The Cosmic Year
"Those aware of the tides of the world possess the qi of life. Those ignorant of the tides of the world possess the qi of death." (Sangjenim, Dojeon 5:190:12)
Our journey of understanding humanity’s past, our present, and our future begins with the principle of the cosmic year.
Just as there is one year on earth, there is a larger and grander scale of the cosmic year in the cosmos. The cosmic year is 129,600 earthly years long.
The Coming of the Later Heaven and Mutual Life-Giving and Life-Saving
The shift in cosmic seasons is brought about by a shift in the
heavens. There exist two quite different heavens that raise human
civilizations with different principles. There are the Early Heaven
and the Later Heaven. The period from Cosmic Spring to Summer
is called the Early Heaven (선천). The period from Cosmic Autumn to
Winter is called the Later Heaven (후천).
The basic principle of Early Heaven is Sanggeuk. Sanggeuk means
mutual restraint or mutual conflict. Since the purpose of the Early
Heaven is to produce and grow humans and nature, the principle
of competition and struggle is inevitable in the Early Heaven. As a
result of the principle of mutual conflict and domination, all things
on earth in the time of cosmic spring and summer develop in an
imbalanced way. That’s why even our pole is shifted in one direction.
During the Early Heaven, the axis of the earth is tilted. Due to this
tilt, we have extreme cold and extreme hot.
It is owed to the principle of mutual conflict and domination
that we have conflicts and competition, which result in imbalance
and disparity. This disparity and imbalance in economics is the cause
of wars and various kinds of suffering in human societies, including
fierce competition, regional conflicts, natural disasters, and endless
wars.
These are all derived from the Sanggeuk nature of Early Heaven.
Because nature itself operates within such a Cosmic Principle of
conflict, humanity lives under the environment of disparity and
imbalance.
The important thing we must grasp is how to evolve beyond this
age of conflict. The Later Heaven is dominated by the principle of
Sangsaeng, mutual life-giving and life-saving. This is a period that
matures and unifies human civilization and nature.
Therefore, eternal
peace and harmony is accomplished in the Later Heaven. Until we
understand this, we cannot go beyond the framework of the past
thinking.
When we have advanced from the time of Cosmic Summer to the Cosmic Autumn, all natural disasters and wars of the Early Heaven
will end. We will enter a period of harmony and balance between
nature and humanity. This new order of the Universe is Sangsaeng.
What does Sangsaeng mean? Sang means mutual or each other. Saeng
means to save or to benefit. Thus Sang-Saeng means to save each
other and to benefit each other.
In the coming age, extreme cool and warm weather disappears
from earth. Yin and yang energy comes into balance in nature and
in civilization. Complete balance and harmony comes about and the
order of oppressed yin and revered yang change to the order of equal
yin and yang energy. Thus discrimination of women in the work
force, unequal rights for women, the income gap between men and
women—all these issues will be resolved and all natural disasters will
end.
Sangjenim introduced a secret method called uitong to help us
usher in this new era. Uitong means to unite humanity by healing.
Humanity cannot become one unless and until the wrongs of the
past that are paining humanity are healed. We cannot simply say,
“Let’s get together and hold hands.” We have to rectify the wrongs of
the past and heal the psychological wounds of the pains of the past as
well. Otherwise they will generate physical illnesses in the people and
societies that carry those pains.
To rectify the wrong means to correct the history.
Holocaust
museums are a good example of this. So is the apology by Japan
to Korea’s “comfort women” who were kept as sexual slaves by the
Japanese. These are good starts, but afterward we need to heal the
psychological wounds through meditation for the world to become
truly one.
For this we need the Taeeulju Mantra. The main message of Eastern Learning is that the age of the
heavenly Father is opening as the absolute infinite, the Mu-geuk-dae-do. As it is stated in the Korean Dojeon, “Now is the age of heaven
and earth’s achievement of their purpose.” (Korean Dojeon 2:43) Now
is the time of Cosmic Autumn, “The autumn destiny of all the world
has now dawned” (Korean Dojeon 2:43) This is the most important message that Jeung San Do, has been conveying. The time of healing,
the Cosmic Autumn, is coming. Nevertheless, we must also be aware
that to change this world from the principle of mutual conflict and
domination to the principle of mutual life-giving and life-saving
will not be easy. This point of great change is expressed in Korean as
Gaebyeok.
The Great Change of Gaebyeok
The approaching time of Gaebyeok is when the universe and
humanity will be reborn. Gaebyeok is the message of hope that
humanity will encounter a new world. Gaebyeok is not the end, it is
merely a message of hopeful new beginnings.
However, this period
of rebirth will also be a period of great upheaval. Although Gaebyeok
is not the end, the transition to the time of Autumn is a period of
great disaster and disease. The future does not come about through
the advancement of new technology alone. All futurists claim the
same thing. The disruption of modern civilization awaits us.
How to Overcome Gaebyeok
In order to open up the Cosmic Autumn to civilization, a new
culture of spirituality must come forth to awaken all of humanity
fundamentally. To accomplish this enlightenment, the spiritual
culture of the Taeeulju Mantra was bestowed upon humanity by the
Heavenly Father. At this time of crisis, the thing that will prevent
us from this mystery disease of cosmic autumn frost is the Taeeulju
Mantra. Sangjenim said, “I affixed all energy of medicine into
Taeeulju Mantra.” So the Taeeulju Mantra is the medicine of life that
will help us awaken at this time of change from Cosmic Summer to
Cosmic Autumn.
The Taeeulju Mantra is the means of surviving all catastrophic
changes of Gaebyeok. At this time, our survival is dependent
upon us returning to our roots. Just as in Autumn, the plants and
trees all return their energy to their roots. So also, in this time all
humans must learn to receive the energy of our roots in order to
survive. By becoming one with our ancestors, we can receive the
energy of Autumn’s fruition.
We must live with appreciation and
gratitude for our roots of life: Heaven, Earth and our ancestors.
The Taeeulju Mantra helps us discover our roots and resolve the
bitterness and grief of our ancestors.
The Taeeulju Mantra brings
serenity to the mind, the heavenly soul, and the earthly soul, allowing
communication with the holy spirit realm. It is the mantra that will save the world’s people.
We must also abandon the ways of mutual conflict, such as
jealousy and slander. Instead, we must strive to make others better
and help the needy and the suffering. A human being must possess
the compassionate mind of mutual life-giving. The great Dao
of Sangjenim’s boundlessness will become the way of life for all
humanity in the future.
Only one who has a 50,000 year fortune may chant the Taeeulju
Mantra. At the same time, all human beings can be saved by the
Taeeulju Mantra. In fact, since Taeeulju is the fountain of life from
Mother the Heaven, no one can survive without the Taeeulju Mantra.
The energy of all medicine is also in Taeeulju. The Taeeulju Mantra
overcomes all hindrances. It vanquishes all illnesses. It fulfills all
wishes. It spreads the Dao of Sangjenim throughout the world. It
delivers all humanity. It actualizes all that is willed. It is boundless
and eternal. The Taeeulju Mantra is the wish-fulfilling mantra.