So what is meditation? In the practical 'what and how' realm
of reality, it means a lot of things to a lot of people but essentially
whatever we do where ever we do and however we do it, the aim is to connect
with spirit, to connect with the part of us that connects to the spiritual
energies that exist in our belief systems.
Prayer is a type of meditation. Some people talk about
communing with nature in all forms as being their path to meditation.
Others
honor their deity with ceremony, acknowledgement and gifts, others use complicated
journeys to unlock doors and imaginary people to guide us into understanding more about
ourselves and our lives. No-one way is solely right or wrong. How can anything be
wrong when people receive the joy and peace that is so connected with the art
of meditation.
For me, the most impactful and probably the most challenging
form of meditation is the art of Zen.
Zen uses no imagery, no ceremony, no 'props'. Zen is about
sitting in silence and through that silence reaching a connection with the
universal energies to learn more about ourselves and about spirit in its purest
form. So why is it so challenging? The aim is to sit quietly allowing any thoughts to pass through unhindered .....that is why it is challenging. The aim is to still the mind, to
become at one with pure energy. Hmm..... doing nothing with no connection with thoughts!! Not
something that we are used to doing in the 21st Century of action and pro
action, technology and worldwide communications. Which is precisely why it is
so important and so relevant to modern living, it helps to reconnect us with what is important....the sense of love and peace.
Doing such meditation alone in one's one space is
refreshing, calming, at times disturbing but ultimately very holistic and
healing. But as anyone who has done meditation in a group will know, whatever
you can achieve (or rather NOT achieve) is multiplied exponentially when
meditating in a group regardless of the surroundings. Take that group energy
and place it in an environment designed for purpose and the experience takes on
a whole new dimension.
Which brings me to the Zen House in Hue. Just looking at the
pictures makes me smile and relax.
The Zen House is situated just outside of Hue in Central
Vietnam and is actually a complex with a number of buildings, gardens for
beauty as well as for cultivating the organic ingredients that are used in
cooking the vegetarian meals that are served. Locally it is called Cat Tuong Quan. Cat Tuong means 'to bring joy or pleasure'. Quan means 'gentleman'.
So Cat Tuong Quan means 'the gentleman who brings joy or pleasure'. It is the term used to describe the host of the
House and is also the name given to the house itself.
So what can you expect when visiting Cat Tuong Quan?
That depends largely on how long you choose to stay for but the one thing that
is always guaranteed whether you choose a half day visit or decide to stay over
for 2 nights or longer is that you will have a warm and friendly greeting from
the Quan, the gentleman host.
This is a spiritual center and any visitors are
expected to respect the fact. People are asked to dress respectfully, speak
softly, treat everything and everything with the gentle spirit of Buddhism.
Meals are taken in the spirit of honoring the food and the gift that it affords
us. And what do we get it return?
As a visitor experience that
wonderful deep sense of calm and peace that abounds in such an environment. We
get to allow ourselves to slow down and to connect with our sense of being in
the present and embracing what that means. We get to step out of the hustle and
bustle of daily life as we know it and to reconnect with the gentle manners and
ways of those who embrace the Buddhist way of being.
It is relaxing and
invigorating at the same time. People staying at the house often report that
they sleep better, enjoy their food and indeed, become more aware of
themselves, others, their food, nature and everything around them.
If you are travelling to Vietnam and heading for Hue, this is something not to miss. You will need to book your visit in advance. For more information, you can email me at uk@hghue.com or call 0792 5300320. Or you can email Hue directly for information and to book a visit.....info@hghtravel.com
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