In a restless world overflowing with stimulation, the ancient principle of Geumchok reminds us how to return to our natural state of clarity through stillness, focus, and endurance.
If we look honestly at our lives, we can see how little time we spend being truly still. Even when our bodies are motionless, our minds keep moving—thinking, comparing, worrying, and reacting. Our senses always turn outward, and our attention constantly collides with sights, sounds, and information.
This unending contact with the external world drains our energy and scatters our consciousness. We become restless even in silence, and peace feels far away. That is why we need Geumchok, one of the three pillars of the ancient Korean practice of Sundo: Jigam (stopping emotion), Joshik (balancing breath), and Geumchok (forbidding collision). Together, they form a path back to our natural connection with the universe and to rediscovering who we truly are.
The Study of Principles: Understanding Geumchok
The word Geumchok literally means “to forbid collision.” Perceptions actually form when external physical stimuli collide with our sense organs. Geumchok is a state in which we cut ourselves off from outside information and focus our awareness on a place deep within. In terms of the brain, it’s the process of our awareness going from our neocortex and paleocortex to our brain stem, which governs vital functions and relates to our subconscious mind.
Practicing Geumchok means choosing not to be led around by our senses and desires. We regain mastery over our senses rather than being controlled by them. Through Geumchok, we cultivate inner stillness even amid constant motion.
When the noise of the outside world no longer pulls at our consciousness, we begin to sense the life energy flowing within us. We gain clarity from which our true self appears—not as a thought or an image, but as a feeling of presence and vitality.
The Study of Practice: Experiencing Geumchok through Yeondahn
Understanding a principle is only the beginning. True wisdom comes from experiencing it. We can do that through simple practices such as energy meditation following Brain Wave Vibration and other forms of vibration training. What’s more, methods such as Yeondahn, which involves holding an energy posture for an extended period while breathing into the lower dahnjon (the energy center two inches below the navel), also train our core on an active level.
When we hold a Yeondahn posture, such as Sleeping Tiger or Chukkigong, our body may begin to tremble, heat may rise, or old emotions may surface. These phenomena are signs that stagnant energy is moving. The key is to keep our focus on our dahnjon and persist.
At first, the mind resists. Thoughts arise: “This is uncomfortable,” “How long must I stay like this?” But if we continue breathing deeply and evenly, something begins to shift. The surface noise of the body and mind gradually quiets, and we become aware of a deeper current within us.
Rather than forcing our minds to be empty, we can achieve stillness naturally through persistent, relaxed focus. Just as a pond becomes clear only when the wind dies down and the mud sinks, our inner world clears when we stop reacting and let energy find its balance.
Through such practice, the lower dahnjon grows stronger. The stronger our dahnjon, the steadier our awareness becomes. This is the kind of calm, focused, and unwavering strength the world needs most today.
Practice Guide
Hold a simple Yeondahn posture such as Lung Energizer Posture: Stand with your feet wider than shoulder width apart. Bring both of your arms above your head with your palms facing the sky and fingers pointing toward each other. Bend your knees and elbows slightly as you open your chest and lengthen your spine. Breathe normally as you focus your mind on your lower dahnjon. Hold this posture initially for 5 minutes. With increased practice, you can extend the time you hold this posture up to 30 minutes.
At first, you may feel your muscles tremble or your thoughts race. Instead of fighting them, simply breathe and keep holding the pose. The longer you stay with relaxed awareness, the more your mind and body will begin to harmonize. Over time, you may find it easier to hold the posture, even as it gets harder, because the strength of your focus and the flow of energy will hold you up more than the strength of your muscles.
The Study of Living: Applying Geumchok in Daily Life
The third step in mastering Geumchok is to bring what we have understood and experienced into how we live. When we walk, eat, speak, or listen, we can practice Geumchok by noticing when our attention wanders outward and gently returning it inward. We can practice it when we choose not to react in anger, when we turn off the screen to feel our breath, or when we pause before responding to someone’s words. Bringing our awareness down to our lower dahnjon in these moments can also help us stay grounded and steady no matter what is happening around us.
Each time we do, we create a small space of awareness. In that space, conscience and creativity can arise. Then, practice becomes life, and life itself becomes meditation.
Bringing the principle and practice of Geumchok into our lives purifies not only our personal energy but also the energy of the world around us. A person who has found their center can naturally calm others and create harmony with their very being.
Rewards of Persistence
Inner peace, enlightenment, or just living stress-free may not come easily. Geumchok reminds us that chasing them here and there doesn’t work. It shows us that having faith in our inner core and steadily setting our sights there remains the only way forward.
To remain persistent while everything in us wants to give up is a profound form of strength. Each moment we continue to practice despite discomfort, distraction, or doubt, our inner light grows brighter. Persistence transforms stillness into mastery. Through it, the bright, unshakable mind of our true self is revealed.
The world outside us will never stop changing. But within us is a place that never changes—the bright, calm mind of our true selves. Through Jigam, Joshik, and Geumchok, we can return to that place again and again until it becomes the foundation of how we live.
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