An Introduction To Myung Sung, The Korean Art Of "Living Meditation"

Of course, these lessons do not come overnight! But by practicing the following eight keys of Myung Sung, you can begin finding this greater sense of peace and connection—without needing to sit still on a meditation pillow:

Life presents us with unlimited opportunities to learn about our true selves. If we pay attention, we can begin to notice what thoughts are influenced by others and what feelings are temporary and fleeting. We can learn to identify what part of us is our true self. Knowing who we truly are puts us on a path to become the greatest version of ourselves. We feel more grounded and are able to see our purpose more clearly.

The true decision is the reflection of our inner state. It's how we feel about a situation and what our true self is telling us is best. The right decision is what is best for everyone else involved. According to Myung Sung philosophy, the correct choice balances what is right and what is true. As we become more in tune with ourselves and the greater connectedness, we develop a moral compass that makes it easier to make decisions.

To practice Myung Sung, we must widen our perspective, putting ourselves in the shoes of others involved and seeing the bigger picture, and then we must take accountability for our actions and see our circumstances clearly. Through this, we become empowered to change our own reality.

Too often, we focus on gaining material possessions, wealth, and fleeting forms of happiness and leave nothing of true value after we're gone. When we begin looking for ways to plant seeds of goodness for future generations, we often notice that there are small, everyday opportunities to do so all around us.

Recognizing and honoring our connectedness means responding to the world with kindness and compassion because we never know fully what others have been through and we never want to add any sort of harm into the universe. 

When we let our inner world determine our outer reality instead, we can cultivate a sense of deep peace and strength to carry us through every situation. We become empowered and can take on new challenges and handle times of tension and discomfort with a greater sense of ease, knowing that they are temporary. We are able to hold a clear vision for greater things on the horizon.

Wisdom is the food of enlightenment. It opens our minds, generates peace, and brings us closer together. To practice Myung Sung, we need to seek opportunities to gain wisdom wherever we go. Wisdom is different from knowledge because it cannot be taught. It must be experienced firsthand. Just as no one can eat for you, no one can seek wisdom for you either. It is a journey that is entirely your own.

Trying to live your life against the natural order is like trying to swim upstream. Not only will you not make much progress, but you will waste all of your energy in the process too. As we learn to see the connectedness of the world more clearly, we all need to constantly live in harmony with it. When we follow the flow of nature, we live in balance with the natural order, and we can achieve a greater sense of well-being for our mind, body, and spirit.