Pure and honest practice: Does practice need seclusion in the mountains?

Six years ago, when I was studying Zen, I closed myself to the outside world under the guidance of Zen master Hong Guang. The picture above shows the scene six years ago. At that time, Hong Guang Shiguang gave me a bald head. It was cold, so I brought a wig.

Master Hong Guang has a temple called Shengshou Temple in Ruian, Wenzhou. Its geographical location belongs to the upper wind and the upper water, and it is an excellent place for geomantic omen. Backed by mountains, surrounded by mountains, the whole gas field gathers.

Master Hong Guang is my first teacher and one of my teachers. She taught me the epiphany of Zen Buddhism and gave me a safe retreat.

Master is a man of great wisdom and personality. He doesn't talk much, but occasionally a sentence or two can wake me up when I am confused.

I can't remember how many times I have been there. Anyway, I go to master when I have time, and master always gives me a small retreat. It's just that I was naughty and high-spirited, always thinking about jumping outside and enjoying freedom, so I haven't seen Master for two years, and I'm ashamed.

First, do you want to live in the mountains?

Back to the topic of this article, does spiritual practice need seclusion in the mountains? Although seclusion, especially seclusion in the mountains, has been a topic of relish since ancient times;

Like Guiguzi going down the mountain and Kongming going out of Nanyang, they are all beautiful legends. Now some practitioners will say to practice in the mountains, while others will say to practice in famous mountains; In my personal experience, if you are just starting to practice, there is absolutely no need to live in seclusion.

What is the reason?

Food and transportation are extremely inconvenient.

Poisonous insects, snakes and ants

I accidentally bumped into a fairy here.

Going to the mountains for practice, food and transportation aside, the biggest problem is the intrusion of gods (including evil spirits such as mountain gods). Almost every slightly larger mountain is guarded by mountain gods. I accidentally bumped into a mountain god, and my practice was frustrated. I couldn't go on, and I was immediately killed.

Bao Puzi said that if you want to practice in the mountains, you need to choose a good day first and take a step with charm so as not to collide with the mountain gods. Not only the mountain gods, but also all kinds of complicated water poisons of mountain spirits may attach to the mountains, including poisonous snakes and insects.

I'm closed at master Hong Guang's. Why did I say safe? Because it is in a temple, monks recite scriptures every morning and evening, which is very popular and has a master. Good feng shui, protection, and convenient eating.

Second, the problem of Yin Qi's seclusion

Like Taoist practice, it attaches great importance to the enrichment of spirit and spirit, and will seek good luck and avoid evil when the strength is not enough, because internal deficiency leads to the invasion of external evil. Should take the initiative to avoid "death".

Tao Hongjing told some stories about going to Yin Qi's heavy place, such as some protective measures close to the dead, such as putting garlic in his mouth to remove ptomaine. Drive away animals with heavy yin, and bring anti-black dogs.

When the practice has not reached that state, it is easy to have problems if you can't resist the invasion of external evils; Including some friends who are now weak, the eight-character sun column is weak, easy to be weak, and the yin is heavy.

It is easier to practice some meditation, meditation, essence of the sun and the moon, pathogens in the body and induction of exogenous pathogens. In this case, it is easier to practice on the mountain. Basically, there is no return.

Generally speaking, people are actually more yang than yin, so where there are many people, yang is enough, especially where there are many young people, and it is difficult for some evil spirits with insufficient energy to work. Why are sparsely populated places easy to make people feel gloomy and the air is dignified because of the heavy yin?

Third, when do you need to practice seclusion?

1, you have a treasure trove of geomantic omen and formed some natural barriers suitable for in-depth cultivation, with no attachments and no worries about survival.

2? The level of practical training is very high, and it is easy to be regarded as a practitioner. For example, I am too excited to cause trouble. It is necessary to close the door and disappear, but how many people have reached this level?

3? There will be chaos in the world and it will be difficult to find a place to live. Zuo Ci just predicted that there would be chaos, and then hid in the mountains to practice. Generally speaking, these are all possible.

Fourth, is the foundation enough?

Zhang Sanfeng also mentioned that when it is necessary to close the door, find a quiet place;

But not alone, it needs the company of Taoist couples, and its function is only to protect the Yuan God from the interference of big decisions. Not because there is any special gas field on the mountain that can help Tao, but because there is no gas field that can help Tao, there are a lot of gas fields that harm people.

To say the least, if you go to the mountains for some special reasons, you still have to practice indoors, while outdoors, because it is tall and bright, it is easy to hurt your soul (Sima Cheng Town), so it is difficult to settle down.

Therefore, it is most important for beginners to persevere and lay a good foundation at home day after day. Slow and steady, as long as you work hard, you are a treasure trove of geomantic omen, and wherever you go, that place is bright and happy.

Going to the mountains to practice if the foundation is not enough is not only a lot of obstacles, but also dangerous and almost harmful.

I don't understand the meaning of "penance" in the mountains. I don't take the main road, but I have to take some meaningless paths with all kinds of difficulties and risks.

Is this intended to show a style that practice must be very different from the secular? Or is it to satisfy some transcendental secular feeling in your heart? Friends, let's get this straight.

5. What is real actual seclusion like?

The core link from Yuan to the second part, that is, "keeping one's own place", is completely possible in one's own home, and many people have verified this.

When the level of self-cultivation is not particularly high, it is just ordinary residential areas, quiet suburbs and the like, and places close to mountains and rivers can be used.

Slightly in line with some principles of geomantic omen, the front hall is generally open with the back of the mountain, with beautiful scenery, convenient transportation and convenient eating. Sunny, safe, and rarely disturbed. Quiet is an ideal place.

Then the realm is very high, strictly speaking, there is no need to enter the mountains. It is enough to find a village with few people and take care of a few monks in the same trade. For example, the king of Huainan brought eight Taoist alchemists, which eventually soared. This is the real seclusion practice, ordinary seclusion. As for going to the mountains, strictly speaking, it is not necessary.