This session offers an experiential introduction to meditation in the Wŏn Buddhist tradition. Through guided meditation and mindfulness practice, participants will explore what meditation is, what we seek to cultivate through it, and how it can deepen awareness, calmness, and clarity in everyday life.

Bio: Since fall 2021, Sung Ha Yun has served as an assistant professor of religion and Asian studies at St. Olaf College, where she teaches and conducts research on Buddhism and East Asian religions. Her research interests include Korean Buddhism, gender and Buddhism, and East Asian new religious movements. She received her M.A. in Asian studies from the University of California, Berkeley, and her Ph.D. in Buddhist studies from the University of California, Los Angeles. Yun became a Wŏn Buddhist kyomu (priest) in 2007 and spent many years serving the communities of the San Francisco and Valley Wŏn Buddhist Temples. Alongside her teaching and scholarship, she continues to be deeply engaged in spiritual practice and community building. She is currently helping to nurture a new Wŏn Buddhist spiritual cultivation group in Northfield, Minnesota, bringing together her commitments to education, spiritual practice, and community.

Questions may be directed to Jooyeon Rhee at jxr5820@psu.edu.