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The following Zen story illustrates third eye visioning in action. A master craftsman in ancient China was commissioned by the emperor to make a cabinet for the emperor’s bedroom in the Imperial Palace. The craftsman, a Zen monk, told the emperor he would not be able to begin work for five days. The monk was seen by the emperor’s spies simply sitting, apparently doing nothing for the entire time. Then, when five days had passed, the monk got up. Within three days, he had made the most extraordinary cabinet anyone had ever seen. The emperor was so pleased and so curious that he had the monk brought before him and asked what he had been doing the five days before he had begun his work. And this is what the monk said

1. All the first day I spent releasing every thought of fear or failure, of dread of punishment if my work should displease the emperor.

2. All the second day I spent releasing every thought of inadequacy and every belief that I might lack the skill to produce a cabinet worthy of the emperor.

3. All the third day, I spent releasing every hope and desire for fame, glory and reward if I should produce a cabinet that would please the emperor

4. All the fourth day, I spent releasing the pride that might arise in me if I should succeed in my task and earn the praise of the emperor.

5. And all the fifth day, I spent beholding in the mind the clear vision of that cabinet which I knew even an emperor would desire, which now stands before you.