Ilchi Lee's Blog, page 22

The Tale of the Monk Wonhyo: the Mind and Ideas

[Photo by twenty20photos via Envato Elements]

We first think before we act. What is there, though, beneath thought? There we find “emotion.” “I feel bad. I don’t feel good.” There are things like these. We feel emotions.

What is there beneath emotions? Whether I feel good or bad, where do those emotions stem from? Beneath emotions are ideas. We have countless ideas, religious views, and values according to our own standards. Those ideas call up emotions. They create arguments about likes and dislikes, good and bad. Ideas, though, are invisible. They’re like glasses we’re always wearing; we go about our lives without even realizing we are wearing glasses.

Let me introduce a story that teaches us something about the mind and ideas.

The monks Wonhyo (* a famous Buddhist monk who lived in the Silla Period of ancient Korea, around 600 CE) and Uisang were going together to Tang China to study Buddhism when they lost their way one night during a heavy downpour. Wandering mountain paths in the black of night, they fell asleep, exhausted. Waking in the middle of the night with a great thirst, Wonhyo felt around with his hands and, luckily, found a gourd drinking bowl, which contained water.

So Wonhyo drank water from the bowl, and he gave some to Uisang, too. They found the water really refreshing and delicious because they were so thirsty. “We’re going to study Buddhism and the Buddha has found our hearts praiseworthy, so he gave us this blessing!” With grateful hearts, they drank and then went back to sleep because they were so tired.

They opened their eyes in the morning and found themselves in a public cemetery, a ravine of death with countless skulls rolling about. The bowl from which they drank the previous night was a skull. The two monks saw this and vomited. The water tasted so great when the darkness of the night hid the nature of its container. They vomited when they realized it was a skull.

As he was vomiting, Wonhyo thought something. “Who is it that drank with such enjoyment yesterday, and who in the world is vomiting now? And who is it asking this question?” Then the monk had a great realization and just laughed.

He told Uisang, “I won’t be going to China. I’ll share my Law here.” “Although I understand you,” Uisang said, “it isn’t my awakening, so I will go to China.” He went on to China and also obtained enlightenment there.

Wonhyo realized that he had ideas. When he felt that the water in the bowl was clear and clean, it tasted so good, but in the instant he realized the bowl was a skull, the water’s taste became nauseous. The water was the same, but his thoughts changed according to the ideas he had. Wonhyo realized, “Everything is a delusion.” And he saw the mind that does not change through life and death, the Original Mind that does not change amid joys and sorrows, the eternal mind. He awakened to the fact that the mind is the only thing that is eternal. Why do countless emotions arise? He called these “illusions” and “ideas.”

The monk Wonhyo laid hold of the mind he saw then, and never let go of it for the rest of his life. He laid hold of that mind, and, from then on, actualized it.

People generally get such opportunities to obtain realization, but they pass them by. For example, let’s say that you thought really well of a person, so you treated him well and even loaned him money. But then someone else told you all kinds of negative things about the person, saying, “You know what kind of person he is?” How would your feelings toward that person change them? Your thoughts would be flipped by that information. And you would think to yourself, “No wonder he has that weird look in his eye.”

We have these ideas inside us, but we live our lives without knowing it. And we judge and act according to those ideas. We start to change, though, when we see those ideas for what they are. The true nature is beneath those ideas. The true nature is called “Truth.” We discover our true selves once those ideas are broken.

You all, too, have the mind of Wonhyo, who obtained great enlightenment on drinking water from a skull. That mind is called “cosmic mind.” A person is said to be precious when she has cosmic mind. Where did that cosmic mind come from?

The Chun Bu Kyung speaks of cosmic mind as il (the One, 一). It is one. It said that the One has no beginning and no end. And, the Chun Bu Kyung records, heaven, earth, and humanity all came from the One. “All things come from Han (One) and returned to Han. This is the same for heaven and earth and all life.”

So life is like a water droplet wandering around in the ocean of Han. It’s a little droplet connected with the great cosmic mind. It’s a little life. So we become infinitely free and feel great when we feel and rely on that cosmic mind. We feel it in great shock.

Generally, we can’t feel cosmic mind at all when delusions are stuck to our consciousness. Attachment and possession, in fact, are all illusory. People generally hold tightly to those illusions and absolutely won’t let go. They think that letting go of them is the same as dying. Although they say they’ve emptied their minds, many people actually empty themselves inside their illusions. We feel cosmic mind fully once we’ve left illusions behind.

Cosmic mind is the substance of who we are. Our lives spread out infinitely. Our lives also come together infinitely. So the substance of life is found amidst its infinite expansion and contraction.

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[Video] Explanation of the Principles of the Chun Bu Kyung, an Ancient Asian Wisdom Text

During one lecture, Ilchi Lee was asked to explain the ancient text, the Chun Bu Kyung, in a way that’s easy to understand. The Chun Bu Kyung is an 81-character text that is a numerical representation of the essence and metaphysical laws of the cosmos. He gave a detailed answer to this profound text, beginning with the first character, which represents One.

Here is his answer in three parts as shown on Ilchi Lee’s YouTube channel:

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We Can Create Peace

[Photo by Prostock-studio via Envato Elements]

Peace can seem far away at times. But if we remain true to our true selves, we always have the means to express it in ourselves and in our lives.

What if you tried closing your eyes and focusing on your body? Watch and feel what’s going on inside you with your mind’s eye.

How was it? Were you able to do it? If it was hard, try pressing somewhere on your body with your thumb. Focus on the pressing sensation. Keep your awareness on how it feels for a couple of minutes.

After doing this simple meditation for coming back to ourselves, do you feel a bit more relaxed and refocused? With practice, it can also be the means by which you get a sense of being alive. Feeling inside ourselves is a path to knowing who we really are.

I’ve written about that a lot on this blog, and that we all stem from one root—the source of life—and that this gives us inherent, absolute value. I would even go so far to say that discovering this value and actualizing it in the material world, i.e., choosing to live as our true selves, is the real reason we’ve come into the world as human beings. And that loosing sight of our root and our common, limitless value is the cause of humanity holding onto conflict and injustice, even while we all cry out for peace.

Peace Is Simple . . .

Peace can actually be very simple. We just need to play well with each other and with ourselves. We can breathe, smile, dance, and appreciate all that we have—both the “good” and the “bad.”

But we all know that inner and outer peace is not so simple when, instead of seeing the whole picture, we only focus on part of it. Instead of looking at the whole tree, we miss the roots and only see the branches. From this limited perspective, differences are obvious. So we look at one another and say, “You are different from me. You are not me.”

From there, it’s not far to get to, “I need this for my security and happiness. I need that for recognition and validation.” And then we can reach, “You took that from me. I need it and if you have it then I can’t.”

If Our Egos Don’t Control Us

We have thoughts such as these when our egos are dominating our brains. I consider this as the brain functioning abnormally. Our brain works abnormally when we are only focused on the desires of our egos.

There is nothing to be ashamed of about having an ego. Day exists because night exists. We learn courage because we have fear, forgiveness because we have resentment, and love because we have hate. We awaken to our true selves and true value because we have ignorance of the ego. It’s just a process.

If we want our brains to function at their optimum potential, in which they are able to access the peace, love, oneness, and creative power that lies at the root of who we are, then we need to turn our attention to the desires of our true selves instead of the desires of our egos. Our true selves are the expression—through our brains and then our bodies—of our purest essence.

To do this, we can set a vision for how we want to be and what we want to create in our lives and in the world that reflects our true selves. We’ll know what it is when thinking about it makes us feel lighter and brighter and when our hearts pound with excitement.

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The Ego Fights Back

Of course, as soon as we make up our minds to achieve this vision at all costs, our egos will put up a fight. Feeling the loss of what they want or even feeling like they are “dying,” our egos throw up warnings and resistance. Our minds fill with negative scenarios, and we feel afraid and anxious. Regrets and attachments assail us. Such resistance is the resistance of our preconceptions, the resistance of our desires.

That’s when we need to jump in with both feet. Resistance will always be there, so we don’t need to mind it. Thinking doesn’t help because it’s our thinking that’s keeping us captive in the first place. More productive thoughts will come once we get moving toward our goals.

The persistence and resilience we maintain in the face of the ego’s resistance creates a strong connection between our minds and the root of who we are. The stronger that connection becomes, the more we can think, speak, and act as our true selves.

A deeply rooted tree is not shaken by the wind. The genuine peace we find when living as our true selves cannot be dislodged by any conflict or fear around us. Unclear information cannot overrun our inner sense of truth.

Until our true selves have completely wrenched control over our brains and bodies away from our egos, we’ll still sometimes find ourselves confused, afraid, resentful, angry—the opposite of peaceful. At those times, we can always return to the feeling of life in our bodies. Our bodies are always there to ground our minds and emotions.

From this place where we recognize our value and the value of all others, we can create peace.

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Why and How We Should Keep Our Brains Flexible

[Photo by twenty20photos via Envato Elements

We empower ourselves to master change and be the creators of our lives when we practice being flexible, open minded, and creative.

If you’ve lived a little while, you’ve probably experienced the never-ending cycle of change that characterizes life. Whether it’s changing seasons or people who come in and out of our lives, we’re always in the flow of change. Sometimes the current of change carries us along smoothly, giving us ample time to adjust to the changing scenery. Other times the current drags us along, out of control, pulling us under as we head toward a steep waterfall.

Maybe the past couple of years were like that for you. The global forces that have affected many individual lives have asked us to adjust and be flexible. We’ve had to discover new ways of being, thinking, and doing in order to survive and thrive.

But even when we’re not in crisis, keeping our brains, and even our bodies, flexible remains important for changing into better and better versions of ourselves, based on our own values. That’s why being able to see beyond our box, try new things, and take on challenges is the second step in my Brain Education system of self-development.

Brain Education Step Two: Brain Versatilizing

The first step of Brain Education—Brain Sensitizing—lets us release stress and tension and connect body and mind. We become able to feel the life energy in our bodies and observe our bodies and minds with more clarity. From this perspective, we can see our habits and identify ones that are not useful for our present circumstances. Whether they’re damaging behaviors such as smoking or overeating, or they’re patterns of negative thinking, habits have been hard-wired into our brains, so as we’ve already experienced, they don’t change easily.

Luckily, the brain retains the ability to adapt throughout our lives. Like any other ability, this one can be strengthened with practice.

Brain Versatilizing exercises are like games that keep our brain nimble and force us to move and think in ways we normally don’t. They challenge us to see the fun in life and look for new experiences. Brain Versatilizing asks us to maintain a “beginner’s mind” that always looks at the world with a fresh perspective.

With this mindset, in addition to brain games, we can practice Brain Versatilizing by taking on new activities such as learning a new skill, meeting new people, or rearranging our space. We can also make our brains more flexible by making our bodies more flexible. Stretching our muscles and loosening our joints loosens our minds as well, allowing us to think in new ways more easily. A “versatilized” brain is a creative brain.

With a relaxed and creative brain, our efforts to challenge our brains will weaken the neural connections that hold old habits in place and gradually form new habits instead. In fact, flexibility and acceptance of change is a habit in and of itself. Perhaps you remember how much you could learn and do when you were younger. That skill may be rusty, and we may face some limitations because of our age, but we can still improve it if we work at it.

Key Brain Versatilizing Exercises

The following exercises are just a few of the ones you can do to improve the flexibility, creativity, and balance of your brain. Find more in my books, The Power Brain: Five Steps to Upgrading Your Brain Operating System and Principles of Brain Management: A Practical Approach to Making the Most of Your Brain.

Six Brain Games for Brain Versatility

Watch Gabi Petrylaite of Brain Education TV demonstrate six exercises that challenge your hand coordination and strengthen the nondominant side of your brain or body. Or read the instructions for two of them below.

Pinky Thumb

Make your hands into fists and bring them in front of you with your fingers facing toward you.Point your left thumb and right pinkie to the left. Now bring them back in and point your right thumb and left pinkie to the right.Keep switching left and right. See how fast you can move your fingers. You may need to move one finger at a time a first, but work up to switching the fingers on both hands simultaneously and rapidly.

Infinity Symbol Drawing

Raise one thumb (pointing upward) to eye level, holding it between your eyes away from your face.Draw an infinity sign (a sideways figure eight) in the air with your thumb. Move slowly and deliberately, concentrating on the movement. Hold your head still while following your thumb with your eyes. Repeat at least three times.Repeat using your other hand.

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Then try both hands. Clasp your hands with your thumbs crossing on top. Focusing on the intersection of your thumbs, draw an infinity sign.Next, try with your whole body. Raise both arms in front of you and trace a large infinity sign in the air with your hands, one hand following the other.Move your neck along with your hands and arms.Now, move your arms, neck, waist, and hips. Trace the infinity sign using your whole body as you simultaneously imagine the sign being drawn in your head.

Then place your hands behind your back. Imagine an infinity symbol on the ground in front of you. Trace the symbol by skipping and hopping your way around its edge.Stop and sit in a half lotus position. Using your imagination, trace the infinity symbol in your mind.You can also meditate on the infinity concept. Connect with something outside yourself that offers your brain a feeling for the infinite. For example, you could look at the stars or read something from theoretical physics or astronomy, even something that seems over your head.

Eye Shifting

Move your eyes left and right for 20 seconds, as if you were watching a tennis match. University of Toledo researchers found that doing this stimulates the frontal lobes of your brain. It also enhances your ability to remember selective recent personal events.

Plan to Be Spontaneous

Change up your regular routine. Try a new driving or walking route or alter the order of your daily activities. Try a new dish or visit a new place every week.

Looking from Both Sides

Think of something nonhuman. It could be an object or even a pet.Then, write a complete description of it, telling how it looks and acts.Now, write a description of yourself from the point of view of the object. How do you look from its perspective?

Challenging Assumptions

When you hear yourself making inflexible pronouncements about your self-identity, preferences, beliefs, and how things should be, bring a more flexible brain to your thinking. Question assumptions that seemed immutable in the past and admit new possibilities into your perspectives.If you describe your life experiences in ways that lock you into a dysfunctional or unhelpful idea, try framing them in a new way. Tell your life stories to yourself by presenting them as difficult learning experiences that changed and empowered you.Enjoy Ilchi Lee’s blog posts?

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If we aren’t careful, any of us can slip into complacency. While living this way may seem peaceful, it’s actually a state of restriction and stagnation rather than freedom. Instead, it’s a flexible and engaged brain that can handle all the challenges and changes we are met with that brings true and lasting peace.

This is the kind of peace that comes from knowing who we truly are. If our true self remains buried beneath unhelpful habits and inauthentic ideas about ourselves and our world, that self will never be expressed. But if we actively work to keep our minds open and admit a new, wider perspective, we’ll be on our way toward not only handling change, but being the creators of our own experience.

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More from Brain Education TV

[Video] What Is Your True Power?

“We all have it,” says Ilchi Lee in this online workshop he gave in 2021. We all have the ability to empathize and offer encouragement. And while we can start with ourselves, we shouldn’t end there. Using our willpower, we can overcome negativity and be positive for others.

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How to Have a Close Relationship While Standing in Your Own Power

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[Photo by Wavebreakmedia via Envato Elements]

Making yourself energetically powerful can also make you more open, loving, and centered in your true self.

Any relationship—whether it’s for a moment or a lifetime, romantic or platonic—involves an interaction of energy. Even before we speak words, our energy fields communicate with each other, giving us subconscious impressions and information that influence our interactions.

Energy can also be exchanged over long distances, both on purpose and without our realization. The nature of the energy exchanged depends on our own energy state and our thoughts, feelings, and intentions toward the other person.

The closer we are to someone and the more time we spend together, the more intertwined our energy can become. If we’re not aware of it, we may begin to think these entanglements are who we are and what we’re like instead of just energy interactions. Especially if we love being around a particular person, we can become addicted to these entanglements, forgetting who we really are.

But the best, most loving relationships are possible when we’re deeply connected and aware of our true selves and we get the energy we need to thrive and be happy from an independent source rather than another person. In order to have a healthy close relationship with someone else, we need to have a healthy close relationship with ourselves first.

Begin the Process of Developing Body, Heart, and Spirit

I’ve already written about how to love ourselves and be healthy and happy, we need to make what’s called Water Up, Fire Down energy circulation in our bodies. This energy cycle results in a cool head and a fire in our bellies, giving us the wherewithal to act swiftly and decisively with open hearts and minds. But there’s another energy principle we should know if we want to embody our true selves fully and powerfully. It can be expressed most simply in Korean: Jungchoong, Kijang, Shinmyung.

It takes a few more words to describe this important principle of energy in English. Essentially, it’s a process of energy development that goes from building up our physical energy to purifying our emotional energy to brightening our spiritual/mental energy. Through this process, we become strong, grounded, and positive at every level. Having Water Up, Fire Down is part of the process, and creating both energy states involves filling ourselves up with the purest brightest energy from bottom to top.

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[The 3 Main Energy Centers]

First, we fill up the lower energy center (also known as a dahnjon in Korean) in our abdomen between our hips. This center relates to our physical energy. When it’s full, we feel empowered, revitalized, and ready to take on the real world. It’s the foundation of our energy system. If it’s too weak or unbalanced, then we may experience fatigue, emotional instability, and mental confusion—none of which are helpful in a relationship with ourselves, or anyone.

Next, we fill up the middle energy center in our chest; it’s equivalent to our heart chakra. This happens automatically once our lower energy center becomes full. Emotional energy swirls around in this area, as well as the pure energy of our true selves. We say that the energy here matures when the true self energy becomes strong, big, bright, and light. Having such energy in our hearts, we remain resistant to emotional pain from life’s ups and downs. We don’t easily follow the moods of others; instead we can lead the energy in the room to a more positive place. Mature heart energy means we are bursting with love for no reason at all and for no one in particular. We have all the love we need from ourselves and have more than enough to share with others without hardship. From this place, we have more understanding and tolerance of ourselves and other people.

Finally, after our lower and middle energy centers fill with energy, the pure energy in our hearts can rise up into the energy center in the middle of our heads (around the brain stem and pineal gland). We can accumulate energy into this center anytime, but the effects are most stable once the lower energy centers have been strengthened. The energy here becomes bright, and our thoughts become more positive, clear, and hopeful. We’re able to access our intuition, understand the wishes of our true selves, and gain more wisdom from the world around us more easily. With this greater understanding of ourselves and others, we can better navigate our close relationships for the benefit of all.

In this state of Jungchoon, Kijang, Shinmyung, we can present our best selves to others. We can also approach them with more empathy, love, and compassion, allowing us to interact with the best intentions. We’re unlikely to use them to satisfy our egos. Instead, loving them honors our true selves.

Exercise for Making Jungchoong, Kijang, Shinmyung

Many Brain Education exercises can be used for creating Jungchoong, Kijang, Shinmyung. The key is to do them long enough for you to be completely full of energy. How do you know when that is?

Your lower body feels solid.Your heart feels comfortable and open.The world looks bright and positive.You feel energized yet relaxed and calm.

You may not be able to achieve this state completely at once and may even feel the opposite as unhealthy and stuck energy becomes dislodged and cleared from your energy system. With daily practice, your energy condition can improve incrementally until you can achieve Jungchoong, Kijang, Shinmyung and maintain it for longer periods of time. Those who have Jungchoong, Kijang, Shinmyung also have Water Up, Fire Down.

One practice that anyone can do for Jungchoong, Kijang, Shinmyung is Brain Wave Vibration. This dynamic meditation involves shaking and/or tapping your body to your own natural rhythm. It makes energy flow more smoothly through the energy channels of the body while gathering more energy into the channels and the energy centers.

There are many ways to do Brain Wave Vibration—any way of moving and shaking your body, in any posture, can be considered Brain Wave Vibration if your intrinsic rhythm becomes expressed and your brain waves slow down. Try this method for Jungchoong, Kijang, Shinmyung:

Sit with your back straight, either on the floor or in a chair. Make a half lotus posture if possible, otherwise place both feet flat on the ground. If you are in a chair, leave space between your back and the chair.Shake your hips from side to side and forward and back while keeping the rest of your body relaxed. Leave your mouth slightly open so that as you exhale, old, stagnant energy can leave your body through it. Keep your body as relaxed as you can. Your movements can be small at first, especially if you are tense. Use the vibration to gradually relax your body. As your body relaxes, you can deliberately shake your entire upper body, especially your spine, from head to tailbone. Pay particular attention to where your spine meets your head. Move your head from side to side and all around to release the tension and hot energy that tends to build up there. The more you relax, the more vigorously you can shake.Once your body can move freely and comfortably, use the pinky side of your fists to tap your abdomen two inches below your navel. Alternate each hand as you make a steady rhythm. Consciously relax your shoulders as you move your arms. Relax your abdomen as well, and feel the vibrations inside it. Focus your mind on the area in which your lower energy center is located. Shake your head and body as you tap.Continue this exercise until you feel relaxed, open, and energized. You can spend as little as five minutes or do it for a half hour, a whole hour, or even longer. Respect your body’s condition; don’t try to overdo it. There’s no need to achieve Jungchoong, Kijang, Shinmyung completely in one try.

Brain Education/Body & Brain Yoga instructor Danielle Gaudette explains how to do this exercise in part in the video below:

The deep connection with ourselves created through exercises such as Brain Wave Vibration is essential for approaching our close relationships, and every aspect of our lives, from a place of inner security and self-value. At the same time, this connection gives us more compassion and enables us to forgive more easily than we ever could without it.

Editor’s Note: To learn more about this deep self-connection, you can look into Ilchi Lee’s book, Connect: How to Find Clarity and Expand Your Consciousness with Pineal Gland Meditation.

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[Video] How This Fundamental Energy Principle Helps You Love Yourself

Water Up, Fire Down, an energy flow we find in our bodies and in all of nature, is the foundation of our health. In it lies the harmony and balance we need to be truly whole and thriving. Making this energy flow in our bodies and applying this energy principle in our lives is a profound act of self-love and care.
 

Video directed and produced by Krisanna Sexton and Live Wild Films.
Based on documentary Love Heals, of which Ilchi Lee is the Executive Producer.
Learn more at https://lovehealsfilm.com/

Ilchi Lee’s 5 Ways to Buffer Yourself Against Negative Energy

[Photo by Iakobchuk via Envato Elements]

Keeping your energy strong, flowing, and bright let’s you thrive in any environment.

Have you found yourself in a toxic environment, or are you often surrounded by people who habitually bring everyone down? Maybe you have to work hard to stay positive in the face of negative media or of people around whom you feel less empowered or hopeful.

You may have heard of ways of protecting yourself against such tiring toxicity that makes everything about your life harder. I would sum up the ways that I’d recommend as: get bright.

Regardless of our environment, we have the ability to make our minds more positive and our emotions more cheerful. One of the most powerful ways involves changing our energy.

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Energy Rules

The qi/chi energy that flows throughout our bodies both affects and is affected by our bodies and minds. It’s the substance that connects them. When our energy becomes dark or stuck, our bodies and minds fall into dis-ease. If we think or say positive words and take beneficial actions, then our energy becomes brighter and lighter—the ideal energy we want. On the other hand, if we brighten our energy using practices such as Brain Education, qigong, yoga, energy healing, etc., then our outlook can change automatically and dramatically.

The energy around us, especially the energy of the people and places we pay attention to, also influences the energy inside us. Negative energy in our environment can darken our own energy. However, just as we can boost our immune system and keep our organs healthy to protect against illness, we can boost our energy system to make it more resilient.

We all have light, bright energy inside us and have the potential to have more. The lighter and brighter our own energy is, the less the energy of our environment affects us. In fact, the stronger the brightness inside us is, the more we affect our environment, for energy always resonates with the quality of the strongest energy around. So if we make our own energy strong and bright, we can automatically and intrinsically help make everyone around us bright and positive too!

Here are some ways to do it:Build up your energetic core.
About two inches below our navels in the center of our abdomen, we have an energy center associated with our physical energy. When this energy center is full, we feel more grounded and have more equanimity. We also have more power to take action and to experience our true selves and our spirit. We can keep our core energy full with exercises such as Dahnjon Tapping, Sleeping Tiger, Abdominal Breathing, and more.Stay focused on the center.
Energy flows where your mind goes. Your thoughts will also follow where your mind’s eye is looking. Rather than putting your attention only on the negativity around you, keep your inner brightness in mind. Focus on the energetic core in your abdomen, on the true self in your heart, and on the truth that love and light are the foundation of everything, regardless of how it appears in the moment. Also keep in mind the ever-loving, grounding presence of the earth that can support us in any situation.Make an energy capsule.
Imagine a capsule of golden light around you. The energy that fills it feeds you fresh, bright energy. At the same time, see negative, dark energy flow out through the top like smoke out of a chimney. Rather than being a tool for defense or protection, this capsule acts as a nurturing womb that recharges you. Making defensive shields comes from a consciousness of “us vs. them.” Instead, remembering the ultimate truth that we are all one is the most proactive defense against the contrasting darkness. Rather than fighting shadows, accept them while your inner eyes stay focused on the light.Purify your energy.
Just as our bodies get dirty from normal daily living, so does our energy. Having energy clearing habits that you do every day, such as in the morning and/or evening, let’s us keep our energy clear and bright before it has a chance to build up and have a greater impact on our bodies and minds. Any favorite mind-body-energy practice (such as these) will work if you do them diligently. Have a dream.
Knowing your “why” for getting up in the morning or for staying optimistic helps you keep choosing to be bright over and over again, especially in the face of obstacles that may otherwise drag you down. In addition to keeping your mind on your core, always remind yourself of the goals and dreams you’re striving to achieve.

Combined, these five strategies generate Water Up, Fire Down energy flow inside us, which is the healthiest overall flow we need. When our energy is flowing well, even if we encounter darker or more negative energy, it won’t sit inside us, affecting our bodies and minds. It will flow right through us and back out. By staying firm in our center and having continuous energy circulation, we’re prepared to handle any environment.

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How to Tell Fake from Real

[Photo by Rawpixel via Envato Elements]

Separating real from fake is possible when we know our true selves and feel our true value.

I’ve noticed that many people live without knowing what’s real and what’s fake. They have trouble discerning true from false. The massive amount of information those who tune in are bombarded with and the dense layers of ideas and emotions that we have inside make knowing real from fake especially hard.

As a result, so much of the world has become “fake.” So there’s little around us that’s worth our respect or sincerity. This leads some people to be fanatical about athletes, politicians, entertainers, and entertainment. Liking such things, though, does not increase their truth or value. They merely give us the ability to hide from what’s real.

Left without a sense of truth, many people hold onto the ephemeral structures and systems they can see. These systems and tribes become as or more important than their lives, because they seem to give people value. With each person holding onto what they think defines them so strongly, different groups and systems have become polarized against each other and become ready to wage war.

But if people could know the real value of humanity and of each human being, they won’t need to be threatened by differences or by changes. Knowing that value shows us what’s true. With our eyes open to the truth, we won’t need to be bothered by what’s fake.

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What Is Our Value?

The thing I was awakened to more than forty years ago as I meditated for twenty-one days on Moak Mountain was that “I am cosmic energy, and I am cosmic mind. Cosmic energy is my energy, and cosmic mind is my mind.” This was my answer to the burning question I’d had inside since I was a teenager: “Who am I?”

Because I was so determined to find the answer and practiced so hard, when it came to me, it didn’t come as a whisper. It felt like my head was exploding, and the knowledge resounded through my body. It felt like Truth. The more I shared this awakening with other people, the more I became sure that this answer is universal.

Another way of putting it, as many spiritual teachers throughout history have shown us, is that we are one with the Source of Life. When we can fully feel that oneness, we can understand that everything has the same origin. And that is our value.

We Can Know Truth for Ourselves

We don’t need to sit and meditate on a mountaintop for days and days to discern real from fake or to feel a connection with who we really are. We can do it by meditating in our own homes, by watching our thoughts and emotions from a mental distance, and by treating ourselves and others as the precious beings they are.

It’s a matter of returning to our center, our zero point, the point at which our mind is fully present in the moment and is spotlessly clean and clear. A mind so clear can tell real from fake. It is the cosmic mind that is who we really are.

Any form of meditation that releases thought and emotion and helps us focus inside ourselves in the present moment can help us have such a mind. You may not be able to create it the first time you try, but training and practice will never fail you in the end.

Meditations for Feeling Our Value

It can be difficult to gain clarity if you’re knew at sitting still and focusing inside. Since the thoughts and emotions we need to clear are also energy, I suggest doing these energy meditations to help you reach the zero point more quickly.

One of the places they are taught are at Body & Brain Yoga and Tai Chi centers. Body & Brain created these easy-to-follow videos for their members that you can use to practice for yourself.

1. Body Tapping

2. Brain Wave Vibration

3. Abdominal Breathing

4. Feeling Energy with the Hands

When We Know Our True Value, We have Real Self-Esteem

Central to our value is having esteem for ourselves. Knowing our worth and having self-esteem have nothing to do with worldly success, prestige, power, or academic history. Having been successful in the world doesn’t mean we have real pride, or that we’re happy or wonderful.

Seeing the truth of our value leads to stable, sustainable happiness that wells up from within. Without this kind of genuine self-esteem, we may become arrogant or be overly affected by others’ praise or censure. Knowing our value means loving ourselves.

Editor’s Note: Get help and regular practice with Brain Education meditations for feeling your value at a Body & Brain Yoga and Tai Chi center. Find a center in the United States at BodynBrain.com.

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[Video] Find Your Answers Deep in Your Mind

With the same brain functions you use for your imagination or for remembering your dreams, you can see into your subconscious mind and bring it to light. You can also sense the qi energy of your body and sharpen your intuition. I call the field on which all this happens our MindScreen. Our MindScreen is related to our brain stem and pineal gland. By tapping into this inner sense, we can find genuine answers that we need beyond our life experience.

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