A week ago in South Korea, I was celebrating Gaechunjul—a holiday commemorating the founding of Korea by Dahngun Wanggum 4,344 years ago. He was at once a political as well as spiritual leader who founded a nation and governed it based on the principles of enlightenment. Last week, nearly 100,000 people, including several senators and government officials, gathered in the Jamshil Olympic Stadium on October 3, for a Korean Spirit Festival to celebrate Dahngun’s founding principle of Hongik Ingan Ehwa Segye, or “humans serve the good of all to create a harmonious world.” I was very grateful to see the many people who attended, and I was especially touched by my students who came from around the world and were happy to celebrate Korea’s birthday with us.
What I always emphasize about Korea’s cultural foundation, and what I hope can become its main export to the world, is this philosophy of Hongik and spiritual completion. The government and society during the time of Dahngun fostered a lifestyle of personal development that I feel can be the most effective solution to the many problems we face today as humans on the earth.
Gaechunjul means “the day of Heaven’s opening.” Here, “Heaven” can also refer to your heart and mind; thus, the day of Korea’s founding so many years ago was marked by the opening of the hearts and minds of a nation. This is what I hope we as humans can all experience together—a great, collective, and complete opening of the hearts and minds of all of humanity. I refer to the people who make this effort by being “humans serving the good of all” as Hongik Ingan, and the global network of these true citizens of the Earth who live to actualize peace on Earth for all life comprises the Hanminjok.
I hope that every day can be a day of “Heaven’s Opening” for you, in which you open your heart and mind to all our fellow humans and to the earth, the source of our life. When you do so, you will discover that you are heaven, your mind is heaven, and that your brain and body are a physical vessel containing the divine.
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Korea and its people truly amazed me, especially at the Gaechunjul festival. It is incredible when a nation and its politicians aspire to Hongik Ingan Ehwa Segye!
wow……
Thank you!
I will try open my heart to make my every day as ‘GaeChun” day
Gamsahamnida!!!!
Thank you! I feel your passion and true commitment to achieve a world based on Honik Ingan. I will open my heart everyday, and strive to do what I can to help in achieving this vision!
This was truly a journey of peace and my heart is full!
This is the kind of group spirit I hope to see one day here in America. People coming together in harmony for the greatest good. This celebration in Korea is an inspiration for all countries, Hong Ik living is an inspiration to all cultures. Seuseungnim Gamsahamnida.
I am so glad I was there and spent hours great time with my spiritual teacher to celebrate the day of heaven’s opening. I felt I am the happiest person in the world, I believe if the world becomes Hongik Ingan, everyone can be the happiest person in the world. Let’s create Hongik Ingan in our hands.
I was lucky to attend this ceremony as part the Korea Meditation tour, it was a great pleasure, words can not explian the feeling of walking the main street of Seoul on Korea’s Birthday! I pray for “Hong Ik In Gan” philosophy to become the principle to run this world some day. thanks for the opportunity and your guidance.
with love,
Thank you dear Ilchi Seuseungnim. You help us to become so much more than we thought we could be. To know the god within
truly amazing! lets have america spirit festival here! congrats on the event. i feel happy just reading about it
commaradrie – wonderful!