Chapter 46: Meditation
Chapter 46: Meditation
The contents of the book were simple: only a few illustrations for calming and breathing meditation, and a few pages of annotations explaining the basic concepts of regulating one's breath, calming the mind, and entering a meditative state, as well as how to cast aside worldly distractions and attain a state of egoless tranquility.
Mo Hua flipped through the pages, glancing at the illustrations and text, but remained silent as if hesitating to speak.
"Do you think it's too simple?" asked Zhuang.
Mo Hua nodded and then asked, "Is this only a beginner's meditation technique?"
"No," Zhuang denied. "This little book encompasses all the insights and cultivation methods of the meditation technique."
Noticing Mo Hua's confusion, Zhuang explained further, "Meditation can be both simple and difficult at the same time. Its simplicity lies in the fact that all the secrets of this technique are laid bare in these illustrations and annotations, readily available for anyone to see. However, its difficulty lies in the elusive nature of the human mind. It's not as easy as deciding to enter a meditative state and then being able to do so, or deciding to detach yourself from your ego and instantly achieving that state."
Mo Hua pondered this, and Zhuang continued his explanation.
"Take, for example, the myriad desires of the world. Many claim they can see through them, but how many truly can? Some principles seem straightforward, yet they are easily understood by some and remain elusive to others for a lifetime. And those who don't understand often deceive themselves into thinking they do."
"It's the same with this meditation technique. If you can truly calm your mind and cast aside distractions, then you will naturally learn it quickly. But if your thoughts are chaotic and your mind is cluttered with distractions, no matter how hard you try, you will never master it."
Mo Hua's brows furrowed as he realized the depth of what Zhuang was saying. "Does that mean if I can't let go of my distractions, I won't be able to learn it at all?"
Zhuang smiled at Mo Hua's concern. "It's not as difficult as you think. I've been practicing this meditation technique for many years, and the simplest insight I can offer is summed up in one sentence..."
"...Let your heart follow its natural course without deceiving yourself."
Mo Hua repeated the phrase quietly to himself.
"All things in the world are as they are," Zhuang continued. "Your thoughts and emotions are no exception. Whether they are restless or calm, violent or despondent, honest or despicable, accept them for what they are, no matter how unpleasant. Do not lie to yourself."
"If you can do these two things, your heart will become as still as a calm lake and as clear as a mirror, and you will be able to enter a meditative state to some extent."
Mo Hua's eyes lit up as if he had gained some insight. He began to flip through the pages of the Meditation Technique book. After a while, he asked curiously, "Teacher, is there any special application of this technique when one reaches a high level of proficiency?"
"No," Zhuang replied. "From beginning to end, this technique only serves to help you enter a meditative state and restore your spiritual sense. Even at advanced levels, it merely speeds up the process of entering meditation and restoring your spiritual sense. Moreover, the longer you practice, the better you may become, but that is not always the case."
Mo Hua was taken aback. "You can get worse at it the more you practice?"
Zhuang looked at Mo Hua with a meaningful gaze. "You are still a child, and your experiences and thoughts are relatively simple and free from distractions. Entering meditation may come more easily to you now. But as you grow older and are exposed to the complexities of the world, your desires and distractions will increase, and it may become more challenging to achieve that tranquil state."
Mo Hua's expression softened as he understood.
He reflected on his own experiences, which included memories from another life. While he had the benefit of those additional memories, he acknowledged that in his previous life, he had little life experience by the time he was in his twenties. In this life, he had only lived for a decade. Combined, his age from both lives was still significantly less than Zhuang's, and his life experiences couldn't compare. Being called a "child" wasn't entirely inaccurate.
Intrigued, Mo Hua asked, "Then, Teacher, how does your meditation practice now compare to when you first started?"
Zhuang pondered for a moment. "I started learning this technique when I was around ten years old, after I had already memorized various array theories and mastered first-grade arrays. In the beginning, I progressed quickly. During my youth, my skill in this technique improved with practice. Often, after drawing an array, I could restore my spiritual sense through meditation in the time it took to drink a cup of tea."
"However, as I grew older and my heart became more erratic, my progress in meditation stagnated. Life's tribulations and a turbulent heart made it difficult to find peace, and my skill in this technique regressed."
"Now, I've come to a point where I've let go of many attachments, and I no longer need this meditation technique..."
Zhuang's words carried a hint of emotion, and he paused, realizing he had perhaps shared more than he intended. Noticing that Mo Hua was still listening intently, he playfully tapped Mo Hua on the forehead and said, "Now, focus on your studies."
Following the instructions in the book, Mo Hua sat in quiet meditation, clearing his mind of all considerations. Gradually, he entered a state of profound concentration.
Indeed, as described, upon attaining this state, Mo Hua felt a sense of lightness throughout his body, as if he had shed the physical constraints of his flesh. His mind expanded, and the spiritual sense he had expended while drawing formations earlier began to replenish at a faster rate than before.
However, Mo Hua's level of concentration was still shallow, and before long, his thoughts began to waver, pulling him out of his meditative state.
Zhuang, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them and said, "For your first attempt, reaching this level of concentration is quite impressive. Once you become proficient, after drawing formations, all you need to do is meditate, and your progress will be greatly enhanced."
"Thank you, Teacher!" Mo Hua exclaimed happily. Before learning meditation, he could only practice formations in his sea of consciousness on the stone tablet. Now, with meditation, he could quickly restore his spiritual sense, and even though he lacked the foundation of those disciples from noble families, he believed that diligence could make up for it, and he might not be far behind others in the future.
Mo Hua's thoughts turned to another question, "Teacher, I now understand the meditation technique, but what about the observation technique you mentioned before? What is that for?"
Leaning back leisurely in his bamboo chair, Zhuang asked, "Guess what the observation technique is used for?"
Mo Hua thought for a moment and replied, "If the meditation technique is for restoring spiritual sense, then is the observation technique used to enhance it?"
"Indeed," Zhuang nodded. "In the cultivation world, there are no techniques to cultivate spiritual sense. Thus, ancient cultivators of great power created the observation technique to enhance their spiritual sense."
"Is the observation technique different from cultivation techniques?" Mo Hua inquired.
"The observation technique is a simplified and unstable method to increase spiritual sense, but it is not a cultivation technique per se," Zhuang explained.
"Spiritual power can be observed and understood. It can be used to activate spiritual artifacts and wield the ways of the path, and there are meridians to follow. However, spiritual sense is different. One cannot observe the pathways of its operation within the sea of consciousness, as there are no meridians. Hence, there is no stable method to cultivate it."
"The only way to quickly enhance spiritual sense is through observation. By observing patterns, texts, or ancient artifacts that embody the rules of the heavenly path or powerful spiritual sense, one can, to a certain extent, assimilate with them and gradually strengthen their spiritual sense."
"However, the effectiveness of the observation technique varies from person to person. Different individuals will have different cultivation results, and suitable observation patterns are extremely rare, even among the noble families. Therefore, it is not widely spread in the cultivation world and cannot be promoted as a stable cultivation method like cultivation techniques."
"Observation technique..." Mo Hua murmured.
Zhuang hesitated, his expression turning slightly solemn. "Although the observation technique can enhance spiritual sense, it's best that you don't use it. And if you do, be cautious and don't rely on it completely."
Confused, Mo Hua asked, "Is it because my talent is insufficient that I might suffer backlash?"
Zhuang shook his head. "It has nothing to do with talent. The observation patterns reflect the spiritual sense of others and their understanding of the heavenly path. In other words, what you observe is someone else's 'path' or perhaps the 'path' of a non-human entity. Once your spiritual sense becomes immersed in it, there could be terrifying consequences."
Mo Hua's heart chilled at the warning.
Zhuang waved his hand dismissively. "It's too early for me to tell you about these things. Just focus on learning formations. You may not even come across observation patterns in the future."
After that, Zhuang had Mo Hua practice the meditation technique a few more times. As dusk fell, he asked Mo Hua to return home.
(End of Chapter)
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