Where Attention Is, There the Mind Is

Question: During meditation and Buddha recitation over the past two days, I initially reached a state where the recitation seemed to vanish before my eyes and I couldn't continue. Starting yesterday, I felt the thought disappear from below my navel. Will this lead to deviations if it continues?

Answer: This is merely a matter of attention. Wherever your attention is focused, you perceive the thought to be there. Focusing attention on the dantian (elixir field), directing qi to the dantian, clearing the body's energy channels, and purifying the mind naturally lead to fewer arising thoughts. Therefore, it will not cause deviations.