“Thoughts generate tremendous energies to do something or
not to do something, to get somewhere, to control or to inhibit action. Can
there be insight into the power of thought? Where is the ‘I’ in all of this? Is
it just a powerful thought?
What about ‘self-discipline’ and self-control’? To ask,
“What is the ‘no-self’ that has ‘self-control’? is putting the wrong question,
isn’t it? It is making a new entity out
of the concept of ‘no self’. But no self is not a concept or an entity; it is a
state of immediate, undivided awareness, presence. And in that presence the
entire circuit of self-centeredness is illumined. This is attention. Attention without self-center can
illuminate self-centeredness. It sounds paradoxical, but only thought creates
conundrums.
In open awareness without a self-center, things are simply
seen for what they are—everything is happening on its own. Cleaning out the
garage or not overeating cease to be problems. What needs to be done is clear
and gets done, or it doesn’t get done. When the energy of clarity takes the
place of resistance, action flows freely without effort.”…Tony Packer, The
Light of Discovery, pg. 10.
Also check out these Chan sites of interest:
2. How
to chan meditate:
3. Master Sheng Yen in Facebook
4. The Western Chan Fellowship at http://www.westernchanfellowship.org/
Call Adrian at 250 898 8201,
email adrian2@shaw.ca
Please notify me if you wish to be
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Retreat Information:
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