Chapter 46: Meditation
The contents of the booklet were simple—just a few illustrations on meditative breathing and a few pages of explanatory notes, briefly introducing how to regulate the breath, still the breath, enter meditation, cast aside distracting thoughts, and achieve a state where self and surroundings were both forgotten.
After glancing at the sparse diagrams and brief text, Mo Hua hesitated, as if about to speak but stopping short.
"Does it feel too simple?"
Mo Hua nodded, then asked, "Sir, is this just a beginner's meditation technique?"
"No," Mr. Zhuang shook his head. "All the insights and methods of the Meditation Technique are contained in this small booklet."
Seeing Mo Hua's confusion, Mr. Zhuang continued:
"Meditation, if you say it's simple, is indeed very simple; but if you say it's difficult, it can be extremely difficult. The simplicity lies in the fact that all its essentials are laid bare in these diagrams and notes—clear at a glance. The difficulty lies in the elusive, formless nature of the human mind. You can't simply decide to enter meditation and have it happen, nor can you just will yourself into forgetting both self and surroundings."
Mo Hua pondered, and Mr. Zhuang went on:
"For example, take worldly desires—many say they can see through them, but how many truly can? Some truths seem simple: those who understand grasp them in an instant; those who don't may never comprehend them in a lifetime. And those who don't understand often believe they do."
"It's the same with meditation—if you can truly settle into stillness and let go of all distractions, then of course you'll learn it quickly. But if your mind is burdened, tangled with stray thoughts, then no matter how you try, you won't learn it."
Mo Hua seemed to grasp it, then frowned. "So if I can't let go of distracting thoughts, I'll never learn it?"
Mr. Zhuang smiled. "It's not as hard as you think. After years of practice, I've summed up the easiest way to enter meditation—just one sentence…"
"Let the heart follow nature, without self-deception."
"Let the heart follow nature, without self-deception…" Mo Hua repeated softly.
"All things in the world are as they are meant to be—including your own thoughts. Whether restless or calm, violent or dispirited, upright or base—no matter how unsightly, accept them calmly. Don't lie to yourself."
"If you can do these two things, your heart will be as still as water and as clear as a mirror—and you'll be able to enter meditation, at least to some extent."
Mo Hua felt he understood, then began to study the Meditation Technique. After a while, he asked curiously:
"Sir, if one masters meditation to a high level, will it have any special uses?"
"No. From start to finish, the Meditation Technique only allows you to enter meditation and restore your divine sense. At higher levels, you'll simply enter meditation and recover divine sense faster. And the longer you practice, the better you'll get… but not always."
Mo Hua blinked. "It can actually get worse?"
Mr. Zhuang looked at him meaningfully. "You're still a child. What you've seen, heard, thought, and felt is still simple—few distractions, so you can probably enter meditation faster. But when you're older and have seen more of the world, your distractions and desires will multiply. Then it won't be so easy to meditate."
Mo Hua understood.
Then he thought—his own experiences weren't exactly few, given the memories of a past life.
But thinking more carefully, in that past life he was only in his twenties—not much life experience. And in this life, only ten years had passed. Even counting both lives, he was still far younger than Mr. Zhuang, and far less experienced. Calling him a "child" wasn't wrong.
Mo Hua asked again, curious: "Then, sir, how is your meditation now compared to before?"
Mr. Zhuang thought for a moment. "I started at around ten years old. I'd memorized all kinds of array theory and learned most arrays under the first grade, so I began studying meditation. At first I progressed quickly. In my youth, I grew ever more skilled—often, after drawing an array, a single cup of tea in meditation would fully replenish my divine sense."
"But in my arrogant youth, my mind was unsettled, so progress stalled. Later, after many hardships and upheavals, my mind never found peace again—my skill in meditation actually regressed."
"Now that I've let go of many things… I no longer have much need for meditation."
Mr. Zhuang sighed. Realizing he'd spoken too much, he noticed Mo Hua still listening intently, and tapped him lightly on the forehead. "Study properly."
"Oh." Mo Hua withdrew his thoughts, calmed his mind, and began slowly studying the Meditation Technique.
The key to meditation lay in casting aside distractions, keeping the mind clear, and reaching the state where self and surroundings were both forgotten.
Following the method in the booklet, Mo Hua sat cross-legged and stilled his mind, thinking of nothing. Gradually, he entered meditation.
Once in meditation, he felt his whole body relax, as though freed from the cage of flesh. His heart opened wide, and the divine sense consumed in array drawing began to return, restoring faster than before.
However, Mo Hua's meditation was shallow—barely a cup of tea later, a flicker of thought stirred, and he slipped out of meditation.
Mr. Zhuang, who had been resting with eyes closed, opened them.
"For a first attempt, this is quite good. Once you master it, after drawing an array, a short meditation will double your results for half the effort."
"Thank you, sir!"
Mo Hua was overjoyed. Before, he could only practice arrays on the stele in his sea of consciousness, and his progress in daytime practice was slow. Now, with meditation to restore divine sense quickly, even if his foundation was weaker than those from great families, diligence could make up for it—and he might not fall far behind in the future.
Then he asked, "Sir, I understand the Meditation Technique now—what about the Visualization Technique you mentioned earlier?"
Leaning lazily back in his bamboo chair, Mr. Zhuang said, "Guess—what is the Visualization Technique for?"
Mo Hua thought. "Meditation is for restoring divine sense… so Visualization is for increasing divine sense?"
"Correct." Mr. Zhuang nodded. "In the cultivation world, there are no techniques for cultivating divine sense. In ancient times, powerful cultivators created the Visualization Technique to strengthen divine sense."
"And it's not the same as a cultivation technique?"
"Visualization is a simplified, unstable method to increase divine sense—it's not truly a divine sense cultivation technique," Mr. Zhuang explained.
"Spiritual power can be perceived and measured, can drive spiritual tools, can be guided in a set pattern. But divine sense is different—the sea of consciousness has no meridians, no way to observe its flow. That's why there's no stable method to cultivate it."
"The only way to quickly improve divine sense is through contemplation—visualizing patterns, texts, or ancient artifacts imbued with heavenly laws or powerful divine sense. To some extent, you can harmonize with them, gradually strengthening your own divine sense."
"But the effect varies from person to person, and such visualization patterns are extremely rare—even great families have few. So the method never spread widely, and can't be passed down like a true cultivation technique."
"Visualization…" Mo Hua murmured.
Mr. Zhuang hesitated, then said with a slightly more serious tone:
"Visualization can strengthen divine sense, but it's best you don't use it. If you must, be cautious—never depend on it entirely."
Mo Hua asked, puzzled, "Is it because my talent isn't enough, and it could backfire?"
Mr. Zhuang shook his head. "It's not about talent. The visualization pattern reflects another's divine sense, and their understanding of the Dao. In other words, what you contemplate is their Dao—or perhaps, something not human at all. If your divine sense becomes lost within it, the consequences can be… terrible."
Mo Hua's heart tightened.
Mr. Zhuang waved it off. "It's too early for you to worry about this. Just focus on arrays—you might never even encounter a visualization pattern in your life."
After that, Mr. Zhuang had Mo Hua practice meditation several more times. As the sky darkened, he sent Mo Hua home.
(End of Chapter)