Expert: Joe McSorley - 1/16/2010

Question
Hi Joe,
I realized a concept of meditation but not sure if its sufficient enough to help me achieve higher realization. Last time I was drawing a cartoon by tracing the lines. After much focus and concentration on tracing the lines, I suddenly realize a sense calmness and peace as if time just stopped. The experience last less than 1 second. Later, when I ponder on people who meditate by staring at a candlelight, reading mantra, etc, they seems to be so similar to my experience from tracing the lines. So I suppose meditation is to stop our mind from wandering away. But the act of stopping it from wandering is already tough, so the 2nd best and more practical way is to let it focus on just one thing consistently. Realizing this concept, then a practitioner can simply meditate in a way suitable to him. He can focus on the candlelight, or on a dot, or focus on what he's doing from time to time as suggested by some masters ("sitting..., eating..., drinking..., moving...," etc), or focus on just a word or mantra. There is no restriction on the methods used as long as the approach is the same - stilling the mind.

Is this correct?

Answer
Hello Choo,
 In a word, yes, this is correct but it is only the beginning of the task.  This is precisely why I say that this thing called Zen is unnecessary, it is only a word used to describe the method for stopping the self-reflective process of the mind.  This is why studying Zen itself can be a danger in that when you perceive Zen as a thing in and of itself you are stuck in that illusion.  Zen as something you practice must be overcome.  This is why there is the expression, “if you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him”.  Any Buddha apart from self is not Buddha but a creation of self.  To perceive Buddha, self or Zen is all illusion created by the ego.  Any type of deep self-inquiry can create the conditions for awakening.  When you were tracing the lines you lost your sense of self and found a greater sense of self.  This process of doing-without doing or wei-wu-wei is quite liberating and inspiring.  The problem is that once you realize that you are doing it, you lose it.  This is why we must practice without expectation and give into it fully. It must leave this individual practice and become universal in your life in all things that you do, so …’eating, sleeping, etc’.   This is just a little ‘satori’ or kensho but is not true awakening.  True awakening happens when this takes deep root in the self and the ego process is stopped or compressed.  From here a great annihilation and reconstruction of the self can occur where you are both the doing and the deed, where self and other are one, yet you are still expressed at the individual self.  This is commonly called a non-dual duality.
   It is good you did this because you can leave the idea of Zen behind.
Take care,
          Joe