The inner engineering [resources sharing for your full awakening.]

**Hint: The Essence of Practice**[Notes from Little Master Sky Ng, the resources provided here is just for your reference only. You need to figure your own way out. Don't believe and follow blindly. Reflect deeply and take only what you need for your own full awakening.]

From the perspective of "removing the excess marble to reveal the perfect statue," the essence of practice is a process of shedding illusions, revealing the true self, and ultimately achieving complete awakening. Just like a sculptor, a practitioner must carefully chisel away the obstacles that obscure their true nature, living fully in the present moment of awakened awareness. Here’s how we interpret points A-D:

**A. 1 Hour of Preparation + 2 Hours of Meditation + 1 Hour of Recovery = 4 Hours of Meditation Practice**

This 4-hour practice is akin to the meticulous work of a sculptor. **Preparation** is like sharpening the tools, where the practitioner aligns body and mind, entering a state of readiness. **Meditation** is the deep work of sculpting, where the practitioner cuts through distractions and attachments, gradually revealing the essence of their being. **Recovery** ensures that no unnecessary damage is done during the process and prepares for the next phase of practice. Just as a statue isn’t completed in one sitting, true practice takes years—sometimes 1-2 years, or even 5 years—to accumulate real progress.

**B. Two Aspects of Practice: Shifting the Mind and Structuring the Essence Body**

The **shifting of the mind** is like the sculptor’s decision on where to make adjustments to the overall structure of the work. The practitioner shifts from ignorance to wisdom, from attachment to release, much like how a sculptor progressively shapes a rough block of marble into a refined form.

**Structuring the essence body** is the intricate detailing, involving the breath and body alignment, where the practitioner builds the foundation of the “Dharma body” through internal energy work. Just like the sculptor meticulously carves out the fine details, ensuring stability and clarity in the finished piece.

**C. Awakening of Instincts: Stimulating the Physical Instincts to Awaken the Deeper Life Instincts**

In practice, **awakening instincts** is like the sculptor bringing the hidden form out of the stone through the skillful use of tools. **Preliminary work**, or stimulating the body’s physical instincts, is the preparation that gathers strength and brings the practitioner closer to the essence. As the work progresses, deeper life instincts are awakened, leading to a profound meditative state. This mirrors how, with every cut, the sculptor reveals more of the statue’s inherent beauty.

**D. Completion of Endurance: Withstanding External Pressure Without Losing Focus**

The **completion of endurance** is like the sculptor encountering tough or unexpected challenges during the carving process but remaining undeterred. The practitioner develops the resilience to withstand external pressures and distractions, maintaining their focus so the practice doesn’t regress. This endurance ensures the practitioner can continue refining their inner self without breaking concentration, just as a sculptor steadily brings the perfect form to light.

**Conclusion: Living Fully in Present Awakening**

The core of practice is to shed the impurities and illusions of life, returning to the essence of being. The process of sculpting marble is a metaphor for practice: through persistent meditation, shifting of the mind, structuring of the essence body, awakening of instincts, and endurance, the practitioner gradually reveals their inherent Buddha nature, ultimately living in a state of complete and present awareness.