Every Encounter is a Teacher and a Challenge: Growth and Awakening in Life

[진영]

In Korean 국문 번역
https://m.cafe.daum.net/enlightenment-k/dcM5/365?svc=cafeapp

모든 만남이 스승이고, 숙제다 : 삶 속의 성장과 깨달음

■ Every Encounter is a Teacher and a Challenge: Growth and Awakening in Life

○ The Life Lessons Each Encounter Brings

Everyone we meet has a unique personality and perspective, with their own way of thinking, speaking, and acting.

These differences arise from the backgrounds they have lived and the experiences they have accumulated over time.

Each individual we encounter—and every place or object we interact with—contributes to shaping our thoughts, words, and actions.

Conflict arises when we try to confine others within the limits of our own thoughts.

Whether in the visible world or in realms unseen, a person swayed by external circumstances may not realize it for a long time, if at all.

This delay often stems from a belief in their own perfection or superiority.

They might feel that a powerful force (conducted by another energy, not by mine) is protecting them, but eventually, they come to understand that this was an illusion. The realization often arrives too late: what they held onto so firmly may have only served to deepen their own narrow viewpoint.

True awakening begins with an understanding of our surroundings and with humility, letting go.

The higher we strive to ascend, the more we become ensnared by endless desires and ambitions. But when we lower ourselves, we can reach a simpler, clearer truth.

This is the essence of life.

The five volumes I have written in the series "The Right Path to Practice" were also grounded in discovering this essential truth at the lowest and most humble point.

○ Growth and Awakening in Life

Humans are inherently imperfect, and thus, our desire for perfection can easily lead us into repeated moments of difficulty and hardship.

This desire can create obstacles of our own, making that we struggle to escape.

Especially when people are convinced of their own correctness or insist on being followed and listened to, they are often trapped within their own consciousness and experiences.

These individuals or groups, absorbed in their own perspectives, struggle to see their situation objectively.

Cult leaders, for instance, build and expand their own worlds by any means necessary. But from an outsider's perspective, it’s clear that they mislead others by obscuring the truth, controlling people’s awareness, and presenting their own warped beliefs as if they are the ultimate truths.

It’s akin to the tale of Sun Wukong (the Monkey King), who, despite all his feats, was always within the Buddha’s palm.

In a sense, Sun Wukong’s boundless energy was confined by his ignorance of his true scale within the universe. This ignorance and unrestrained ambition serve as a lesson for humanity.

The concept of completeness in human life can be symbolized as a single circle, which in a religious sense corresponds to God or an absolute being.

A true deity does not demand faith or obedience, as it already encompasses everything—good, evil, and everything in between. In other words, “all things are part of me.”

Ultimately, all our experiences and encounters in life become teachers for us. Through this journey of learning and growth, we mature and evolve, as intended.

Learning to navigate our daily interactions and the responses they evoke in us is how we handle the challenges life presents.

Within this, we come to understand the essence of life, and we discover the principles that allow our paths to flow more smoothly.

Thus, aligning with the natural course of things becomes essential to our activities in life.

○ Spiritual Growth

The ultimate goal for humanity is spiritual growth, and aligning with life’s natural course supports this journey. Practices like meditation or breathing exercises may assist in personal growth and provide comfort or relief, but they remain secondary to the true path.

"True growth" is the gradual awakening that occurs through encounters and experiences in daily life.

The "essence of life" lies in our thoughts, words, and actions as we meet others and confront different situations.

This is why it is crucial to approach every encounter with humility and to continually lower our ego.

Only by humbling ourselves and correcting our mistakes through experience can we finally approach true enlightenment.

This is the path of life and its essence.


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November 9, 2024
A morning walk around Oryukdo
JS Kim

Founder
Haedong Kumdo
Jinyoung Ssangkum Ryu