竟心香道……覺醒的芳香路徑Meditating with incense----an awakening path of fragrance

        香的本質，是回歸內在的療育之旅。

    The essence of incense is an inward healing journey.

       香道，是禪的精神，是找回自心的禪的藝術。禪，是生活、是精神、是態度；是看待萬事萬物的心境。透過與香的連結，提高專注力，開啟覺知，觀照自我、明白阻礙個人前進的信念；透過香，滋養身心、轉化負面思維、提高信心、找回喜悅幸福，與更高的精神力量及意識連結。

    Incense ceremony carries the spirit of Zen, also an art that leads us to retrieve our true hearts. Zen can be interpreted as a way of living, a kind of spirit, an attitude, or a perspective on something. Through the connection to incense, we can hopefully enhance our attention, activate our awareness, observe ourselves clearly, and clarify what stops us from moving forward. By virtue of incense, we can really nourish our body and mind, transform our negative thought, enhance our confidence, find our blessings, and connect to the Higher Me.

    香，是萬物之精華；道，是路徑、是方法，也是內在本源。形式是內容的呈現方式，內容是形式外顯的依據，二者無法區分。黑格爾說：「藝術的形式是美的實現。」香道，體現為香席、香事、儀軌、品香的形式；內容是反觀自心的探索之旅；而其最初的意義與最終的目的，是回歸萬物被創化的起始點。

    Incense is the essence of all the beings, while a ceremony can be a way or method, or even an origin. The apparent ceremony is intertwined with the content. Hegel once said that the exhibition of art is the realization of beauty. Incense ceremony is displayed through the related instruments, a series of activities and rituals. By such doing, we can reflect our own mind and explore ourselves. And, the initial meaning and the ultimate goal are about the origin of all the creations. 

    當我們的心往外追尋時，就會失去認識自己的機會；唯有往內，才能聽見真正的聲音。平常的你，如何觀照自己？是否常常和自己的五感連結？你聽見、看見、聞到、吃到、碰到了什麼？引起你哪些感受？你的身體舒服嗎？你放鬆了嗎？此刻你是喜悅寧靜還是悲傷低落？你能覺察自己的思考模式嗎？你正向積極或消極灰暗？透過品香靜心與隨時觀照，就是把自己帶回內在的家了。

    When we go after something in the outside world, we actually lose the opportunity to know ourselves. Only by looking inward into ourselves can we really hear the true voice. That being said, how do you usually see yourself? Do you connect to your five senses? What do you hear, see, smell, eat or touch? What things do you respond to? Do you feel comfortable or relaxed? At the very moment, do you feel peaceful or sorrowful? Can you perceive your thinking patterns? Are you optimistic or pessimistic? When you meditate with incense and observe all the above-mentioned, you are going back to your inner home. 

    香道必須超越感官取悅，將精神與心靈的美感經驗，昇華為「共好」的情操。在宇宙神聖秩序中，與大自然合一、讓心境再度歸零，珍惜當下的一期一會，立足於更高視野看待萬事萬物，回歸圓滿自在的生命源頭，這才是香道的最終本質啊！

    Incense ceremony is above sensory pleasure. It is a beautiful experience about spirit and mind. It leads us to calm down, merge with the big nature in the holy universe. If we can cherish each unique encounter with incense and learn to see things on a higher level, we can return to the perfect origin of life. And, that is the ultimate essence of incense ceremony!

        「竟心香道」是一趟身心靈的療育之旅，讓我們走入內在認識本質，與真正的自己「香遇」。

    Incense ceremony is a healing journey for our body, mind, and soul. Let’s travel inwards and meet our true selves.