“there is nothing one does not learn after one stick of incense”
Today is the 15 of march, seven days ago – on the 8th, we had the most beautiful full moon, coincidentally, it was also the birthday of Laozi, and the date when Tao Shifu attained immortality.
In china, this is a very important date, all temples and all Daoists perform ceremony, and we could feel that. We also recited scripture this day, and made offerings, lighted incense at Tao Shifus memorial tower and kept it going through out the day.
Shifu have many times during this winter stressed the importance of the chores and ‘acts of virtue’ that has to be taken care of when living inside a temple: such as keeping the spirit lamp going, doing incense every day, giving food offering before eating and cleaning the temple (and courtyards). It is our responsibility. He have done this for so many years so that a strong connection is built, our connection we are still working on! If he would have to remind us about these simple things, he would have to be like a kindergarten teacher.
At home, we have not studied how to perfect our everyday life, to always stay connected.
Not only during meditation, but when we sit, when we stand, when we lye down – when we eat and when we speak – we must practice our deep thought, our awareness. Never lose our connection.
When we wake up: there is an incantation for putting our feet on the ground. “i want to walk the path of the great Dao, not deviate or take any side paths” when we wash face we have an incantation, taking on our clothes. Before we enter the altar, we recite “purifying the body incantation” for everything, we do, everything we change, we have an incantation. this is done to always stay connected, to return – to control our thoughts.
To guard the center, embrace unity. Protect the qi in our dan tien.
So when we make fresh, beautiful food. Or when we have fresh fruit – first thing we must think about it to make an offering, after that we can eat.
So on this important day, we recited scripture. Afterwards we made ourselves breakfast, radish pancakes, we sat down to eat whereupon we were asked if the offering was made. It was not. Quickly we made some fresh pancakes to offer, and were sent to the altars.
We were told to light one stick of incense each, and kneel down on the kneeling pads until it was burned out.
A few minutes passed, and my shinbones started to ache. A while later, my hips were sore.
After half an hour, our bodies were trembling. Shaking, as if we where exercising. Time passed really slow at this point. It almost stood still.
About one hour since we began Shifu entered the altar and hit the gong three times, we knew it was over. We returned to the living room where our food was waiting for us.
Shifu told us: “there is nothing one does not learn after one stick of incense”
Narrowing down our awareness to one stock of incense, one focal point. Our thoughts can calm down, our spirit and our qi can return to us.
Personally, this is what i came for, Daoist training as it is written about in the books.
Students being put into hardships to test and strengthen their will. It was a very powerful experience. During, it felt like a lifetime, after it felt like a few minutes had passed by.
It is spring time on the Mountain, and there is a lot of work to be done, so far we have finished cutting and shopping all wood needed for this year.
We have also trimmed the trees, Shifu is the only one allowed to be on top of the double extension ladder. He has the skill to do so, we do not. Now our morning practice is more beautiful then ever! Looking out over the mountains from our courtyard.
We have began to prepare the vegetable gardens, gotten rid of old leaves and plants, how much content isn’t there in this simple task? There is medicine to be found in the soil, the soil is medicine! It is magical in fact! We put in a piece of a vegetable – and the earth gives us 10 fold back!
Getting rid of old plants, turn the soil. Plant new ones, the earth does the rest of the work.
We are during these days getting thought a lot about everyday living. To do everything we do with a sincere Heart. To take care of our land and our home.
- Written by Linus Bergström (诚 恩 )
