Reflection on 7-day Silent Illumination Retreat Part 2

The retreat I attended this time is called "Silent Illumination," translated into Chinese as "默照," which is a traditional Chan practice with a long history. "Silent" means serene, non reactivity; "Illumination" means clarity, total clear awareness. This is very similar to the definition of Mindfulness. According to Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, the founder of Mindfulness, Mindfulness is "awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally." In our regular sitting practice, our Chan Master repeatedly emphasizes the phrase "moment to moment, total clear awareness; stay with this just as this; when thoughts arise, let them through, let them be, let them go." This is the foundational practice method of Silent Illumination, which is essentially similar to Mindfulness practice.

Interestingly, in my usual meditation practice, whenever I become aware of a thought arising, I would directly cut off the emerging thought and return to the present anchor, usually the breath. This is also a common meditation practice method. However, the Chan Master says that when thoughts arise, we should let them come and observe them, rather than directly cutting them off. This is because "awareness" is generated through observing our thoughts, not through our breathing. Focusing on the breath is a good initial method to help us concentrate, but awareness is not obtained from breathing. Thus, she repeatedly emphasizes "let through, let be, let go," which aligns with Mindfulness's emphasis on being non-judgmental. Directly cutting off thoughts is also a form of judgment, deciding whether the thought is necessary or useful. Sometimes during meditation, we may have a so-called inspiration and recognize "this is a good inspiration, let it in," while other times our thoughts wander between the past and future, and we recognize "this is unnecessary" and cut it off. This too is a form of judgment. Silent Illumination emphasizes that thoughts will naturally arise, will be present with us in the moment, and will naturally fade away without us forcefully cutting them off. "Stay with this just as this." The Chan Master says that since we are accepting everything in the present moment, thoughts in the present are also part of it, so how can we reject them? The practice method of Silent Illumination is actually about open awareness, not focusing attention solely on a specific part of the body, such as the breath. Initially, the focus is on the subtle sensations of the breathing body. Of course, our thoughts are also part of the present moment and should not be completely excluded or judged as bad while we concentrate only on the breath.

For those new to meditation, using the breath as an anchor is necessary because beginners need to cultivate a certain level of concentration, which is the foundation of meditation practice.

That’s all for today’s sharing. To be continued.

Best wishes,

Janice L.