The sole purpose of a Ch'an [Zen] retreat is to meditate. You should keep your attention entirely on the practice, without trying to attain any results. Since many of you have traveled far, or have worked hard to set aside time, you have a great deal invested in this retreat. It is natural that you want to gain something. But once you enter the retreat, you must put aside any specific hopes.
Practicing with a goal is mind is like trying to catch a feather with a fan. The more you go after it, the more it eludes you. But if you sneak up on it slowly, you can grab it. The aim of practice is to develop patience and forbearance, to train your mind to become calm and stable. Any attachment or seeking will prevent your mind from settling down.
---Master Sheng Yen, during a November, 1984 retreat---
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