In early March 2025, I took a trip to the countryside. My family enthusiastically took me to a temple to watch a spirit medium training and consultation session. I stood in the temple courtyard, observing the scene before me.
Interestingly, the “energy” in the temple manifested as a distinctly concentrated area, fixed near the main altar. The range was not large, about a radius of seven or eight meters. Within that space, the spirit medium (Ji-Tong) rolled and jumped rapidly on the ground, which bystanders viewed as a sign of divine manifestation.
From my perspective, this energy was not the natural flowing state of the entire temple. It seemed more like a highly concentrated field gathered by the personnel or the deity through specific methods. The mediums rolled effortlessly, appearing to adjust their state to be as sensitive as a “high-voltage grid,” as if this would allow them to connect with a higher source.
This method of energy concentration did not cover the entire temple. It was a rather intense and domineering energy, different from the soft and warm energy usually radiated by temples. But it also made me think: everyone possesses the innate ability to operate their own energy and does not necessarily need to rely on external sources to generate it. So, is this phenomenon the power of the human mind or the work of a deity? A question mark arose in my heart.
Today, I watched a video by a channeler. He viewed morning inspiration and nightly dreams as message sources from a “higher existence.” His explanation focused mainly on external guidance, rarely mentioning nature’s own rhythm or how human consciousness resonates with the greater environment when relaxed. For inner experiences that are not easily understood, he chose to interpret them through external, personified forces.
In folk belief, it is thought that people have flashes of inspiration during the “early Zi hour” (waking up in the early morning). In reality, this is the result of the subconscious processing throughout the night. His view reflects a tendency many have when dealing with the unknown: habitually attributing it to “the other.”
In systems of channeling and possession, life changes and the ups and downs of fate are often attributed to divine arrangement. Structurally, the core of this thinking is to seek answers outwardly, handing over power and decision-making rights to an invisible authority, and understanding the world through this lens.
Inward Awareness: Building a Stable Center
The path of cultivation I engage with is somewhat different. It focuses on inward awareness and building self-power. By observing one’s own thoughts and emotions, one can see through inner reaction patterns and blind spots, gradually establishing a stable and clear center. This is not a rejection of the external, but a process of keeping judgment and power within oneself, starting from the inside.
In many ancient classics, this view has long been clearly expressed. Wang Yangming said, “The mind is reason” (Xin Ji Li). The Sixth Patriarch Huineng attained enlightenment through the phrase, “Let the mind arise without dwelling on anything.” These words point to a way of understanding that starts from the heart/mind.
From this perspective, the phenomena in the temple can also be interpreted this way: the energy presented by the medium may be an inner projection after intense focus; the messages received by the channeler may be the content of their own subconscious. Those feelings viewed as external decrees can sometimes be understood as symbols formed by the deep needs, expectations, or anxieties of the human heart.
These phenomena do not negate the concepts of the ancients; instead, like a mirror, they directly demonstrate that “all dharmas originate from the heart.”
Whether seeking power outwardly or examining one’s own mind inwardly, both reflect the ways people understand the world and face life.
What I felt at the scene is a key point to which these phenomena all point: the human inner self plays the most critical role. When looking outward, people see themselves in external images; when looking inward, people can more clearly perceive the inner workings.
For me, this is the situation as I see it in the present moment—clear and simple.
Want to learn more about MSER Framework spiritual work? 想更深入了解 MSER 框架的靈性工作嗎？