My Thoughts Aren't Truly Me

Because of the public's perception, or rather, differing cultural attributes, everyone understands things differently.

There is commonality, but no complete sameness.

After Daoist cultivators achieve a certain level of accomplishment, their masters will assign them soldiers and generals to command and act on their behalf.

Similarly, after Spirit Mediumship practitioners achieve a certain level of accomplishment, various immortal families will be arranged to follow them.

In reality, these are essentially the same thing, with the differences arising solely from two distinct ways of understanding.

Our traditional Daoism doesn't actually have gods. The deities worshipped were once famous people from a particular era, who were later deified and worshipped by posterity after their passing.

Spirit Mediumship, on the other hand, incorporates some similar practices but also adds Buddhist imagery, animal spirits, and the like.

Buddhism is inherently atheistic. The word "Buddha" translates to "awakened one," describing someone who has achieved enlightenment.

Temples were established for two main reasons: first, to better propagate Buddhist teachings, and second, to utilize the desires of ordinary people to guide them in a positive direction.

A person might lose confidence, but if they believe in Buddha, they go to a temple, buy incense, and pray for protection. Because they believe in Buddha, they regain their self-confidence.

This is essentially the same principle at play in Daoist temples or Chuma incense halls.

When a person is lost and confused, their mind is unsettled. They need to find a way to calm their mind.

Once the mind is settled, everything begins to change.

In truth, humans themselves are incredibly powerful beings with exceptional healing abilities. Often, when people seek medical treatment, it's not the medicine curing them, but rather the medication regulating their body's condition, which then speeds up the healing process.

For a long time, whenever I had a severe cold, no amount of medicine or injections seemed to help. So, I'd just say "screw it," have a small beer, and enjoy myself, doing whatever I pleased. Within a couple of days, I'd be completely recovered.

Later, I pondered why drinking alcohol always seemed to cure my illnesses. After much thought, I realized the reason: every time I drank, I urinated more frequently, and my body would feel warm. In a sense, this accelerated my metabolism, helping to expel viruses from my body more quickly. (A friendly reminder here: individual conditions vary, so this method is not universally applicable and should not be imitated. I'm merely sharing an experience, not teaching people to drink. For some, drinking while sick can worsen their condition, so it's crucial not to copy this.)

To me now, whether I see an eminent monk, an eminent Daoist, or an old Chuma immortal, in my perception, they are all just ordinary people. Their understanding of the world simply differs from that of the average person.

For instance, if someone has a headache or a fever that doctors can't cure, they might turn to practitioners of metaphysics for help. These metaphysical practitioners might perform rituals to drive away spirits or conduct ceremonies. The underlying principle is to alter the person's energy state through language, suggestion, and symbolic actions to aid in healing. These individuals are akin to traditional psychologists.

For example, if you're deeply in love with someone and suffering because of it, a hospital might diagnose you with depression.

If you then seek out a pháp sư, and they tell you that person is negatively impacting you, this direct approach can help you overcome the difficulty more quickly.

Practitioners often liken negative energy to unseen forces like ghosts or demons.

Sometimes, they even use props to help people. You see those selling spiritual items online, like Mountain Ghost Coins or Fifth Master talismans.

But then you see these streamers on live broadcasts groaning, farting, burping, and popping corn. From a normal perspective, these people seem completely insane. But if you view them with belief, they appear magical.

Yet, you can't deny that the items they sell aren't created by them but are sourced from manufacturers or wholesalers. In front of a statue, they might burn incense, spit water, bang on tables, or stomp their feet, imbuing these talismans with different meanings.

Then they sell them to you at prices ranging from tens to hundreds or even thousands.

They instill the idea that you're not buying but "inviting" the item, making you believe it possesses magical energy after you've spent your money.

Do you understand now? Buying spiritual items is the same principle as burning incense and worshipping gods and Buddhas.

I can't say it's wrong because, from one perspective, it genuinely helps people. However, from a normal standpoint, these Seven Great Immortals and Eight Great Deities are essentially doing the same thing as those online sales streamers, just cloaked in a different guise. It's a matter of "benevolence is seen by the benevolent, wisdom by the wise." If you believe it's real, then it is; if you don't, then it isn't. This is why perceptions differ.

The common saying captures this perfectly: "If you believe, it exists; if you don't, it doesn't."

Meaning, whatever you believe in, that's what you'll experience. In reality, disbelief is also a form of belief.

Why is disbelief also a form of belief? Consider this: believing something is fake with absolute conviction, and believing something is real with absolute conviction – aren't they both the same?

Can you understand this explanation?

Why do people cultivate? Many have different goals. Some wish to become immortals or Buddhas, some seek liberation, and others desire to go to heaven or Sukhavati after they pass.

In positive terms, these are called wishes, aspirations, or desires. In negative terms, they are desires, obsessions, and so on. It's all the same thing: having a desire.

In layman's terms, it's "I want this," "I need that," and "This is what I'm doing now to achieve that goal."

In reality, everyone in this world is cultivating, even if they don't realize it. Every thought that arises is a form of cultivation and reincarnation. Each thought is a cause, and each thought is also an effect.

This is all due to habits or karmic habits.

To break free from the constraints of this cycle, one needs special training, such as Buddhist cultivation or seeking enlightenment.

I myself, after breaking through my "form" using Buddhist methods, began my journey to seek the Great Dao.

Before I began cultivating, I was much like many of you, doing repetitive work, with all sorts of random thoughts popping into my head from time to time. Sometimes I'd smile foolishly at happy memories, and other times I'd be unable to sleep, troubled by worries.

This used to frustrate me immensely. There were many things I didn't want to think about, but I couldn't stop myself. These thoughts would arise automatically.

This made me deeply confused. I began to question whether my thoughts were truly "me." I thought that this mind, this thing I considered the soul, wasn't actually me. If it were truly me, why couldn't I control it?

If it were truly me, shouldn't thoughts arise only when I willed them to, and cease when I didn't?

Perhaps my thinking is unusual, but that's genuinely how I felt.

If my thoughts were me, then they should be completely under my control and direction, not passively arising and tormenting me with so many ideas.