Ilchi Lee's Blog, page 11
November 22, 2023
A Short Meditation on Gratitude
As a gift of thanksgiving, I offer you this message of gratitude and a short meditation to hold gratitude in your heart.
It’s harvest time and time for the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. It’s a great time to be grateful for the past year and appreciate everything we have. Whether we’ve faced ups or downs and however we rate the current state of our lives, we always have something to be thankful for. In fact, gratitude, as an expression of our true selves, helps us find peace and joy in all things. A mindset of gratitude amplifies and grows whatever we have.
As a gift of thanksgiving, I would like to share the following message of gratitude with you, which comes from my book, Calligraphic Meditation for Everyday Happiness. I would also like to leave you with a short gratitude meditation to enable you to practice gratitude more deeply.
The Alchemy of GratitudeGratitude is a technique of the mind that anyone can learn and develop. When your experience and understanding of gratitude deepen, you’ll know that it simply means being grateful for everything, in any circumstance whatsoever. Every moment of life will be filled with gratitude, and you needn’t try hard to find it.
At first, gratitude must be looked at to be seen, must be sought to be thankful for, even if you feel it’s insignificant. We all have something to be thankful for.
If you really think you have nothing to be grateful for, then be thankful you were born a human being. Be grateful that you are still breathing and that your heart still beats. And be thankful that the sun rose today, that a new season has come, and the trees are green again.
If you have true gratitude for even one thing, at some moment thankfulness will rush over you like a wave.
When thankfulness matures, then appreciation–temporary, conditional, and calculating–gives way to unconditional, sustained gratitude.
Such gratitude takes away from our lives’ complaints and dissatisfaction, anxieties and worries, and brings in their place infinite positivity and peace.
Train yourself to be thankful, whatever your circumstances. Let gratitude fill your whole mind so that thankfulness overflows into your whole life.
If your heart is filled with gratitude, you can’t live halfheartedly. You can’t use tricks or do cowardly things for your benefit alone.
When you are grateful, you show full devotion in whatever you do and do your best no matter whom you meet.
A holy mind comes out of a grateful heart. Gratitude is an alchemy of the soul everyone should practice.
Simple Gratitude MeditationSit or lie down with your back straight.Bring your attention to your body, particularly your breath. Feel your chest or abdomen rise and fall; feel the air filling and leaving your lungs. Let your focus on your breath gently and gradually calm your mind and emotions.Then, put both palms on the middle of your chest. Feel the center of the inside of your chest, your heart chakra. Imagine your attention going deeper and deeper into the center and notice what you sense.Keeping your awareness in the center of your heart space, bring to mind different people, situations, and possessions in your life, one by one.For each one, say in your mind or aloud, “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.” Imagine the energy of gratitude going to it.Repeat the process of saying, “Thank you,” for everything that comes to mind. If you don’t have a lot of time, you can do a shorter meditation and simply give thanks for everything in your life.Finish with three deep breaths.Then, rub your palms together briskly, making them hot. Keep them an inch or two away from your body as you sweep your palms over your face, head, arms, torso, hips, legs, and feet.I would like to thank you as well for all you are and all that you do.
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November 15, 2023
Energy Exercises for Cold and Flu Prevention and Alleviation
[Photo by Sandsun via Envato Elements]Meridian exercises release cold energy from key areas of the body that can lead to or amplify cold and flu symptoms.
It’s getting cold right now in the northern parts of the world, like where I am right now in South Korea. Cold and flu season is upon us.
To help prevent cold and flu symptoms or alleviate them if we get them, we can use our bodies’ natural healing power. You probably already know about the benefits of healthy habits–of eating and sleeping well and getting enough exercise. They keep our bodies resilient. We can also directly manage our bodies’ energy system to keep that strong as well. Yoga, qigong, acupressure, breathing, meditation, and other energy work can be used regularly to keep our energy running smoothly and stably.
Important Energy Points for Colds and the FluIllnesses such as colds or flus are caused by viral infections, but they have an energetic component, too. As the name “cold” implies, these infections are associated with a buildup of cold energy in the body, especially around the head, neck. and shoulders.
These energy points are especially susceptible:
CV 22 (chundol in Korean): Located in the dip at the bottom of the front of the neck in the middle of the clavicle. It is on the Conception Vessel, an energy channel, or meridian, that runs down the midline of the front of the body.
GV 14 (daechu in Korean): Found on the Governing Vessel between the seventh cervical vertebrae and the first thoracic vertebrae. The Governing Vessel is a meridian that runs down the midline of the back of the body.
Tapping, pressing, and massaging these points can help release the cold energy stuck there. This will improve the energy flow through the Governing Vessel and Conception Vessel as well.
Here are some other acupressure points that also help with cold and the flu ►
Meridian Exercises for Cold and FluMoving our bodies mindfully can also stimulate these important energy points and others where cold energy may be stuck. The following three exercises are simple and gentle enough to follow even when we’re not feeling well.
1. Head Twist
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2. Massage for Congestion
When we practice meridian exercises regularly to maintain a healthy energy flow, our immune system gets boosted. Our chances of getting cold or flu symptoms naturally decreases. Keeping our bodies warm with clothing and movement also helps prevent the buildup of cold energy in the body that creates the perfect energy environment for these illnesses.
Learn more exercises for keeping our bodies and energy healthy in my book, Meridian Exercise for Self-Healing.
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Calm Down with Barefoot Walking
[Photo by halfpoint via Envato Elements]Walking on the earth with our bare feet can bring down our anxiety, the energy in our head, our inflammation, and maybe even our pain.
Even though it’s getting cool where I’ve been staying in Cheonan, South Korea, I recently gave a talk at a well-attended event at the Institute of Korean Cultural Studies (known as Kookhakwon there) that featured walking barefoot on a dirt path. Barefoot walking is a growing trend in South Korea, but its health benefits have been recognized for a long time in many places around the world.
Have you tried it? You may not have walked barefoot, except at the beach, but you may have felt good simply walking outside. You may have felt even better walking outside in a natural setting such as park or a mountain. I think it feels even better when you do that barefoot.
Walking barefoot on the earth is often called earthing or grounding. People who study this practice believe that by having direct contact with the earth, our body’s electromagnetic field balances out to match that of the earth, stabilizing it. We also take in the free electrons the earth gives off in a seemingly limitless and ever-renewing supply. These unbound electrons neutralize the free radicals in our bodies, which reduces inflammation. The act of putting our feet on the ground can shift our autonomic nervous system so that the parasympathetic branch (rest and digest) dominates over the sympathetic one (fight or flight).
Barefoot walking provides energetic benefits as well. It becomes a form of foot reflexology as it stimulates all the areas around the bottoms of your feet. It also becomes a meditation if you actively focus on the sensations produced as each foot touches the ground. Combined, these effects help bring the subtle energy (qi/chi/ki) in our bodies down into the lower half and stimulates Water Up, Fire Down energy circulation. This ideal energy flow helps us have a cool head and a warm belly, which also relaxes body and mind and contributes to all aspects of wellness.
Overall, all of these effects contribute to our bodies being better able to care for and heal themselves. Here are some others that have been mentioned in scientific reviews of the research performed on earthing so far:
Better sleepReduced painFaster wound healingReduced inflammationDecrease blood viscosity and clumpingImproved moodBetter gut healthHaving a backyard or a safe walking path makes earthing easier. Come with me as I walk on the gravel path around the Healing Garden at the Sedona Mago Center for Well-being and Retreat:
Besides all the health benefits that have been studied, I’ve found that grounding literally grounds us and fosters a deeper connection to the earth. We become more “natural.” And if we pay close attention and our minds become quiet, we can feel the part of us that isn’t buzzing with stress, worry, or electronics. Walking on the earth not only brings us back to nature, it brings us back to ourselves.
Related PostsReflections on Water, Fire, and TemperatureHow Are You Walking Today?How to Deal with Pain and SicknessIlchi Lee’s 5 Ways to Buffer Yourself Against Negative EnergyDiscover the Spirit of the Earth in SedonaFeatured VideoNovember 2, 2023
You Are More Than a Label: It’s Time to Break Free
[Photo by korneevamaha via Envato Elements]Who we think we are has largely been defined by external influences. But we don’t have to let that information limit us or what we can create in the world. Moving past limiting identities is not only important for our own lives but also for changing the world.
My new book, A New Humanity: Embracing Our Responsibility for the Earth, came out yesterday, and it contains a message I’m very passionate about. I’ve shared some of it in this blog, but i would also like to post an excerpt of it here so that there aren’t any barriers to this important message. I hope you find this message useful or, at least, inspiring.
The “Who am I?” question may seem simple but is often unfamiliar to many of us. When we take a moment to reflect and ask ourselves this question, we might realize that a significant portion of our answers come from external sources—the environment we grew up in and the circumstances that shaped us from birth.
Unless we’ve led an exceptionally different life, most of our basic information, such as name, race, family background, place of birth, appearance, skin color, and language, is determined from the moment we enter the world. We tend to accept these answers without much thought or questioning. That’s why the question “Who am I?” is something people don’t usually ask themselves in their everyday lives unless they’re going through a period of deep reflection or engaging in specific spiritual practices.
Most of the time, we are not the ones that ask the question, “Who am I?” It’s usually other people who are curious to know about us. We tend to live our lives without really delving into that question ourselves. As a result, the question of our identity loses its significance because we don’t have a say in it and cannot choose or change it.
Most of us take our given identity for granted and let it shape our lives. Factors like our country, ethnicity, religion, and ideologies have a powerfully divisive impact on how we think, feel, and act. These divisions based on information can create barriers, even between people who speak the same language and drink from the same river. People with no personal grudges can become enemies and even shed blood just because of these differences.
The information that shapes our identities can get in the way of uniting and collaborating to tackle the global crisis we face. That’s why a new humanity starts by freeing ourselves from the constraints of identity information that hold us back, particularly the dogmatic types of information.
But letting go of these constraints doesn’t mean we throw them away altogether. They’re still valuable life experiences that teach important lessons for our future choices. It means not allowing this information to limit our thoughts and actions. We need to break free from the narrow boundaries it imposes on us. By doing so, we open ourselves up to a clearer understanding of what’s truly needed in the present moment, enabling us to make choices and take actions free from preconceived notions and prejudices.
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Another form of information that restricts our choices and actions is self-imposed limitations. Take a moment and ask yourself, “What kind of person am I?” Jot down the answers that come to your mind. Which answers empower you, and which hold you back? How honestly do those answers reflect yourself?
Now, ask yourself another question: “How do I want to be remembered when my life ends?” Take a moment to ponder this question and reflect on your answer. Chances are, your response reflects your wish to be remembered as someone who has made a difference by helping others and positively impacting the world. It’s innate within us to have this desire and inclination to assist others and contribute in meaningful ways. It speaks to the core of our human nature and our inherent goodness.
Are you worried about the future of humanity and our planet? Do you have a strong desire to contribute and positively address the challenges we’re facing? Most likely, your answer to these questions is a resounding, “Yes!” And you’re not alone.
When I asked this question to numerous individuals, the overwhelming majority responded similarly. It’s truly remarkable. Throughout history, few ordinary people have been genuinely concerned about the well-being of humanity and our planet. Advancements in culture or education systems don’t drive this extraordinary change we’re witnessing. This deep-seated mindset has always existed within us and is now being awakened by the pressing global challenges and crises we encounter.
There’s a belief that individuals are naturally selfish and that we’re powerless to make a difference in the world. That belief couldn’t be further from the truth. Deep within every heart, there exists a noble desire to help others and leave a positive impact on the world. It’s part of our true nature as human beings. In today’s world, we need awareness and action from each of us. We can’t just sit back and think that someone else will handle our problems.
The first step is to let go of the limited information that has defined us thus far. We are so much more than the labels and boundaries that society and ourselves have placed upon us. We need to acknowledge and embrace the vast, bright consciousness that resides within us as our true essence.
This process is like a new birth, where we liberate ourselves from the dogmatic information that defines us and break free from the limiting beliefs that hinder our progress. While physical birth establishes our existence, this birth establishes our true worth. It’s about choosing who we truly are and giving birth to our own being. It’s not about the mother giving birth to us but rather about our consciousness giving birth to ourselves. And the beauty of it is that age or gender doesn’t matter. It’s a transformative journey that anyone can undertake, regardless of circumstances.
When we free ourselves from limiting beliefs and information, we become masters of our bodies and minds. We tap into our brains’ full power and realize our greatest potential. Previously, we may have thought and acted as separate, self-centered, and helpless individuals tied to a specific race, religion, ethnicity, or group. But now, freed from the confines of such information, we can become thoughtful individuals, aware of our presence on Earth at this critical juncture. As mature and responsible individuals, we can assess, choose, and take action independently. We can confidently declare, “I choose, and I act.” Our bodies and minds are tools we can harness to make a positive impact. We bring forth the best of our abilities by making choices that benefit the entire global community. Together, we forge a sustainable future for all of humanity.
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Ten Tips for Living an Authentic Life
[Photo by benzoix via Envato Elements]Our true self may face many obstacles as it tries to express itself, but these tips can help strengthen it to meet every challenge.
Occasionally, I have heard people say “fake it ‘til you make it” about the process of finding success in the world. The phrase suggests that it is best to act, dress, and behave like a successful person, even if you aren’t yet. There is some wisdom in that for creating a success mindset, and I think the same might apply to the process of spiritual growth.
Just like we can act with the confidence of a successful person even when you are not there yet, we can behave as if our lives were completely based on our true inner self. The journey to actualize this self and turn our insides out is not always an easy one, and it can have many blind spots along the way. But, if we understand the basic principles and follow them right now, we will probably arrive at our goal faster. Here are ten simple values you can use in your life today:
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These ten values are about establishing a daily habit of nurturing our true selves. They give us what we need to strengthen it and encourage its expression.
You can learn about consciously creating a fulfilling life from my book Living Tao: Timeless Principles for Everyday Enlightenment.
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4 Self-Care Habits for Harmonious Coexistence
[Photo by Hoverstock via Envato Elements]Natural health and self-care are the foundation of a life of harmonious coexistence.
I’ve been talking about coexistence a lot recently because I think it’s so crucial for us, both individually and socially. So many of our issues center around being able to embrace coexistence with ourselves and each other more than any other value.
What we’re really embracing is the disinterested balance of nature, which tends toward harmony without judgment. This is a characteristic of nature that we, as part of nature, already have.
Unfortunately, many of us place artificial conditions and limitations on this harmony, thinking we can only have it at certain times with certain people. Sometimes, we even adopt limitations without realizing it; it’s just what everyone is doing. These limitations restrict our bodies’ natural ability to heal and maintain themselves and our minds’ natural capacity for equanimity and to find creative solutions. Instead of defaulting to a mindset of love, compassion, gratitude, and forgiveness, we may get stuck under the umbrella of pettiness, jealousy, fear, and even hatred.
We can maintain a natural balance within ourselves through healthy habits and consistent self-care. The habits recommended by many experts—eating well, sleeping well, exercising regularly, managing stress, nurturing relationships, and visiting nature—all foster mental and physical health and resilience.
I would also like to share four types of mind-body practices with you that support our natural healing power and capacity for coexistence.
Focused Breathing: Breathing is a fundamental part of our existence, yet we often take it for granted. This simple act, when done consciously, can help regulate our stress response, restore balance to our nervous system, and support our body’s natural healing abilities. Taking just three to four deep, relaxed breaths can bring the calm needed for our bodies to work better.Gut Health Exercises: Beyond digestion, the gut plays a crucial role in producing essential neurohormones like dopamine and serotonin, which affect our mood and happiness. At the same time, around 80 percent of our bodies’ immune system is hard at work inside the gut, thanks to the diverse community of microbes. Besides eating healthy foods and less food in general, we can help maintain the health of our gut with simple exercises such as abdominal tapping, intestinal exercise, and belly massage.Abdominal Tapping: Rhythmically tap your lower abdomen with your palms or lightly clenched fists.
Intestinal Exercise: Repeatedly pull your belly in as much as possible and then release it. Start with 20–30 repetitions and gradually work up to 100 at a time. Repeat this and abdominal tapping three 3 times a day.
Belly Massage: Press your palms gently into your abdomen in a spiral from the outer edges to the center.
The path to harmonious coexistence begins with taking care of ourselves naturally. By focusing on simple practices that enhance our body’s natural healing abilities, we become more resilient, both physically and mentally. And in doing so, we not only improve our own lives but also contribute to the well-being of the entire planet. In a world full of unexpected challenges, embracing natural health and self-care is the key to a brighter and more harmonious future for all.
Learn more ways to embrace coexistence in my books, The Art of Coexistence: How You and I Can Save the World and A New Humanity: Embracing Our Responsibility for the Earth.
October 12, 2023
How to Be an Everyday Hero
[Photo by YuriArcursPeopleimages via Envato Elements]With small acts of coexistence, we can all be the heroes that are needed today.
In a world where heroism is often associated with grand feats and accolades, I would like to redefine what it means to be a hero. I think true heroes are measured in their everyday actions. They repeatedly do small, common-sense things with the mindset of benefitting others as well as themselves. These small things add up to lives and communities that are positive, productive, and peaceful.
So, what small things can we do? We can start by embracing a mindset of coexistence by affirming for ourselves that all people and the earth have an equal right to exist in peace with their needs met. We can apply this mindset to five categories of action from the New Humanity Pledge:
Caring for Wellness: Proactively nurture your physical, mental, and emotional health and extend a helping hand to others in doing the same.Living in Harmony: Reduce your carbon footprint, conserve energy and water, and protect our natural environment and its diverse habitats.Promoting Peace: Foster dialogue, respect, and understanding across cultures, religions, and nations to contribute to global harmony.Mindful Technology Use: Support sustainable economic development through responsible consumption, production, and investment in technology.Educate and Inspire: Educate yourself and others about the need for change, share success stories, and inspire others to join in the effort to save our planet.In these trying times, the third category takes on a particular significance. Wars are raging in Ukraine and Israel, refugees are seeking asylum in foreign lands, and indigenous peoples are still fighting for recognition and rights from their colonizers. When our very existence seems endangered, coexistence becomes a secondary priority.
While we’re unlikely to stop a war as we work to feed and care for our families, we can embody the spirit of coexistence, even amid challenges. How we treat those around us—neighbors, coworkers, or community members—can create a ripple effect and convey our values to our leaders.
We can make coexistence a daily practice with these guidelines:Embrace Kindness: Treat others with respect, compassion, openness, and empathy, irrespective of differences.
Practice Self-Kindness: Prioritize your well-being with self-care, forgiveness, and self-compassion.
Celebrate Diversity: Appreciate the richness of diverse cultures, religions, and perspectives, and challenge stereotypes and prejudices.
Active Listening: Truly listen to others without judgment, showing genuine interest in their experiences and feelings.
Mindful Communication: Choose kind and uplifting words, avoiding harmful language.
Forgiveness: Let go of grudges and resentment, foster understanding, and offer second chances.
Stand Against Bullying or Discrimination: Speak up against mistreatment and support those targeted, creating a culture of respect and inclusion.
Engage in Service: Get involved in community projects, humanitarian initiatives, and cross-cultural programs to build connections and bridge gaps.
Together, let’s embrace the hero within us, creating a world where the true measure of a hero lies in their commitment to coexistence, respect, and kindness.
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Poem: I Know You
[Photo by DragonImages via Envato Elements]My last blog post revealed what I believe our true selves are. We can hear the voice of that self by listening to our hearts. In the following poem, published in my book Songs of Enlightenment our true selves give us words of encouragement and truth.
I Know YouDo not cringe so
Now get up and run
You can do it
One single failure
Is not your all
Cast your dreams
With all your might.
Do not cower so
The sadness you hold inside
Is no big deal
Water under the bridge.
Open your heart wide
And show me your truth
Your infinite possibilities and dreams
Showing the real you
Whom I see.
Do no shrivel so
For I do not care for it
If you lack a dream
Let me be your dream.
I know you . . .
That you hold inside
Vast possibilities and dreams
And limitless love.
You can do it
You have warmth in your heart
I am your soul!
I am your soul!
September 27, 2023
What Are Our True Selves?
[Photo by KostiantynVoitenko via Envato Elements]Come on a journey to your true self.
The question, “Who am I?” has been asked by generations of people seeking to understand themselves and their place in this world. I, too, sought an answer to this question, and discovered an answer after twenty-one days of deprivation and meditation on a mountainside. I felt this realization with my whole being, but I also learned that it matched the wisdom of the Tao, especially a form of Korean Tao known as Sundo, and other philosophies and traditions.
It’s important to have our own answers to, “Who am I?” In order to “be real” and live the most fulfilling life, we need to experience those answers inside us. I’ve described many ways to do that in this blog over the years, and I even developed the workshop known as Finding True Self, which is being offered by Body & Brain Yoga and Tai Chi centers around the world. But, I hope you allow me to describe the answer that I found in words here.
True Self vs. False SelfExisting at the same time as part of our bodies and consciousness, we have a true self and a false self. We’ll always have both these selves while we are alive but only one of them will exist when our bodies return to the earth. Our true self can be called self-existent. It’s always there, unchanging and untainted. This self doesn’t depend on any circumstance; it is steady and undetermined by our thoughts or emotions.
The false self, on the other hand, develops after we are born. As we become conscious of ourselves and the world around us, we form ideas about how things work and compose an identity based on our family, culture, and interpretation of our life experiences. As our thoughts and feelings change, and as events happen around us and we process them individually and societally, how we see ourselves also changes. Our identity changes.
This egoic identity gives structure to our lives and our society. It provides some predictability and stability so that people can understand themselves and each other more easily. Even though our false self is more mutable and dependent than our true self, it greases the wheels of our interactions.
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Who Is in Charge?Despite the fact that interacting with the world through our false selves can seem easier or more familiar, our lives can feel emptier, lonelier, and more chaotic when we aren’t aware of our true selves. But because we don’t typically learn about our true selves from our parents or teachers, we may never have experienced them—unless our true selves made themselves known in a time of crisis or inner turmoil.
So our false selves sit in the driver’s seat of our lives, and they may lead us to people, places, and habits that make our true selves unhappy and unhealthy. Our true selves may even become suppressed, small, and weak—a soft whisper in the center of our being. Some people’s true selves spend an entire lifetime in this state of silent agony.
If our true selves are expressed, however, our lives can be filled with vibrancy, passion, inner peace, and unconditional love—because that is the nature of our true selves. We bring those aspects into our lives when we listen to what our true selves want and act on those wishes. With time and practice, as we actualize our true selves’ wishes, our false selves can grow to resemble our true selves. Rather than living a life of suppression and regret, we become completely aligned in body, mind, emotion, and spirit.
The Nature of Our True SelvesThe true self has also been called the soul, the divine self, and the higher self. We can also think of it as the zero point or nothingness. It’s what we get after we strip away all thought, emotion, or form. We are a piece of the raw potentiality or “Source” consciousness and energy from which everything is created. We are an observer who sees all things clearly.
At the same time, all the values that human beings prize—such as unconditional love, acceptance, gratitude, peace, creativity, and unity—characterize the energy and consciousness of the true self. That’s why these values are absolute and universal. They don’t need to be sought. Just like our true selves, they need to be uncovered and expressed.
Rather than being merely an abstract spiritual or theological concept, the true self is a tangible energy and consciousness inside us. It is the energy of our souls in our hearts merged with the energy of our divinities in our brains.
On its own, unexpressed in our bodies, our souls in our hearts (heart chakra) have a constant longing to connect with the greater world. In order to do that, its energy needs to become lighter and brighter so that it expands more and more. When that energy becomes pure and light enough, it’s able to pass through our throat (throat chakra) and into our brains (third eye chakra). Guided by the light in our brains, the soul can merge with the divine energy and consciousness that naturally exists there, in the area of the pineal gland.
This merging is like a coming home. Instead of being separated, the true self returns to a state of oneness and of cosmic energy and consciousness. This state is also its true nature.
I experienced this merging on the mountain when I searched for the answer to “Who am I?” My head felt like it was exploding and in that flash of enlightenment, I heard the words, “Cosmic energy is my energy, and my energy is cosmic energy. Cosmic mind is my mind, and my mind is cosmic mind.” I was life itself, immeasurable, infinite, lacking nothing, whole and beautiful and great. That was my absolute value, my true self.
The journey of the true self begins as a tiny seed of the soul in our hearts and ends with the vast blooming of cosmic consciousness. In Sundo, this journey is called Shinin Hapil (divine-human unity). Shin means “god,” in means “human,” hap means “to unite,” and il means “one.” Together, this means that the energy of the soul in the heart—the true identity of each human—encounters and becomes one with the light of divinity in the brain.
Our true selves can’t complete this journey without our conscious choice to do it. Our souls will always remain silent in our hearts unless we choose–or are compelled—to act for their benefit. We can connect to our souls, listen to their whispers, and act on their wishes until they grow stronger, more confident, and brighter. We can put our souls in the driver’s seat so that they can fully become who they truly are.
Editor’s Note: Learn more about the journey of the true self in Ilchi Lee’s book, Connect: How to Find Clarity and Expand Your Consciousness with Pineal Gland Meditation.
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Mastering Your Anger: 5 Steps to Take Control
Control anger instead of it controlling you.
When was the last time you felt angry? Was it last week, earlier today, or just a few moments ago?
Anger wields formidable power, lurking beneath the surface, ready to erupt in an instant. It possesses the strength to seize control of our thoughts and words, often leaving behind a trail of devastation.
Destruction can serve a purpose, however, especially when our anger is righteous. Some things need to be destroyed, particularly when change needs to happen.
But who controls us when we feel anger? Are we using our anger, or is our anger using us?Anger, like all emotions, is energy, and energy needs to circulate. But even anger doesn’t need to flow with violence or darkness. The qualities of energy can always be changed and used in productive and beneficial ways.
Especially when we tend to get angry a lot, we may think that anger is part of who we are, and indelible part of our personalities. Who we are, however, is an energy and consciousness that is deeper, purer, and brighter than the energy of anger.
Realizing this, our minds can disassociate from anger. We can watch our anger dispassionately without reacting to it. When we know we have anger instead of that we are angry, we can use anger judiciously. And when anger would harm instead of help a situation, we can change anger into love.
The process of mastering anger is the same as the process for mastering our bodies and brains and mastering our lives. The steps below are part of the process of the 5 steps of Brain Education.
Strengthen our center.In previous posts, I described the energy center that rests between our hips, two inches below the navel (called a dahnjon in Korean). Being “centered” involves making this energy center full of clear and bright energy. A full dahnjon is a strong dahnjon that supports healthy energy circulation (like Water Up, Fire Down) and our deeper true self energy.
Exercise for strengthening the abdominal energy center ►Keep our consciousness in the center.
Being “centered” also means being at the zero point —a state of consciousness devoid of emotion or random thoughts. At the zero point, we see everything clearly and can stay focused on our goals and visions. Having a strong lower dahnjon helps us have this consciousness. The dahnjon pulls the energy of thoughts and emotions into it. Without this energy, we don’t experience the thoughts and emotions. The lower dahnjon also gives us a point of focus. By concentrating on it, we feel calmer and more centered and our intuitive abilities strengthen as well.
Try this exercise for going to the zero point ►Watch without reacting.
With our consciousness and energy in our center, we gain the ability to watch our internal happenings from a distance. Triggers in our environment can’t reach this place. We can see them but have the space to decide how we want to respond.Burn up anger and other emotions in the fire of the lower dahnjon.
Even if our consciousness is centered, we may still have anger in our periphery. Unless we want to use the anger, we can respond to it by visualizing the energy going into our lower energy center. That center acts as a furnace that burns and purifies all energy. We can strengthen the lower dahnjon by feeding it the fuel of our emotions. This won’t work, however, unless the dahnjon is strong enough.Speak and act as our true selves.
In control of our anger and strongly centered, we can choose how we speak and act. We can decide which actions will best support the wishes of our true self energy and consciousness. With a strong dahnjon, we have the power to take those actions without hesitation.Enjoy Ilchi Lee’s blog posts?
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Practicing this process takes a lifetime—it’s ongoing. But it gets easier with time. As our concentration and energy become stronger, we can maintain this ideal state for longer periods of time, and the environment and circumstances around us affect us less.
Through this process, anger transforms from a tyrant to a tool we can use in service of our highest selves.
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