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Key
Ideas of Peaceology
Please
click on the sub-titles listed below, to see the corresponding contents.
I.Introduction: A path
to Earth Peace
II.Remaining
Tasks
II. Content and strategy for change: Philosophy,
Methodology and Culture
As described in the above, when we place the
focus of our problems on ourselves, what we need now can be summarized roughly
in the following three categories:
1) Philosophy
2) Methodology
3) Every day culture.
This means that, first a new world-view
must be created to help everyone to see the problems of the earth as their own.
Second, an experiential educational method must be established to help people
shift their way of thinking to coincide with a new world-view.
Third, a new
culture and a new life model must emerge so that such changes of awareness can
be displayed through concrete examples in real life. Top 
1. Awareness of problems and direction of changes
1) The foundation of the worldview of current human civilization:
dualism
Underneath all human activities lies the desire, whether conscious or subconscious,
to realize oneself, and such self-realization is accomplished through a process
of growth. Human beings as well as all life forms actualize information embedded
inside of them through the experience of their growth process. This is why growth
is probably the most fundamental nature of all life forms. While that growth is
universal, what form of growth is sought and what would be the basis for growth
can differ depending on how we each view and understand the world. This is particularly
true if we see ourselves as a being beyond the biological level of a collection
of cells.
Our civilization to this day seems to have manifested its
desire for growth in a way that increases outward power by focusing on material
possession and the physical body. Such pursuit of outward growth is expressed
in behavior such as possession and dominance, which always accompany comparison
and competition, along with the concept of winning and losing. The foundation
of this lifestyle that pursues outward growth is a dualistic world-view, seeing
oneself as a separate entity and the world as a place of conflicts and confrontation
between separate entities.
The basic framework of civilization is
currently based on the western world-view, which is why western civilization is
usually blamed for the present crisis. However, the Eastern world is not exempt
when it comes to the dualistic nature of the current worldview as seen in its
traditional Yin-Yang theory. Presently, western civilization, or to be more specific,
Christianity and Scientific Rationalism, the two spiritual pillars that support
the westernized global civilization, play a small part in light of the entire
history of dualism.
Heaven and earth, matter and spirit, subjectivity and
objectivity, God and human, you and I, nature and society, good and evil, black
and white¡¦ This is the way we have understood the world regardless of whether
we are from the East or the West, and it is the way we have reacted to every situation
we encounter in life.
Our general understanding and basic definition
of human beings at this time is firmly established in the dualistic worldview.
Around the 17th century, the hegemony of the western worldview was transferred
from religion and theology to rationality and science, however the dualistic structure
of the worldview and its fundamental understanding of humankind have not changed
much since that time. As the center of the worldview shifted from religion to
mechanical rationality, we started to consider that what controls human behaviors
is not an arbitrary God but physical principles. As such, mechanical reasoning
has been used until now as the dominant paradigm in almost all disciplines ranging
from natural science, such as biology and anatomy, to social science, such as
economics.
With the advent of the 20th century, as conflicts and rivalry
became the central axis of world order, ethnicity, ideology and religions became
core components of individual identity. Along with the development of a market
economy and the progression of urbanization/industrialization, individualism and
egotism have been added to the components of self-identity. The sum of all this
is the image of humankind we are looking at now. It is human beings who identify
themselves as separate. It is human beings who form confrontational relationships
with their surroundings. It is selfish human beings for whom pursuit of individual
interests is the basic motivation in life. It is humans who think that instrumental
reasoning comprises the entirety of their mental power. This is the portrait of
humankind, which the dualistic worldview has painted so far.
Within
this frame of dualistic thinking, increasing one's share by winning in a competition
is defined as 'goodness' and other life forms which share this earth are defined
as competitors or objects of conquest, and even a healthy natural environment
which is the foundation of life is seen as something to be conquered and controlled
by humans. Since objects to dominate and possess are limited in comparison to
the limitless desire for growth, it is inevitable that outward growth based on
such competitive and confrontational relationships, reaches its limit and self-destructs.
Dualistic thinking and outward growth rooted in such a way of thinking
is just like riding a bicycle; once you start it, you have to keep pedaling to
not fall and cannot stop the incessant competition for growth, even if you know
fully that its consequences will be self-destructive. Top 2)
Principles of breathing: Inhaling and Exhaling, Expansion and Convergence
Compared with breathing, this could be described as continuously inhaling
without exhaling. Breathing is the most natural expression of life. The movement
of breathing where inhaling and exhaling, expansion and convergence are rhythmically
repeated is probably the simplest but clearest example of how life maintains order
amidst disorder and stability amidst changes.
It is most fortunate
that there is no need for us to consciously control this rhythm. If we had to
be constantly conscious of breathing, not only would we not be able to sleep but
also not be able to do anything else all day except breathing. If left to itself,
the natural rhythm of life is evidence of the thoughtful consideration of the
Creator.
Following the principle of breathing, we have to exhale in order
to inhale and converge in order to expand. When we exhale and empty ourselves,
we can then inhale again and in that rhythm, life continues. Our breathing, heartbeat,
and all the other vital activities inside our body take place following this rhythmical
cycle. After all, an individual life, a country's history and in a greater sense
the emergence and extinction of species follow that rhythm. Whether or not a life
form can maintain its viability also depends on how harmoniously it maintains
the rhythm.
This principle applies to a country and all humanity in
the same way. Just as in breathing, if keep breathing in and do not breath out,
we will die of burst lungs, if we continue outward growth under the present limitless
competition, our civilization will collapse. Top 3)
Cultural phenomena of expansion: the age of a family-less,
religion-less, and country-less culture.
So far, our civilization
has relentlessly pursued outward growth and trod an uninterrupted road of expansion
to such a degree that we can literally say there is no place left on earth that
has not been 'civilized'. The whole world is connected with one communication
network and we have indeed reached a point where we are able to see the entire
world at a single glance. Even though the materialistic foundation of our life
becomes more gigantic and elaborate in this structural makeup, it fails to stabilize
our life to the same degree. Rather, what we experience now is the opposite; day
in day out, our life seems to get more unstable and disoriented in an onslaught
of information. What brings chaos to an individual's life more than anything else
is the lack of a stable and universal value system to serve as a life compass.
As more information is presented, it becomes easier to access information
on various life styles and cultures. With the progress in telecommunication technology,
belief systems and value systems held by individuals and groups are being challenged
that much more strongly, and rendered powerless that much more completely. Although
the world is indeed becoming 'a global village' with all its systems integrated,
we haven't yet found any universal values suitable for the size and scope of such
information. At present, we are experiencing a state of chaos where most traditional
community values have been destroyed or become powerless and a new value system,
which will reflect an integrated world, has not yet been established.
The
cultural phenomenon which has resulted from one-directional external growth and
uninterrupted expansion, may be described as a 'family-less, religion-less, country-less'
phenomenon. This means that the centripetal forces of integration, which have
played the role of preserving values and providing stability to individual lives,
have now lost their authority and no longer play a central role. Families, religions
and countries have traditionally provided the most important guidance and values
for individuals to establish their identity and find their life purpose. People
used to trust their family and religion to play that role, however, the ability
of a family, religion or country to be the centripetal force of integration has
already been so seriously undermined that in most developed countries, the divorce
rate is over fifty percent, church pews are getting emptier, and the concept of
nationality is changing to something that you need to get a job and can change
any time if necessary.
The reason why this family-less, religion-less,
country-less phenomenon is emerging is not because people no longer like or need
families, religions and countries. It is because the world image that family,
religion and country try to impart does not correspond to the image of the world
people experience in real life. This means we can no longer trust families, religions,
and countries to provide the values that people used to take for granted. As families,
religions and countries fail to function as a center of life and a provider of
values, all of the traditional authority based on that model is breaking down
fast as well. Seniors are disappearing, teachers are disappearing and leaders
are disappearing. Furthermore, as all that which could be trusted and depended
upon disappears, 'trust' based on close human relationships is rapidly being replaced
by 'credit' based on formal financial transactions. Individualism is no longer
a subjective attitude in life but it is becoming an objective and physical fact.
Most individuals exist as an individual psychologically as well as physically
rather than as a member of a family, religion or country. This means the turning
point between expansion and convergence has been reached. Top
4)
Preparation for a turnaround: stopping on the way
If we continue in our current direction and continue in a competitive,
excessive, and self-destructive way of life, the result will be individuals becoming
more fragmented and any community-oriented values and ideals non-existent. Sooner
or later, a critical point will be reached where no matter how hard we try to
converge (come together); it will not be possible any more. We will have reached
the point of no return. If that happens, it will mean disintegration not expansion.
Furthermore it will mean the end of our civilization along with the exit of a
species called Homo Sapiens. It is important to be clear that this will not have
been caused by any absolute being like a God, but the consequence of our own choices
resulting from very limited consciousness.
Our civilization has become
so gigantic and abnormal that it can no longer sustain itself. However, just because
we know this, it is not possible to instantly change the course we are on. Trying
to change its current course in any drastic way will only bring a more serious
crisis. Just as in breathing, there is a short moment of pause between inhaling
and exhaling; we need such a pause now. We need to stop the way we are going and
examine logically and systemically what direction we need to take from where we
are now.
What is needed more than anything else in turning the direction
from inhaling to exhaling and expansion to convergence is to have a clear awareness
of what the centripetal force of convergence is and what the center of integration
will be. In other words, it means knowing precisely what our core value should
be. Top
2. The Centripetal force of convergence as the initiator of change
1)
The centripetal force of convergence: the Earth
The center point is the earth. It is the center point that renders the
vector sum of all the social activities we are engaged in, zero. It provides the
point from where a comprehensive understanding that can synthesize all of the
various values and understandings can be achieved. It is the core value that can
evaluate value in all values.
The Earth is not just a mass of ground given
to us so that we can stand on it, but it is the cornerstone of all values, the
root of our life, and indeed of life itself. Any values or any truths that we
are seeking can make sense only in the context of the existence of the Earth.
Only the Earth can be the core value that can bring together all of human consciousness.
The reason that we have not been able to understand the meaning of the Earth as
the centering and absolute value until now has been that compared to the scope
of our awareness and experience, the Earth was way too big. Just as a fish is
oblivious of the water it swims in, we have not noticed the Earth because it is
too big and too close to us.
Consider that a fish, when competing
against another fish for food, does not realize that the vast ocean is the foundation
of its existence and not the food it is going after. Similarly, when we commit
all our strength to competition and disputes in order to make the values we choose
absolute, we fail to notice the Earth, which is the absolute value and the foundation
of our existence. We fail to understand that it is not the values we are pursuing
through competition and domination.
Once we have a correct understanding
of the existence and the meaning of the Earth, we will see clearly that religions
and countries, which claim themselves as an absolute value, are not: they are
merely relative values. The numerous conflicts that have marred human history
can be said to be the result of competing relative values, which were trying to
take the position of absolute value. Given this, it is not surprising that conflict
and war have been so pervasive. The standard for evaluating all values cannot
be personality, belief, ideology, religion, or ethnicity, but must be the Earth.
When we finally realize the absolute value that would serve as the
centripetal force of convergence, then we realize that the loss of center, direction
and collapse of traditional values that we are experiencing now can have a positive
meaning. Only then, can we understand that for a greater integration and a viable
one world and one community to be realized, competitive and antagonistic small
authorities and centers need to step down from their position as absolute values
and move to that of relative values. When the centripetal force is put in the
right place, and the standard for a core value is correctly established, only
then can those relative values function properly in their proper places. Only
when the Earth becomes the central value, can families, religions and countries
be restored to play their original roles and functions and contribute to the growth
and advancement of the community of humankind.
Such change of awareness
that sees the Earth as the center of all values is the most important key to the
path of Earth Peace, since the issue of peace can only really be understood correctly
when the Earth is placed in the center. Peace based on one religion or one country
inevitably leads to conflicts. Since the centers are different, one view of peace
is pit against another view of peace and fighting is the result. When we recognize
the Earth as the central value and all religions and countries respect one another
from the point of view of relative values, the foundation for true peace can be
established.Top 2)
The initiator of change: Earth Humans
Human
beings as the initiators who can realize Earth Peace are Earth Humans. To identify
as Earth Humans is true enlightenment and a display of spirituality. This is because
spiritual awareness means knowing the root of one's existence and in a more concrete
sense, knowing the Earth, which is the root of one's existence, as a living body.
In fact, to become Earth Humans is to change ourselves from whom we think we are
to our true Selves. Although the current technological development makes such
awareness easier, self-awareness as an Earth Human does not necessarily require
the current level of technological advancement. In the beginning, there was only
one Earth, just as now. All other boundaries are merely arbitrary conveniences,
and such traditional boundaries are already crumbling from the pressure of change.
Describing ourselves as Earth Humans is no longer merely a conceptual 'what should
be' or a lofty goal, but now it must become practical reality.
What
does it mean to state that we have become Earth Humans and we love the Earth as
Earth Humans? Just as the fact that we love our families and countries does not
merely mean we love houses and motherlands, loving the Earth is not merely limited
to protecting the global environment. Loving the Earth means to recognize the
Earth as one community. It also means to be proud to be Earth Human. It means
to do our best to fulfill our responsibilities and roles for the Earth community.
It means that we feel rewarded and happy just by the act of doing as we would
when we care for a household as a member of the family.
Overcoming
confrontational dualism, the dominant worldview of human civilization, and going
beyond the limits of the ethnicity, religion and ideology that have formed one's
identity is only possible through this realization. To have a deeply felt identity
and experience as an Earth Human is the most concrete and realistic expression
of knowing that the root of all existence is one. When we truly know that the
root of all life, including ourselves, living here and now with those around us
is all one, and the root is the Earth, we can go beyond the cognitive limitations
of ideologies, ethnicities, religions and cultures and rise above confrontations
and conflicts based on such artificial and temporary divisions.
Only then,
can humans identify themselves as being of a new dimension. With this change,
humans can recognize themselves as more than fragmented parts that can only exist
in a world divided by dualism such as here/there, heaven/earth, and spirit/matter.
Earth Humans can see themselves as the initiators of integration and harmony,
and as the third element that harmonizes the extremes of dualism.
Inside
the heart of each person with such an awareness, there is conciliation of all
confrontations and contradictions such as spirit and matter, God and humans, subjectivity
and objectivity, the whole and the part. This is a new kind of person, in other
words, a New Human. This is the meaning and purpose of enlightenment. Enlightenment
is to define oneself in a new way, to have a new identity as an Earth Human and
that is why it is a choice to be made, a life path to be chosen.Top
3)
The Life Philosophy of Earth Humans: Hong-Ik spirit
The life philosophy of Earth Humans may be expressed as the 'the spirit
of Hong-Ik' (broad benefits for all) and the spirit of 'Love for the Earth and
love for Humanity'. The Hong-Ik spirit is to choose to make one's life purpose
one that benefits the whole world. It is the desire to benefit all people not
because someone else orders or forces you to do so, but because we know that we
are Earth Humans. Identifying oneself as an Earth Human with a life philosophy
based on the Hong-Ik spirit; this is the key to the spirituality needed at this
time and the most important characteristic of humans as the initiators of peace.
The outward expression of the Hong-Ik spirit is healing. By healing society
and healing the Earth, you can put the Hong-Ik spirit into practice. The ultimate
purpose of the Hong-Ik spirit is to help all people discover their uniqueness
and divinity within, helping them realize their divine power and creativity. If
we call the realization of divinity enlightenment, then practicing that enlightenment
is healing. Enlightenment is a choice and practicing the choice is healing. We
have so far pursued enlightenment, but the meaning of enlightenment does not lie
in just pursuing it but in practicing it. There's no other way to prove our enlightenment
than practicing it.
If enlightenment itself is a choice, the choice
we make is revealed through our practice. The life philosophy of Earth Humans
is the Hong-Ik spirit and practicing it can heal society and heal the Earth. Historically,
this would mean the rediscovery of our humanity or, more accurately, the first
discovery of our humanity, in that for the first time in the history of mankind,
we are beginning to know who we really are and are getting ready to prove it in
real terms. This also means that humanity takes total responsibility for its choices.
To define yourself as an Earth Human is to realize that your life, your future,
the future of all humanity and the Earth depend on you and to declare that you
will willingly take that responsibility. For Earth Humans, their conscience and
the Earth is the core value against which all other values are measured.
Conscience is different from social rules and ethics that are programmed
in our mind. Conscience, willingness to love truth and to become truthful, is
the expression of the perfection inside of us, in other words, divinity. If conscience,
which is the divinity within us, is compared to a perfect scale, the Earth stands
at the zero point of the scale. Setting the scale at zero point means recognizing
the Earth as the basis for value judgments and as the absolute value against which
all other relative values are measured. Only when we set the basis of value as
the Earth and judge according to our conscience, can we discern well and make
the right choices in our lives.
The Earth Human is a person who feels
the Earth, thinks from the point of view of the Earth, and makes decisions following
their conscience with the Earth as the foundation. It is the standard against
which we measure all our movements on the scale. To have the awareness of an Earth
Human is the true meaning of enlightenment. Top
3. Strategy for Change: Educational Methodology and Daily Life Cultural Campaign
1)
Conditions of the methodology for successful change
When such a dramatic change in thinking takes place not in a couple of
people, but in large numbers, a critical mass is reached which propels humanity
to overcome the present crisis. As described in the book 'Healing Society', "¡¦
The only hope is enlightenment. Individual enlightenment. Group enlightenment.
Human enlightenment." This means that the issue is how to popularize such
a change in consciousness. In other words, how can we make enlightenment a common
sense, which is known by everyone through his or her decision and choice? When
we try to popularize such a change in consciousness, the first condition of the
methodology is that the values it pursues have to be universal.
If
the values sought by the strategy for change are not universal, it will surely
fail to accomplish its objectives. It will sink in a quagmire of cultural, religious
and ideological differences. In fact, although there are so many excellent teachings
and teaching methods in various cultural traditions, the main reason they fail
to be popularized is their limitation in cultural, religious and ideological identity.
Since they all want their tradition and their cultural characteristics to be absolute,
it is difficult for them to be generally accepted.
The second condition of
a methodology that aims for change in our every day culture is that the delivery
mode of the message has to be empirical. It has to be practical and demonstrable.
The reason being that a true change in worldview is not necessarily possible just
because you understand its meaning and purpose. For our lifestyle to change drastically,
our nature as well as the root of our nature, sometimes described as habits, have
to change. As we all know from our experiences, intellectual understanding does
not lead directly to changes of disposition and habits. For changes to take place
there must be concrete experiences and those experiences must become habits through
practice and repetition. 'Training' is the best educational method for changing
real life experiences and habits.
Third, the methodology has to be
general, easy, simple and economical. If the method is so complicated and difficult,
requiring a great deal of special knowledge and high level of technology, not
many people will be able to participate especially if they have intellectual or
time limitations. Additionally, if the process of learning is expensive, then
economic ability will become a hindrance. If the method requires special materials
or tools that are only available in certain areas, it will be difficult to use
it as a general methodology because then geographical/natural conditions become
obstacles.
Fourth, the methodology should be of practical help in our daily
lives. If the change fails to give personal help even though the purpose of the
change is innately right, it will be difficult to expect many people to put the
strategy of change in to practice. While people might agree to the great purpose
and noble cause centered on the Earth and even participate in the change, over
the long term they will not continue unless it can meet their real needs, especially
in the beginning of the change process. Top 2)
Dahnhak and Brain Respiration: experiential and practical methodology
An example of a comprehensive teaching method that meets all of the conditions
above and at the same time changes nature and habits through experience is "Dahnhak"
and "Brain respiration". The foundation of the Dahn-Hak world-view is
the philosophy of Earth Humans and the spirit of Hong-Ik. All of its teachings
are based on direct experience through restoration of the senses. The method of
Dahn-Hak is based on natural breathing and the material that it uses is Ki-energy.
This you can use any time just by deciding to use it. It also provides tangible
help to practitioners by bringing physical and mental health. Dahnhak, which started
twenty years ago by training one person in a park, has grown into a popular social
movement because it satisfies all of the conditions the methodology of a successful
cultural movement should have.
In ancient time Dahn-Hak was called
"Shin-sun-do" (the art of natural being) and played a role in national
principles of education and teaching methods of the time, in the area that is
now known as Korea. The keys to Dahnhak's philosophical principles are first;
everything starts from One and returns to One. Second, the three forms of the
One, Heaven, Earth, and Human Being, are all contained in each person. Third,
it recognizes that to benefit the individual is to benefit all of humanity without
regard to individual, ethnic or other differences. Dahnhak has been modernized
and is now being shared around the world because the heart of this philosophy
expresses the world-view of the global village and the age of spiritual civilization
that is urgently needed.
The essence of the Dahnhak teaching method
is not studying but restoring the senses. It is to help restore the original rhythm
of life that all life forms, including humans, innately possess and lead a healthy
and harmonious life. As bodily senses awaken, we can feel the Earth and communicate
with the Earth more directly. We can feel Earth's energy, understand her heart
and realize we are true Earth Humans. DahnhAk and Brain Respiration is an experiential
educational method that restores harmony between people, people and nature and
ultimately the bigger harmony between Heaven Earth and Human, by helping each
individual restore their natural innate sense of life.
Brain health
has been a foundational principle of human growth in my research, writing, education,
and social campaign because the brain holds the key to the growth of human consciousness,
without which, the crisis of civilization cannot be solved. Brain respiration
is a Dahnhak training method that focuses on the brain with the purpose of creating
a healthy society by creating a healthy brain.
Just because our brain
is a complicated precision instrument, does not mean that Brain Respiration has
to be complicated and difficult. Like any other training method in DahnhAk, brain
respiration is an easy, comfortable and natural approach focusing on breathing.
Its basic purpose is to let the brain breathe comfortably and feed the brain with
good information. We often confuse the ability to understand difficult books and
theories with our level of consciousness. However, a high level of consciousness
is not the ability to understand and produce difficult and complicated information
but the ability to understand and produce bright, healthy and true information.
A contorted and dark brain produces distorted, dark information whereas a bright,
healthy brain produces bright, healthy information. When bright and healthy brains
get together, a healthy society and healthy civilization is easily created.
There may be numerous methods and strategies to change our every day life,
but if the process of change itself brings severe stress socially and individually,
however necessary the change might be, it will not be successful, but if we start
the change with something easy, effective, pleasant and fun, then we can accomplish
it without causing great shock. This is why the change should start with discovering
and teaching 'soft technology and the art of natural being' related to health,
such as how to breathe, how to heal and how to use natural energy. Just by simple
movements such as patting and shaking our whole body, we can recover our body
functions and by proper breathing we can maintain our health without major problems.
This is because if we give our body just a little bit of help, it will quickly
recover its natural state through self-healing power. As the senses of our body
are awakened the original functions of our body recover quickly. Through this
process, we become less dependent upon high energy, chemical substances and high
tech equipment, and become more Earth friendly. Our body and mind will become
naturally more relaxed and peaceful. Our nature, physical constitution, and habits
will be changed. The realization of ourselves as Earth Humans with the accompanying
natural transformation of character and habits will change our every day culture,
and ultimately the direction of our civilization. Top
3) Practical movement for peace: Healing Society movement
The movement to share such realization with families and neighbors and
help the communities you belong to become healthy is the 'Healing Society' movement.
What is meant by health here is not merely physical health, but all four levels
of health, physical, psychological, social and spiritual health, this being true
holistic health.
Being spiritually healthy means to have a' right mind' and
a 'right value' system. At its core is the spirit of Earth Humans and the 'Hong-Ik'
spirit. The 'Healing Society' movement had its beginnings twenty years ago in
a small park in a city in Korea where Dr. Ilchi Lee began the practice of teaching
morning exercise and Brain Respiration. Now this movement has expanded to more
than 3,000 parks in Korea and has grown into a popular social movement to heal
the society.
While it has been about six years since DahnhAk was first
introduced in the U.S., this movement started to roll on a full scale after the
book " Healing Society" by Dr. Lee was published and ranked number one
on Amazon.com. Since then, as many people have shared in its cause and participated
in the movement, it is being spread through social institutions and organizations
including schools, churches, businesses, hospitals, community centers, and senior
centers in cities, such as New York, LA, Denver and Chicago.
Another example
of 'healing society' on a grander scale took place at the 1st Annual New Millennium
World Peace Humanity Conference held in Seoul, Korea in June of 2001. It was an
event that showed the achievements of the Healing Society movement in both Korea
and the U.S., with the intention of further spreading and sharing the spirit of
Earth Humans. Many prestigious leaders who have worked for peace with the spirit
of Earth Humans in their respective fields participated in the conference and
made presentations, engaged in discussions and built trust.
Distinguished
guests who joined as the panelists included Prof. Seymour Topping, previously,
Chief Editor of New York Times and now administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes and
professor at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism; Maurice Strong,
former deputy Secretary-general of the United Nations, current president of the
UN University for Peace and leader of the Earth Charter movement; Reverend Wyatt
T. Walker, president of the Black Religious Leaders Association and noted civil
rights activist ; Dr. Jean Houston, a world renowned anthropologist and UNICEF
advisor; Mrs. Hanne Strong, president of the Manitou Foundation and an environmental
activist; Neale Donald Walsch, the best selling author of the 'Conversations with
God' series and founder of the Conversations with God foundation. Former U.S.
vice-president Al Gore, who has been working on protecting the global environment
and establishing world peace, gave a special speech.
During this conference,
the Declaration of Humanity was adopted and shared by approximately 30,000 people
who made the decision to identify themselves as 'Earth Humans'.
In
this declaration, 'Earth Humans' are defined as being the following: 1)
A Spiritual Being, an essential and eternal part of the Soul of Humanity, one
and indivisible
2) A Human Being whose rights and security ultimately depend
on assuring the human rights of all people on Earth
3) A Child of the Earth
with the will and awareness to work for goals that benefit the entire community
of life on Earth;
4) A Healer with the power and purpose to heal the many
forms of division and conflict that exist on the Earth;
5) A Protector with
the knowledge and the responsibility to help the Earth recover her natural harmony
and beauty
6) An Activist with the commitment and ability to make a positive
difference in one's community In addition, thanks to the cooperation of
Korean regional governments, which empathized with the true meaning of this conference
and its fundamental spirit, June 15 was adopted as "Earth Human Day".
Since the Humanity Conference, this movement has gained momentum and now not only
people from Korea and the US, but from Japan, Europe and even South American countries
are participating in the signature campaign for Earth Human day. Many people who
have signed the Declaration of Humanity not only have confirmed their identity
as Earth Humans but also are actively participating in the movement to practice
the spirit and share it with others.Top 4)
Meaning of families and roles of parents in the Healing Society movement
In this movement special emphasis must be placed on the importance of families
and the roles of parents in a family. A family is the smallest unit of society,
hence, the health of a family is the foundation of the health of a society. Creating
a healthy family is the starting point for creating a healthy human society.
In general, the roles of parents in creating a healthy family can be categorized
in three areas. They must be teachers, healers and recreation instructors. First,
parents must be teachers to help their children realize who they are and what
their life purpose is. Parents who have already realized they are Earth Humans
teach their children to be aware that they too are Earth Humans. When parents
play the role of teachers, enlightenment will become natural for everyone who
is educated in a natural way and brought up in a natural family.
The
second role of parents is as healers who maintain and protect the health of the
family with their own power and strength. Curing the minor illnesses and imbalances
we experience in our daily lives is not that complicated or difficult. Basically,
if you have a loving heart, and learn a couple of simple healing techniques including
Hwal-Gong and Ki-Gong, you can easily cure minor physical/emotional problems.
Such healing techniques do not use special instruments or medicines, special knowledge
or training. More importantly, what is cured through this healing process is not
merely the physical body. While you sooth and warmly touch the affected area,
your souls and hearts begin to communicate leading to deeper understanding and
trust for one another. In the process of healing the body, you heal each other's
souls and make them healthy.
Third, parents should be recreation instructors
who make their home an exciting and fun place by restoring the culture of Yul-ryeo
(natural play). There must be a healthy play culture in order to have healthy
families and a healthy society. As a healthy play culture disappears from families,
communication among family members disappears, relationships become mechanical,
and liveliness and excitement die. We have to be able to play well with our body,
play well with nature and play well with people. That is healing. To help play
well is healing. To recreate the culture of Yul-ryeo where Heaven, Earth and Human
can all play well together, has to be started from the home.
With
an understanding that our civilization is at risk and that we need a new philosophy,
methodology and everyday culture to overcome this crisis and establish world peace,
a prescription has emerged:
1) The philosophy of Earth Humans with
the Earth at the center of our value system and the spirit of Honk-Ik as the guideline
to its practice;
2) Dahnhak and brain respiration as a method to help understand
this philosophy experientially;
3) The Healing Society movement, as a new
life culture movement where we put this new world view into practice in our daily
lives and demonstrate our enlightenment.
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