The secret of Art

finished, everyone who saw it marvelled, for it seemed to be the work of gods or spirits.
When the marquis of Lu saw it, he asked: “What art is it you have?” Qing replied: „I am only a craftsman – how would I have any art? There is one thing, however.
When I am going to make a bell stand, I never let it wear out my energy. I always fast in order to still my mind. When I have fasted for three days, I no longer have any thought of congratulations or rewards, of titles or stipends. When I have fasted for five days, I no longer have any thought of praise or blame, of skill or clumsiness.
And when I have fasted for seven days, I am so still that I forget I have four limbs and a form and body. By that time, the ruler and his court no longer exist for me. My skill is concentrated and all outside distractions fade away.
After that, I go into the mountain forest and examine the heavenly nature [of the trees]. If I find one of superlative form, and I can see a bell stand there, I put my hand to the job of carving; if not, I let it go.
This way I am simply matching up heaven with heaven. That is probably the reason that people wonder if the results were not made by spirits

Daoist Tales by Zhuangzi