Community News
For news of Dr. Rebecca Li, please click here.
2023 Updates
July 2023:
The inaugural edition of the Chan Dharma Community newsletter was published and shared via email. The newsletter is scheduled to be released every quarter aligned with the change of the season, and the next issue will be published in October 2023.
2021 Updates
August 2021:
On Aug. 24, Lion’s Roar published an excerpt from the book Allow Joy into Our Hearts: Chan Practice in Uncertain Times.
Buddha Weekly published an interview with Rebecca Li and an excerpt from the book Allow Joy into Our Hearts: Chan Practice in Uncertain Times.
June 2021:
Publishers Weekly published a review of Rebecca’s new book Allow Joy into Our Hearts: Chan Practice in Uncertain Times.
May 2021:
On May 26, an interview with Rebecca by Wendy Haylett for the podcast Everyday Buddhism was published. Click here to listen to the interview.
On May 12, at the completion of this year’s Monthly Online Dharma Study with Rebecca Li, practitioners contributed to a donation pool to support a worthwhile cause. The entire amount was donated to support the Food Assistance Projects organized by Buddhist Global Relief (BGR) on behalf of Chan Dharma Community. Details of BGR’s projects can be found here. (Read more about this donation)
March 2021:
On Mar. 1, the eBook edition of Rebecca’s new book Allow Joy into Our Hearts: Chan Practice in Uncertain Times was published. It was also featured by The Book Report Network.
February 2021:
On Feb. 24, Chan Dharma Community published the paperback edition of Rebecca Li’s first book, Allow Joy into Our Hearts: Chan Practice in Uncertain Times. This is an inaugural publication of Winterhead Publishing, an imprint of Chan Dharma Community. The book is a collection of Dharma talks given in the early weeks of the pandemic when practitioners gathered weekly to support each other through that challenging period. Lee Harrison transcribed the talks and Beth Adelman served as editor. Donations from sangha members covered the production costs. Beth and Lee wrote a beautiful introduction for the book which is now available on Indiebound, Kobo, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.
January 2021:
On Jan. 22, practitioners of Chan Dharma Community began to gather every other Friday to share their experiences in the practice in the Biweekly Friday Dharma Practice Gatherings with Rebecca Li on Zoom. Dharma talks given by Rebecca Li after the practitioners’ sharing can be found here.
Winterhead Publishing was established to publish books co-created by the sangha members of Chan Dharma Community. Named after Dr. John Crook’s residence in the U.K., it is to commemorate the 10th anniversary of his passing in 2011. Dr. John Crook was one of Rebecca Li’s teachers and the first lay Dharma heir of Master Sheng Yen.
2020 Updates
December 2020:
On Dec. 9, practitioners in the Chan Dharma Community gathered on zoom for the first session of Monthly Online Dharma Study with Rebecca Li to study the paramitas.
May 2020:
On May 20, at the completion of the first round of Monthly Online Dharma Study with Rebecca Li, practitioners contributed to a donation pool to support a worthwhile cause. The entire amount was donated today to support Rhonda Roland Shearer’s effort to bring quality Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) for healthcare workers in NYC on behalf of Chan Dharma Community. Details of Rhonda’s effort can be found here. Rebecca’s talk on Shearer’s effort can be found here. (Read more about this donation)
On May 13, practitioners in the Chan Dharma Community completed its first Online Monthly Dharma Study course with Rebecca Li. Over the past month, practitioners have been working with lacerating self-judgment and Chan practice.
April 2020:
On Apr. 8, practitioners in the Chan Dharma Community gathered on zoom for the fourth session of Monthly Online Dharma Study with Rebecca Li to discuss how to integrate understanding and awareness of invisible group dynamics into Chan practice to cultivate wisdom and compassion.
Practitioners in the Chan Dharma Community shared their practice reflection on Chan Practice in a Pandemic in the form of photos and poems.
March 2020:
Weekly Online Dharma Practice Gathering with Rebecca Li was offered to support practitioners of the Chan Dharma Community during the Covid-19 outbreak. Resources to support practitioners were compiled, including guided meditation recordings to help practitioners with their sitting meditation.
On Mar. 11, practitioners in the Chan Dharma Community gathered on zoom for the fourth session of Monthly Online Dharma Study with Rebecca Li to discuss how to work with self-doubt through Chan meditation.
February 2020:
On Feb. 12, practitioners in the Chan Dharma Community gathered on zoom for the third session of Monthly Online Dharma Study with Rebecca Li to discuss cultivating gratitude is integral in the practice of total awareness in Chan.
January 2020:
On Jan. 15, practitioners in the Chan Dharma Community gathered on zoom for the second session of Monthly Online Dharma Study with Rebecca Li to discuss how to use Chan practice to work with perfectionism in social relationships and social engagement.
2019 Updates
December 2019:
On Dec. 11, practitioners in the Chan Dharma Community gathered on zoom on December 11 for the first session of Monthly Online Dharma Study with Rebecca Li to discuss the cultivation of unconditional kindness as a form of generosity.
November 2019:
Practitioners in the Chan Dharma Community began registering for a new practice opportunity Monthly Online Dharma Study with Rebecca Li starting Dec. 11.
May 2019:
Practitioners in the Chan Dharma Community shared their practice reflection on Quiet Joy in the month of May as a way to connect with the practice in their daily life.
April 2019:
On Apr. 5-7, Brian Pilecki began his training as retreat supervisor in the Foundation Retreat at DDRC. He has been training as a retreat timekeeper with Dr. Rebecca Li.
2018 Updates
December 2018:
Practitioners in the Chan Dharma Community responded to Dr. Rebecca Li’s invitation to share their photos and reflections on Gratitude.
September 2018:
On Sept. 10, the first online Dharma course started its first week of class. The title of this course is “Giving Rise to the Bodhi Mind.” Course participants will practice with what they learn each week and share their experiences in two online gatherings.
May 2018:
Practitioners in the Chan Dharma Community responded to Dr. Rebecca Li’s invitation to share their photos and reflections on Simple Beauty in the month of May as they maintain their practice in daily life.
March 2018:
On Mar. 24, Chan practitioners joined other Buddhists around New York City to March For Our Lives.
February 2018:
On Feb. 3, Chan Dharma Community’s founder, Dr. Rebecca Li, addressed 200 Buddhists around New York City at Union Theological Seminary to discuss how Buddhists can be more engaged in current affairs. Buddhist Actions Coalition was formed after the gathering and Chan Dharma Community is one of the active participants in the coalition.