Ilchi Lee's Blog, page 12

3 Hidden Features of We All Have – What Are They?

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Humans have three hidden functions.

One is the ability to self-heal. The other is creativity, and the last is enlightenment.

Through enlightenment, we gain self-healing abilities and can unleash our creativity.

How is enlightenment achieved? It is achieved through understanding “Who am I?”

When we know that our true reality is the great life force of the infinite universe, creation and healing begin.

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How to Use Subtle Energy to Break Bad Habits

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We can use energetic principles to change habits that are not serving us well and root them out at the energetic level.

Have you ever considered the fact that the world is made up of energy? We think of energy as a mystical, invisible force, but in reality everything is energy. If you are sitting in a chair right now, it certainly will appear as a solid mass to you. Yes, it is solid, but if you could shrink down small enough, you would see that it, and every other object in the world, is actually mostly empty space. The sensation and structure of a solid object is just the result of energetic bonds and forces within the atoms that make up that material.

In the study of energy that I teach, known traditionally as Sundo, we use ancient traditional Korean teachings about energy to train our bodies, minds, and spirits. In regard to the mind, this means very careful attention to the choices we make, especially those that affect our health. What we call “habits” are simply choices that we’ve made over and over again in the same way, until they become automatic and hardwired into our brain. “Bad” habits are simply repetitive, automatic choices that are not serving us well. Fortunately, we can use energetic principles to change habits, rooting them out at the energetic level.

The Power of Visualization

Our brains, which are the physical seat of the mind, has tremendous ability to direct the flow of energy. Even if we were unaware of it, we have been doing that every day through the attitudes and thought patterns that determine the quality of our lives.

But how does one change the energy surrounding a habit? Well, it starts with simple imagination. There is a saying in the Sundo tradition: “Energy goes where the mind goes.” That’s why we have to start with the mind itself, which is where any bad habit starts. For example, if we have a habit of overeating, we first have to be able to imagine ourselves making better choices before we can begin to change.

Here’s what I recommend for a daily habit-change visualization:

Sit comfortably and relax your mind and body as much as possible. (You may want to do some simple stretching and meditation exercises first.)Visualize yourself going through your day, starting with getting up, getting dressed, and getting ready for the day.Imagine every step of the day happening without struggle or negative emotion.When you get to the point where you are tempted to partake in your bad habit, imagine yourself making the best choice instead of the automatic choice.As you make the healthy choice, imagine a beam of bright light coming into the top of your head, filling you with real energy, instead of the temporary boost you get from the bad habit.After you conclude this visualization, stop and once again imagine a beam of energy filling your body as you make the right choice.Releasing Dark Energies

Often, we develop negative habits because of some hurt or deficit that we feel. For example, emotional wounds might lead to overeating, and stress might lead to cigarette smoking. That’s why we release dark energies from our bodies first in order to change. In a way, these things are energy vacuums that suck energy from us and that leave us wanting to find false energy through bad habits. Instead of feeling real energy, we seek out a sugar rush or spend hours surfing the web for titillating information. To remedy this, I recommend deep relaxation and energy clearing:

Sit comfortably in a chair or on the floor and use your fists and/or palms to tap around your whole body. Exhale through your mouth as you tap away any tension you have.Feel your body and notice your mind as you tap. Tap longer in areas of more tension or some pain until you feel it release. Experience your mind calming as your body relaxes.When you feel that you are in a deeper state of relaxation, lie down in a comfortable spot on a carpet or a yoga mat. Breathe deeply but naturally into your chest, and relax your whole body as much as possible. Part your legs shoulder width, and place your arms to the side at 45 degree angles.Begin to breathe more deeply into the abdomen and visualize energy releasing through the arms and legs with each breath. Relax more and more deeply, and imagine fresh energy coming into every part of your body.Imagine bright light filling your heart and brain, releasing you from dark memories and old emotional turmoil.Keeping a Journal for a New Habit

Getting rid of bad habits is a process of replacing them with positive habits. Depending how deeply a bad habit is ingrained, we may have to repeat the above exercises for quite a while before we begin to see a change. Brain scientists tell us that it takes 66 days of repetition for a habit to become ingrained in the brain, and I would say this is true of energy, too. Just like electricity follows the path of a wire, our energy will stay on the same track if we don’t redirect it. Practicing positive energetic habits, through the use of visualization and repetition, will help us create habits that build us up instead of tear us down.

I recommend keeping a journal during this period as a way of keeping track of your progress as you implement the above exercises. Don’t be surprised if you slip up; that is normal and natural. Don’t judge yourself; just try again. Write everything in your journal that you feel and see in yourself—the emotions, hopes, thoughts, and behaviors. Use the journal to try to help you dig more deeply into the energies that are driving the habit. You can ask yourself, “What old injuries am I feeding with this habit? How can I love myself in a better way?” Treat yourself with gentle kindness and compassion since your injured inner child is often at the center of these habits. And, whatever happens, keep going and keep a positive mind.

Pulling Up the Energetic Roots

Using energy to change habits is effective because it gets to the roots of the issues involved. But, just like pulling up a weed in a garden, it can take a lot of strength, and it can be a bit disruptive. In the end, though, this is the only real path to change, and the more honest way to approach a bad habit. Deeply embedded habits are deeply embedded within our energy system, so willpower alone can never be enough. To go deeper, look into your energy body and pull it out by the energetic roots.

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The Nine Levels of Awareness on the Way to Enlightenment

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Enlightenment is a journey of consciousness, a way toward wholeness. It cannot be fully understood until it is lived.

Have you ever felt like something is missing in your life? Like you’re searching for something more? Something beyond the material world?

If so, you’re not alone. Many of us feel that way at some point.

The truth is, we are all born with a deep longing. Although we may not know it, that deep longing is for enlightenment.

Enlightenment is the state of being fully aware of our true selves and our place in the universe. It is the state of being one with the Source of life, a state of peace, joy, and love.

We can get a sense of this state from reading books, practicing meditation, or receiving the words and energy of a teacher. However, enlightenment is something one lives. We cannot make it ours unless we embody it, use it, and share it with the world.

Seeking Enlightenment

There are many different paths to enlightenment that have been charted throughout history. All of them, however, involve the same basic principles:

Determination: We must be completely determined to reach enlightenment. We need to be willing to let go of our old ways of thinking and being.Practice: Enlightenment will elude us without regular practice. This could mean doing meditation, yoga, or any other spiritual practice that helps us connect with our inner selves.Service: Serving others helps us develop compassion and understanding of ourselves and our world. Through service, we express our true selves.

As we go down the path of enlightenment, we pass through nine levels of awareness. Each level represents a step toward wholeness.

The Nine Levels of EnlightenmentInitial Awareness: This is the level where we first start to question the meaning of life and our place in the universe. We realize that there is more to life than what we can see and touch. So we try to live a life based on a greater truth.Determinate Awareness: At this step, we make the decision to dedicate our life to the pursuit of enlightenment. However, although our mind may be firm, we can’t fully control our bodies and habits yet.Right Awareness: Our true self awakens at this stage, and we sense its purity. We gain control over our bodies and habits. Now, we can live in accordance with the principles of enlightenment, and we serve others discreetly without seeking reward.Bright Awareness: This is the level where we become bright, as if we are glowing. Although we can experience this brightness at earlier levels for brief periods or in meditation, we can now remain bright all the time. Our true self is growing stronger, and we can completely live according to universal laws. We also develop a wisdom beyond preconceptions and knowledge. Holy Awareness: This level is where we develop spiritual powers and abilities such as the ability to heal or see the future. We may also attract followers who are drawn to our wisdom and compassion. At this step, we have to be careful not to become corrupted by the desire for fame or other material rewards or by possessiveness or self-conceit. Those desires will lead us away from enlightenment.Non-thought Awareness: At this level, we go beyond thought and enter a state of pure awareness. We are no longer limited by our ego, attachments, temptations, or past conditioning. Our special abilities become hidden, and we can choose to leave our bodies and return to Source or to stay and help others.Brilliant Awareness: This is the level of full enlightenment. We are completely awake and aware of our true selves and our connection to the universe. We can see the truth clearly and can awaken it in other people. Embodying great compassion and courage, we accept a mission to help others achieve enlightenment.Command Awareness: At this step, we are using our enlightenment to help others. Great wisdom for the perfection of the whole world is revealed. We become a teacher and a guide to those who are still on the path.Return of the Soul to Its Origin: This level, called Chunhwa in Korean, is where our true self, our soul, leaves the body and merges with the divine. We are no longer separate from universal consciousness and energy.

The path to enlightenment is not a linear journey. We may move back and forth between different levels, and we may not experience them all in the same way. However, if we continue to practice and grow, we can eventually reach full enlightenment.

I believe that enlightenment is not reserved for a select few. It is available to everyone who is willing to put in the effort, commitment, and discipline. Although it’s not easy, this journey to the most complete expression of our true self is the most rewarding journey we will ever take.

I wish you all the best on your journey.

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Using Brain Education to Choose Your Life Purpose

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These five steps help you reveal a purpose that will make your life complete.

I’ve asked countless people the same question: “What is it you really want?” The answers I’ve received have differed a great deal. Some people want to start big businesses, and others want to help those who are powerless and underprivileged. Some people just want to live simple, comfortable lives as free of conflict as possible.

When I’ve gone deeper, though, I’ve found that there is a common thread running through all those answers. What people ultimately want isn’t money, cool cars, expensive clothing, or lofty titles. It’s not material values, like the attainment of wealth and social status. What they want is the feeling that they can live freely and independently, the feeling of loving and being loved, the feeling that their lives are precious and valuable, the feeling that they’re contributing to something bigger than themselves. In short, people want, more than anything else, the inner satisfaction that comes from the realization of their highest values.

Finding Our Values

What does that look like for each of us? It can be as different as we are to each other. Figuring out the ultimate purpose of our lives can be a pursuit unto itself. There’s a lot of advice available to help us but, in the end, the answer can only come from inside us.

Our true purpose and highest values, however, aren’t found in our conscious minds, although we need our conscious minds to become aware of them, accept them, and understand them. Instead, they are found beyond our minds and our egos in our true self.

If we run with the answers from our minds and egos, then we will only end up satisfying our egos. But satisfying our egos alone will leave the rest of ourselves longing for something more. It’s a momentary, superficial satisfaction, not a complete satisfaction.

Finding Our Inner Purpose Step by Step

Listening to our deep inner voice and acting on what we hear requires developing our inner senses, our energy system, and new habits, as well as the brain circuits to support all of these. The Brain Education system of personal growth that I developed empowers and guides you to develop them in five steps.

Step 1: Brain Sensitizing
Our minds are normally busy paying attention to the events around us and the needs of our lives and the people we care for. We’re worrying about the past and the future, and we are often full of thoughts and emotions. Our ability to sense everything that goes on inside of us–from the movement of our toes when we walk to the movement of energy in our bellies–is dull. However, this inner sense does exist, and it is not only a sense but a skill we can develop with practice. The mindful meridian stretching, breathing exercises, and energy meditations that make up Step 1 of Brain Education stimulate our bodies and their energy, drawing our attention to them, and calming our thoughts enough to focus on them for longer and longer periods of time. By strengthening the connection between our bodies and brains, Brain Sensitizing lets us become more conscious of our inner selves at every level.

Step 2: Brain Versatilizing
As our awareness goes within, we can see how stiff we are in our bodies, our thoughts, and our habits. Brain Versatilizing exercises such as stretching, renaming games, and pinky-thumb make us more flexible. They help us see a world other than what we’ve been used to, bringing us hope and the excitement of different possibilities. We become better able to find our life purpose as we widen the scope of our imagination.

Step 3: Brain Refreshing
Although by this step we are more flexible and can see farther and deeper, our insides are still full of a lot of thoughts and emotions. We are bound by our past experiences and our fears for the future. These thoughts and emotions are not our true selves; they are what we have, not what we are. Clearing them and quieting their loud voices lets the voice of our true selves be heard. By dialing the volume of our thoughts and emotions down to zero with vibration, breathing, sound, and energy meditations, we can sense the self-existent and neverending energy and consciousness of our true selves inside.

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Step 4: Brain Integrating
While we can now hear our deep inner voices, the other parts of ourselves still exist. The next step is integrating them. By making all the parts of ourselves work as a cohesive unit, we can uncover our life purpose and align all of our thoughts and actions with its achievement. The exercises in this step bring together the left and right sides of our bodies and brains, our conscious and subconscious minds, and our thoughts and emotions. Using our bodies and our voices, we proclaim identities, characters, and beliefs that align with our chosen purpose.

Step 5: Brain Mastering
Our integrated selves can now make plans, take action, and work for our life purpose. With that goal as our compass and everything in our inner world pointed to it, our outer world will begin to align with it as well. We become conscious creators of our lives and can contribute to the betterment of our world.

This process, depending on our starting point, can involve a complete transformation, like that of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. We need to change everything on the inside to the deepest part, as well as changing everything on the outside, so that it is in alignment with our highest values and life purpose. Once we do, however, we can find meaning in the challenges we face and even in the small things in life. We can live as a complete human being on a journey that can satisfy us at every age, whether or not we succeed or fail.

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Poem: Breath

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My breath is no longer mine alone,
but that of the universe
of life itself.
My breath is one with the Cosmic Breath
in a dance,
one with the Cosmic Mind
one with the love of heaven and earth.

Here on earth, grasses, trees, clouds
and people come and go.
The whole universe is breathing and dancing
with my breath.
I am no longer the same.

Breathing in I am born as a new being,
breathing out my past of illness and impurities fades away.
Breathing I die and am reborn.
Now I am unafraid of death,
it promises me a rebirth.

Breathing in and out
I come to realize my true being,
my eyes open
to the principle of the universe.

While breathing I become one
with heaven, with the divine.
I and the divine are one by nature,
the same is true of you and I.
Through breathing you and I become one
new and complete.

In the beginning you and I were beings
free of illness,
beyond time and space,
without grief or pain.

Now I realize everything through breathing.
Until now I have not breathed as I should.
I had not breathed in heaven, the universe
nor the holy love
of Father Heaven and Mother Earth.

All that changed.
In breath I become new,
the whole universe opens up
and begins to dance.

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Dare to Follow Your Heart in Every Environment

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No matter how comfortable your are, keep moving toward your true self.

Recently, after some deep consideration, I handed my position as the president of the Global Cyber University to another highly qualified individual. While it was a project I had started, I realized that if I wanted to pursue my dream of helping a new humanity be born, I couldn’t be comfortable and stay where I was. I needed to be flexible and find new ways to do so it and new places and people to reach.

So instead, I returned to the park. When I first had a big enlightenment and took on the mission of creating a better world more than forty years ago, I started working with one person in one park. I taught that person mind-body exercises that moved their energy, like the ones I still share today, even in this blog.

In the past few months, I’ve visited parks and Body & Brain centers all around South Korea, then in Spain, and now in France. While meeting many people, I’ve tried to help them in any way I can. Through this, I find the next action I need to take and then the next. I keep moving and intuitively make my way toward my goal.

No matter how hard it is, I try to smile, walk confidently, and make myself 100 percent positive in my thoughts, words, and actions. As I meditate and circulate energy, I receive messages and insights on the direction I need to go in or about what someone needs. I act on those messages as soon as possible, making room for more messages.

Living with Passion and Purpose

Repeatedly practicing this process has given me the confidence that if we don’t let fear, inertia, or uncertainty hold us back from pursuing what our hearts really want, we will reach it. It takes diligence and constancy but it also lets us feel truly alive.

When we dedicate ourselves to fulfilling the wishes of our heart, of our true self that exists beyond our thoughts and emotions, that part of us will grow. Instead of a whisper or a vague feeling, it will become a strong passion that burns brightly for the world.

This is our strength as human beings. It helps us make tough choices even when our emotions and the limitations of our bodies want us to make different ones. It enables us to carry on and find a way even when nothing makes sense.

Being open to pivoting and turning lets us seize the ever-present chance to live a hopeful and uplifting life.

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Strengthen Your Center with These 6 Energy Breathing Postures

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Get back to basics with the practice of Dahnjon Breathing, a form of abdominal breathing rooted in ancient Korean energy principles, and re-energize your vitality and well-being.

When things feel topsy turvy in our lives, it’s often best to return to basics. What could be more fundamental than breathing? The rhythm of our breath not only keeps us alive, it helps us connect to the rhythm of all life. From breathing, our physical body feels nourished, our energy gets replenished, and our minds go into a meditative state from which we can enliven our spirit.

Consciously breathing, with our mind focused on our breath, can especially help us feel our hearts and let us connect our body and minds. We return to ourselves, our centers, and from there, everything else in our lives gets put into perspective. Moreover, we gain the physical, heart, and brain power we need to find the solutions we seek and move forward.

There are many types of conscious breathing exercises, which have been developed and used over thousands of years. I would like to introduce you to the basics of Dahnjon Breathing, which is a form of abdominal breathing.

What Is a Dahnjon?

Dahn is a Korean word that means life, power, energy, or ki (chi), and jon signifies a field, base, or foundation. So dahnjon implies a field of energy where ki is concentrated, stored, and cultivated. There are seven of these fields of energy. Three exist inside our bodies and four rest on the surface—one each on the palms of our hands and the soles of our feet. The lower internal dahnjon can be found two inches below our navel and two inches inside our abdomen. The middle internal dahnjon lies in the center of our chests, while the upper internal dahnjon fills the center of our brains.

[Illustration from Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi by Body & Brain Yoga Education courtesy of Best Life Media]

Dahnjon Breathing involves the lower dahnjon. In this dahnjon, our physical power, courage, and sexual energy are stored. It is the foundation of our vitality and acts like a furnace that burns fuel to power the entire energy system of our bodies.

Besides the dahnjons, our energy system consists of energy pathways called meridians and energy points, or acupressure/acupunture points. The most important thing to know about our energy system is that it needs to be full of energy and that energy needs to flow through all of it smoothly and freely. If our energy becomes too weak, gets stuck somewhere, or builds up too much in one place, then problems in our bodies, minds, or emotions can manifest.

Different forms of Dahnjon Breathing let us accumulate the energy we need in our lower dahnjons while circulating it throughout our bodies.

How to Do Dahnjon Breathing

While Dahnjon Breathing essentially consists of the lower abdomen rising smoothly with each inhale and falling with each exhale, I’ve devised different series of postures in which to do it. We can get faster and more wonderful benefits from using different postures in a particular order than we would from breathing in one posture. The flow of postures reflect the process of growing from a baby to an adult. We begin lying down, we turn over, crawl, sit, and finally stand.

There are nine levels of comprehensive and systemic exercise based on the philosophical and physiological meaning of each posture. The nine levels are composed of three lying (from levels 9 to 7), three sitting (from levels 6 to 4), and three standing (from levels 3 to 1) levels. Each level is comprised of five consecutive basic postures and one simple but profound energy circulation exercise that is a mind exercise to control the inner energy in the body. We start with Level 9 and advanced to Level 1.

Here is the posture sequence for Level 9 Dahnjon Breathing:

In Level 9, we learn the basic ways to relax our bodies and minds and to accumulate energy. We start by scanning our bodies with our minds. Then we visualize the whole body in the mind while breathing naturally, without forcing our breaths. If we get distracted, we can scan our bodies once again to help us refocus. In addition to keeping our focus on our bodies, this visualization helps direct the flow of energy as we breathe.

Hold each posture for two to five minutes to start. With regular practice, you can lengthen the amount of time in each posture if you would like to.

Posture 1

Lie comfortably with both legs about shoulder-width apart. Put both palms on the lower dahnjon with the thumbs together while forming a triangle with the other fingers.Bring your mind to the following sequence of body areas: face → neck → chest → abdomen → lower dahnjon → shoulders → elbows → lower dahnjon → thighs → knees → calves → toes.As you bring your mind to each part, try to relax that area. If you remain tense, however, put your hands on the floor to prevent the energy from going up into your head.

Posture 2

Slowly bend your left leg and pull it toward the trunk of your body so that your left knee is in the air and your left foot is resting on the ground near your right knee but a little away from it.Keep your left hand on the lower dahnjon while you clench your right hand with the thumb inside the fist. Rest your fist at the base of the skull under your head. Keep your shoulders and arms relaxed.Visualize your face → neck → chest → abdomen → lower dahnjon → left shoulder → left elbow → left hand → lower dahnjon → right thigh → right knee → right calf → right toes.

Posture 3

Switch the position of both hands and legs so that your right leg is bent and your left fist is underneath the base of your skull.Visualize your face → neck → chest → abdomen → lower dahnjon → right shoulder → right elbow → right hand → lower dahnjon → left thigh → left knee → left calf → left toes.

Posture 4

Bend the left leg like the right one so that both knees are in the air with the feet flat on the ground shoulder-width apart.Make both hands the same as Posture 2 so that the left palm is on the lower dahnjon and the right fist is under the base of the skull.Visualize your face → neck → chest → abdomen → lower dahnjon → left shoulder → left elbow → left hand → lower dahnjon → both thighs → both knees → both calves → both toes → both yongchun points at the bottom of the soles → both calves → both knees → both thighs → lower dahnjon.[Illustration from Meridian Exercise for Self-Healing by Ilchi Lee]

Posture 5

Change the position of your hands to the same as that in Posture 3. Your right palm is on your lower abdomen and your left fist is under the base of your skull. Keep both knees in the air.Visualize your face → neck → chest → abdomen → lower dahnjon → right shoulder → right elbow → right hand → lower dahnjon → both thighs → both knees → both calves → both toes → both yongchun points at the bottom of the soles → both calves → both knees → both thighs → lower dahnjon.

Posture 6
Energy circulation (Jigam exercise)

[Illustration from CONNECT: How to Find Clarity and Expand Your Consciousness with Pineal Gland Meditation by Ilchi Lee]Sit with your spine straight in a cross-legged or half-lotus position. Place both hands on the knees.Slowly raise both hands in front of your chest with palms facing each other a few inches apart.Move both hands farther apart very slowly, then closer together. Repeat this motion several times.Feel the sensations of your palms while you make the movements. Then bring your consciousness to the lower dahnjon.Tips and Suggestions for Dahnjon Breathing

Before doing Dahnjon Breathing, stretching or tapping the body can be helpful for relaxing body and mind and going deeper into the breathing exercise. Try to maintain an open mind as you practice, accepting all the phenomena that you see inside and to do the exercise sincerely.

One of the phenomena you may notice is shaking or vibration. This can happen when accumulated energy in the lower dahnjon begins to flow into the meridian channels, opening up the blocked points. It’s like when a kink in a hose full of flowing water suddenly gets released. Vibration can also occur when our minds open wide to the strong magnetic or electrical power of the life energy around our bodies and our inner energy then meets the universal energy around us.

We may also find ourselves tearing up or crying if stuck energy from around the heart, or middle dahnjon, starts to circulate.

With even just one Dahnjon Breathing sequence to practice, we are able to experience many deeper and more diverse feelings and physical and mental changes if we practice diligently yet gently. Through these experiences, we may come to understand and study a human being as an integrated whole and a microcosm of the universe.

Editor’s Note: If you want to learn more breathing postures and other related exercises, check out a Body & Brain Yoga and Tai Chi center near you.

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Ilchi Lee’s 10 Everyday Ways to Tap into the Creative Rhythm of Life

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If we feel the rhythm of the universe, we can immerse ourselves in the flow of life and enjoy the fruits of creation.

Have you ever heard of yullyeo? Maybe not, since it is a concept found in ancient Asian stories about how the universe and humanity came into being, and it is not often talked about in the West. I think it is an important concept, though, similar to the idea of the Tao, that can help people to understand their place in the universe and to live better in it.

The simplest definition of yullyeo is “the rhythm and vibration of the universe.” This rhythm can be most easily seen in the many repetitive cycles that occur on the earth—the tide moving in and out, the moon waning and waxing, beings breathing in and out, and so on.

In the ancient Korean conception of how the universe came into being, yullyeo is actually the source of all existence. Through a constant, rhythmical push and pull of polarities, all things in the universe came into existence.

[Photo by LiliiaRudchenko via Envato Elements]

We humans, too, exist through yullyeo. We depend on yullyeo and, with the awareness of our human minds, we can use yullyeo. We can direct it and create with it. But to comprehend yullyeo completely, we need to look beyond our intellect; we need to feel it.

Our busy minds, however, are often not aware of it. They can be stuck in mental constructs and disrupt our experience of the rhythm and flow of life. Opening ourselves up to this rhythm is key to deep healing, intentional manifestation, and spiritual enlightenment.

To open ourselves up to the awareness and use of yullyeo, we can quiet our minds and focus on the rhythms and cycles of nature. Here are some simple ways we can experience yullyeo and ultimately strengthen our sense of it:

1. Walk in Nature

The natural world demonstrates the cyclical rhythms of the universe in countless ways. Of course, living things all go through their cycles of living and dying, growing and blooming, sleeping and moving. But the nonliving world—rocks, weather, mountains, etc.&mash;all have their cycles, too. Rocks are born of volcanic activity and then wear away, and mountains rise up and then are slowly washed to the sea. Being out in nature puts you in the midst of all this, in the middle of creation itself.

2. Close Your Eyes and Breathe

Your body is sustained by the rhythms of yullyeo, a fact that is reflected in your heart beat and in your breathing. Without them, life ends quickly. If you relax, close your eyes, and quietly listen to the in and out of your breath, you will naturally release your stress and center yourself in the natural flow of life.

3. Move with Energy

In the Brain Education program that I teach, there is an exercise called dahnmu, which is a kind of energy dance. Start by just trying to feel energy on the palms of your hands. Then, allow that feeling of energy to guide your movements as you follow the flow of energy.

4. Meditate Regularly

Yullyeo is always all around us, but for us humans, often the chatter of the mind stops us from feeling it, which in turn leads us to make decisions that aren’t in sync with the flow of yullyeo. Meditation is a way of calming down and possibly even silencing that chatter, so see if you can develop a regular practice.

5. Be Grateful

In the universe, yullyeo has created many dualities that help to keep the universe in motion. These dualities include both dark and light elements. For that reason, although we rightfully want to cultivate the positive aspects of life, the dark shadow side exists for a reason, too. For that reason, we must remain thankful for everything, always knowing that everything, both what we may think of as good and as bad, exist for the greater good of our growth and expansion.

6. Remain in the Moment

Yullyeo can only be felt in the present moment because that is the only place that it really exists. Future and past are only phantoms, while now pulsates with life and possibility. Give up dwelling on the past or obsessing on the future—right in this moment is the only place where the creation of yullyeo can take place.

7. Dance with Abandon

Do you remember being a little kid and just running and dancing about without a care in the world? You can return to that kind of moment, if you want. Try playing some good music and dance without any self-consciousness or restraint. Let go and just enjoy the feeling of your body’s movement.

8. Draw Outside the Lines

Just like you can dance with abandon, you can do the same with some pens or crayons and some paper. Just turn on some music, take some blank paper, and start drawing, letting your hand move without restriction.

9. Let Go of Burdens

Anything that fills you with regret, resistance, or resentment will cut you off from the flow of yullyeo. These become like addictions of the mind that keep us from experiencing true freedom and healing. Learn to drop those attachments, thanking them for however they have served you and then move on.

10. Take the Broader Perspective

Sometimes we cannot appreciate the ebb and flow of life because we are too caught up in our own limited perspective. Instead, always try to take the “God’s eye view” of any situation, even when it seems harmful to you. From that perspective, you are much more likely to see the ultimate divine plan, the never-ending creative flow, of everything in your life.

These are only simple little things you can do to glimpse the existence of yullyeo. There is an even deeper experience of it that you can have, too, if you are willing to discipline yourself at deeper levels. You must open yourself widely and deeply, which for most takes years of practice and dedication on the path toward enlightenment. That journey begins with only one step, though, so I hope you will stop and take the time to get back in touch with the rhythms of yullyeo.

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Ilchi Lee’s 3 Simple Ways to Turn Your Energy Around and Become Your Authentic Self

[Photo by marymandarinka via Envato Elements]

Walk confidently toward a bright future with a smile and complete positivity.

Greetings from Europe! After an intense schedule in South Korea, I found myself in the vibrant capital of Spain, Madrid. As soon as I arrived, I headed to the largest park and shared some transformative Brain Education exercises. Taking a walk through the park, I couldn’t resist greeting everyone I met with a beaming smile filled with 100 percent positivity.

Coincidentally, that day marked the anniversary of my greatest awakening, which occurred after twenty-one days without food or sleep. During that profound experience, I finally discovered the truth that has shaped my life ever since:

Cosmic energy is my energy, and my energy is cosmic energy.
Cosmic consciousness is my consciousness, and my consciousness is cosmic consciousness.

This realization is not limited to me; it applies to all of us and can revolutionize our lives. I began by teaching these principles in a single park in South Korea, and now, whether I’m in Japan, Europe, the United States, or any new destination, this mission remains at the forefront of my mind.

Sharing the dreams and visions that stem from this mission is my constant endeavor, but I’ll admit, it’s not always an easy path. Continuously transforming myself is necessary to align with the destiny I’ve chosen. My ultimate goal is to be the most authentic version of myself—a beacon of light and hope for those seeking to discover their true selves. If enough of us embrace our true nature, humankind can experience a profound shift, leading to the birth of a new humanity.

We don’t need to isolate ourselves on a mountain to connect with our true essence. Simple, consistent actions can lead to powerful transformations. The key lies in cultivating 100 percent positivity. Just as I did in Madrid, we can walk with confidence, wearing a bright smile, and approach life with a positive mindset.

Here are three simple things you can do to make your energy positive and cultivate your true self:

1. Your walking steps.
Adopt a rhythmic and confident gait, straightening your posture with shoulders back and chest open. Walking with the air of a model, naturally and effortlessly, can make a remarkable difference.

2. Your facial expression.
Embrace a joyful and exciting facial expression. Don’t wait for excitement to find you; create it with your expression. Try making yourself laugh by flaring your nostrils, making funny faces, and chanting, “Positive, positive, 100 percent positive,” a few times in a strong voice. Remember to smile often, and consciously engage in a bright smile at least once every hour. You’ll feel the genuine positivity engulf you in no time.

3. Your words.
Harness the power of affirmations. Repeatedly shout out, “Positive, positive, 100 percent positive!” Witness how this shift in language transforms your energy and elevates your vibration. Remember, words have the power to either harm or heal, so choose them wisely.

The world we live in can be draining, leading us into moments of despair. During those times, let’s rise above by walking taller, laughing louder, smiling wider, and radiating blindingly brilliant love and light through this affirmation. Eventually our positivity and smiles will attract great fortune into our lives.

By following these simple practices of positivity, we can create a ripple effect of transformation in ourselves and those around us. Let us step into the world as beacons of light, illuminating the path to a brighter, more hopeful future for all.

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How to Break Free from Your Small Self and Claim Your Power

[Photo by StiahailoAnastasiia via Envato Elements]

Putting in the effort and concentration to move through our outer layers can free the potential we have deep inside.

We are all coated in layers that keep us prisoner. I’m sure you’ve heard of them: our attachments, mental constructs, social systems, and personal brands. These structures enslave our consciousness and energy and prevent us from fully being who we are. They are the cause of many of our personal and societal problems.

Yet underneath those layers lies a divine energy and truth that have always been with us. It has many names, such as Tao, Oneness, Cosmic Consciousness, Source, Divinity, Grace, and more. Philosophers and masters throughout history have made us aware of this sacred part of ourselves. They’ve shed light on the potential of the human race and have carried the torch so that light would not be snuffed out by negativity, separation, greed, or a sense of lack.

Now, however, it’s not enough for a few people to carry that torch. Human consciousness is evolving, and a lot of negativity is releasing as a result. If we want to grow past the violence we see in the media, if we want our families to be healthy and happy, and if we want to be resilient as the earth changes, it’s time for us to take responsibility for breaking through our outer shell and letting our inner light shine.

Then we will have real freedom.

The Process of Human Evolution

The practitioners of an ancient Korean Tao practice called Sundo understood how to gain their freedom through energy. They realized that the individualized energy that existed before we were born, what I call the soul, resides in an energy center in the middle of our chests. It’s equivalent to the heart chakra. They also knew that divine energy comes down into an energy center in the center of our brains (around the location of the pineal gland; the equivalent of the sixth chakra).

When the energy in our bodies and brains becomes clear enough, and the energy in these two centers becomes strong and bright enough, then the energy in the chest rises to meet the energy in the brain. The combined energy initiates a spiritual birth through the top of the head, and we become fully enlightened and connected to universal energy and consciousness.

That’s when all the creative power talked about by experts in manifestation becomes completely operational. We have always been creating our experiences, but we become “super” creative when this “spiritual” power activates in us.

When enough of us activate this power, we can find the solutions to our global dilemmas and carry them out. We will become a new humanity, complete and fully actualized.

Starting the Process

The thing is, no one can activate this power for us. It’s part of who we are, and we need to bring it out of ourselves and use it.

To start, we can break through the shell of information that holds our sacred self hostage and strengthen our inner light.

When I first realized this more than forty years ago, I went out to a local park and taught exercises that move, clear, and strengthen the energy in the body. (They help us be healthy and happy, too.) I wanted to help as many people as possible actualize their full potential and create a peaceful, sustainable world. Although I have since developed many different methods, wrote many books, and founded many organizations, I’m still going out to the parks and reaching out to as many people as possible. I feel a sense of urgency to break through all the barriers keeping humanity restrained.

But one of the simplest and direct ways to do this is a method that doesn’t have a method. I’ve called it many names, especially Brain Wave Vibration. The best way to break free of our thoughts and preconceptions is to move without thinking.

Tips for Free Movement[Photo by EpicStockMedia via Envato Elements]

Although there are no formulas to follow or molds to fit when you move without restraint, here are some ideas that can help your movements become deep enough to bring out your inner light.

Use music. It can help you move. Choose music that feels good to you and be completely one with it. When the music flows, so, too, does your body. You have to go with the music. There are also many melodies and rhythms in our brains. Allow them to be expressed. Our brains want never-ending creation, and it manifests through our bodies. Just do it! Move as the energy leads you, as you want to move, whether you move fast or slow, hard or soft. You’ll find yourself moving in ways that are necessary for your growth, change, development, and healing. Just go with it. There’s no doing it wrong. We are natural artists. We are all creators. You don’t need to worry about what others are thinking at all.Keep moving. When you start to do it, you may feel stiff or awkward. That’s OK. The more you move, the looser you’ll become. Your mind will also calm, your breathing grow deeper, and your consciousness go within. In this meditative state, you’ll be primed to sense your deepest self.Focus within. You don’t need to be conscious of others. Tell yourself, “I alone exist between heaven and earth.” Focus solely on yourself, and pay attention to your inner landscape. When you do, you may hear messages from within, images may come to mind, and various feelings may come up. These phenomena are very natural. Paying attention entirely to your inner consciousness, your body and brain become integrated as one.

The movements of our bodies create energy and feelings, producing health, happiness, and peace. Our bodies already know which movements to make. Handing our bodies the reins while our minds remain aware leads us to infinite, complete freedom. And when we’re free, we can feel our innate divinity.

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