Living life with purpose and fulfillment that is the topic Master Wu Chueh Miao Tien, the 85th patriarch of the Taiwan-based Chan school of meditation, will tackle during his first U.S. public address, Saturday, July 1, at the Irvine Barclay Theater.

Chan,a spiritual practice that focuses on cultivating inner peace and compassion, is believed to have come to China about 1,500 years ago from India, where it was called dhyan. In an interview via Skype from Taipei, Miao Tien said Chan aims to complement and enhance any religious practice, not to replace it.

Chan now has practice and teaching centers in Irvine, Walnut and Torrance, and thousands of practitioners across the country, as well as in Taiwan, Europe, Japan and mainland China.

Miao Tien, 84, spoke to the Register about his message and the essence of Chan practice:

Members of the Chan Center listen to Chan Master Wu Chueh Miao Tien on the television Friday at the Chan Center in Irvine. ///ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 7/19/13 MICHAEL LOPEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER 01.chanmeditation.ml Chan is an ancient form of meditation, which orginated in India and was then exported to China and later to Japan (Zen). This is a story about the Chan Center in Irvine and about the practice, its benefits, etc.

Donna Feng leads the meditation ritual before listening to Chan Master Wu Chueh Miao Tiens video Friday at the Chan Center in Irvine. ///ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 7/19/13 MICHAEL LOPEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER 01.chanmeditation.ml Chan is an ancient form of meditation, which orginated in India and was then exported to China and later to Japan (Zen). This is a story about the Chan Center in Irvine and about the practice, its benefits, etc.

Q: What is the goal of this spiritual practice?

A: The ultimate purpose of practicing Chan is for our spirit to be with God. In the process, through this practice, we are also making our physical body healthy, and our hearts and minds joyful. When we gradually purify our body and mind, we can practice Chan in its true sense. This helps connect us with the sacred spirit (God) and enables our spirit to witness God, and that is the highest spiritual state.

Q: What role does kindness and compassion play in Chan practice?

A: It plays a significant role and it starts with cultivating ones heart. We need to cultivate a very beautiful world in our hearts, where we are joyful every day, respect each other and do not create conflicts. Even when conflicts arise, we need to continue to be courteous to others and not get angry. If you can develop this habit through Chan practice, you will cultivate loving kindness, which will help elevate your spiritual practice to a higher level.

Q: What is the key to cultivating this joyful heart?

A: Most importantly, you need to realize life is short at most, 100 years. Within this time, you need to realize the meaning and value of this life. The purpose of life is not to feed our own desires. We need to learn how to contribute our heart and our abilities to benefit mankind. When that realization dawns, naturally, you will be joyful every day and find life to be very fulfilling.

Q: What message do you hope to convey to your audience in the U.S.?

A: I will talk about the difference between religious and spiritual practice. When conflicts arise between different religious groups, it causes war. But, spiritual practice is not about religions. It is about the sacred spirit. Religions are interpreted in different ways according to peoples understanding and perspectives. On the contrary, everyone has the same sacred spirit. What we pursue in Chan is this sacred spirit, not religions. This has the potential to bring peace to the world and end wars.

In the eastern world, people read and recite scriptures. In the western world, you listen to sermons, read the Bible or listen to hymns. These religious practices bring peace to peoples hearts. However, they are not enough to witness God because these are all practices that exist in the conscious mind. The sacred spirit can be reached only by transcending the conscious mind and by entering that spiritual realm through Chan. When you start the practice you will see right away that your body becomes healthier and your mind gets clearer.

Wu Chueh Miao Tien, the 85th patriarch of Chan, will discuss The Secret of Life from 9:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, July 1, at the Irvine Barclay Theater, 4242 Campus Drive in Irvine. Admission is free, but tickets are required. Information: 714-699-3188 or info@heartchan.org.

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Taiwanese meditation master visiting Irvine to teach approach to living a life of purpose - OCRegister