Ilchi Lee Meditations

Christopher Nolan's "Batman" films have broken box office records worldwide, but these films, and the character of Batman, demonstrate some of Ilchi Lee's teachings: especially personal growth through the use of martial arts.

Most everyone knows the origin of Batman, but it's heavily expanded in the first film of the series, "Batman Begins." Thomas and Martha Wayne enjoy great personal success, and give back to the community through their charitable works. However, they're brutally murdered by a robber, leaving Bruce Wayne an orphan.

Alone, Wayne travels the world, eventually meeting the mysterious Ra's al Ghul (Liam Neeson) who teaches him various meditation techniques and martial arts moves. Wayne eventually returns to Gotham City to defend it from the corruption and criminals that have plagued it for so long, growing from a disinterested billionaire into a hero of the city.

Dressing up as a bat to intimidate evildoers, Wayne uses a combination of his sharp investigative skills and newly-learned martial arts to protect the city. Things get even more complex in the sequel, "The Dark Knight," where Batman famously goes toe-to-toe with The Joker (the late Heath Ledger), a homicidal maniac.

With "The Dark Knight" breaking all sorts of records, speculation has surrounded the final film in the trilogy, "The Dark Knight Rises." It's been heavily under wraps up to this point, but fans of the comics might have a few clues as to what will happen. For example, Marion Cotillard has been cast as someone named Miranda Tate, who is not in any of the comics. Since Nolan has stuck mainly to the comics, some fans have speculated that this may be an alias, and Cotillard is actually playing Talia al Ghul, the daughter of Batman's mentor and a potential love interest.

With the first teaser trailer for "The Dark Knight Rises" releasing this weekend with "Harry Potter," fans will finally get their first glimpse of what Nolan has in store when the movie releases in the summer of next year. 

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The Korean phrase Chun-Ji-In translates to Heaven, Earth, Human. It has been used for years to remind people that through natural and concentrated efforts, they can reach a higher, more spiritual level of consciousness and maybe even attain personal growth.

The reference to heaven reminds individuals to keep a big open heart. Space does not discriminate or exclude. Rather, it envelopes everything in creation in its warm and encompassing arms. This is the attitude that a person should take. Be open minded and grateful.

A person should also be grounded. This is where the reference to Earth comes in. It is important to keep a sense of reality and level headedness when going through daily life. Without this sense of foundation a person's thoughts may drift away from them.

At the intersection of Heaven and Earth lies humanity. This is the point of the final reference in the phrase. People should remember at all times that they are equal parts beings of this planet and transcendent spiritual creatures. When a person recognizes the relevance of these three ideas, personal growth may become much more attainable.
 

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Ilchi Lee says: "How can you find hope? Hope comes to you when you know who you are." In the end, we must first learn about ourselves – only then is personal success possible.

That idea is somewhat demonstrated in the recent film "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World," typically more known for its dazzling visual effects than its thoughts on philosophy. However, parts of the movie actually touch on these subjects much more than the standard Hollywood fare.

Inspired by a graphic novel, which was in turn inspired by a number of video games, it's easy to get caught up in the crazy visuals of this film. Sure, the plot is pretty cartoonish, but then, that's the whole point.

What's interesting is tracking the personal growth of the title character (played by Michael Cera) over the course of the film. Pilgrim sets out to defeat the "evil exes" of his crush, Ramona. Each one tests him in a way different than the last, similar to levels in a video game.

Without giving away the ending, Pilgrim eventually learns that it's not really the exes he should be worrying about, as he is ultimately his own worst enemy when it comes to relationships. Only once he realizes this is he able to face off against the worst of Ramona's ex-boyfriends. 

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As humans we are constantly reminded of the duality of our nature. The spiritual and the Earthly intermingle in the human race like no other species that has ever walked the face of the Earth. For those who understand the importance of spiritual growth, the reminders of this connection are all around them.

There is a saying in Korean, In-Jung-Chun-Ji-Il. Translated, it means “humans bear heaven and Earth, and the three make one.” It describes the central role that both the spiritual and the animal play in the lives of all humans.

Sometimes there is a tendency for individuals to get lost in their own thoughts, forgetting the importance of their physical self. Conversely, it is common for people to focus solely on physical pursuits. However, this denies the person half of their true nature.

The only way for a person to fully experience their full self is to embrace both aspects of their nature. This includes the physical and the spiritual. A greater acceptance of this fact may help individuals in their pursuit of spiritual growth and fulfillment in their life.  

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Ilchi Lee believes that meditation can bring to light many revelations. For example, in his poem The Light of Conscience, he writes that "Although all people have conscience / It is difficult to meet people / Who live their conscience." 

This theme is heavily present in 2000's hit drama, Erin Brockovich, a movie that shows one woman's journey as she tries to unravel a complicated controversy surrounding Pacific Gas and Electric Company.

Brockovich notices that residents of Hinkley, California, are suffering medical conditions due to industrial poisoning in their water supply and theorizes that it is coming from the operations of the corporation. She also finds that there has been a systematic cover-up of the findings.

The star of the film, Julia Roberts, won an Academy Award, Golden Globe, Screen Actors' Guild Award and BAFTA for Best Actress. Erin Brockovich is based on a true story and the real Erin Brockovich has a brief cameo in the film as a waitress.

The reception of the movie was largely positive. It received four Golden Globe nominations and five Academy Award nominations.

"We get the best of independent cinema and the best of mainstream cinema all in one package. Erin Brockovich, like Wonder Boys right before it, makes the year 2000 seem increasingly promising for movies," wrote reviewer Andrew Saris for The New York Observer.  

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In Korean Chun-Ji-In means "Heaven, Earth, human." When they are combined into a single phrase they are used to remind individuals of their intimate connection to the ground they walk on and the air they breathe. Embracing this connection can result in a strong foundation for quests of spiritual growth.

Heaven, or the sky, is boundless and encompasses all things. It does not discriminate or force anything from its embrace. Instead, it is inclusive and welcoming and holds everything within its grasp.

The Earth provides all things with a solid footing, allowing them to pursue their lives with surety and a strong foundation.

The reference to human serves to remind everyone that they are still spiritual creatures that share an intimate connection to Heaven and the Earth.

When a person comes to appreciate this relationship, they develop a whole new understanding of their role in the Universe. They may see that they are actually a part of an endless chain that connects everything in existence.

This can be a powerful realization that stimulates searches for spiritual growth.
 

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One of reggae-punk band Sublime's biggest hits is What I Got, a melody with a soothing acoustic guitar and a musical accompaniment that is stripped to the bare minimum. In a sense, this details the meaning of the song – that love has the ultimate value and is a key to achieving one's life dream. 

"Life is too short so love the one you got / cause you might get runover or you might get shot," singer Bradley Nowell says in an honest, plain voice. "Take a small example / A tip from me take all of your money and give it up to charity / Lovin's what I got."

What I Got was Sublime's biggest radio hit and became one of the most popular songs of 1996, reigning number one on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks from October 26 to November 9. The single clearly resonated with listeners for its message that love trumps material objects, a core line of thought in many meditation exercises.

The song was ranked #83 on Rolling Stones' 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time for its simple yet catchy melody.

"[Nowell's] bluesy acoustic solo lasts mere seconds, but its singalong syncopation makes it one of the Nineties' most unforgettable hooks," the publication writes.  

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In order to overcome one's limits, it's important to continue following a guiding life purpose. While it may be difficult to sometimes find the path, the journey itself is one of the keys to improvement. 

Eighty-one-year-old Clarence Hartley never planned on running – or even participating in the sport. In fact, he had never really considered it in his youth. When most runners were in their prime, the retired lieutenant was in combat.

Hartley didn't decide to start running until age 68, when he saw a road race and it inspired him to participate. Since 1998, he has run nearly 150 others. His training was interrupted when, in 2005, he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and, having beaten that, diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2007.

This spring, however, he recently completed the Boston Marathon.

Before the race, he told Runner's World that he was looking forward to "beating several thousand younger runners… The last time I felt so good was on my final combat mission in the Air Force in 1969. We did a barrel roll flying back to base, and my crew threw me in a pool."

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Inspirational stories can be a way to better understand oneself and humanity. They can also help one realize that unlocking their own potential is possible. That's in part why the tale of Kevin Degnan is so important – it details the man's battle as he overcame an injury and finally achieved his dream, according to NBC affiliate WGRZ.

In 1986, Degnan was jogging along a road when he was struck by a car. This resulted in a serious loss of muscle mass in his left leg, and last year, doctors were forced to amputate the limb and replace it with a prosthetic.

Degnan became determined that he would fully overcome these new obstacles through rigorous training and self-discipline. He decided he would participate in the Shoes for Shelter race, a 5k stretch at Forest Lawn Cemetery in New York.

"I'm not just going for my… shall we say cardio vascular challenge but a literal, physical challenge with my leg," Degnan told the news provider before the race. "And carrying this leg with me for three miles and one tenth. And it will be done." 

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Ilchi is more than just the first name of an author and philosopher known for spreading a message of peace and spiritual healing through meditative practices. The word has a far deeper meaning in the Korean language, and may help explain Ilchi Lee's thoughts on personal development.

In Korean, Il means "the one," "the truth" or "the way." Chi translates to "to point." Combined, they form a term that means "to point out the way" or "one who points out the truth."

This is a major part of Ilchi Lee's advocacy efforts. He doesn't set himself up to be delivering new revelations. He simply points in the direction of previously recognized truths and the paths that people take to find them.

For example, the suggestion that the people of the world should put aside their differences and live in harmony with one another is not a terribly new thought. However, in their daily lives, people have a tendency to forget these things. The stress of the world can weigh heavily, forcing people toward hate and fear.

That is why it can be useful to have someone who reminds people of these truths. This is the role that Ilchi Lee seeks to fulfill.
 

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