Exploration of Orthodox Taoist Faith IX: The Correct Method of Worship and the Secret of the Taoist Heart Incense

People in the world often have投机 (opportunistic) hearts, seeking the grace of deities. Although this is a private desire, it is also a common human sentiment.

As the saying goes, 'The movement of Heaven is vigorous; thus the gentleman strives unceasingly.' Within this self-strengthening, one must maintain righteous thoughts in the heart. If so, it is as if aided by divine help; otherwise, evil spirits will invade.

What is meant by righteous thoughts? Righteous thoughts require first understanding the principles.

If one sees others wealthy and immediately feels resentment, wishing to rob them and cursing all the rich in the world as bad people, only to turn around and burn incense to pray to deities, hoping for blessings and sudden wealth, such people are far from wealth. Therefore, seeking wealth is difficult for them.

Because the wealth in their thoughts is all ill-gotten, and they desire to seek wealth, their intent is to seek ill-gotten gains. Where their mental power reaches, knowing they desire ill-gotten gains, righteous deities will naturally ignore them, while evil spirits will naturally rejoice.

Therefore, those who often use such impure hearts to sacrifice to deities often attract impure deities. Although there may be temporary results, they ultimately cannot avoid corruption and constant misfortune. Observing the current world, many high-ranking officials who have fallen from power were among those who sought gods and Buddha. Their misfortunes are mostly of this nature.

Some may say that the children of imprisoned officials are still wealthy.

For imprisoned officials, their power is lost, and the wealth of their children has become water without a source. Although they may have savings, they cannot avoid losing them. Moreover, it is easy to go from frugality to extravagance but hard to go from extravagance to frugality. The difficulties faced by the children are the result of inherited karma.

Some may ask, what about those who flee?

The children of fugitives often suffer casualties and decline. This is a fixed destiny of inherited karma. The time is currently short; looking back after decades, one will know this principle is true.

Some may ask, what about those who repent?

The great mistake has already been made, truly due to the impure original intention. Although there is repentance, it is difficult to reverse. If the heart of repentance is strong, the inherited karma of descendants can be reduced.

Some may ask, why did the Great Qing, which widely worshipped gods, still suffer foreign invasion and fall?

Although the war of the nation is determined by heavenly numbers, if the Qing had not closed its borders, how would the defeat of the Beiyang Fleet have occurred? The whole nation was superstitious, and fortune-telling with spirit-writing became a trend. People's hearts were impure; otherwise, how could evil spirits deceive them? If during the time of the Great Tang, the state religion was prosperous and the world was enlightened, with all nations coming to pay tribute, how could opium have entered the country?

Some may ask, can this theory be proven?

During the rise of the Great Qing, there were often practices of placing scriptures on beams to avert disasters. However, the Temple of Heaven in the 12th year of Jiaqing was not spared from fire, and in the 15th year of Guangxu, it was not spared from the anger of lightning. These were all manifestations of heavenly majesty. Their lack of awakening led to the explosion of the Taiping Gunpowder Bureau in the 16th year of Guangxu, followed by continuous gunpowder explosions in Guangzhou and Hangzhou. These were not natural disasters but human calamities.

Some may ask, how should one seek then?

In seeking deities, one must first act through oneself. Do not think of gaining without labor, do not engage in deception and fraud. Then, if your heart is kind, you desire to strengthen yourself to support your family, and you have the heart to help the world when you succeed. Although you may not be able to act on this immediately, you can first practice self-improvement when you are poor. Seeking blessings from deities will surely receive divine grace, and divine grace will spread. There will surely be a time of success, but this requires fulfilling the duty of helping others; otherwise, you will inevitably fail again.

Another question: If things do not go as planned, what is the reason?

Although deities bestow grace and enable the help of all beings to fulfill human wishes, it also requires the供养 (support) of the believers' mental power. If the thoughts are impure, righteous deities will not accept them and will abandon them, while evil spirits will take them and rejoice. This will attract evil. Therefore, those who seek deities must have a pure thought, only then can wishes be fulfilled. If sometimes things do not go as planned, it is not necessarily inauspicious. If thoughts are impure but results are obtained, it must be evil spirits arriving, and long-term disaster will not be light.

Another question: For merchants, seeking profit is their duty; can they seek it?

Since ancient times, merchants seeking profit is a common sentiment. However, merchants also have a way. They do not sell fake goods, do not sell inferior goods, do not deceive customers, etc. As long as it does not violate moral principles, even if the price is high, people will still seek it, which does not violate the Dao. Thus, there is no harm. If one caters to the world by tempting with low prices, selling inferior goods, and replacing with fakes, this is deceiving customers and violating moral principles, which is not allowed.

Another question: I feel my heart is sincere, but my fortune has not gradually changed. Why?

Sincerity is where the thought reaches. But where does it reach, and whether righteous deities accept it, all depends on the purity of the thought. Ask yourself: when seeking blessings, was it pure? More so, the so-called self-perceived sincerity, the sincerity claimed by oneself, is not true sincerity. Only carrying sincerity can be called having sincerity. People often treat deities as tools, seeking them when needed and abandoning them when not needed, only realizing they should burn incense at the last moment. If you know someone who only contacts you when they have something to ask and ignores you otherwise, what reason do you have to help them?

Another question: I usually do not worship deities or burn incense, but have an urgent matter to seek. If it comes suddenly and there is no time, what should be done?

There are masters in the world who sincerely serve deities and save all beings. In times of emergency, one should seek a master. The decision depends on the severity and urgency of the matter. After the matter is resolved, one must necessarily do some good deeds.

Another question: I do not believe in deities; can I seek help from a master?

If you do not believe, why seek it? If you seek it, you begin to generate faith. In this case, it can be done. However, the most taboo is to try it with half-belief and half-doubt, which is inappropriate. Those with half-belief and half-doubt are like patients seeking a doctor but questioning the doctor's skills before treatment. Even if the doctor has good morals, after experiencing many patients, there will inevitably be moments of slackness. With such disrespect, why should they strain themselves to do their best for you? Doctors are human, and masters are also human. Humans are always inseparable from seven emotions and six desires, and worldly affairs. Therefore, if you do not believe, you should not seek, due to disrespect.

Another question: The world says that practitioners do not eat worldly food, but I see it is no different.

Worldly affairs are like this. This saying does not lack you alone. Matters of seeking blessings are like drinking water; only the drinker knows if it is cold or warm. Those with affinity get it, those without lose it. Our Great Dao teaching never forces water on a cow. If the world understands, so be it; if not, we do not force it.

Another question: Burning incense seems inelegant and often without conditions. Is there a method to replace it?

Burning incense is merely a formal matter. The Taoist method is for Taoist practitioners to cultivate specifically, named the Secret Method of Heart Incense, which can be used as a substitute. This method, when practiced regularly, makes one feel refreshed and clear, increasing wisdom and enlightenment. Over time, when a thought arises and one desires something, it will be fulfilled as wished.

Another question: Please teach the secret of the Heart Incense. How should it be done?

This is also a method of communicating with deities. If not burning real incense, one can use one or three sticks of Heart Incense. The method is to close your eyes and visualize the deity you worship flying out of your heart and standing before you. You hold three incense sticks in your hand and bow three times. Then, visualize a tripod-shaped incense burner in front of you, and insert the three incense sticks into it. Visualize the incense burning, its smoke rising to the nine heavens, transforming into sea clouds and immortal energy,供养 (supporting) all beings in the incense fire.

Then, coordinate visualization, breathing, and chanting: When inhaling, chant: 'The Primordial Qi enters my body,' visualizing the spiritual energy in the air around you and in all things flowing into your body. When exhaling, chant: 'One stick of Heart Incense penetrates the Universe,' visualizing the gathered energy transforming into Heart Incense and its smoke spreading out.

The key point is that breathing should be slow, deep, and long, but do not hold your breath or become uncomfortable and pant. The分寸 (degree) must be grasped by yourself.

Another question: How long should one visualize like this?

Common incense burns for more than two to three quarters of an hour (30 to 45 minutes). One should follow this. When first practicing the Heart Incense method, one may not be able to last long, but should at least verify with one quarter of an hour.

Another question: What if distracting thoughts arise during Heart Incense practice?

The arising of distracting thoughts is transformed by the conscious mind influenced by the seven emotions and six desires. This is demonic disturbance. When the mind and spirit are united, let go of distracting thoughts, or strengthen the attention of visualization, and naturally distracting thoughts will not arise.

Another question: What are the verification signs for this practice?

Do not seek it with the heart. If there is a heart of not seeking, practicing it will show its verification. Chronic illnesses gradually disappear, the body becomes strong, and hundred diseases are hard to disturb. Wisdom becomes clear. If practiced for a long time, whenever a desire arises in thought, it will immediately respond and become true.

Another question: The gathered energy is all offered out. Is it beneficial to oneself?

The realm of incense fire exists between the spiritual platform and the square inch (heart). Deities reside in the place of the slanting moon and three stars. Although offered in incense fire, it is also within the body. This must be realized.