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마음빼기 인터뷰

모든 존재는 우주라고 하는 하나의 거대한 생명체를 이루고 있는 것이다.

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모든 존재는 우주라고 하는 하나의 거대한 생명체를 이루고 있는 것이다.

우리는 모두가 형제다

과학적으로 따져 보는 우리가 하나인 이유

예수님은 꼭 피가 섞여야 형제자매가 아니라누구든 하나님의 뜻대로 하면 형제자매라고 말씀하셨다. 한 발 더 나아가서 원수까지도 사랑하라고 말씀하셨다. 비록 원수이고 악인일지라도 뉘우치고 하나님의 뜻대로 하면 형제자매가 될 수 있다고. 예수님께서 강조하신 것은 우리 모두 형제자매가 될 수 있다는 뜻이다. 하지만 흥미로운 점은 이 또한 과학적인 근거를 바탕으로 하고 있다는 것이다.

내 몸의 뼈, 눈, 머리카락, 살, 근육, 위, 장, 콩팥 등 우리 몸을 구성하는 요소를 분석해보자. 몸을 구성하는 장기나 조직을 가장 작은 단위로 쪼개면 지금까지 밝혀진 화학원소들로 이루어져 있음을 알 수 있다.

먼저 우리 몸을 이루는 단백질을 살펴보면 단백질은 아미노산이 연속적으로 연결된 형태다. 아미노산은 화학원소인 탄소, 수소, 질소, 산소 등으로 이루어져 있다. 인간은 누구나 죽는다. 육신이 죽으면 화장을 하건 땅에 묻건 썩어서 없어진다. 몸을 이루기 위해 연결되어 있던 화학원소들은 공기, 땅, 물을 통해 다시 자연의 품으로 돌아간다. 흙에서 태어나서 다시 흙으로 돌아간다는 말은 그래서 나왔을 것이다. 그런 식으로 육신은 자연 속으로 돌아가서 다른 형태로 변한다. 자연으로 돌아갔던 화학원소들은 오랜 세월을 거쳐 식물의 비료 성분으로 변할 수도 있고, 여러 화학반응을 거쳐 새로운 분자로 태어날 수도 있으며, 그 분자 중에서 일부는 우리가 먹고 있는 음식의 재료로 바뀔 수도 있다. 그 음식물을 먹고 영양분을 섭취한 산모는 뱃속에서 아이를 성장시킨다. 그 영양분으로 아이는 세포 성장을 통해 인간의 모습으로 변한다. 그 아이는 태어나서 성장하고 언젠가는 다시 각종 화학원소나 화학분자의 형태로 자연의 품으로 돌아간다. 우리의 모습은 부모님의 영향을 받아 얼굴은 조금씩 다르지만, 구성 요소는 똑같은 것이다. 그 구성 요소는 모두 자연으로부터 나온 화학원소로 표현이 가능하며, 이것이 바로 우리가 형제자매인 이유다. 이렇게 우주 만물은 모두 서로 연결이 돼 있으며 우주에서 외따로 떨어진 생명체는 없다. 모든 존재는 우주라고 하는 하나의 거대한 생명체를 이루고 있는 것이다.

강상욱 <예수님도 부처님도 기뻐하는 과학>의 저자

마음빼기 인터뷰

“제가 돌봐줄 수 있는 승가원 동생들이 있어서 행복해요”

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“제가 돌봐줄 수 있는 승가원 동생들이 있어서 행복해요”

“제가 돌봐줄 수 있는 승가원 동생들이 있어서 행복해요”

서울 청량고등학교 3학년 이영덕(19)군

척추측만이형성증이란 희귀 난치병을 앓고 있는 이영덕군.

6살 때부터 열 번이 넘는 대수술을 받으면서 세상이 자신에게 허락한 건 아무것도 없다고 생각했답니다. 계속 누워만 있고, 견디기 힘든 고통에, 왜 나만 이런 고통을 당해야 하나, 세상에 도움도 되지 않는데 왜 태어났나…. 온통 부정적인 마음뿐이었다지요.  그러다 어머니의 권유로 시작한 봉사 활동, 승가원에서 영덕군은 자신보다 더 아픈 동생들을 만납니다. 그냥 놀아주고 숙제를 봐주고 밥을 먹여주었을 뿐인데도 “형 힘들었지?” 하면서 환한 얼굴로 어깨를 주물러주는 착한 동생들. 태어나 처음으로 자신도 누군가에게 희망을 줄 수 있다는 게 기뻤답니다.

이젠 영덕군의 얼굴에선 웃음이 떠나지 않습니다. 돌봐줄 동생들이 있으니까요.

“엄마, 고맙습니다” “사랑한다, 며늘아”

필리핀에서 온 며느리 미치 마글란트(25)씨와 시어머니 우영희(56)씨

미치 마글란트씨는 3년 전, 필리핀으로 유학 온 남편을 만나 결혼했습니다.

처음엔 결혼을 반대했던 시어머니가 많이 무서웠답니다. 하지만 막상 결혼하자 시어머니는 끔찍하게 며느리를 아껴주셨습니다. 한국 음식이 매워서 못 먹는 것 같으면 안 매운 음식도 만들어주시고, 회사에서 늦게 올 것 같으면 저녁 반찬도 챙겨주시며,  한국에서 잘 지낼 수 있도록 많이 도와주신다는군요. 또 필리핀의 친정엄마가 눈 수술을 하실 때도 도와주시고, 필리핀 집이 너무 더웠는데 집도 새롭게 단장을 해주셨다고 자랑을 합니다.

며느리가 무얼 바라는지 무얼 어려워하는지 무슨 생각을 하는지 세상에서 가장 잘 아시는 시어머니. 미치 마글란트씨는 어떻게 하면 나도 시어머니께 잘할까 매일매일 고민한답니다.

어깨동무 정도는 매일 해요.

사진 이종선

 

말하지 않아도 통하는 우리, ‘고맙다, 내 손을 잡아줘서.’

사진 신미식

저 등치에 매달려 있으려면 얼마나 힘들겄냐!

한 식군데 도와줘야지.

사진 김선규

우리는 한 뿌리여, 그걸 잊으면 안 되느니라.

사진 김선규

강아지랑 고양이랑 누가 앙숙이래?

사진 이민호

각국의 청소년들이 전통 의상을 입고 한반도를.

아! 울릉도와 독도는 손을 잡고 있네요.

사진 김선규

공존, 그리고 나눔

스웨덴 한국인 입양아의 대모, 현덕김 스코글룬드 박사

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스웨덴 한국인 입양아의 대모, 현덕김 스코글룬드 박사

글 편집부

스칸디나비아반도 동남부, 대서양을 바라보며 자리한 아름다운 나라. 노벨상으로도 유명한 스웨덴에 한국인 정신과 의사 현덕 김 스코글룬드(74) 박사가 살고 있습니다. 지난 30여 년간 한국 입양아들을 상담해온 그녀는 입양아의 대모라고도 불리지요.

스웨덴에는 약 4만5천여 명의 해외 입양아가 있는데, 그중 만여 명이 한국인입니다. 한국전쟁을 계기로 시작된 해외 입양은, 1970~80년대에는  1년에 800명 이상으로 늘었고, 당시 김현덕 박사는 1962년 스웨덴 의사와 결혼해 스웨덴에 정착한 유일한 한국인 정신과 의사였습니다.

통계에 따르면 소아정신과를 찾는 해외 입양아들이 보통 아이들의 4배에 달한다 합니다. 그만큼 많은 상처를 안고 있지요. 버려졌다는 공포, 또 버림받을지도 모른다는 두려움. 외모가 다른 아이들로부터 느끼는 이질감. 이 모든 것들은 마음속 깊이 숨어 있다가 많은 문제를 일으킵니다. 이를 해결하고자 양부모들은 간절한 마음으로 김현덕 박사를 찾았습니다. 그리고 그녀는 1년이고, 2년이고, 마음속 매듭이 풀릴 때까지 상담해 주었습니다.

당시 스웨덴 언론은 한국을 헐벗고 굶주린 나라로 소개했답니다. 그러한 광고를 보며 입양아들은 부끄러워했습니다. 때문에 무엇보다 한국의 유구한 역사와 문화를 알리는 것이 중요하다 생각한 김현덕 박사는 입양 가족들에게 한국의 역사와 문화, 한국인의 정서와 가치관을 가르칩니다.

“자부심을 가지거라. 너희는 열등하지 않단다. 너희는 세상에 단 한 명밖에 없는 그 누구도 대신할 수 없는 특별한 아이들이야.”

1987년부터는 입양아들을 위한 한국 요리 강좌를 열어, 불고기, 김치, 잡채 등 한국 요리를 가르쳤습니다. 입양아들은 점차 자신감을 회복해갔습니다.

스웨덴 스톡홀름 시내. 사진_ 이동준  blog.naver.com/percian78

어느 날입니다. 뒤뜰에서 한국 입양아가 코가 납작하다는 놀림을 받고 있었습니다. 그런데 이 소년은 오히려 되받아쳤습니다. “한국인은 원래 코가 납작해, 너희는 그것도 몰랐단 말이니?” 소년을 놀리려던 아이들은 그만 멍해져 버렸습니다. 자기 나라의 문화를 아느냐, 모르느냐에 따라 자신에 대한 생각은 달라집니다.

‘나는 한국인인가, 스웨덴인인가?’ 정체성에 대해 평생 고민하는 입양아들에게 김현덕 박사는 뿌리를 찾아볼 것을 권합니다. 설령 생부, 생모를 만나지 못하더라도, 그 과정을 거친 후 비로소 새로운 정체성을 찾는 것을 봐왔기 때문입니다.

지금은 퇴임했지만 김현덕 박사의 상담실은 언제나 열려 있습니다. 내면 깊숙이 억압되어 있던 상처는 언제라도 튀어나올 수가 있으니까요. 김현덕 박사 역시 그들의 상처가 다 아물 때까지 함께해주는 것이 자기의 역할이라 믿습니다. 시집 장가 보낸 아들딸처럼 그들이 어떻게 지내는지 늘 걱정하고, 큰 품으로 안아주는 그녀를, 한국인 입양아들은 또 한 분의 어머니라 말합니다.

해외 입양의 상처가 되풀이되지 않기를 바라지만, 아직도 해마다 50여 명의 아이들이 스웨덴으로 입양되고 있다는군요. 다행히 스웨덴 부모들은 모든 인간은 하느님이 창조하신 유일한 존재며, 부모란 양부모건 친부모건 청지기에 불과하다는 생각이 깔려 있습니다.

아이들의 상처가 아물 때까지 한없이 기다려주는 양부모들의 무조건적인 사랑과 희생처럼, 자신도 “기력을 다할 때까지 누군가를 위해서 힘이 되고 싶다”는 김현덕 박사. 그녀의 미소가 아름답습니다.

30여 년간 한결같이 한국인 입양아의 어머니가 되어준 김현덕 박사는 한국요리강좌, 한국의 미혼모들을 돕는 모임 스웨덴 민들레회를 만들어 활동하고 있습니다. 2009년 <아름다운 인연_스웨덴이 기른 우리 아이들>(사람과 책)을 펴냈습니다.

고민상담소

동네 노는 아저씨의 친절한 고민 상담소

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동네 노는 아저씨의 친절한 고민 상담소

저를 좋아하는 두 명의 남자애가 있어요.
한 명은 인물도 좋고 다 좋은데 취업을 아직 못 했고,
한 명은 의사라서 결혼하기 딱 좋아요.
근데 전 첫 번째 애가 더 좋아요. 어떡하죠?

27살 김OO양 /서울시 강남구 거주 / 사회 초년생

질문녀님은 맘에는 끌리지만 앞날이 조금은 불투명한 분과

느낌은 없지만 안정이 잡힌 분 사이에서 고민하고 계시군요.

첫 번째 외모는 마음에 드는데 술만 마시면 주사를 부린다.

또는 외모도 좋고 직업도 좋은데 7형제의 장남이다. 또는 직업도 성격도 딱인데 외모가 혹성탈출 진화의 시작이다. 또는 외모, 성격, 직업, 집안 다 좋은데 나한테 관심이 없다. 기타 등등 이런 수많은 경우에 비하면 지금 질문녀님은 아주 간단하죠? 두 분 중에 한 분. 그것도 나를 좋아하는 두 사람이 있다는 건 일단 너무 행복한 일입니다.

두 번째 아마도 질문녀님이 고민하는 이유는 어느 한 분을 선택하게 되면

세월이 지난 후에 다른 선택에 대한 아쉬움의 후회일 겁니다. 하지만 후회 없는 선택은 없습니다. 이 아저씨도 결혼 16년 차 접어들었지만 능동 어린이대공원에서 첫 데이트를 했던 뽀얀 얼굴의 선민이가 생각납니다. 물론 제 아내도 해남 군청 송계장이 가끔 생각난다고 합니다. 하지만 우리 부부도, 선민이와 송계장이 선택하지 않은 아쉬움과 그리움의 대상일 거라고 생각하면서 아옹다옹 16년째 살아가고 있습니다.

세 번째 후회 없는 선택은 없다고 하지만 그래도 좀 더 나은 선택은 있겠죠.

그 선택의 키워드는 딱 두 글자 바로 ‘추억’입니다. 제가 말하는 추억은 앞으로 둘이서 만들어갈 추억입니다. 눈을 감고 생각해 보세요. 어떤 분과 아침 식사를 하고 싶고 우리 아이를 안고 싶고 우리 집을 장만하고 싶고 10주년 20주년 와인을 마시고 싶은지.

자, 그럼 오늘 당장은 어떤 분과 아메 아메 아메 아메 아메리카노~~ 한잔의 추억을 만들고 싶으세요? 한 분의 얼굴이 떠올랐으면 그분과 함께하세요~~.

동네 노는 아저씨 백일성. 올해 나이 41세, 동갑내기 아내와 중딩 초딩 남매 그리고 1930년대생 부모님과 함께 한집에서 박 터지게 살고 있음. 3년 전 우연히 포털사이트 다음 아고라 이야기 방에 ‘나야나’라는 필명으로 박 터지게 살아가는 이야기를 글로 남기게 됨. 2년 전에는 <나야나 가족 만만세>라는 수필집도 발간했음. 좌우명이라고 할 거는 없지만 어려서부터 어머니에게 자주 들었던 말, “지랄도 많이 하면 는다~”를 한 가지 일에 꾸준히 하라는 말로 새기고 살아오고 있음.

마음특강 외국어

-Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter

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Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter

On a bright spring day, a heat wave undulates; A person comes bearing an a-frame on his back Laden with the azaleas he has picked. The single ladies who have gone to forage for wild edible herbs Pick wild chives and mugwort leaves in a neighboring village field, And come back bearing huge filled baskets on their heads. The married women of the village are doing their laundry in a rocky spring And thanks to the spring air, all sorts of things are sprouting by the stream. When warm spring comes, Men walk in the furrows between the barley fields, But worried that its house built there will come to harm, A lark cries from up in the sky. Once in a while, cars pass by on the new unpaved road, Raising up a cloud of dust. Near the river, there are people digging for clams While the single men and women catch chickens to cook porridge And partake in a traditional pastime of looking at flowers And eating flower pancakes. There are girls swinging on a tree swing, wearing brightly colored han-bok clothing. The lovely season of spring is called the barley hump, Because during this time there are people who do not have enough to eat; Often they can only fill their bellies with seasoned wild herbs. When spring passes, and summer arrives, The trees in the mountains become a lush green, And the children who should be tending the cows, Leave them to graze in the pastures and play in the water all day, Their hands and feet becoming swollen and shriveled like prunes. When from time to time men who have gone abroad come back home,

Everyone knows which families they belong to and who they are. When they return home after the cows are fed, and the hay has been collected, They eat pumpkin mush and noodles, wolfing it down as fast as they can. In the fields, the rice shoots that were planted in the spring are growing, While in another plot, bean and cotton plants are thriving. In the mountains, there are graves here and there, And it is easy to find out whose graves they are, from which family. A man returns from the market that is a few miles away; He comes back drunk and empty-handed, Having spent all the money that was earmarked for groceries. It was earned by selling his precious produce, And his wife’s raised voice can be heard, scolding him. The mosquito smudge drives away the mosquitoes for awhile, But without it, they come back in droves. At night, both the young and old gather with their friends to talk, And the single boys and girls gather together to play. During the fall, there are sports days and the harvest festival, And the crop planted in the spring and summer Are gathered bale by bale, then spread out in the field. The trees that were green in the summer Begin to turn red and orange, While the grass changes to a faded yellow. When strong winds begin to blow, It signals the beginning of winter. In the winter, people go to collect firewood, And at night, they sometimes steal kimchi to eat, Or even chickens, and play cards under a kerosene lamp. Late at night, when they are ready to head home, The floor has cooled and is chilly. In foreign lands, far, far away, Some places have four seasons – spring, summer, fall and winter. In some places it is summer all year long, And there are other places that have only summer and winter, But no fall or spring. There are many different kinds of places in the world. When I was younger, I often went hiking, And in my own way, thought a lot about the futility of life. The scenery of the mountains was always different, In spring, in summer, in fall and winter, No matter how often I went. Famous mountains gained their fame For being similar to the haunts of divine beings. America seems so big and wide to me, Because I come from a small country. Here in this place, my will, my purpose will be fulfilled: A world without divisions between nations is being made, And mankind will become one.

Drawings and writings of Woo Myung

Woo Myung founded Maum Meditation. For his outstanding dedication to the service of humanity, he was awarded the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Award by the United Nations International Association of Educators for World Peace (IAEWP) in 2002. He is the author of numerous books on discovering Truth including ‘Wisdom for Life’ (1996), ‘The Natural Flow of the Universe’ (1998), ‘True Mind’ (1998),’The Enlightened World’ (1998), ‘World Beyond World’ (2003), ‘Forever Living World’ (2004), ‘The Formula from Heaven that will Save the World'(2005), ‘The Way to Become a Person in Heaven While Living'(2006), ‘The Place where One Becomes Real is the Real Place(2008) and ‘Stop Living on this Land. Go to the Everlasting World of Happiness. Live There Forever(2011).

마음특강

-春夏秋冬

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春夏秋冬

華やかな春の日に陽炎があちこちに立ち 背負子（しょいこ）を背負った人はツツジの花を摘み 若菜を採りに出た娘たちは向かいの村の畑で ツツジやヨモギを摘んで 山菜で風呂敷をいっぱいにして頭にのせて?ってくる 村の岩場の泉では 女たちが洗濯をしており 川?では、春の陽?にあらゆる草木が芽を出している 暖かい春には、?畑に畝間が作られ 空にはヒバリがさえずり ?畑の間に?をこしらえたヒバリは 家が?されはしないかと心配している まだ??の施されていない新しい道路には白い埃が舞い上がり 時おり車が通り過ぎ 川のほとりでは貝を採っている人もいる 花煎遊びに興じながら、男女が?をつぶしてス?プを作り 色も鮮やかなチマチョゴリを着た少女たちが 木につるしたブランコに?っている 過ごしやすい春の季節はかつて端境期と呼ばれ 食糧が不足し、食事もまともに取れない人?がいた そのため野草を漬け物にして 飢えをしのぐことも多かった 春が過ぎ、夏が訪れると、山河に樹は?く 牧童たちは山や川に牛を預けたまま 一日じゅう水遊びをして 手足をすっかりふやかせている 他?へ出た兄弟たちが時おり故?を訪ねれば みながあれはどの家の誰?だとわかる 牛に飼い葉をやって家に?ると 子供はカボチャの?煮とそばを 夢中になってかき?んで空腹を?たしている 畑には??が伸び 豆や綿が伸び育ち 山河にはさまざまな墓があるが どの家の誰の墓なのかまでわかる 市場までは一里あまりの距離だ 入り用の品をその市場に買いに出て、?ってきたと思ったら 穀物を?った金で酒を買い へべれけになって手ぶらで?ってきた旦那を 隣の家の女房が叱りつけている 蚊取り線香で少しは蚊から?になれるが それがなければ蚊たちは情け容赦ない 老いも若きも夜には友と語り合い 同じ年頃の男女が一?になって遊んでいる 秋には運動?、仲秋節があり 春夏に育てられた?は 鎌で株ごとに刈り取られ田んぼに積み上げられている 夏には??としていた樹木にも紅葉が色づき始め 草たちも?色い?いを見せ 風も?く吹き始める頃 冬がもう訪れる 冬には薪を集め 夜はキムチを?み食いして、また?肉も?み食いして ?りの下で花札に興じる 夜更けに人?が?る頃には部屋はすっかり冷えきっている はるか遠くの異?の地にも 春夏秋冬がある所もあれば 夏しかない場所もあり 春や秋はなく、夏と冬だけの場所もあり この世にはじつに??な場所があるものだ 若い頃、よく登山をしながら 自分なりに人間の無常さに思いを巡らすことが多かった 春の山河、夏の山河、秋、冬の山河 何度登ってもその山は違うのだ 名高い山の絶景は、まるで神仙が遊ぶ場所のようだった 小さな?から?てみると、ここアメリカは大きく?い ここで、私の意志である、人類が一つとなり あなたの??私の?の?別がない世界を私は作っているのだ

文と? ウ?ミョン

ウミョン(禹明) 韓?にて生まれる。長年にわたって生と死、人生について深い考察を重ね、１９９６年、?理に?して心の目を開く。同年、「マウンスリョン」を創始。現在はアメリカを中心に世界各?でセミナ?、講演等を精力的に行なっている。著書に「この世界に生きずに、永遠なる幸福の?へ行って生きよう」「本物になれる所が本物だ」「生きて天の人になる方法」他多?。

외국어

Here is a conversation they had about how two people at opposite ends of the world came to be one.

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A model student and a bully come together after cleaning their minds Joong Won Park and Joe Young Kim

Edited by Hye Jin Kim, Photography by Sung Hoon Hong

 
A model student and a bully met.

Joe Young Kim and Joong Won Park, so different are their personalities, hobbies, interests, views of love and relationships that their ways of thinking and their values stand at opposite poles. There was not any similarity between the two. However, through their journey of subtracting their minds, they gradually came to know each other. They found ways they were similar, and built a close friendship, like brothers. Without ‘Maum Meditation’ such would never have been possible.

Here is a conversation they had about how two people at opposite ends of the world came to be one.

 

“I was a studying robot.” “I belonged to a motorcycle gang.”

Kim When I was in school, studying was the only thing I did. I studied every night, and even on Sundays.

So my nickname became the studying robot.

Park You did? I was into motorcycling when I was in ninth and tenth grade.

So I did not go to school much, but rather hung out with other kids in the motorcycle gang. My parents were busy so they rarely stayed at home. So my friends came to my home often. When they ran away from home, they all came to my home. It was a house for runaway kids. Haha!

Kim I was afraid when I saw people like you at school. It was difficult to become close to them. (He smiles.)

Park Well, you know, we didn’t mess with model kids. They are strange beings, so different from us.

Kim Yeah, you are right. By the way, did you have any troubles with your friends?

Park I think I didn’t care about other people at all. I cared only about how noble I was.

Proud kids are like that, you know. No matter what other people said to me, I would think, “You can live your life that way. I am noble and will live my own way.”

Kim Really? Then it is surprising you practiced Maum Meditation.

ParkI went to Maum Meditation Youth Camp when I was in the ninth grade.

I couldn’t continue meditation because I have to study for college and serve the army. Then one day my mom asked me to do Maum Meditation, saying that it was her only request. It was the first time my mom had asked me something so earnestly. She always just accepted whatever I did. Even when I smoked at home, she just changed the ashtray without a word. So I could not refuse her request. That was after I had just finished my service in the army. I was all prepared to have great fun at last, and it was torture to sit and meditate. I thought, “What am I doing. I should be at the club right now.” (He smiles.) That was when we first met.

Kim You’re right. I was in my first year in medical school. My first meditation practice was when I was a junior in high school.

I thought that if I put all my time in studying I would get the highest grade in my class, but I could never be the top of my class. It seemed like one of my classmates was playing all the time, and got the best grades. I was irritated, and a sense of inferiority bothered me. I thought, “This is not even a life,” and I was depressed. Around that time my dad started Maum Meditation and I was able to start as well.

Park So when did you become a model student?

Kim When I was in the 5th grade in elementary school I was left out of everything by my classmates.

After that, it was heartbreaking when my friends didn’t like me. I think I tried to be nice to everyone. And then, when I did well in my math class, they paid attention to me, so I thought, ‘this is my shield.’

Park I am the only son in my family, so they overindulged me when I was young.

But when I entered elementary school, the school teachers did not treat me the same way my family did. I guess that hurt me. I started to build up pride, and as early as the fifth or sixth grade I made my own gang. Ha! That is what a sense of inferiority is, the thought that I am vulnerable but the world hurts me. In reality, it was I who took in that mind. Starting from the ninth grade, I met a group of friends and begin to fill in the emptiness my sense of inferiority made. I blackmailed kids and acted like a gangster. I was doing what you did through studying.

Kim Right. It was all about inferiority.

Park Because I lacked something, I tried to fill that need, and because I was weak and needed more, I tried to fill it even more.

I feel other people’s mind naturally and can understand them

Kim Since now I could see that mind that I had, I had to get rid of that mind.

Then I realized the mind was gone; it really was no longer there and only the universe mind was left, and I could really be at ease. Often I pretended to be so kind, but after I threw that away, I could deal with my friends very easily. I started not talking so seriously, and I could listen to what other people said.

Park As we throw away such minds like pride or inferiority, our mind grows larger to the extent we throw away.

Quite naturally I no longer offend people, and become more conscious of other people. I used to dump my cigarette butts anywhere, but these days I look for trashcans. When I talk to people too, I can feel their mind naturally and I don’t say hurtful things anymore.

KimI had a classmate whom I could not understand. He drew so much attention in a strange way.

But as I looked back on his behavior during meditation, I realized that it was his own way to become close to people; just like I tried to be acknowledged by my studiousness. He was the same as me, and there was nothing great about me that I should judge him. After all, it was I who was wrong. Ever since then I get along well with him.

Park When I get rid of my prejudice of someone first, then the person is at ease in his treatment of me as well.

Kim I agree. You were scary when I first saw you with your eyes glaring. (He smiles.)

But you came up and talked to me first. At some point I began to feel very comfortable around you and to like you.

Park When I started the meditation I was too busy throwing away my mind, and didn’t have a chance to look around.

Then I saw you meditating so diligently, and thought I should work hard like you.

Kim I learned a lot watching you being so confident in whatever you do and being flexible dealing with everything all the time.

I’m not good at those things.

Park When we practice Maum Meditation, we break down the wall we built around us, and everyone can get closer to each other.

Also, at school I find myself taking the lead. My GPA used to be just 1.3, but at some point I received a full scholarship and my grade was the highest in my department; all within the six months I practiced Maum Meditation! I made such a dramatic change. You did too, right? I was surprised when you danced at the Maum Meditation University Club. You are a great dancer.

Kim Am I? (He smiles) Actually, I was very jealous of those kids at school who got up on the stage,

singing and dancing so well. I thought, ‘I want to be up there, but I won’t do as well as they are doing. I should just keep studying’; and so I just stood there as shy as a kitten in a strange room. But once I realized that was also just a frame which locked me in, I tried to escape from the frame.

From a 1.3 GPA to a full scholarship student, from a kitten in a strange room to an expert dancer

Park When I do things to break out of my frame, the process itself is fun regardless of the result.

As I began doing the meditation, I also began to regret the way I lived. I began to study, and maybe because I no longer had distracting thoughts I could easily understand things in an academic sense.

Kim I agree. I, too, am becoming more and more certain about studying oriental medicine.

Oriental medicine deals with the fundamental principles of the body and mind, and yin and yang; and we understand those things naturally as we do our meditations.

Park If you do Maum Meditation, engineering is a piece of cake. It just becomes so easy.

In a thick text book, there is only one page to memorize. Principles of engineering are the principles of the world. When you hit something, it breaks and when you rub something, it gets hot. That’s all. (He smiles.) Before, I would attempt to read the original text, but after reading two or three pages I would give up. But now, I can grasp what is the most important thing in the book and memorize the formula. Then I am able to solve two or three questions in the exercise. Once I make the questions mine, I skim through the book from the beginning, then I can understand everything. It’s like I become one with the book. (He smiles.)

Kim That’s incredible. How much did your grade improved?

Park After I did the meditation, my GPA was never lower than 4.3. (The full GPA score for universities in Korea is 4.3 or 4.5)

Kim Isn’t that almost all A+? Wow! As you said you become one with the book,

How great it will be if we become one with everyone. When I meditate I see that all of us, my friends and I came from the universe, but why can we not live in peace but fight instead? There are so many religions, and divisions among political parties. I wonder why there are so many judgments.

Park Just like we did, everyone should start by throwing away their mind.

We know when we throw them away, that we are one from the beginning. If people can get out of their own perspective and live as the universe mind, then there will be no division among people and everyone can live well. I think that subtraction is the only way.

Kim You are right. That is the key. Subtraction!!

외국어

Everything forms the immense life, which we call the universe.

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All of us are brothers and sisters

The scientific reason that we are one

Jesus said if anyone follows the will of God then

everyone is a sister or a brother, even though they are not related by blood.

Furthermore, he said to love even your enemies,

that though they are enemies or evil, they can still be my brothers and sister

when they repent and follow the will of God.

What Jesus is emphasizing is that all of us can become sisters and brothers.

Interestingly enough, the idea has a scientific basis.

Let us analyze the parts of our bodies such as bones, eyes, hair, flesh, muscles, stomach, intestines and kidneys. If we split the internal organs and the tissues into the smallest unit, we find out they are composed of chemical elements which modern science has already discovered.

Looking at proteins first, which compose our body, we find they are composed of amino acids linked like a chain. Amino acids are composed of chemical elements like carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen. Consider that all humans die. When a human body dies, it decomposes and disappears, regardless of whether it is cremated or buried. The chemical elements, which were linked together to form the body, return to nature via the air, earth and water. This might be where the phrase, “whoever is born to the earth shall return to the earth” came from. In the same sense, the body returns to nature and changes into another form. The chemical elements that returned to nature may become components of fertilizers after a long period of time, or become new molecules after they go through many chemical reactions; and some of the molecules will turn into ingredients of the food we eat. A mother who eats the food and takes in the nutrition gestates a baby in her womb. With the nutrition, and via cell division, the baby grows into human form. When the baby is born, it grows up and will return to nature in the form of chemical elements or molecules at some point. In other words, while our appearance is different from each other due to the genes we received from our parents being different, the components of our bodies are the same. These components represent the chemical elements from nature; and this is why all of us are brothers and sisters. In this way, everything in the universe is connected to one another, and nothing in the universe exists alone. Everything forms the immense life, which we call the universe.

Sang Wook Kang author of Science both Jesus and Buddha love

외국어

“I am happy to meet the kids at Seung Ga Won because I can help them”

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“I am happy to meet the kids at Seung Ga Won because I can help them”

Young Duk Lee (19), Senior in Chung Ryang High School, Seoul

Young Duk Lee has been suffering from an chronic case of scoliosis.

Young Duk has had more than ten major operations since he was six years old, and he thought he could do nothing in the world like normal people. He had to stay in his bed, just lying there, and the pain was unbearable. He thought, ‘Why must I have to suffer from this pain? Why was I born when I cannot give even the smallest bit of help in the world?’ All that filled his mind was negative thoughts. However, when Young Duk followed his mother’s suggestion he volunteer at Seung Ga Won, a social welfare organization, he met kids who were younger than him and who were going through many severe illnesses. For just the small help Young Duk gave, such as simply playing with the kids or helping with their homework or helping during mealtime, they would say, ‘thank you, that must have been hard work,’ and they would have big smiles on their faces and rub his back for him. Young Duk was happy to find out for the first time in his life that he, too, can give hope to someone else.

Now the smile never fades from Young Duk’s face, because he has friends whom he can help also.

“Thank you Mom” “I love you, my daughter-in-law”

Mechie Maglinte(25) from the Philippines and her mother-in-law, Young Hee Woo(56)

Three years ago Mechie Maglinte married her Korean husband, who had been studying in the Philippines.

At first, she was afraid of her mother-in-law, who was against the marriage. However, after she got married, Mrs. Woo treated her very kindly. When the young bride could not eat the spicy food, Mrs. Woo cooked dishes that were not spicy; or when Mrs. Maglinte returned late from work, Mrs. Woo would pack small dishes with food for her dinner. In this way Mrs. Woo helped Mrs. Maglinte get used to her new life in Korea. Also, Mrs. Maglinte proudly says that Mrs. Woo was a great help when her mother in Philippines had eye surgery, and that she even remodeled the home in the Philippines because the house was very hot.

It is difficult to find a mother-in-law who knows what her new daughter-in-law wants and how she feels. Mrs. Maglinte is always happily thinking about how she can be a better help to her mother-in-law.

We put our arms around each other every day.

Photograph by

Jong Sun Lee

 

Without a word, we understand each other.

‘Thank you, for holding my hand.’

Photograph by

Mi Shik Shin

What hard work it will be to hang

that large thing there.

We should help him, for he is our family.

Photograph by Sun Geu Kim

We come from the one source.

We mustn’t forget that.

Photograph by Sun Geu Kim

Who talks about cat-and-dog life?

Photograph by Min Ho Lee

Teens from different countries are dressed up

in the Korean traditional clothes and form the country’s map.

Oh, look! Ulleung Island and Dokdo Island are holding hands!

Photograph by Sun Geu Kim

마음특강 외국어

-The Complete Land -Falseness and Truth

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The Complete Land

There is nothing; nothing. There is absolutely nothing. But amidst the nothingness, there is consciousness: The origin of the creations of heaven and earth; The master of heaven and earth; The Creator. This existence does not exist in man’s mind, Thus, man does not know the Creator. He must be reborn from the Creator In order for the world to transform into complete Truth, And for light to come into the world. Although the absolute nothingness is the origin, All existences with form are one with it. The world is already enlightened, Because I am complete.

Since my false self has died, then died again, Only the Lord, who is Truth, remains. I am reborn with the Lord’s mind and body, And thus I am without death in the complete land. The reason man lives, Is so that he can in the complete land, Because his body which is material can exist only for a limited amount of time. The reason his material body was born, Why his form had to appear in the world Is because only then, can he live in heaven as his form. What exists exist, because existence exists. We are born in the world through our karmic ties, We live in the world through our karmic ties, And we die after living in the world through our karmic ties. For a person who has been born in the true world, His Soul and Spirit will live forever.

Falseness and Truth

People insist their own religion is right and that other religions are cults or heretical.

Falseness is always false even if it appears similar to Truth and it is false even if it speaks of Truth. Truth must be Truth for it to be true.

While travelling around the world, I have seen a lot of in-fighting in each religion. It seems that they do not have any wisdom. Then, what exactly is Truth? If you have not become Truth, that is real and true, then are you not false? Have you become complete, and if you have not, then, again, are you not false?

The way for falseness to become Truth is to discard all of one’s body and mind that is false.

Only a person who eliminates all of his self, just as Christ did by being crucified, can become Truth.

Buddhism speaks of a “big” death, mahanirvana, a death without remains, paranirvana, and a perfect death, nistha nirvana.

If one dies in such a “big” way and eliminates all of one’s false self without anything remaining,

he will be resurrected because his sin and karma no longer exist.

Salvation is falseness becoming Truth. The way to become Truth is to discard one’s false self; then only Truth will remain and he can be reborn as Truth.

Places that are unable to teach you how to become Truth now, or places which until now have not helped you to become Truth, are all false. Even if a place speaks of Truth and is similar to Truth, if one cannot become Truth there, it is false.

If you are not complete, then are you not false? It is a question that should be considered seriously.

Even if one memorizes the Buddhist scriptures, the Bible, the Koran, the Vedas or all the other scriptures in the world, there is no Truth in what one has memorized. Only when one repents all of his sins does Truth emerge, and only then can he truly know the principles of Truth.

Drawings and writings of Woo Myung

Woo Myung founded Maum Meditation. For his outstanding dedication to the service of humanity, he was awarded the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Award by the United Nations International Association of Educators for World Peace (IAEWP) in 2002. He is the author of numerous books on discovering Truth including ‘Wisdom for Life’ (1996), ‘The Natural Flow of the Universe’ (1998), ‘True Mind’ (1998),’The Enlightened World’ (1998), ‘World Beyond World’ (2003), ‘Forever Living World’ (2004), ‘The Formula from Heaven that will Save the World'(2005), ‘The Way to Become a Person in Heaven While Living'(2006), ‘The Place where One Becomes Real is the Real Place(2008) and ‘Stop Living on this Land. Go to the Everlasting World of Happiness. Live There Forever(2011).