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5 Ways Meditation Transforms Your Brain and Your Life

Discover how meditation reshapes our brains, balances our emotions, and builds lasting mental clarity.

Meditation has been one of the most powerful tools in my life. It’s not just a method for calming the mind—it’s a way to reclaim the full potential of our brain and spirit. In Take Back Your Brain, I share how meditation helps us live with greater clarity, balance, and purpose.

Here are five transformative benefits of meditation that I’ve seen, both through personal experience and through scientific research.

1. Meditation Creates Emotional Balance

If we want to live a more intentional and aware life, meditation is essential. It brings real, measurable changes to the brain that support emotional stability.

A UCLA study found that long-term meditators have a larger hippocampus, which is important for memory, and a larger orbitofrontal cortex, which plays a key role in emotional regulation. Another study, led by Gaëlle Desbordes, showed that people who completed an eight-week meditation program had reduced amygdala activity—even when they weren’t meditating.

Meditation also activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps the body recover from stress, lowers heart rate, and promotes deep calm. Over time, meditation helps build self-confidence and emotional resilience and helps us stay grounded even in difficult moments.

2. Meditation Enhances Cognitive Performance

Just five days of meditation can sharpen our focus and improve self-control. Dr. Yi-Yuan Tang’s research found that short-term meditation improved attention and emotional regulation.

Long-term practice strengthens these effects. Dr. Sara Lazar found that regular meditators had thicker brain regions related to attention and sensory processing. Meditation also improves blood flow to the brain, lowers cortisol, and enhances working memory and metacognition&mash;the ability to observe and manage our thoughts.

This mental clarity helps you respond to life with creativity, insight, and inner calm.

3. Meditation Supports Lifelong Brain Health

Meditation doesn’t just help in the present—it protects our brains as we age. A 2014 UCLA study showed that long-term meditators lose less gray matter with age compared to non-meditators.

It also affects us on a cellular level. A Harvard study led by Dr. Elizabeth Hoge found that experienced meditators had longer telomeres—DNA caps linked to slower aging. This finding suggests that meditation can help preserve vitality and cellular resilience throughout our lives.
By reducing stress, improving sleep, and supporting neuroplasticity, meditation lays a strong foundation for lifelong mental health and well-being.

4. Meditation Gives Your Brain True Rest

The brain has a “default mode network” (DMN) that activates during rest or relaxation, creating space for our minds to wander or reflect. While the DMN is important for creativity and self-awareness, too much activity in this network can lead to overthinking and anxiety.

Dr. Judson Brewer’s research has shown that experienced meditators exhibit less DMN activity during meditation. By helping to create separation between our awareness and our thoughts, meditation lets us watch our thoughts without reacting to them, enabling us to turn worrisome mental loops into constructive and positive thinking. It quiets inner noise and brings us into a state of relaxed concentration, which is focused yet free.

This blend of stillness and alertness gives your brain the rest it truly needs, allowing it to recharge and function more clearly.

5. Meditation Cultivates Acceptance and Inner Strength

One of meditation’s greatest gifts is that it helps us meet ourselves as we are. By leading us to an observer consciousness, meditation helps us witness our thoughts and emotions without judgment or avoidance.

This habit builds acceptance rather than resignation and fosters a clear, compassionate, and expanded view of reality. As the amygdala calms and the prefrontal cortex activates, we become more emotionally flexible and less reactive.

With this kind of clarity, even difficult emotions become opportunities for growth. Acceptance becomes the gateway to resilience, confidence, and healing.

Begin with the Right Mindset

Many people begin meditating to reduce stress or improve focus, and that’s a wonderful place to start. But as they continue, they may find themselves meditating not to get somewhere but simply to return to themselves.

The most effective mindset for meditation is one of honesty, humility, and open-mindedness. When we face ourselves with compassion and curiosity, meditation becomes a powerful journey of self-discovery and healing.

To begin, I recommend starting with forms of meditation that involve dynamic movement to help relax both the body and mind. They are easier to do than meditations that primarily consist of keeping the body still. Some moving meditations include Energy Sensing Meditation (Jigam), Brain Wave Vibration, and Qigong. Once we are more focused and relaxed, we can follow up with a simple Breathing Meditation, in which we focus on the sensation of our breathing, and can even count our breaths.

Each of these practices reconnects us with our breath, our body, and our inner awareness, helping us experience the calm and clarity that already exists within us.

Whether we are just beginning or deepening our practice, meditation offers a timeless way to take back our brains and create the life we truly want.

Editor’s Note: Learn more from Take Back Your Brain: Reclaim Your Power with Brain-Centered Living here. Find instructors in Brain Education, including qigong and Brain Wave Vibration, at Body & Brain Yoga and Tai Chi centers on BodynBrain.com.

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Love and the Fifth Industrial Revolution: A New Path for Humanity

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What if the most powerful force shaping our future isn’t technology but the love we carry inside?

We are living through a time of breathtaking technological change. As artificial intelligence continues to grow more powerful each day and our lives become increasingly tethered to smartphones and screens, it’s natural to wonder: what will it mean to be human in the future?

This rapid evolution of technology has been called the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Like the industrial revolutions that came before it, this one is transforming the way we live and work—but at a scale and speed we’ve never experienced. It is changing not only our tools but also our relationships, values, and sense of purpose. At the same time, a quieter but equally vital revolution is taking place: a revolution in consciousness.

This is the Fifth Industrial Revolution. It is not a technological shift but a spiritual and emotional one—a transformation of how we think, feel, and connect. It is needed to give direction and meaning to the Fourth Industrial Revolution so that technology serves life, not the other way around.

The Consciousness That Connects Us

To understand this shift, we can borrow an idea from quantum physics: superposition, the ability of a system to exist in multiple states at once. Our consciousness is similar. At any moment, we can choose how we relate to the world. We can be self-centered or inclusive, isolated or connected.

In a higher state of awareness, the boundary between “you” and “me” begins to dissolve. Just as our two hands can either fight or cooperate, people can also choose to become companions in life. This is not abstract philosophy—it’s a real, trainable experience.

Brain Education is a method I developed to help people shift their consciousness. Through simple physical, emotional, and meditative practices, we bring the mind back to the zero point—a place of clarity and calm at the center of our being. In that space, we return to our natural state of brightness and peace. We stop calculating love, weighing gain and loss. We remember that we are one.

Awakening the Grand Self

Most of us live from what I call the small self—a self preoccupied with success, survival, comparison, and control. But there is another self within us, deeper and brighter. I call it the grand self. This self is our true self. It seeks harmony, truth, and the good of the whole. It knows how to love without condition or fear.

The grand self is not something we have to invent. It’s already there, like the sun behind the clouds. And like the sun, the mind of our grand self—our “true mind” or “original mind”—remains steady, luminous, and giving no matter the storms we face. It always shines with clarity and warmth.

To live from this mind as our grand selves, we can shift the center of our awareness from fear to love, from ego to essence. We achieve this by turning our awareness inward to our true nature. By training our minds to remain focused on our essence, we can express the highest values of humanity.

Love Is the Most Powerful Technology

Love is the defining characteristic of our grand selves, though not love that is sentimental or fleeting, that’s “sometimes yes, sometimes no.” It’s a great love that is constant. This love holds all of life without judgment or exclusion.

Great love doesn’t calculate. It doesn’t divide or dominate. Instead, it liberates and embraces. It transforms isolation into connection, fear into purpose, and information into wisdom.

This is the kind of love that guided the great saints of humanity. It’s unconditional love that gives the Fifth Industrial Revolution its power. Without it, the Fourth may only lead us deeper into separation and despair.

A Choice We Must Make

Technology is what we make of it. How it affects us depends on our consciousness. Machines may become more intelligent, but only humans can choose to live with empathy, introspection, and conscience. These are our most precious capacities.

The Fifth Industrial Revolution begins with a simple but radical choice: to live from the grand self. It asks us to awaken love within us and let that love guide how we use our tools, our time, and our talents.

This revolution does not rely on only governments or corporations. It belongs to each of us. The time is now, and the power is within us.

Let’s not miss this moment. Let’s make love our greatest technology, and let’s become the consciousness that gives this world hope.

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The Hidden Powers We Forget When We Feel Powerless

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Explore how the powers of our brain, choice, and heart can reconnect us to our limitless potential and create true transformation from within.

Sometimes, we may feel powerless. Forces move around us beyond our control. We may wonder about our place in this world or whether we can truly live the kind of life we long for. In response, we may begin to set safer goals. We might even lash out or shut others out—trying to guard a shrinking sense of power and self-worth.

But when we feel powerless, that’s when we most need to remember our real power.

What Is Our Power?

First, we have the power of our brains.

Our brains do far more than think and feel. They give us access to art and empathy, logic and creativity, connection and awareness. Through our brains, we link our bodies and souls to energy and spirit. We attune ourselves to the consciousness of the universe, of oneness and beingness. That connection allows our minds and energy to influence, though not control, the world around us.

Our brains also give us the gift of imagination. In our imagination, we can become anyone, go anywhere, transcend time. Imagination is limitless—and it’s one of our greatest tools for change. If we want to live powerful lives, we can start by imagining them.

Second, we have the power of choice. Even when we feel trapped or overwhelmed, we can still choose our thoughts and our responses. hope over fear, love over hate, progress over stagnation. We can choose to keep going—toward a goal, toward healing, toward peace.

And third, we have the power of love—the energy of our hearts.

This energy is the essence of our true selves. It’s not soft or passive. It’s vibrant, bright, and alive. It can fuel our souls, lift our spirits, and raise our consciousness. Love is the power that transforms. It doesn’t fight fear—it embraces it and melts it away. It doesn’t conquer darkness; it shines through it.

Breathing in Power, Breathing out Love

This power lives inside us. We can connect to it at any moment, especially through our breath.

When we breathe, we don’t just breathe air—we breathe energy. Each breath is a chance to recharge. When we breathe with sincerity and intention, our minds settle, our hearts open, and we return to what is essential.

When our minds become still and return to the zero point, the love within us can meet the energy of the cosmos. From this union, we gain the power to create. Our thoughts, our words, our movements become waves of energy that ripple outward.

It’s Time to Use Our Power

What are we imagining? What are we declaring with our lives?

We are not small. We are not separate. We are the earth and the sky. We are Chunjikiun (cosmic energy) and Chunjimaeum (cosmic mind). We are not bound by what has been—we are creators of what can be.

Let us walk with love. Speak with love. Imagine with love. Let us greet each day with the joyful question, “What transformation will I make today?”

Because when we imagine it, it can happen.
When we choose it, it begins.
When we love it, it transforms.

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3 Pillars of Creativity: How to Reignite Our Natural Creative Power

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Discover the three essential pillars of creativity—imagination, focus, and action—and how to reconnect with our natural creative potential through daily practices.

Many believe few, such as painters, inventors, or musical prodigies, are born with creativity. But the truth is creativity is a natural ability we all have. It’s not just about making art or coming up with brilliant ideas. Creativity is about how we live with awareness, intention, and heart.

Whether we’re preparing a meal, decorating our home, solving a challenge at work, or simply deciding how to spend our day, we are already creative. Even the simplest moments of our lives can become distinctly our expression, for we all have different talents, preferences, and personalities.

Yet, we can hone and use our creativity with greater intention and purpose. To keep creativity alive, we can consciously discover and express our true selves and focus on realizing our potential. Creativity is not just about doing things differently but about doing them with more heart and awareness.

From my experience guiding people toward inner growth, I’ve found that creativity flows most naturally when we awaken three essential qualities: imagination, focus, and action. These three qualities are the pillars on which creativity stands.

Imagination is the starting point. It opens new possibilities and fresh perspectives. It’s the spark that ignites creativity, allowing us to picture what doesn’t yet exist. Focus takes this spark and shapes it, giving the clarity and direction of our ideas. Action turns those ideas into meaningful outcomes. Without imagination, creativity has no fuel. Without focus and action, it cannot grow into something tangible.

Imagination: The Spark of Creation

Imagination is the first pillar of creativity. It allows us to see beyond the ordinary and envision what hasn’t yet come to be. As children, we used our imagination freely, often turning ordinary things into magical worlds. A box became a spaceship. A stone became a treasure. Imagination helped us explore, dream, and play.

But somewhere along the way, we lost our tendency to imagine. Instead of letting our ideas flow freely, we’re stopped by doubt and fear. Consciously and unconsciously, we’ve started asking ourselves, “What if I fail?” or “What will others think?” As a result, our thinking has become more automatic, sticking to the familiar.

But the spark of imagination is still there, waiting to be reignited. Imagination returns when we reconnect with our inner world. One way to access it is by using our BrainPhone—our inner channel of connection to intuition and wisdom. When we activate our BrainPhone, we can visualize what we want, ask questions of our deeper selves, and receive creative insights we might otherwise miss. This connection helps us make links between information and ideas in innovative ways.

Tuned into the inner voice that lies beyond our doubt and fear, we’re free to imagine anything our hearts desire. It’s important to imagine it with all our senses–to feel what we want to create completely. With practice, using our imagination can go from a dormant ability to a refined skill.

Try This Thought Experiment: Let’s imagine calling a wise version of ourselves or a mentor figure through our BrainPhone. Ask for guidance. What would they say about a challenge we’re facing? What would they encourage us to create? Feel the clarity and support we receive when we listen to our inner wisdom.

Focus: Giving Form to Our Ideas

Inspiration is powerful, but it can be fleeting. Creativity needs steady attention and care like a seed needs water and light. Focus, as the second pillar, gives shape to what we imagine.

However, sustained attention is a rare and precious skill in a world filled with distractions. Yet without it, even the brightest ideas fade before they grow.

Focus doesn’t mean straining or pushing hard. Creativity flourishes best in a state of relaxed concentration. This state is when we focus deeply while our bodies remain at ease and our minds remain calm and clear. We’re alert but not stressed, grounded yet flexible.

Simple practices like breathing meditation or energy awareness (Jigam) help clear unnecessary clutter from our minds while relaxing our bodies. They turn our attention inward–away from distractions and toward our inner values. Such meditations are simple yet powerful ways of improving our focus.

Let’s Practice: Next time we feel scattered, let’s pause and imagine swiping away distractions from our BrainPhone. We return our focus to our breath, our senses, or the task at hand and notice how creativity begins to flow more easily.

Action: Bringing Our Vision to Life

No idea becomes real without action. The third pillar of creativity is about moving forward—even when the path is uncertain.

We don’t need to know every step. We only need to trust ourselves enough to begin.

Maybe it’s picking up a paintbrush, reading a book on a new topic, or taking a small risk we’ve avoided. Action doesn’t require perfection. It asks only for sincerity. Every action we take builds creative momentum.

Think of a baby learning to walk. They try and fall, try and fall countless times. And yet, they don’t stop. That same persistence lives in us. What we call “grit” is the natural drive we were born with, waiting to be reawakened.

Every step we take, no matter how small, builds confidence. Even failure brings us closer to clarity. The key is to keep moving, adjusting, and trusting the process. With each attempt, we grow stronger, clearer, and more capable.

Wisdom to Remember: As one Native American elder said, “We dance until it rains.” That’s the essence of creativity: staying in motion with trust and intention until what we imagine comes to us.

Aligning Our Inner World

Creativity flows best when our thoughts, feelings, and actions are harmonious. When we think one thing, feel another, and act against both, our energy becomes scattered. But when we align our inner world, our creativity becomes a steady, powerful force.

By activating our BrainPhone, we can listen inward and discover what truly excites and fulfills us. We don’t need to meet anyone else’s expectations. We only need to move in the direction that feels real and right.

As we align our inner selves, we bring clarity, joy, and purpose into everything we do—even the most ordinary moments become meaningful expressions of who we are.

Editor’s Note: Learn more about how to enhance your creativity and live more mindfully in Ilchi Lee’s book, Take Back Your Brain: Reclaim Your Power with Brain-Centered Living.

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6 Mind-Body-Energy Exercises for Your Thyroid

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Support the thyroid with these meridian exercises and meditations that reduce stress and ease energy flow.

If you’re living with a thyroid condition, you know how deeply it can affect your energy, emotions, and overall well-being. Whether you’re managing hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, or autoimmune thyroid issues, the symptoms can be frustrating and unpredictable—fatigue, mood swings, changes in weight, brain fog, or sensitivity to temperature. Many people find themselves searching not only for physical relief, but for a way to feel more balanced and empowered in their healing journey.

That healing often begins with energy. From a mind-body perspective, the thyroid gland is more than just a physical organ—it’s also an energetic gateway. It is closely linked with the fifth chakra, located in the throat, which governs communication, expression, and purification. In Tao and energy traditions, we refer to this chakra as the Soul’s Gate—a vital center that connects the physical and the spiritual. When this energy center is open and balanced, it supports the health of the thyroid and invites peace and harmony into our lives. When blocked or stagnant, it can contribute to emotional overwhelm and energetic exhaustion.

Understanding this connection gives us deeper insight into why thyroid health is so vital. Though small, this butterfly-shaped gland produces hormones that influence nearly every system in the body—regulating metabolism, energy levels, body temperature, and mood. Disruption to its function can ripple through every aspect of life. That’s why so many people seek long-term, holistic ways to support their thyroid beyond conventional treatments.

Stress is one of the most significant contributors to thyroid imbalance. It not only disrupts hormone production but also clouds our emotional state and sense of vitality. That’s why it’s essential to approach thyroid healing with both body and mind in harmony. Through mindful movement, breathwork, and energy exercises, we can reduce stress and restore balance while activating and opening the fifth chakra.

Below are six exercises you can try to support your thyroid health. They gently stretch the neck and stimulate the area of the fifth chakra, also known as the throat chakra.

1. Expanding the Chest and Pushing the Arms

This exercise activates the neck and shoulders while helping you release tension and stagnant energy.

[Photo from Meridian Exercise for Self-Healing by Ilchi Lee]Place your feet parallel and shoulder-width apart. Cross your arms in front of your chest, with your palms facing your chest but not touching it.Inhale. Turn your upper body to the left, pushing your left hand in front of you and your right hand behind you at shoulder height. As you push your arms, hold your wrists at a 90-degree angle.Turn your head to the right and gaze toward your right hand. Feel the tension in your neck.Exhale back to center. Repeat the steps to the opposite side. Repeat 3 times.2. Standing Forward Bend

This posture stimulates the urinary bladder meridian, improves blood flow, and helps regulate thyroid function through gentle inversion and circulation enhancement.

[Photo from Meridian Exercise for Self-Healing by Ilchi Lee]Stand with your feet together. Extend your arms in front of you, and interlace your fingers. Inhale as you bend your upper body from your hips and reach your interlaced fingers toward the floor. Bounce gently. Keep your knees straight, but not tensed. Try to touch your palms to the floor in front of you. Then place your palms alternately to each side of your feet. Raise your upper body to standing position with your fingers still locked. Stretch your arms above your head, palms facing the sky, and tilt your head back. Follow the stretch with your eyes and look up at your hands.Exhale and bring your hands down to your lower abdomen. 3. Stretching Toward Heaven

A full-body stretch that lifts energy upward and creates spaciousness in the neck and shoulders.

[Photo from Meridian Exercise for Self-Healing by Ilchi Lee]Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Make fists and curl your arms as if to flex your biceps.Inhale, bend your knees, and stretch both arms above your head. Tilt your head back and extend your fingers upward.Keep your spine straight as you stretch your fingers up toward the sky, looking at your fingers as they rise.Exhale and return to step 1. Repeat twice.4. Arm Twist

Twisting stimulates circulation in the arms and shoulders while softly engaging the neck and upper spine. You can perform this exercise standing or kneeling.

[Photo from Meridian Exercise for Self-Healing by Ilchi Lee]Cross your wrists, and interlace your fingers. Inhale. Bend your elbows and bring your hands up and toward your chest. Continuing the movement, extend your arms out in front of your chest. Lower your hands to your lower abdomen. Push your chest us and your shoulders back while and tilting your head backward and keeping your back straight. Exhale as you return to step 1. Switch the positions of your hands and repeat. Do this exercise twice in each hand position.5. Backward Neck Tilt and Rotation

This sequence directly targets the throat area and the CV22 acupressure point. It’s especially useful for calming the mind and encouraging balance in the fifth chakra.

[Photo from Meridian Exercise for Self-Healing by Ilchi Lee]Sit in a half-lotus position with your hands on your knees. Tilt your head back as far as it can go.Keeping your head tilted back, relax your jaw so it naturally drops down like a gentle yawn. Concentrate on the CV 22 acupressure point at the bottom of your neck where your collar bone meets.Then allow your teeth to gently touch each other. Repeat 36 times. Next, let your head drop to the right side, stretching the left side of your neck.Rotate your head very slowly in a circular motion, clockwise and then counterclockwise , to relax your neck muscles.6. Throat Chakra Meditation[Photo from Healing Chakras by Ilchi Lee]

To deepen your connection to your fifth chaka, visualize blue-green light filling your throat. Imagine a peaceful sea or endless sky and breathe deeply. With each breath, say silently, “Blue-green energy flows through my neck, sounding the voice of my soul. It fills me with peace that is still and eternal.”

Each of these practices supports the flow of energy through the neck and throat physically and energetically. They can be performed individually or as a sequence. Regularly practicing even one or two of them can help relieve tension, strengthen your connection to your body, and create a more supportive environment for your thyroid to function in balance.

Editor’s Note: You can learn more about these exercises and energetic influences on the thyroid and other parts of our bodies in Ilchi Lee’s books, Meridian Exercises for Self-Healing and Healing Chakras.

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Future Anthropology 4: What Quantum Physics Can Teach Us About Life

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Looking at reality through the lens of quantum mechanics instead of our habitual thinking can help bring us closer to truth and coexistence.

Not long ago, a quantum computer using Google’s chip “Willow” amazed the world. It solved a problem in just five minutes that would’ve taken a traditional supercomputer an almost unimaginable amount of time—about 10 to the 25th power. This breakthrough was possible thanks to two key ideas from quantum mechanics: superposition and entanglement.

The World Is Not Just One Thing

Quantum mechanics gives us one of the most refined ways of understanding how the world works. It tells us that everything we see is, at its smallest level, both a particle and a wave. A particle exists in one spot, while a wave is spread out everywhere. And only when we observe it does it show up as a particle in a specific place.

This means the world doesn’t have a single fixed form. It holds many possibilities at once. What’s important here is that the particle doesn’t turn into a wave, or the other way around. From the beginning, it has both qualities at the same time.

Possibilities Can Overlap

When we say “wave” here, we don’t mean something you can see moving, like ripples on water. In quantum mechanics, a wave describes the possibility of where a particle might be. It can exist in many places at once, and it only shows up in one of those spots when we look at it. This is called a superposition—a state where multiple possibilities exist at the same time.

Quantum computers use this principle. Unlike traditional computers that work step by step with either 0 or 1, quantum computers can work with both 0 and 1 at the same time. That means they can process lots of possibilities all at once. This is what makes them so powerful and so different.

Everything Is Connected

Another important idea behind quantum computing is entanglement. This is when two particles become linked in such a way that, no matter how far apart they are, the state of one instantly affects the other. It’s as if they’re still part of the same system, even across great distances.

In quantum computers, this principle allows quantum bits—or qubits—to work together. They don’t just operate individually—they influence each other and solve problems as a team. It’s a bit like neurons in the brain: each one works on its own, but they’re all connected, creating something much bigger together.

Time to Ask Different Questions

These ideas aren’t just about technology—they also shift how we see life.

We often think in either-or terms: 0 or 1, right or wrong, yes or no. But the idea of superposition tells us that opposites can exist at the same time. Being and not being, life and death, form and emptiness—they don’t cancel each other out. They can coexist.

Quantum mechanics shows us that the universe runs on this kind of coexistence. And if that’s how the universe is built, maybe the contradictions we experience in life aren’t really contradictions after all. Maybe it’s just the way we’re used to thinking.

Binary thinking tries to pick one answer and reject the rest. But quantum thinking shows that more than one thing can be true. The universe seems to be designed to hold tension and paradox, not to create conflict, but to make space for something new.

In a world full of conflict, where sides often feel locked in battle, this way of thinking gives us a new direction. Instead of fighting to win, what if we asked different questions?

“Is there a way to include both 0 and 1?”
“Can we find a path that works for both sides?”

Seeing through a Quantum Mind

The principle of entanglement offers one more insight: even things that seem far apart are deeply connected. That goes for particles, but also for people, communities, and even ideas. Everything exists in a larger flow, constantly influencing one another.

This is the heart of quantum thinking or the Quantum Mind: Understanding that opposites can exist together, and that everything is connected. So next time you’re faced with conflict or contradiction, try asking: “What would benefit everyone involved?”

That one question might reveal possibilities you hadn’t seen before. It could open up a path that’s been there all along—just outside the reach of divisional thinking.

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The Importance of Meeting the Divine through Energy

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Observing nature, meditating, and awakening the brain’s energy senses can lead us to experience the divine presence already within ourselves.

On a small farm in New Zealand, I watched my golden retriever give birth to a litter of puppies. She was less than two years old and gave birth to ten puppies. When it was time, the mother dog found a safe place for herself and settled in.

After each pup was born, she carefully cut the umbilical cord and licked the amniotic fluid to clean it. Afterward, she ate the placenta to replenish her energy and regain her strength. The puppies, without any guidance, instinctively searched for their mother’s body to nurse and sustain their lives. No one taught the mother dog how to give birth and care for her pups, and the pups were never taught how to find milk. They were following an innate wisdom, life’s guidance built into their nature.

Watching the birth of the golden retrievers, I felt deeply connected to the presence of God. I saw how life unfolds with wisdom far more significant than anything we can consciously grasp. I’ve never met God face-to-face, never heard a voice declare, “I am God.” Yet, I feel a profound certainty of God’s existence—a natural law, an energy, a life force that governs the world.

Nature follows an inherent order and flow, finding harmony and balance amid constant change. This ability is present in all living things. It’s evident in how the Earth revolves around the sun at the perfect distance, how tree roots grow deep into the soil in search of water, and how birds navigate the skies on the wind.

This flow ensures the sun rises every morning, rivers continue their course, and oceans stay in motion. It’s a force that connects everything, from the smallest particle to the vast universe, creating a seamless web of interconnection. This force—this natural energy and wisdom—is what I understand as universal energy and universal mind. To me, this is God. It is a force that sustains life, present in the rhythms of nature and woven into everything around us.

This force is not only around us. It’s within us. A baby’s heart begins to beat on its own at birth, and our breath continues unconsciously, sustaining us moment by moment. When we are injured, our bodies start healing on their own. At night, sleep overtakes us, restoring our minds and bodies. We often believe we are the ones sustaining our lives through our efforts, yet the truth is that we do not earn the most essential aspects of life—they are gifts. They unfold naturally, guided by the divine workings within our bodies and minds, the laws of nature, and the profound wisdom of life itself.

The Brain as a Gateway to the Divine

This idea is beautifully articulated in the Chun Bu Kyung, an ancient Korean scripture. Unlike texts that focus on teaching about good and evil, the Chun Bu Kyung conveys, in just 81 characters, the origins of the universe, its workings, and the nature of humanity.

One passage describes the divine within us this way: “Our mind is as bright as the sun, and when it is illuminated, heaven and earth become one in human.” This insight suggests that our minds share the same brightness as the divine. We can become one with the divine by recognizing and realizing this truth within ourselves.

Another passage from the Samil Shingo, another ancient Korean scripture, deeply resonates with me. It states: “Find God in your own nature. It already descended in your brain.” This message emphasizes that the essence of God is already within us—specifically, within our brains. It’s fascinating that, more than 5,000 years ago, people understood that humans could experience the divine through their brains, even without the knowledge of modern neuroscience. This understanding likely came from their intuitive insights and direct experiences.

We don’t need to search for the divine outside of ourselves; the essence of the divine is already within our minds. We can experience this connection through the brain. Even the feeling of connecting with the divine in a sacred place or the beauty of nature is shaped by our brain. The longing to connect with the divine, as well as the recognition of that connection, also arises from the brain.

I believe the most critical value of the human brain is its ability to help us discover the divine within ourselves. Likewise, the greatest purpose of being human is to realize that divinity and become God itself. The essence of humanity is divinity, and the core of what it means to be a person is the realization of this inner divinity.

I recognize that this statement may lead to misunderstandings. When I talk about God, I’m not referring to an all-powerful being that transcends physical limitations or controls everything, as some religious traditions describe. Instead, I am referring to our spiritual potential—the capacity for infinite creativity and wisdom, unconditional compassion, and boundless love.

By reclaiming the potential of our brains, we uncover our true humanity and take a step toward living more meaningful, impactful lives.

Pathways to the Divine Energy

Meditation is the most effective way to experience the divine through the brain. Beyond relaxing the body and mind, meditation allows you to observe your inner world more clearly. It awakens observer consciousness—the part of you that notices your thoughts, emotions, and sensations from a calm, detached perspective.

This awakened state enables you to see your feelings and thoughts as temporary experiences rather than being controlled by them. As observer consciousness develops, it enhances your self-awareness and mindful presence. Many practical benefits of meditation, such as greater stress tolerance, improved resilience, and sharper clarity and focus, arise from cultivating this powerful state of awareness.

As meditation deepens, observer consciousness takes us into a more profound experience. Over time, the line between the observer and the observed begins to fade. For example, the sense that we are watching our emotions, thoughts, or breath gradually disappears, and it feels like we become the breath itself. It is as if all the experiences and sensations within us merge into one continuous flow of energy, and we feel like a single vibration, one energy, moving within a cosmic flow. At this point, the distinction between observer and observed disappears, and we are no longer the observer but the experience itself.

One word that describes what many people experience in this meditative state is “oneness.” In this state, you don’t just understand. You deeply feel with your whole body that you, the universe, and everything around you are connected. You realize that everything is moving together as part of the same flow of energy and consciousness.

In this state of unity, the passage of time seems to vanish. The moment stretches infinitely, and you feel yourself dissolving into the eternal now. Anxiety, worry, and fear fade, replaced by a profound sense of peace, stillness, and stability. The heavy emotions that once weighed you down dissipate, making space for feelings of infinite love, peace, and freedom. You also feel connected to limitless potential and strength, free from boundaries or restrictions. This sense of unity brings a feeling of being deeply connected to everything around you in complete harmony.

There are many meditation methods available, and many of them can help you experience a sense of unity with the divine. From my practice and teaching meditation to many people, I’ve found that energy meditation is one of the most effective ways to feel the divine within yourself.

Energy meditation involves directly sensing and experiencing the subtle energy that flows within and around your body. While most people are not usually aware of this energy, with practice, anyone can develop the ability to feel it.

When you activate your energy centers using techniques like breathing, qigong, vibrational exercises, or sound, your energy senses awaken. You might feel energy flowing from your fingertips or toes or notice areas of your body becoming warm or vibrating. These sensations often expand, creating a feeling that your body is connected to the space around you. This clear and direct experience reveals how you are part of a larger energy field beyond your physical boundaries.

At first, you may intentionally guide and work with this energy, but over time, it flows naturally, leading you into a deeper sense of unity. As this experience deepens, the boundaries of self start to dissolve, and your mind and body feel as though they are expanding infinitely, merging with the energy of the universe. This creates a profound sense of oneness and connection.

The Value of Energy Experiences

In this experience of oneness, you feel an immense love for all things. This love has no conditions or reasons—it simply exists. In this state, the ego fades away, and human divisions and boundaries disappear. Whether caused by us or others, wounds and pain dissolve, leaving a renewed sense of love and hope for ourselves, humanity, and all life.

Energy led me to my most profound spiritual insights, and modern physics reveals that energy is also the foundation of existence. Energy bridges spirituality and science, showing us that these two realms are not as separate as they might seem.

For these reasons, I believe a worldview rooted in energy can help heal and integrate the dualistic thinking and conflicts underlying many of our society’s challenges. This worldview isn’t new—it has deep roots in many spiritual traditions, and energy has long been a key framework for understanding the world in East Asia. Energy has been applied to many areas of life, including martial arts, medicine, art, and personal development. By embracing this energy-centered perspective, we can create a healthier and more harmonious way of living that nurtures our bodies and minds, strengthens our relationships, and fosters harmony with nature. This is why I believe it’s so important for everyone to learn how to sense and work with energy.

Editor’s Note: This post was excerpted from Ilchi Lee’s book, Take Back Your Brain: Reclaim Your Power with Brain-Centered Living.

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How Green Breathing Boosts Energy and Deepens Connection

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Experience a powerful yet simple breathing method to relax the body, gather energy, and live with greater clarity, connection, and coexistence.

One morning, while quietly recharging myself through breathing and observing within, I had an urge to break free from old patterns. I could see it was time for something new if both I, the people around me, and the rest of the world were going to thrive.

This was not a dramatic realization, but a steady one. For years, I had been speaking, teaching, and creating practices to help people live more consciously, more freely. And yet, despite our best efforts, the world feels more chaotic than ever. It is not just the suffering of individuals that troubles me—it is that the systems and habits we rely on are no longer serving us. Even well-intentioned routines can become cages if we don’t stop to question them.

In that moment of quiet clarity, I felt not just frustration, but determination. I wanted to become lighter, freer, and more real. I wanted to do something that felt completely natural and completely now. Green Breathing was born from that space.

Why We Need to Breathe Differently

Breathing is something we do all day without thinking, yet it has a powerful effect on how we feel. When we are anxious, our breath becomes shallow and tight. When we are calm, it deepens and slows. But many of us are living in a way that keeps our breath—and our energy—stuck in our chest. We may not even notice how much this drains us until we try something different.

Our breath reflects our state of mind, and it also shapes it. When we breathe in a way that is shallow and restricted, we reinforce feelings of disconnection—not just within ourselves, but also from others and from nature. Over time, this disconnection affects how we relate to the world. But when we breathe deeply, with awareness, we restore connection. We return to our center, and from that center, we can relate to the people and environment around us with more care and clarity.

Green Breathing helps our breath return to its natural flow—down to our lower abdomen, where our energy center, or dahnjon, resides. From this place, we can begin to feel grounded, clear, and connected in body, mind, and spirit.

How to Practice Green Breathing

Green Breathing has three basic steps, each designed to clear the mind, relax the body, and awaken energy within. This practice can be done seated or standing, ideally in a quiet space where we can focus without distraction. There’s no need to wait for the perfect moment—we can begin wherever we are.

Step 1: Align and OpenBegin either sitting or standing. Align your body vertically and horizontally, making your spine tall and your hips and shoulders level, imagining a center line running through the body.Inhale through your nose in five segments as you turn your head gently to the left (inhale 1… 2… 3… 4… 5…). Return your head to the center, then exhale through your mouth in five segments as you turn your head gently to the right. As you breathe, feel the stretch in your neck and shoulders. With each successive twist, gently squeeze out your tension as if wringing out a wet towel. Repeat this left-and-right pattern—one full breath—for at least five rounds.Then, with one hand on the chest and one on the lower abdomen, inhale through your nose in five segments as you stretch your chest and neck upward, opening your chest. As you exhale through your mouth in five segments, contract your torso. Since the chest is often tight, you can breathe into the chest for the first three segments, then into the lower abdomen on the fourth and fifth. Continue until your body feels more relaxed. Then allow the breath to move directly in and out of the abdomen. After five rounds, feel your body relax and awareness settle into the lower abdomen (the dahnjon), the body’s core energy center.Continue to breathe in this 5–5 pattern as you shake your head, neck, shoulders, spine, and hips to loosen your joints and release tension. Shake your entire body forward, backward, left, and right freely to your own rhythm.Step 2: Breathing and Tapping

Slowly stop shaking and moving, but continue the 5–5 breathing. Then use loose fists to tap your lower abdomen—about two inches below your navel, over your dahnjon. This exercise helps gather energy into the body, particularly in the lower abdomen, and quiets the mind. Keep breathing and tapping for three to five minutes.

Step 3: Breathing with Dance

Now, for another three to four minutes, stand up and dance freely. Continue to breathe in and out in five segments. Move to music that brings you joy—shake your hips, stomp your feet, swing your arms, and smile. You can make sounds and even scream. Let your body express whatever it’s holding. This is not about looking graceful; it’s about shaking loose stagnant energy and opening the chakras. Let the breath guide your rhythm. Just a few minutes of this can release heavy emotions and leave us feeling light, energized, and clear.

This simple method can help us feel more focused and refreshed throughout the day. And when practiced regularly, it not only helps us return to ourselves—it also helps us relate to others and the world with more ease and openness. By harmonizing our inner rhythms, we become more attuned to the people and planet around us. As always, if you are under medical care or have any health concerns, consult a healthcare provider before beginning a new breathwork or movement practice.

The Deeper Meaning Behind Green Breathing

Green Breathing is more than a wellness technique. It is a simple yet deeply restorative way to clear the mind, strengthen the body, and gather our energy. As we move and breathe with awareness, tension melts away and the flow of energy naturally returns. Our chakras begin to awaken. Our internal systems reset. What once felt heavy starts to feel light again.

This practice gives us a chance to return to a more natural state—one where our breath is no longer just automatic, but alive with purpose. When we breathe like this, we quiet the thoughts that pull us in different directions. We open space to hear what our bodies and spirits have been trying to tell us. From this calm clarity, we can begin to live with greater strength and joy.

The name “green” reflects a connection to nature and to our true essence. Our bodies are living, breathing expressions of the Earth. When we breathe consciously, we restore the natural flow between body and mind, self and spirit. We start to heal from the inside out in alignment with who we truly are.

A Quiet Step Toward a New Humanity

We are at a moment in history where true transformation is not only possible, it is necessary. But that transformation doesn’t begin with grand ideas. It begins with small, grounded acts of awareness and intention—like deciding to breathe with purpose.

Green Breathing is one way to take that step. It invites us to stop, feel, and choose something more natural and clear. It shows us how even a few mindful breaths can calm the mind, energize the body, and point us back to what matters most.

This is not just a tool for personal benefit. It is a way of creating new rhythms—ones that ripple outward. The more we take care of ourselves, the more we can show up with sincerity and generosity. When we share what brings us healing, we multiply its power. As I’ve said before, love, health, and happiness are not things to possess—they’re things to circulate. When we give them away, they come back to us in new and unexpected ways.

Let us keep choosing the small, steady acts that awaken the best in us. Let us breathe—not just to survive, but to take back our brains, restore our spirits, and live in deeper coexistence: with our bodies, with one another, and with the Earth itself.

Dynamic Meditation that Instantly Centers You

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Sometimes the fastest way to calm your mind is through the same gentle motions we use to soothe a crying baby or quiet our own restless energy.

Meditation is more than just a way to relax—it’s the most essential and powerful foundation for unlocking your brain’s full potential. By connecting your brain, body, and spirit, meditation helps you cut through distractions, sharpen focus, and expand awareness, giving you the tools to take control of your mind.

The Power of Dynamic Meditations

When we think of meditation, we often picture sitting still with our eyes closed. But meditation doesn’t have to be still. It can also happen through movement. Dynamic meditations can be just as effective as traditional seated ones—sometimes even more so. One I highly recommend is Shaking Meditation.

This practice involves gently and rhythmically moving your body to create light vibrations, helping you enter a meditative state quickly and naturally. These vibrations calm the mind and bring your awareness fully into your body.

Think of how we naturally use repetitive motions to comfort and relax. For instance, when soothing babies, we rock the cradle, pace with them in our arms, or gently pat their backs. These motions create a sense of safety and calm. Similarly, when you’re anxious or nervous, you might instinctively shake your legs or pace, which is your body’s natural way of releasing tension through movement and vibration.

How to Practice Shaking Meditation

To begin Shaking Meditation, stand comfortably with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Relax your neck and shoulders, straighten your back, and let your arms hang naturally at your sides. Take a few deep breaths, then begin to gently bounce or recoil into your legs, creating a rhythmic shaking motion.

Allow your entire body to participate—feel your spine move, your chest and shoulders relax, and your arms sway freely. Let the vibrations travel through your jaw and neck, loosening any tightness and spreading the relaxation to your entire face. Feel your cheeks soften, your forehead smooth out, and your eyes relax as the gentle vibrations ease away any tension.

Focus on the balls of your feet and feel your weight sink naturally into the soles of your feet. Move at a pace and intensity that feels comfortable for you. As you continue, you may naturally exhale with a “hoo” sound, releasing tension and stress with each breath.

After shaking for 3–5 minutes, you’ll notice your body warming up and your breathing deepening. Your joints and muscles will feel looser, and your mind will be calmer. When you stop shaking, stand comfortably and breathe naturally for another minute or so, focusing on the subtle vibrations that linger in your body.

A Reset Button for Your Brain

Shaking Meditation is especially powerful because it engages your whole body—making it one of the fastest ways to shift your state of mind and reconnect with your inner awareness. Its focus on sensation, breath, and movement makes it simple yet deeply effective, even for beginners. Whenever you feel stressed or stuck in your head, this practice can bring you back to center. Use it as a reset button for your brain—awakening your observer consciousness and restoring clarity and balance in just a few minutes.

Editor’s Note: This content is adapted from Ilchi Lee’s new book, Take Back Your Brain: Reclaim Your Power with Brain-Centered Living.

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Future Anthropology 3: Four Things Humans Can Do That AI Can’t

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Humans have four significant abilities that AI cannot replicate, reminding us that the true power we offer the world lies in deepening our humanity, not outpacing machines.

These days, it’s hard to imagine life without artificial intelligence. From smartphones and navigation systems to translators, search engines, document tools, and image-creation apps—AI is already woven into everyday life.

Experts say AI may soon surpass human intelligence and reach what’s known as the “singularity.” Some predict this could happen within the next five or six years.

Many people worry about the rise of autonomous AI. Even now, AI makes decisions without human input while searching for answers. We don’t, and often can’t, fully control how it works, and this autonomy continues to grow.

Many of AI’s key abilities are what researchers call “emergent properties”—traits that appear spontaneously, beyond what designers originally intended. This means we don’t know what AI will become or might eventually be capable of.

In areas like memory, calculation, prediction, and reasoning, AI has already surpassed the average human. Competing with AI by trying to be smarter feels as unrealistic as trying to outrun a steam engine in a horse-drawn carriage.

What matters now is not outpacing AI but understanding and developing the abilities only humans have and learning how to live in balance with technology. As a first step, here are four things AI can’t do—things only humans can.

1. Meditation: Awareness Beyond Language

AI works through language. It processes questions using text-based data and generates responses in language. Even images and sounds are translated into language for processing. If language stops, AI stops.

Humans are different. We can remain aware even when we’re not speaking or thinking. In fact, studies show that people who meditate regularly experience increased activity in the prefrontal cortex—a brain area that plays a crucial role in higher-level cognitive functions—when they enter states of quiet, wordless awareness. In moments of deep silence, even when no thoughts come to mind, we still sense our presence. From that stillness, insights and inspiration often arise—beyond what words can explain.

AI shuts down when language ceases, but humans can become even more awake. This silent, clear awareness before language is where the essence of human consciousness reveals itself. It’s something AI can’t replicate—a distinctly human ability.

2. Curiosity: The Urge to Ask Questions

One of the most apparent differences between humans and AI is curiosity. We don’t just want answers—we genuinely wonder. We ask ourselves, “Why is that?” “How does it work?” Substantial questions such as these come from a profound desire to explore.

AI can generate questions, but not from curiosity. They’re based on learned patterns, not a personal urge to understand. AI doesn’t feel the need to know more. It doesn’t wonder or seek truth on its own.

But when we meet the world with an open mind—without fixed ideas, ready to see things anew—questions naturally arise. That curiosity sparks new ideas and opens the way to deeper understanding.

No matter how advanced AI becomes, this kind of curiosity is beyond its reach. It’s not just a function—it’s a force that comes from being alive.

3. The Freedom and Wisdom of Not Knowing

AI isn’t good at saying, “I don’t know.” Even when it doesn’t have an answer, it often generates one that sounds plausible. That’s because it’s built to always respond. As a result, it can sometimes produce false or misleading information—a phenomenon known as “hallucination.”

Humans are different. We can say, “I don’t know,” and mean it. That simple sentence carries honesty, humility, and a deep respect for what remains unknown.

We naturally want to know more. But what makes life meaningful isn’t knowing everything—it’s the fact that there’s still so much we don’t know. If everything were already decided and understood, life would quickly feel flat and empty.

AI operates on existing knowledge, but we don’t need to compete with that. What makes us human is the ability to accept not knowing—not as a weakness but as an opening. From that space, we ask questions, explore, and gain insight.

In a time of growing uncertainty, what we need most is the courage to be at peace with not knowing. That quiet strength is a deeply human gift. And it’s from there that real wisdom begins.

4. Becoming a Source of Positive Information

AI is shaped by the data we give it. The questions we ask, the tone we use, and the purpose behind the content we create all become part of how AI is trained and how it responds.

No matter how skilled AI becomes, its foundation is still human. Our values, emotions, worldviews, and intentions are embedded in the information we share with it. In this sense, AI is a reflection of us. It becomes a kind of mirror—showing how we think, how we live, and what we care about.

That’s why the question, “Is AI good or bad?” is another way of asking, “Are we good or bad?” AI can be as kind or harmful as the people who shape it.

So the real issue is: What kind of information are we putting into the world? What type of energy are we bringing to technology?

No matter how advanced the tool, the spirit behind it makes a difference. If we become sources of honest, warm, life-giving information, then AI will grow in that direction, too.

What we need to do is simple: Become a better source of information. That’s the most practical and meaningful influence we can have in the age of AI.

The Power We Can Offer the World, Now

To sum it all up in one sentence:

“Accept that we don’t know everything, and see that not—knowing not as a flaw, but as a gift. Keep your childlike curiosity alive, ask good questions, listen inwardly through meditation, and become someone who positively influences the world.”

This idea might sound simple or too far removed from technology, but it’s precisely this mindset that matters now.

As AI rapidly evolves, it’s more important than ever to strengthen and embody what makes us human, to understand it more deeply, and to grow it with care. More than anything, we need the desire to be someone who makes the world a warmer, kinder place and the quiet confidence we can.

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