In Kansas, USA, we meditate together Monday through Friday from 10:00 to 11:30 am, and we also have a meditation session and a Dhamma talk from 9:00 to 10:00 am on Saturdays.

In addition, we will hold a one-day meditation retreat on April 19 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Please let Roger know if you are interested in joining the one-day retreat. Mayura has kindly volunteered to offer lunch and tea for the group on this date.

Building on the success of the April one-day retreat, we decided to schedule monthly one-day meditation retreats, with the next retreat planned for May 16, 2026.

Looking ahead to June 2026, Roger will also be organizing a one-week non-residential retreat (June 1st~June 7th) for the Kansas Sangha. The schedule will follow the same format as the one-day retreat, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm each day, and you are welcome to participate in any or all of the days.

Thank you, Roger, for volunteering to organize this wonderful gathering!

Hello dear Dhamma friends,
April feels like a wonderful time for study and practice.
In California, USA, we will be holding a 3-day, 2-night intensive retreat from April 24–26 at Hyewol Jeongsa in Palmdale.
Any Dhamma friends who wish to join are warmly welcome. Please feel free to contact Kyong Suk Kim if you are interested.
Thank you.

1st Meditation Meeting

As you practice meditation, there are times when it can be difficult to continue on your own. Meeting with fellow practitioners once a week to meditate together and share Dhamma reflections can help rekindle your energy and greatly support your practice.

Congratulations on the first meditation meeting of the Seoul Dhamma gathering. And thank you, Chaewon Lim, for your hard work and dedication in organizing the meeting!

We will also continue our weekly meditation meetings.

NBEF Korea holds monthly Dhamma gatherings in Seoul and Gyeongju that include meditation practice, Dhamma discussion, Q&A, shared meals, and tea conversation. Both the Seoul and Gyeongju gatherings follow the same theme and structure.

Seoul Gathering
Date: May 9, 2026 (Second Saturday)
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Location: National Library of Korea

Gyeongju Gathering
Date: May 17, 2026 (Third Sunday)
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Location: Anyangdang Hall, Girimsa Temple

Schedule

Part 1
30 minutes of samādhi meditation practice

Part 2
Dhamma discussion and Q&A:
A doctrinal explanation of the Four Noble Truths, along with discussion on how to apply them in actual meditation practice and daily life.

Topic: The Four Noble Truths
• Clearly understanding suffering, its cause, cessation, and the path through the Four Noble Truths
• Examining how to observe and gain insight into the Four Noble Truths through one’s own direct experience

Part 3
Shared meal and informal tea discussion

The Gyeongju gathering location has been changed.

May 17 (Third Sunday) Gyeongju gathering location:
Anyangdang Hall, Girimsa Temple

Beginning in May, the Gyeongju gathering will also include a monthly overnight intensive meditation retreat following the Dhamma gathering.

Date:
May 17 (9:00 p.m.) – May 18 (5:30 a.m.)

Location:
Samcheonbuljeon Hall, Girimsa Temple

Schedule
Session 1: 9:00 p.m. – 10:40 p.m.
Session 2: 11:00 p.m. – 12:30 a.m.
Session 3: 3:40 a.m. – 5:30 a.m.

The Dhamma gathering and intensive retreat are open only to NBEF practitioners. For further information, please contact Dhamma Teacher Jeongjin Seo (Seoul gathering) or Yeonok Hwang (Gyeongju gathering). Thank you.

Meditation Retreat

It is likely that I will not be able to attend the annual fall retreat in Korea this year due to my husband’s recovery from surgery.

In this situation, Eunji Kim kindly stepped forward to take on the Jeju retreat, allowing the meditation program to continue from April through October.

I sincerely thank Eunji Kim, and I wish all participants meaningful progress in their practice.

Many practitioners have participated in retreats at Dhamma Arama, ranging from a few days to one month in length.

NBEF Korea holds monthly Dhamma gatherings in Seoul and Gyeongju that include meditation practice, Dhamma discussion, Q&A, shared meals, and tea conversation. Both the Seoul and Gyeongju gatherings follow the same theme and structure.

Seoul Gathering
Date: May 9, 2026 (Second Saturday)
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Location: National Library of Korea

Gyeongju Gathering
Date: May 17, 2026 (Third Sunday)
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Location: Anyangdang Hall, Girimsa Temple

Schedule

Part 1
30 minutes of samādhi meditation practice

Part 2
Dhamma discussion and Q&A:
A doctrinal explanation of the Four Noble Truths, along with discussion on how to apply them in actual meditation practice and daily life.

Topic: The Four Noble Truths
• Clearly understanding suffering, its cause, cessation, and the path through the Four Noble Truths
• Examining how to observe and gain insight into the Four Noble Truths through one’s own direct experience

Part 3
Shared meal and informal tea discussion

The Gyeongju gathering location has been changed.

May 17 (Third Sunday) Gyeongju gathering location:
Anyangdang Hall, Girimsa Temple

Beginning in May, the Gyeongju gathering will also include a monthly overnight intensive meditation retreat following the Dhamma gathering.

Date:
May 17 (9:00 p.m.) – May 18 (5:30 a.m.)

Location:
Samcheonbuljeon Hall, Girimsa Temple

Schedule
Session 1: 9:00 p.m. – 10:40 p.m.
Session 2: 11:00 p.m. – 12:30 a.m.
Session 3: 3:40 a.m. – 5:30 a.m.

The Dhamma gathering and intensive retreat are open only to NBEF practitioners. For further information, please contact Dhamma Teacher Jeongjin Seo (Seoul gathering) or Yeonok Hwang (Gyeongju gathering). Thank you.Item description