That’s right: these vows of compassion and awakening are ancient. They are gifted to us when most of humanity were slaves eking out a subsistent existence. People back then also had no clue how to treat horrid conditions like smallpox or bubonic plague. The world has its problems now, big problems, as it did then. It has never been perfect. Yet that did not stop our ancestors from taking up these powerfully inspiring Bodhisattva Vows to imagine a future of universal enlightenment and work towards it with their human strength. If they could do it then, we can do it now.

“So how do we make it happen?” you might ask. We approach it in Seon by turning our inquiring gaze inwardly to directly face and experience what we are. We open our hearts with compassion and bring ourselves to enlightenment while taking all beings along with us, no matter what challenges might stand in the way.

This practice, this vow, this imagination and determination for a kinder and wiser future is a sanctuary that gives me strength. Time after time, I take refuge in my breath and my Seon practice when I am confronted with the unknown, the stressful, or the fearful. It has always been there for me, offering peace and wisdom without fail though sometimes only after heroic struggles. Now I have learned to put trust in it at times of dire needs.

My Seon practice isn’t just sitting by myself or with a group, just like it isn’t my own. It connects me with thousands of years of wisdom. The Seon masters in our lineage have lived through times of war, plague, and persecution, just like the rest of humanity. When my teacher, Seon Master Venerable Yangil, was jailed and tortured by Korea’s military dictatorship in the 70s, Seon was there to sustain him. I’m just coming out of a physically testing period, and Seon has been here for me. Now I am faced with the daily task of being the daycare and the professional, and the struggle to get eggs and milk for my toddler and nursing baby while keeping them healthy. Is it challenging? Yes, very much so, but I’m also grateful for having Seon to support me and all of us. It can take courage to sit down and open our hearts, especially when things are testing, but I know we all can do it. No matter how hard it is, we can always imagine and work towards a future of compassion and universal enlightenment for ourselves, our community, and all living beings.