About the Small Forest Temple

Bodhidharma’s original teaching of Shaolin from the mountain of Seung Sahn

You
Who are on the Road
Must have a Code
That you can live by
And so
Become Your Self

(Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young)

Original Shaolin (Chan) temple training is the way of the naturalist--one who lives according to the natural order of things, through this ancient code (discipline) of body and mind to become your real, natural self along your way.

Note: More in-depth training, in all disciplines, is taught only at the temple. Any Level I student (Wesleyan student) can intensify and broaden their practice by training as a Level II student. Please view our website for more information.

Training at the Small Forest Temple is the beginning of powerful personal, spiritual growth that affects all aspects of one’s daily life. Students of the Small Forest Temple are sincere people seeking to develop themselves through the traditional practices of Shaolin (Chan) meditation, Chi Kung, Tai Chi, and Kung Fu. If you are looking to truly develop your mind, body, and spirit, in a classical and proven complete, integrated, practice with peers who are sincere, compassionate, and motivated, then this is the training for you! This is a time-honored vehicle of propelling spiritual and personal evolution. Expect wonderful life changes.

Formally, this temple training is the continuation of authentic ancient Taoist practice of Naturalism (or no-“ism”). It is an integrated blend of Buddhist and Confucian philosophy and the Taoist integration of body, mind and spirit. This is accomplished through the practice of the external and internal temple practices whose principles are applied to everyday life. The practice itself imparts the fundamental essence of the (Taoist) natural way of life.

Temple training in meditative or martial arts is not modern Wu Shu, for performance or sport, nor is this Reiki or any other recently appearing practice. Small Forest Temple training is original Shaolin (Chan) temple training fundamentally unchanged as passed on by the late Grand Master Seung Sahn, 28^th successor of Bodidharma, founder of Shaolin practice. This teaching has been in its present form for 1500 years and its root extends back into the pre-history of Mountain Naturalism (Taoism).

At its core, the ultimate purpose of training is to cultivate spiritual understanding, refinement of character, living a completely free and true human life, and reaching that sense of ultimate satisfaction in life. This is accomplished through the practice of the external and internal kung fu (expertise) whose principles are applied to everyday life. It is a study of life; of who you really are and how life works. It is an unchanged teaching of practical and spiritual wisdom which we regard as inseparable. 

 By harmonizing the body, the mind is harmonized.
 By harmonizing the mind, the spirit is harmonized.
 By harmonizing the spirit, Life is harmonized.

revised 01/23/2008