Reflections
on Hsi All-Stages Meditation 2015 (written by:
Michael Tam in Toronto, September, 2015)
The
Hsi All-Stages Meditation is unlike any meditative methods that we have
encountered. The
presentation lecture
described a method that was discovered through Master Hsi¡¦s own
exploration,
together with Chinese philosophical teachings and systematic meditative
practices.
The
fundamental difference between HASM from all other meditative methods
being
that is not mind-directed, but rather through developing a mind of
impassive
awareness. Through
successive stages of
practice, this quiescence allows the self-regenerating life force to
emerge,
resulting in the healing to the body and mind.
I
attended the Hsi All-Stages Meditation the second time around since
2010, it
brought new realization of the benefit of diligent daily practice. Back then, I practiced
meditation
periodically without understanding the process was likened the
purification of
the mind or inner consciousness.
In
each lessons from the beginner through the intermediate level of
meditation,
Master Yeung imparted new Chinese philosophical teachings according to
Taoist
teachings, together with the review of each participants¡¦ inner
experience and
a new step in the meditative practice.
The
fundamental difference of All-Stages Meditation from other meditative
methods
is being not mind directed. Aberrant
thoughts are incessant, but the practice of the impassive view has
freed
oneself from their attachment. Master
Yeung strongly emphasized the importance of inner experience developed
through
the stages of meditative practice with diligent practice.
The
inner experience was indeed profound as I revisited the lecture series
the
second time around. Through
successive
meditative exercises, I could develop an impassive view to aberrant
thoughts as
well as many past life experience which left us emotional scarred. With
the
experience of each stage of the lessons, it was becoming more natural
to enter
the state of peaceful quietness. However, the influence of daily life
would
affect the ease of achieving this serene inner mind.
I
then discovered after the stage of impassive view, entered the stage of
an
inner peaceful mind, there were levels of this inner world to be
discovered. One
must allow the venture
of this inner mind to develop without any conscious direction. The experience of this
journey was profound of
which could be termed healing of the unconscious inner self.
The
experience after each meditative session may differ with uncertain
result, so
there must not be a mind directed expectation.
There was experience of well-being included deeper and
sounder sleep,
reduced blood pressure to a more normal state and a sense of better
spirit to
the point of being blissful at one point.
In
the overall sense, there was less emotional reaction to stressful
events in
daily life. There
was more sense of
calmness to face life¡¦s ups and downs, with greater courage to walk the
path
along life's mountains and valleys. In a rarer way, there emerged a
sense of
happiness or blissfullness, that was not associated with earthly
phenomenan. It was
simply nivana or
ultimate bliss.
We
are in the beginning phase of the Hsi All-Stages Meditation, yet
benefiting
from it in different ways. There
is much
to be discovered through diligent practice since it is the inner
experience
that will lead to changes, as it is much said by the master, to whom we
are
very grateful to show us the way.
By Machael Tam, September, 2015
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