Plough

Please allow me to share something I learned at school and how it builds upon my learning here. When I was at school, I learned "一分耕耘，一分收获yī fēn gēngyún, yī fēn shōuhuò". It literally means one part ploughing, one part gain; no effort, no gain. This attitude worked well for me all these years until I stumbled one day. I realised I cannot just put in the effort “一分耕耘，一分收获” because the right harvest comes from the right effort “对的耕耘才会有对的收获duì de gēngyún cái huì yǒu duì de shōuhuò”. In other words, I cannot just work hard, I need to work correctly.

It is the work of understanding the mind that we need to work correctly, and therefore we need Right Information. One Right Information is to get the purpose right. This journey is not about achieving good results, it is not about getting only calm, peaceful experiences and not having unpleasant experiences; it is about learning and understanding what this mind is about. When this purpose is right, the attitude towards the practice is right. There is no need to push away, to pursue, and to ignore whatever experiences that arise within our minds because pursuing pleasant experiences and pushing away unpleasant experiences are not the way to go. Only then, is there a willingness to learn the experiences – their workings, their bends, and turns – without putting further meanings.

Before I learn the correct way to meditate, I did not know that I was meditating for pleasant experiences. I meditated diligently because I firmly believe in 一分耕耘一分收获. The peace and calm states at that time assured me that I was doing alright and correct. At the same time though, I was frustrated when the meditation did not turn out pleasant. More honestly, it did not turn out the way I wanted it to be. With Right Information and Right Attitude, the effort to meditate becomes right. It slowly but surely shifts from the pushy, doing effort to the effort that comes with understanding. The practice naturally becomes consistent. It wants to practice regardless of the present mental conditions. When the causes are done correctly, understanding cannot not arise. This is how 对的耕耘才会有对的收获 makes sense. I started to appreciate the Right Information. Having said that, it is not a smooth sail all the time. I fell many times. I am still falling. But every fall is a learning. There is no reason to give up because giving up is not the reason.

It has been said that this journey is about you. Yet, you will find out later that it is not about you. Strange isn’t it? I am still finding out, thus, I can only invite you. If you have been meditating and you wish to meditate correctly; or if you wish to know about yourself, this journey is already here. Join us in the next season of ‘Mindfulness A Starting Point’. Click here for registration. If you have an existing WISE account, click here to register. You will learn a new way to plough 耕耘 gēngyún and harvest the gains yourself. All the loving best.

In grace,
Stephanie Chua
17 August 2021