The Healing Power of Micro Chan Practice – Trip Preparation

Most people have a feeling of anticipation before setting out on a trip. How do we organize a fulfilling and enriching trip? In this article, Ven. Chang Zheng (常正法師) provides a guideline to prepare for a trip in terms of the target and the nature of the trip, as well as the proper mindset along the way. When arriving at the destination, we can seamlessly incorporate micro Chan practice into the trip, thereby healing our body and mind while being in nature.


For travel purposes, do you plan to organize a trip which incorporates spiritual cultivation with the relaxed practice of Chan? To let participants have a fulfilling travel experience, it is important that the key planner knows in advance the backgrounds and number of participants, their relations, and the nature of the trip, so that everybody can set out well prepared psychologically or practically, and really enjoy the trip.


Preparation prior to the trip

I. Target participants and group size

Going on a trip is an exciting event that many people look forward to. It is important to know the nature of the trip in advance: is it for a small family, for a big family, for a group of friends, for a company trip, or for a tour group? Travel mates may include family members, friends, colleagues, or strangers, depending on the level of intimacy in their relationship. The group size can range from two persons to hundreds of participants, including young and old. So a planner is required to do mental and physical preparations by taking into account the supplies on the packing list, choice of scenic spots, and the duration of a trip.

II. Nature of the trip

It is important to decide the nature of the trip. It may be meant for participants to deepen their relationship or for nature lovers or even Chan practitioners. With such knowledge in mind, it is easier to establish a shared idea, reduce possible friction during the trip, and make it more flexible to arrange the itinerary.

III. Attitude and approach

Those who have experience with Chan practice may be very enthusiastic in sharing its benefits during the travel, wanting to provide some tips for their companions. However, the first thing to establish is whether the people we are traveling with have experience in Chan practice. If the trip is purely for travel purposes, then it will be better to blend in with the group and make sure everyone enjoys the trip. When it is suitable timing for offering our travel mates some methods of Chan practice, we can try to remind them in a seamless and natural manner, by saying, for example, "Let's not talk for ten minutes, or we are going to miss the beautiful scenery and disturb the animals in the natural world." or "The outdoor air is especially fresh, isn't it? Do you feel that your body has become lighter?"

Such reminders are just a guide to draw people's awareness back to themselves and to feel nature and the scenery mindfully. Since most people often neglect their own physical and mental feelings, it is hoped that participants can take advantage of this brief moment to detach from this habitual tendency and spend time in harmony with themselves. This way, people who travel with us will gradually plant the seed of affinity for Chan practice through an amicable trip.


Actual practice while being in nature


When happily arriving at the travel destination, it is natural for us as the group's organizers to want to immediately take good advantage of the natural environment to train our mind by contemplating the view. However, we should not forget our travel mates, which is very important. Therefore, depending on the target participants, our approach to guidance should also be different for actual practice purposes.

I. Traveling with people who have no experience in Chan practice

When traveling outdoors, even if our companions may lack experience in Chan practice, we can always try to remind them to open their five senses and enjoy the freshness and spaciousness in nature. Thus, they will naturally relax their bodies and minds, lowering their voice to avoid spoiling the tranquility. Such experience helps people to detach themselves from the distractions and stress of daily life.

When being in nature, our five senses become particularly sharp: our eyes can see the brilliance of the sunshine, our nose can breathe in the coolness of the wind, and our skin can feel the freshness of the grass. It can be a therapeutic experience to just listen to the stream, contemplate the wind, admire the mountains, and appreciate the flowers. We can take home this wonderful memory and allow it to continue in our daily life by reliving this healing feeling when becoming agitated and irritated.

Many experienced meditation practitioners may either prefer a quiet setting or be too eager to share with others the methods and benefits of Chan practice, expecting everyone to be able to settle their minds and practice the method as they do. But, we must remind ourselves that traveling is supposed to be joyful and bring harmony. Master Sheng Yen often reminded Chan practitioners that Chan practice, in its true sense, is about inner peace, without being opposed to the environment or others. Chan practice is about training our mind through the situations we encounter, by being more flexible in facing, accepting, dealing with, and letting go of changes. Be it the sound of bird singing, wind, streams, or even the sound of talking, vehicles, or horns, we can just listen to them without making any judgment. With our ears functioning like sound absorber panels, the sounds will slowly become like a mere background condition, and we can remain unaffected even while being exposed to it.

II. Traveling with experienced Chan practitioners

If the members of the trip have already experienced Chan practice before and have acquired a basic understanding of it, then we are simply moving the method of practice we have learned at the meditation hall out into a natural setting. Remind ourselves to remain silent, and we can practice the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, namely, contemplating our body, our feelings, and the mental phenomena. Keep in mind the principle of "keeping our mind where our body is; being clearly aware of relaxation of the whole body," to experience Chan practice in motion.

As Master Sheng Yen once said, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness as taught in Mahayana Buddhism can be practiced in sequence or simultaneously. Therefore, there is no need to deliberately practice the methods outdoors. Instead, we only need to remember the feeling in the moment and enjoy the relaxation and ease, recharging ourselves and healing our exhausted body and mind while immersed in the natural world. When we are once again exposed to stress and adversity in our daily lives, our bodily and mental memory will enable us to accept, cope with and let go of them more quickly. Such healing power is actually contagious, influencing people around us to feel like they are basking in the spring breeze while interacting with us and receiving our positive energy.

In our busy daily lives, we can also make good use of fragmented time for micro Chan practice, such as practicing walking meditation on the way to the subway station, observing our breathing while climbing stairs, opening up our five senses while strolling in the park, or practicing acting like a "sound absorber panel" when hearing a noise. Outdoor Chan can be practiced anywhere and anytime in our lives. It all depends on whether we are clearly aware of the principle of "keeping our mind where our body is."



Related articles:

The Healing Powers of Nature

Instinct, Direct Contemplation, and Contemplation of Emptiness

The Healing Power of Micro Chan Practice – Trip Preparation

Contemplation of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness

Making Good Use of Natural Experiences for Practice

Planning Outdoor Chan at Ease

Four Ways to Experience Outdoor Chan



Resource: Issue 453 of Humanity Magazine (May 2021), Dharma Drum Publishing Corporation
Original Chinese text: Ven. Chang Zheng (常正法師, Supervisor of the Curriculum Division of the Department of Academic Affairs for Nuns, Dharma Drum Sangha University)
Translation: Li Siang-ling (李祥苓)
Editing: Keith Brown, Chang Chia-cheng (張家誠)