Living Tao with Ilchi Lee
What does it mean to you to be a master of something? Maybe you think of being excellent in some craft or skill, or maybe you imagine someone who oversees others in a working relationship. When people call someone a “master,” usually they are referring to some level of status achieved in the world – a master craftsman, a martial arts master, a master of ceremony, etc. These things are impressive, but I think that true mastership is not so much about outer mastership as it is about inner mastership.
The fifth and final step of my Brain Education method, Brain Mastering, is about achieving true mastership. As this point, practitioners have achieved some level of proficiency in the other steps of Brain Education and are now able to apply the practices they’ve learned independently and continuously for their own personal growth. While achievement in the world is a natural outgrowth of this step, really it is all about mastery over oneself, especially one’s brain. There are five elements that form the foundation of this mastership:
1. Create a grand vision for yourself.
It’s hard to get anywhere if you don’t have a plan for where you’re going. That’s true of a journey around the world, and it’s true in life. Most people have had dreams and goals of some kind, but too often people dream small; they are afraid that they might not be talented enough or smart enough to become who they really want to be in life. If you want to move toward true mastery, create a worthy vision for yourself that will challenge you become the best version of you possible.
2. Face obstacles with a positive attitude.
A person with a master’s mindset does not give in to negativity when life does not go as expected or when difficult situations arise. Rather, they see these challenges as a chance to grow greater determination and to develop new skills and abilities. Every difficulty is a gift because it shows us so much about ourselves—our emotional maturity, our courage, our determination. As the old saying goes, “It’s the journey, not the destination that counts.” This is true, especially regarding personal growth. After all, if everything came easy, there would be no growth at all.
3. Develop positive habits.
One trait of the brain is that behaviors can become “hardwired” because of how neurons connect and become denser as we repeat behaviors. This can be a good or bad thing, depending on the kinds of behaviors we repeat. Most of us will, unfortunately, develop some sort of “bad habits” that we would like to break. People who have developed good mastery over their brains, however, know that bad habits can be changed, thanks to neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to rewire itself. True masters continually examine their habits and seek to eliminate negative ones while bolstering the positive ones.
4. Balance body, mind, and spirit.
When people embark on a spiritual path, they often think about spirituality as though it were separate from and superior to the mental and physical aspects of life. This attitude is a mistake, though, and it can make people very imbalanced. They become like a tall triangle with a very narrow base—they can be easily knocked over when a storm comes along. The base of your triangle of being (body, mind, and spirit) is your physical health and strength, so you must always pay attention to the health of the body. Likewise, the mind must always be attended to, or you are likely to be carried away with your ever-flowing stream of thoughts. In the fifth step, practitioners continue to practice and perfect the previous steps so that ever greater perfection of mind and body can be achieved.
5. Believe in your brain.
The final and most important foundation of mastery is belief in your own brain. Whenever you are looking for a solution to a problem in your life, remind this truth to yourself, “My brain already has the answer.” Your brain is the secret to everything you could ever possibly want in life—healthy finances, positive relationships, good habits, the achievement of dreams, and contribution to the world. It contains the capacity for all the creativity and skills you will ever need to become who you want to be in life. And the best part is that your brain can be continually upgraded. Even if you have made many mistakes and have developed many bad habits, each day presents that opportunity to begin to reshape your brain in a whole new way.
Mastership Is Waiting for You
The title “Brain Mastering” may sound like a far-off dream to you, but it is easier than it seems. Really, it is just a matter of attitude, a way of approaching life that allows you to continually improve your body, mind, and spirit. It’s been said that the choices we make determine the quality of our lives, and that, in a sense, is what Brain Mastering is all about—learning to make good choices on a continual basis, choices that will lead you to the life you really want.
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