Ying Chen, PhD
Ying Chen, Ph.D., was born in China and immigrated to the US as a young adult. She took refuge to become a Buddhist with Venerable Ji Ru in 1995. She was first exposed to Chinese Mahayana Buddhism after coming to the US. In 2001, she was drawn to the Theravada tradition. Since then, she’s been practicing primarily under the guidance of Gil Fronsdal. Ying is a graduate of the Sati Center Chaplaincy program and Local Dharma Leader program from Insight Meditation Center. Ying also studied suttas under the guidance of Shaila Catherine. She currently facilitates the Insight Meditation Center support group for people living with illness and co-leads Asian Dharma Circle with Lilu Chen. Before retiring from IBM, Ying worked as a data scientist for 18 years.
Ying Chen's Upcoming Programs
Retreat | On-Land
June 7 - June 16, 2026 | Sunday - Tuesday | 9 nights
Exploring Awareness: A Retreat for Experienced Practitioners
Spaces Still Available! This retreat invites a direct exploration of awareness—not just as the faculty that knows experience, but as experience itself. Together, we’ll explore the felt sense of awareness as it reveals itself in body, heart, and mind. Our aspiration is to become more intimate with this innate capacity—not as concept, but as direct, embodied knowing that supports freedom in the midst of life.
