Ilchi Lee

What is the light illuminating? I think whatever we want to concentrate on as we long for the rebirth of spring, with its greater vitality of life. My mind turns to the relevance and universality of the ancient Asian system of the world — One Energy consisting of the aspects of Heaven, Earth and Human.

This is a time to reflect on the reality and dynamics of Heaven, spiritual awareness, and consciousness expansion. Whatever our concept of the divine, creator or God, there is a source from which emanates the elements of an invisible world — from which flows inspiration, wisdom and intuition. These activate and energize the human mind and soul.

This is a time to consider the Earth, apparently asleep in many ways during the winter. With all the abuse and exploitation the Earth has been taking from “civilized” modern humankind, we hope that it can become fully healthy and active when spring arrives. This gives rise to our collective responsibility to care for the Earth, in essence our mother, as she has been caring for us.

Finally, this is a time to ponder what it is to be holistically and wondrously Human. This includes the health of our physical body to enable us to experience this world and support the activities of our mind and soul; the mind with all its amazing thinking, remembering and creating capabilities to relate meaningfully to our world; and the true self, spirit and soul within us that connects us to our essential being and the seamless oneness of all reality.

I invite you to use time this holiday season to get in touch with the outer light of the sun and the inner light within you—from which you can feel the awesome preciousness of our access to Heaven, bond to Earth, and glory of Humanness. This truly is a fitting time to celebrate your self, each other, and the world of light.

How can we chose not to feel like victims, beset by shock and despair? I would like to share a perspective of healing and hope for humanity that I have pondered, published, and taught for three decades.

The continuation of thinking and acting as separate groups and individuals results in great suffering for human beings. Beyond the identities of Hindus and Muslims, Jews and Christians, Indians and Americans, and even terrorists and citizens, is the possibility of a visionary and profound solution, a paradigm shift worthy of our human potential.

This shift would begin with a critical mass of humanity acknowledging that we all live on one precious planet, Earth. And thus beyond layers of history and culture, we are essentially one human family, or Earth Humans. This consciousness awaits us with its benefits of healing and hope so that we can realize humanity's immense potential: Achieving a state of being in which all humans live according to the new norms of peace, health, happiness, opportunity, love, joy and growth.

How can we give birth to this new era in the Earth’s story? I fervently believe it is through educating our brains — so that our body's energy, mind's creations, and heart’s wisdom can be collectively harnessed and can construct the good world in which we all want to live. With methods such as Brain Wave Vibration, and programs such as those in the Brain Education System Training, we can re-educate adults and educate school-age children to live up to our potential.

I invite you to join me in this Earth-Human vision, embarking with Brain Education, to develop the messages, actions and even the music that we need to create a positive reality for all of humanity and our planet.

Brain Wave Vibration is a simple training method that helps to reawaken your body’s innate healing abilities, and according to Ilchi Lee, author of Brain Wave Vibration, “[The Head Nod Method] is one of the most simple and convenient forms of Brain Wave Vibration.” As is it can be done at any time during the day, in any location.

The Head Nod Method is designed to deliver vibrations directly to the brain stem for deep relaxation and tension release. Here is how you can do it:

1. Sit in a chair with your arms resting comfortably at your sides or in front of you on the desk. You may also sit on the floor in a half-lotus posture. When sitting in a chair, do not lean your back against the chair—keep your back straight.

2. Close your eyes and breathe comfortably, relaxing your body completely.

3. Begin shaking your head from side to side. It is normal to hear some noise from the neck as you begin, but this will lessen with practice. Breathe fully, focusing especially on the exhalation.

4. Focus on your brain stem, located at the point where your head pivots left and right.

5. Visualize your brain stem and entire brain lighting up as you go deeper and deeper into the shaking motion. Your head may also go up and down or follow the shape of an infinity symbol as you go deeper into the motion.

6. After a few minutes, slowly return to external awareness, breathing in and exhaling fully.

The benefits of this type of Brain Wave Vibration include focusing and retaining information more successfully as well as prevention of stiff neck and shoulders. It is great to do during work or study.

Lee notes: “Enjoy yourself and let your thinking mind drift away.”

Board-certified rheumatologist, Dr. Nathan Wei, writes: “Stiffness, pain and swelling associated with arthritis can severely reduce the range of motion in joints.” It is important to exercise to keep your joints mobile and to keep your muscles strong.

According to Ilchi Lee, originator of the Brain Education System Training (BEST) and author of In Full Bloom: A Brain Education Guide for Successful Aging, “[Many] exercises can be used for basic body and brain maintenance, and to help keep the effects of time at bay.” Body opening exercises will gear you up for lifelong mobility, which is key for the many of us that lead pretty sedentary lifestyles.

If you have been diagnosed with arthritis or if you spend a lot of the day sitting for work—immobile, getting up and working out is not a bad thing. Sometimes working through the pain and laziness can actually be fun, not to mention healthy.

So grab an imaginary hula, and try the following Pelvic Rotation exercise from Lee’s In Full Bloom: A Brain Education Guide for Successful Aging.

• Stand with your feet parallel and your legs spread at shoulder width. Place your hands on your hips. Keep your knees straight.

• Rotate your hips in a large circle, pushing as far as you can in all directions. Repeat 5 times and then reverse and do 5 in the opposite direction.

Pelvic Rotation is a great way to keep your hip joints and lower back relaxed…and the perfect exercise to try after sitting at your desk working all day.