Encounter with the Quan Yin Method

In recent years, Asian philosophies and cultures have been a great source of interest to Westerners, including brother Jacky, who has long been captivated by the esoteric teachings of Zen and other schools of Buddhism. On one auspicious occasion, he received a message about the Quan Yin Method, and thus embarked on the path toward enlightenment. As he states, “Once I went to the campus of a university in Brussels on “Buddhist Day,” when people were talking about Buddhism. There happened to be a seminar about the Quan Yin Method, which I thought was about Buddhist teachings.

Since I like all the oriental philosophies, I attended the seminar. As I was leaving, someone handed me a free sample booklet and I took it and started reading it.”

“When I went home, my wife pointed at the cover of the sample booklet and said, ‘That’s Master Ching Hai. I also know about Her because my Aulacese friends gave me several of Her videotapes.’ We then compared the contents of the sample booklet and videotapes, and after a period of intensive study, were attracted to Master’s teachings and decided to practice the Quan Yin Method. So we sought out the address of our local center and were eventually initiated.”

Reflect on Your Inner Self and Contact God Directly

When asked what he had cultivated and realized since beginning his pursuit of the Quan Yin Method, brother Jacky said, “The Quan Yin Method allows me to recharge my spiritual battery, to look inside myself, and to speak directly with God.” He then cited the following Zen story to illustrate the importance of “meditating with a still mind.”

An English tourist in Japan persistently asked a Japanese monk this question: “Could you please tell me what Zen means?” The monk replied, “Come with me; I’ll show you.” Standing on the edge of a lake, the monk said, “Look! Isn’t the water so pure that you can see the bottom?” “Yes!” answered the Englishman. “Now, I’m stirring the water with my stick. What do you see?” The Englishman answered, “Nothing. The water is troubled. I can’t see the bottom at all.”

The monk then said, ”It’s the same with Zen. When you meditate, you’re as quiet as the water, and you can see the real Self inside you, but if you’re stressed and agitated, you can’t see your real Self anymore. That’s why you need to become still and meditate.”

Brother Jacky concluded, ”That’s what meditation means to me: seeing my inner Self, and being able to contact God directly.”

Concentration is the Key to Success

It is undeniable that archery is not merely a sport, but also a special form of art. However, one might ask if archery and spiritual practice have anything in common. To this question, brother Jacky replies, “For me, shooting is also a kind of meditation. I’ve already explained it to a lot of people. Meditation doesn’t just mean sitting and closing your eyes.

There are different kinds of meditation; for instance, standing meditation, sitting meditation, and so on. I really take archery as a kind of meditation. I’m highly concentrated when shooting or before shooting. I recite the Holy Names from time to time, and put my attention on the wisdom eye. I simply close my eyes a little and can see the image of the inner Master, which means seeing Master through the inner Light.”

“When looking at the target, it’s as though I’m looking at Master’s image. It’s because, in superior archery, the shooter and target are no longer opponents, but have melted into one. Meditation also helps me a lot in daily life as I’ve gotten used to focusing on my inner Self. I can now go more directly and quickly to the point of any problem before me, and the solution comes like a spotlight. This is similar to archery, when you focus on one point in the middle of the target and hit the bull’s eye.”

A Vegetarian Diet Provides Ample Strength and Vitality

Many people have the notion that a vegetarian diet is not nutritious enough, and can thus adversely affect one’s strength and mental capacity. But actually, the truth is just the opposite. Brother Jacky cited his own experience in observing a vegetarian diet: “Pulling the bow requires a lot of strength. When I first switched to a vegetarian diet, I was a bit worried that my body would become too weak to control the bow properly. People also told me that not eating meat would make me tire easily, get poor results, and thus suffer.

However, since following a vegetarian diet for a period of time, not only has my strength been unaffected, but my mental condition has improved, accompanied by improvements in stamina and concentration. So it was absolutely a wrong concept. I’m the best example and evidence of vegetarianism’s positive effects. People who know me now also realize the benefits of a vegetarian diet, and are no longer amazed or skeptical.”