursday evenings of the month from 6:30-8pm. There is no set fee but donations are welcomed. Please feel free to stop by the Center. These instructions cover basic postures and methods of practice.

11/28/2025

How do you transform suffering?

11/21/2025

Tonight, Friday November 21- Evening Bodhisattva Precepts Ceremony Recitation⁠
⁠
The Tallahassee Chan Center will host a monthly ceremony on the third Friday of each month. For more information and Zoom links, please go here. https://tallahasseechan.org/friday-ceremony/

11/21/2025

🌟 Discover the Depth of Chan Meditation—From Anywhere 🌟

The residential retreat is full, but you can still join us online for this rare opportunity:

Silent Illumination and Investigating a Critical Phrase: A Chan Retreat (Hybrid)
🪷 with Guo Gu
📅 December 8–14, 2025
💻 Join live via our Hybrid Dharma Hall

For seven days, enter a rhythm of noble silence, guided meditation, mindful movement, and evening Dharma talks with Guo Gu—one of today’s most respected Chan teachers.

➡️ Silent Illumination (mòzhào) — a serene settling into the nature of awareness
➡️ Investigating a Critical Phrase (huàtóu) — an energizing method to break through habitual patterns
➡️ Receive real-time guidance and support and benefit from the steadiness of a full retreat container—without leaving home.

✨ Experience the intimacy of an in-person retreat from wherever you are.

👉 Online seats are still open—reserve your spot today:
🔗 https://bit.ly/4jZ1uaf]

11/18/2025

Sunday, November 23, Join Us for a Half-Day Retreat
9:00 AM – 12:30 PM ET
In-Person & Online

Take a morning to reset and reconnect. This half-day retreat offers the chance to deepen your meditation practice in a supportive and peaceful environment.

Led by our community timekeeper, the schedule includes alternating sitting and walking meditation, gentle guidance, and space for Q&A.

Beginners and experienced practitioners are welcome.

📍 Location: Tallahassee Chan Center (or join via Zoom)
💻 Registration & details:https://tallahasseechan.org/events/category/retreat/

11/17/2025

Join us tonight, Monday, November 17th, for Guo Gu's Dharma talk on continuing the Chan retreat liturgy, featuring Four Great Vows (text below). During these Monday sits, we will begin with a short period of meditation, followed by the Dharma talk.

This talk series will continue on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month. Next year, Guo Gu will begin a new series on Chan meditation methods.

The Four Great Vows

I vow to deliver innumerable sentient beings.
I vow to cut off endless vexations.
I vow to master limitless approaches to Dharma.
I vow to attain supreme buddhahood.
Please join us in person or online. All are welcome!

Zoom link (Updated): https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87674890410?pwd=Dza0FehSe2RjDVa5upt6XezZMtrKCG.1 (passcode: chan)

Time: 6:30pm – 8:00pm Eastern

Location: Meets In Person at the Tallahassee Chan Center or streamed live on Zoom

11/13/2025

🩺 Managing Agencies and Staff with Clarity
with Fran Berry
Sunday, November 16, 2025 • 9:30–11:00 AM ET
In-Person & Online via Zoom

Fran will share practical approaches for working with staff, volunteers, and organizations through Buddhist principles. Drawing from Master Sheng Yen’s management teachings (which she uniquely translated and studied), Fran will explore how wisdom and compassion function in decision-making, leadership, and organizational relationships. She will also reflect on overlaps with modern frameworks such as Servant Leadership and Transformational Leadership.

We begin with a 30-minute meditation period, followed by the talk and Q&A.

About the Speaker:
Fran Berry is a retired professor of public management and longtime practitioner in the Chan tradition. She worked closely with Guo Gu in presenting and preserving Master Sheng Yen’s teachings and has led leadership and ethics discussions for decades across academic and spiritual contexts.

🌀 Part of the Heart of Healing Series
Select Sunday mornings • Talks, guided reflections, and embodied practices on whole-person care.

In-Person Location:
Tallahassee Chan Center
1310 N Paul Russell Rd, Tallahassee, FL 32301

Register:
https://tallahasseechan.org/series/heart-of-healing-wellness-series-special-sunday-talk/

11/11/2025

Dharma Talk: Practice Without Boundaries by GuoGu
Online with Zen Mountain Monastery
Wednesday, November 12, 2025 • 7–9pm ET

Guo Gu will offer a reflection on the continuity of Buddhist practice across cultures and lineages. He will speak to how clarity and compassion function when conditions are uncertain or shifting, and how practice unfolds as response rather than escape.

Online only.

https://zmm.org/our-programs-2/4301/practice-without-boundaries-evening-dharma-talk-online/

11/07/2025

Tomorrow Nov 8 - Chan Zoom Social @ 11AM ET⁠
To support Chan practitioners, Guo Gu hosts a warm and welcoming Zoom platform for anyone interested in the various aspects of Chan practice. These calls are held every two months.⁠
⁠
📅 Upcoming Dates (2025-2026):⁠
⁠
Saturday, November 8⁠
Saturday, January 24, 2026⁠
Saturday, April 25, 2026⁠
Saturday, August 22, 2026⁠
Saturday, November 7, 2026⁠
🕚 Time: 11:00 AM Eastern Time⁠
⁠
🔗 Zoom Registration:⁠
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ElBfvd_MRsmEbT8TBUfnfA

11/06/2025

How To Be Less Tense — Guo Gu on 10% Happier with Dan Harris

Guo Gu was recently interviewed on the 10% Happier podcast:
“How To Be Less Tense." Please share this widely amongst your network!

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thqbMJFTks8

Dan Harris' site:
https://www.danharris.com/p/how-to-be-less-tense-guogu

Apple:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/10-happier-with-dan-harris/id1087147821

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/1CfW319UkBMVhCXfei8huv

Guo Gu was recently interviewed on the 10% Happier podcast:
“How To Be Less Tense." Please share this widely amongst your network!

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thqbMJFTks8

Dan Harris' site:
https://www.danharris.com/p/how-to-be-less-tense-guogu

Apple:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/10-happier-with-dan-harris/id1087147821

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/1CfW319UkBMVhCXfei8huv

11/04/2025

Ashley M discusses the jhanas, the topic to be covered for her "Foundations of Chan in the Nikayas/Agamas" course which will be held Thursday November 6th and every Thursday through December 2025⁠
⁠
This course presents important Buddhist principles and shows how they are described or discussed in the Early Buddhist Texts (the Pali Nikayas and the Chinese Agamas). It covers a wide range of topics, including generosity, ethics, aggregates, karma, dealing with anger, mindfulness and meditation practices, emptiness, the evils of comparison, how to deal with thoughts, bias against others, and much more. Although these texts may also serve as the basis for other Buddhist traditions, the focus will be on how they relate to Chan practice and concepts presented by Guo Gu.⁠
⁠
More information and details:⁠
https://courses.tallahasseechan.org/foundations-of-chan-nikaya-agama

11/03/2025

Chan 2026 Summer Residence Program: Applications Now Open!
May 7 – June 4, 2026 • Tallahassee Chan Center
Led by Guo Gu

Now with a 9-day retreat. Residency is an immersive period of living, study, and practice together. Daily schedule includes meditation, work practice, and classes with GuoGu. Silence is observed during retreat periods. Simple shared housing and vegetarian meals provided.

Participation Options
• Full Month: May 7 – June 4
Includes both the 3-day retreat and the 9-day intensive retreat.
• Study Period: May 7 – May 26
For those who want to focus on classes and daily practice. Includes the 3-day retreat.
• Practice Period: May 27 – June 4
For those attending only the 9-day intensive retreat.

Applications are reviewed after the deadline. Some prior retreat experience is recommended, though young adults (18–35) may apply without it.

Application Deadline: January 10, 2026
Registration: https://tinyurl.com/5fc69dpr
Questions: tccresidenceprogram@gmail.com

10/30/2025

Guo Gu discusses seeing emptiness through the lenses of dependent origination and impermanence, and the difference between using apophatic language vs cataphatic language to help shift our practice into seeing relationships and new beginnings.

Taken from his latest Depths of Chan Liturgy: The Four Great Vows Part 4 talk.

Watch here: https://youtu.be/u7Aa1mchzxI?si=dGwNHJszgm-RLENy
Listen to Podcast here: https://linktr.ee/thewayofchan

Address

1310 North Paul Russell
Tallahassee, FL
32301

Website

http://TallahasseeChan.org/

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About Us

New Online Programs

All of our activities have moved online via Zoom Video Conference to support your practice at home, all times listed below are Eastern time: Morning meditations @7:30am seven-days a week. One meditation period followed by chanting (live). Click here: https://zoom.us/j/241022433 Liturgy here: Abbreviated Liturgy with Heart Sutra

Every Monday @7:30pm. One meditation period followed by a short Dharma Talk by Guo Gu (live). Click here: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/893204244

Every Wednesday @7:30pm. Click here: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/232968500 Sessions will alternate weekly between:One period of guided Loving-Kindness Meditation led by Assistant Teachers (live)

Tallahassee Chan Center

11/28/2025

11/21/2025

11/21/2025

11/18/2025

11/17/2025

11/13/2025

11/11/2025

11/07/2025

11/06/2025

11/04/2025

11/03/2025

10/30/2025

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