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Tre^n the^' gio+'i nga`y nay, na(m 2004, thie^`n ddi.nh dda~ ddu+o+.c thu+.c
ha`nh o+? ca'c chu`a, nha` tho+`, tru+o+`ng ho.c, tra.i tu`, v.v... dde^? la`m
gia?m bo+'t su+. ca(ng tha(?ng hoa(.c dde^? tri. be^.nh ta^m tha^`n. Tuy nhie^n,
mu.c ddi'ch chi'nh va^~n la` giu'p cho nha^n loa.i thoa't ca?nh sinh tu+?, lua^n
ho^`i .
Du+.a va`o mo^.t trong nhu+~ng quye^?n kinh Cao DDa`i, quye^?n DDa.i Thu+`a Cho+n Gia'o, Hie^`n Huynh Chie^u Tie^n Vo^ A?nh La~o (C.T.V.A .L.) dda~ ti`m ra mo^.t phu+o+ng ca'ch thie^`n ddi.nh ra^'t gia?n di., in tha`nh sa'ch mang tu+.a dde^` la` Pha' Me^ Thie^`n, xua^'t ba?n va`o cuo^'i na(m 2001. Trong ba`i to'm ta('t na`y, nhu+~ng lua^.n cu+' dda(`ng sau ca'c bu+o+'c tu ta^.p se~ kho^ng mang ra ba`n tha?o . Phu+o+ng ca'ch thie^`n ddi.nh gia?n di. na`y go^`m bo^'n ca^'p ba^.c: (1) Luye^.n Tinh (Essential Subtances) Ho'a Khi' (Divine Energy), (2) Luye^.n Khi' Ho'a Tha^`n (Spiritual Body), (3) Luye^.n Tha^`n Hu+o+`n Hu+ (Holy Being), (4) Luye^.n Hu+ Hu+o+`n Vo^ (Unify with the Supreme Being). Chi? ba ca^'p ba^.c dda^`u se~ ddu+o+.c tri`nh ba`y va('n ta('t no+i dda^y, vi` o+? ca^'p ba^.c thu+' tu+ thi` cha(?ng co`n gi` dde^? luye^.n nu+~a . |
In today's world, the year of 2004, meditation has been used by many people in
the temples, churches, schools, prisons, etc. in the way of relieving stress or
to treat mental illnesses. The main purpose, however, is helping people to escape
the reincarnation-cycle .
Based on one of the Cao-Dai bibles, the Great Book of Truth-Teaching (Dai Thua Chon Giao), Rev. C.T.V.A .L. (Chieu Tien Vo Anh Lao) has laid out the simple method of meditation, which was published at the end of 2001 in a booklet named, "To Break The Labyrinth Of Meditation" (Pha Me Thien). In this summary, the theories behind each step of the practice will not be discussed. This simple method of meditation contains four levels: (1) to transform the essential substances in the human body into divine energy (Luyen Tinh Hoa Khi), (2) to transform the divine energy into the spiritual body (Luyen Khi Hoa Than), (3) to transform the spiritual body into the holy being (Luyen Than Huon Hu), and (4) to unify the holy being with the Supreme Being (Luyen Hu Huon Vo). Only the first three levels are described in the following paragraphs since we have nothing new to do in the fourth level. |
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(1). Luye^.n Tinh Ho'a Khi':
(a) Chua^?n Bi.: - Cu+? a(n tru+o+'c bo^'n gio+`. Uo^'ng nu+o+'c kho^ng sao . - Cho.n mo^.t trong ca'c tu+ the^' ngo^`i nhu+ du+o+'i dda^y . Tu+ the^' ngo^`i tre^n ghe^' la` de^~ chi.u nhu+'t. Tay pha?i dde^? le^n tay tra'i ro^`i ga'c nhe. le^n ddu`i . Hai ngo'n ca'i cha.m khe~ va`o nhau . DDa^`u va` lu+ng tha(?ng, kho^ng nghie^ng be^n tra'i be^n pha?i, kho^ng nga? tru+o+'c nga? sau . |
(1). To transform the essential substances in the human body into divine energy:
(a). Preparation: - About four hours before the session, do not eat anything. Drinking water is okay . - Choose below one of the ways of sitting. The most comfortable way is sitting in a chair. Put the right hand on the top of the left hand, and then lay them in your lap. Gently touch your thumbs together, end-to-end. The back and the head are in a straight, upright posture, no bending forward or reclining. |
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- Quay ma(.t ve^` phu+o+ng Ba('c, ma('t nha('m la.i nhu+ng hu+o+'ng ve^` a^'n
ddu+o+`ng (giu+~a hai cha^n ma`y).
- Mie^.ng nga^.m nhe., ra(ng ke^` ra(ng, dda^`u lu+o+~i cong le^n cha.m no'c vo.ng. |
- After facing to the north, close the eyes; but focus at the center of the eyebrows.
- Place the tip of the tongue at the roof of the mouth. Then close the mouth. The upper and lower teeth should touch gently with one another. |
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(b). Pha'p Lua^n Va^.n Chuye^?n:
- Hi't va`o tu+` tu+` kho^ng ngu+ng nghi? cho dda^`y bu.ng ro^`i dda^`y ngu+.c. - Tho+? ra cu~ng tu+` tu+` kho^ng ngu+ng nghi? cho xe.p bu.ng ro^`i xe.p ngu+.c. La`m nhu+ va^.y khoa?ng 5-10 phu't. |
(b). Pre-Meditation:
- Inhale slowly and firmly to expand the abdomen, and then fill air into the lungs. - Then, exhale slowly and firmly to empty the abdomen and the lungs. This session lasts about 5-10 minutes. |
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Vie^.c thie^`n ddi.nh co' ke^'t qua? hay kho^ng tu`y thuo^.c va`o ba ddie^`u
kie^.n: (1) su+. bo^' ho'a cu?a O+n Tre^n, (2) ca(n co+ va` tie^`n nghie^.p
cu?a mi`nh, va` (3) su+. ta.o ddu+o+.c ta^m kho^ng trong lu'c ngo^`i thie^`n.
Phu+o+ng pha'p ta.o ta^m kho^ng de^~ nhu+'t la` ddo.c kha^?u khuye^'t, tu+'c
la` no'i tha^`m trong dda^`u. Ha~y tu+o+?ng tu+o+.ng nhu+ y' mi`nh ddang
da^~n ho+i tho+? (ta^m tu+'c nu+o+ng nhau). Thi' du.:
- Khi hi't va`o, no'i tha^`m ra(`ng: "DDu+a khi' cho+n du+o+ng le^n a^'n ddu+o+`ng." - Khi tho+? ra, no'i tha^`m ra(`ng: "DDu+a khi' cho+n du+o+ng vo`ng qua DDo+n ddie^`n, theo xu+o+ng so^'ng, ddi le^n ddi?nh dda^`u ." Trong kho^ng khi' chu'ng ta ddang tho+? co' khi' cho+n du+o+ng vo^'n chu+a ddu+o+.c kha'm pha' bo+?i ca'c nha` khoa ho.c. Chi'nh khi' cho+n du+o+ng na`y dda~ nuo^i du+o+~ng Tha'nh Thai da^`n da` lo+'n le^n tro+? tha`nh Cho+n Tha^`n va^.y . |
The result from the meditation is dependent on three needed conditions: (1)
the blessing from the Supreme Being, (2) the contribution of "cause and effect"
in previous lives, and (3) the emptiness of the mind during the meditation.
The easiest way to create the emptiness of the mind is to talk to yourself
in silence (Khau Khuyet). In your imagination, tell your mind to
direct the flow of your breath (mind and breath come along together). For example:
- In the inhaling-cycle, just say in your head: "Bring the pure air to the center of the eyebrows." - In the exhaling-cycle, just say in your head: "Send the pure air to the abdomen, through the spine, and to the summit of the head." In the regular air we breathe, we believe that there is pure air, which is not yet discovered by scientists. This kind of pure air is used by the spiritual fetus (Thanh Thai) and later on the spiritual body (Chon Than). |
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(c). Thie^`n DDi.nh:
- Tho+? bi`nh thu+o+`ng tro+? la.i, kho^ng tu+` tu+` cha^.m ra~i nu+~a . - Sang qua xo+'t la.i giu+~a ma('t va` tai sau va`i la^`n ddo.c kha^?u khuye^'t. Tie^'p tu.c no'i tha^`m trong dda^`u dde^? giu+~ vu+~ng ddu+o+.c ta^m kho^ng. Thi' du.: * Khi su+? du.ng ma('t, no'i tha^`m ra(`ng: "Hai ma('t hu+o+'ng ve^` a^'n ddu+o+`ng dde^? tha^'y (ngo.n ta^m dda(ng, tu+` a^'n ddu+o+`ng thu.t va`o trong khoa?ng mo^.t lo'ng tay)." * Khi su+? du.ng tai, no'i tha^`m ra(`ng: "Hai tai hu+o+'ng ve^` ddi?nh dda^`u dde^? nghe (Ly' thie^n nhie^n, a^m thanh tu+` Tro+`i)." Gia? vo+` que^n nhu+~ng gi` tha^'y va` nghe . Hi`nh ve~ sau dda^y cho tha^'y su+. su+? du.ng ma('t va` tai trong lu'c thie^`n ddi.nh. Ngu+o+`i mo+'i ta^.p co' the^? ngo^`i trong vo`ng 25-30 phu't, da^`n da^`n ta(ng le^n 45-60 phu't hay la^u ho+n ne^'u tha^'y ca^`n (ca`ng la^u ca`ng to^'t). |
(c). Meditation:
- Return to normal breathing, not as slow and deep as in the warm-up session. - Switch between eyes and ears after talking with yourself a few times. Continue talk to yourself in silence to create the emptiness of the mind. For example: * In the eyes-cycle, just say: "Focus the eyes to the center of the eyebrows to see (the light of your soul in your brain is about one inch behind the center of the eyebrows)." * In the ears-cycle, just say: "Focus the ears to the summit of the head to hear (the sound of nature, from the Supreme-Being)." Just ignore what you see or hear. The following figure depicts the flow of the eyes-cycle and ears-cycle during the meditation session, which lasts about 25-30 minutes for the beginner and about 45-60 minutes or more as needed later (the longer the better). |
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(d). Xa? Thie^`n:
Tu+` tu+` mo+? ma('t ra va` quay ve^` tra.ng tha'i bi`nh thu+o+`ng. Ro^`i: - Cha` hai tay va` vuo^'t le^n so^'ng mu~i ddo^. 3 la^`n cho a^'m. |
(d). Relaxation:
Gradually open your eyes and return to the normal condition. Then: - Rub your hands together and apply the heat to your nose about 3 times. |
| - Cha` hai tay va` a'p su+'c no'ng le^n dda^`u 3 la^`n. Ke'o tra'i tai 3 la^`n. | - Rub your hands together and apply the heat to your head about 3 times. Pull your ear-tips 3 times. |
| - Bo'p ca'nh tay cho thu+ gia~n, tra'i ro^`i pha?i . | - Massage your arms, left then right. |
| - Bo'p chu+n tu+` ddu`i xuo^'ng ngo'n, tra'i ro^`i pha?i . Cha` xa't hai ba`n chu+n. | - Massage your legs, left then right. And also, rub your feet. |
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Xa? thie^`n luo^n luo^n a'p du.ng sau buo^?i ngo^`i thie^`n, ke^? ca? luye^.n o+?
ca'c ca^'p ba^.c cao .
(e). A^'n Chu+'ng: - Lu'c mo+'i ta^.p: * Ba.n co' the^? tha^'y mo^.t ddie^?m sa'ng nho? trong o'c, hoa(.c la` mo^.t tia sa'ng. * Ba.n co' the^? nghe nhu+~ng a^m thanh la. trong o'c nhu+ tie^'ng de^' hoa(.c tie^'ng ve . - La^u da^`n: * Ba.n se~ ca?m tha^'y hie^.n tu+o+.ng khi' tu. trong lo`ng ba`n tay, lo`ng ba`n chu+n ra^`n ra^`n, a^'m a^'m. Sau ddo' khi' lu+.c na`y se~ sa(n ru't, cha.y ngu+o+.c ve^` tha^n theo hai tay, hai cha^n va` ddu+o+.c go.i la` do`ng Khi' Lu+u. DDo^`ng tho+`i, ba.n cu~ng se~ ca?m tha^'y co' luo^`ng gio' nhe. pha?ng pha^'t tre^n mo? a'c. Trong khoa?ng tu+` 3-6 tha'ng, ne^'u ba.n kho^ng co' nhu+~ng ca?m nha^.n na`y thi` ra^'t co' the^? ba.n dda~ thu+.c ha`nh sai la.c, hoa(.c co' the^? vi` ca(n co+ tie^`n nghie^.p ne^n ca^`n pha?i co' the^m tho+`i gian, mo^.t na(m hay nhie^`u na(m. |
The relaxation session is always performed at the end in all three levels of
meditation.
(e). Proof of Result: - In the beginning: * You may see a tiny point of light in your brain or a beam of light. * You may hear some sounds in your brain, like the sound of the cricket or cicada . - Later on: * You may feel that the divine energy concentrates at the center of your hands and the bottom of your feet. Then there is some holy force from your heart that tries to withdraw this divine energy to your body through your arms and legs (Khi Luu). At the same time, the air blows lightly on the top of the fontanelle . If you do not have these "feelings" in 3-6 months, you may not be doing it correctly, or you may need more time, a year or more depending on the contribution of "cause and effect" in the previous lives. |
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(2). Luye^.n Khi' Ho'a Tha^`n:
Du+.a va`o quye^?n Pha' Me^ Thie^`n, ddu+o+.c bie^'t sau va`i na(m thie^`n ddi.nh o+? ca^'p mo^.t, hoa(.c cho dde^'n khi ba.n nghe ddu+o+.c hai a^m thanh tra^`m, tu+` o'c va` tu+` tim, ba.n co' the^? bu+o+'c qua giai ddoa.n hai . Ba^'y gio+` ba.n kho^ng co`n su+? du.ng chie^'c ghe^' thu+o+`ng nu+~a, ma` la` chie^'c ghe^' na(`m nghie^ng nhu+ ghe^' xe^'p. |
(2). To transform the divine energy into the spiritual body:
Based on the boolet "To Break The Labyrinth Of Meditation," after a few years of practicing level one, or until you hear two low-frequency sounds from the top of the head and the base of the heart, you can enter level two . At this time, you nolonger use a regular chair, but a Lazy-boy chair or a lawn chair. |
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Nhu+ va^.y co' nghi~a la` ba.n kho^ng co`n ngo^`i nu+~a, ma` la` nu+?a ngo^`i
nu+?a na(`m (vo+'i ddo^. nghie^ng 45 ddo^. lu'c mo+'i ta^.p). Va` ba.n tie^'p
tu.c la`m nhu+~ng ddo^.ng ta'c y nhu+ ngo^`i thie^`n.
Tuy nhie^n, a^'n chu+'ng trong giai ddoa.n na`y ra^'t kha'c. Khi' lu+.c se~ ta^.p trung va` cha.y vo`ng vo`ng o+? bu.ng du+o+'i, go.i la` hie^.n tu+o+.ng DDa.o Chuye^?n. Sau nhie^`u na(m luye^.n ta^.p, vo`ng khi' lu+.c na`y co' the^? hoa(.c kho^ng the^? di chuye^?n tu+` bu.ng du+o+'i (Ha. DDo+n DDie^`n) le^n ngu+.c (Trung DDo+n DDie^`n) ro^`i le^n dda^`u, ddi?nh dda^`u (Thu+o+.ng DDo+n DDie^`n). Ta'c gia? hie^.n ddang ha`nh thie^`n o+? ca^'p bu+.c mo^.t ne^n kho^ng co' kinh nghie^.m gi` o+? ca^'p hai na`y . Se~ vie^'t the^m khi na`o to+'i ddo'. |
That means you no longer sit, but you do a half sitting and a half lying down
position (45 degree inclined from the beginning). And you continue to do the
same steps as described in level one .
However, the proof of result is different. The divine energy is formed in your abdomen as a wheel of force (Dao Chuyen). Through years of practice, and depending on your previous lives, this wheel of force may or may not gradually move up from the abdomen (Ha Don Dien) to the chest (Trung Don Dien) and then the head (Thuong Don Dien), especially at the summit. Because I (the author) am only in level one, I don't have any experience in this level. I will write more in detail when I reach that far. |
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(3). Luye^.n Tha^`n Hu+o+`n Hu+:
Cu~ng du+.a va`o quye^?n sa'ch tre^n, dda.i cu+o+ng, khi vo`ng khi' lu+.c di chuye^?n le^n ddi?nh dda^`u, ba.n co' the^? du`ng y' ra le^.nh cho Cho+n Tha^`n (dda~ tha`nh hi`nh trong ba.n) ro+`i kho?i xa'c tha^n. Cho+n Tha^`n na`y (tu+'c la` linh ho^`n gio^'ng nhu+ hi`nh ngu+o+`i cu?a ba.n) kho^ng kha'c gi` Cho+n Tha^`n cu?a Pha^.t Tie^n Tha'nh Tha^`n co' the^? di chuye^?n kha('p no+i theo y' muo^'n cu?a ba.n. Khi nha^.p xa'c ve^` la.i co~i tra^`n thi` cu~ng cu`ng mo^.t phu+o+ng ca'ch ma` tho^i, du`ng y' ra le^.nh va^.y . O+? ca^'p ba^.c na`y, ba.n pha?i a(n chay tru+o+`ng. Tuy nhie^n, ba.n co' the^? uo^'ng su+~a, a(n bo+, a(n tru+'ng (kho^ng co' ngo`i, hie^?n nhie^n). |
(3). To transform the spiritual body into the holy being:
In general, based on the above booklet, when the wheel of force exists in the head, you can use your mind to order the spiritual body (Chon Than, already formed in your body) to leave the flesh. Then the spiritual body (your purified soul in the same form as you are) can separate from your body to become a holy being, same as angel, deity, saint, fairy, buddha, etc. and can go anywhere by the order of your mind. Returning to the human body is in the same way: by ordering of your mind. At this level, you must become 100% vegetarian. But you can drink milk and eat cheese, eggs (without the embryo inside). |
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(4). Luye^.n Hu+ Hu+o+`n Vo^:
O+? ca^'p ba^.c na`y thi` cha(?ng co`n gi` dde^? luye^.n (nhu+ Thu+o+.ng DDe^' dda~ ddi'ch tha^n chi? da.y trong mo^.t dda`n co+). Tie^'p tu.c tu ta^.p nhu+~ng gi` o+? ca^'p bu+.c ba . Co' le~, theo thie^?n y' cu?a to^i, chu+a co' vi. Cao DDa`i tre^n qua? DDi.a Ca^`u na`y ddang luye^.n Hu+o+`n Vo^ ca?. |
(4). To unify the holy being with the Supreme Being:
There is nothing else new to do at this level (as has been taught directly by the Supreme Being in one of the medium session). Continue to do whatever you do at level three . Perhaps, with my knowledge, there is no one on Earth, as a CaoDaist, at this level yet. |
Ba`i Tru+o+'c