You can think of your life as being a little like knitting. When
you first begin, there is no shape to it, but you keep knitting with
some goal in mind—to make a sweater, a sock, or whatever.
Every stitch is like a thought that you add to the overall shape of
your life. Eventually, thoughts lead to action and the form will
emerge, if you can only keep your intent in mind. If you have
no clear vision, however, you will end up with a random pile of
knotted yarn.

Everything I have achieved in my life happened one stitch at
a time. I began with just one single student, and every step that
followed was like a carefully placed stitch. Eventually, my plan
began to emerge as a whole, just like a sweater takes form.

page 79

The key is to keep the big picture always in mind, even when
it seems so far away. In my life, I have faced many moments that
could have destroyed me. I could have gotten lost in the details
of those events and become swept away by the emotions that accompany
them. I have come to realize, however, that life situations,
no matter how difficult, are only temporary.

You must remember that life is not a romantic movie. When
you take a big step forward in life, it is not likely that anyone will
be there to say, “Congratulations! You are so brave! Here is your
reward.” If you have someone that supportive in your life, that’s
great, but don’t count on it. In fact, life sometimes dishes up exactly
the opposite.

Ilchi Lee, Brain Wave Vibration

page 79-80

I remember arriving for the first time in the United States
many years ago. I landed at John F. Kennedy International
Airport, hardly speaking a word of English, coming to experience
a culture that was completely foreign to me. I planned to
meet a student of mine that was struggling to keep a center open
there, so I had packed a few thousand dollars in my suitcase to
assist him.

Shortly after I had retrieved my bag from the baggage claim,
I placed it on a cart and began to look for my student. All of a
sudden, a man was standing right in front of me with his face
close to mine, shouting something I didn’t understand. All I
knew how to say was, “What?! What?!” Before I knew what was
happening, I looked behind me and saw another man running
down the corridor with my bag in his hand. Before I could think
of what to do, both men had disappeared into the crowd.

Ilchi Lee, Brain Wave Vibration

Page 80

To say the least, I was devastated. It seemed like such a harsh
welcome to America. Many emotions came flooding over me.
The easiest thing would have been to return with my student to
Korea. First impressions are always very strong, and it was hard
to resist negative information that my brain created to explain
the situation. I could have concluded that America is a bad place
or that this event was a bad omen. In troubled times, it is easy to
fall for this way of thinking.

However, I decided that my greater goal was far bigger than
this one temporary situation. So, I opted to change my information
about the event. I decided not to think, “I was robbed when
I came to America.” I also did not want to think, “I have lost
several thousand dollars.” Instead I decided to think, “I made a
donation to New York City.” That way, I could be happy about
the incident and move on toward the creation of my vision. And
indeed, that “investment” did give rise to many great things,
none of which would be possible if I had followed the negative
thoughts and emotions that came with the initial event. Negative
emotions are normal and natural in the face of life’s challenges,
but to be caught up in them is detrimental to the progress of life.
Realize how quickly you can change your brainwaves, and always
keep an eye on the greater vision of your life.

Ilchi Lee, Brain Wave Vibration

Page 80-81

All you need is genuine determination to bring what you desire
into reality. If you really want to start creating your life, get
the word impossible out of your vocabulary. Yes, there is a certain
value to remaining realistic, but do you really desire much beyond
the realm of realism? I have met few people who honestly
desire something that goes beyond the basic laws of the universe.
I am willing to bet that everything you are looking to create will
fit very nicely into the system of reality as it is currently manifested,
so don’t be afraid to go after what you want in life.

I really don’t believe in greatness that is bestowed as a rare
gift to a few lucky ones. Rather, I think everyone has greatness
inside them. It is really just a matter of persistence—sticking
to what you have envisioned until it is reality. I have a deep conviction
that everyone, including you, has been given exactly the
right set of gifts to fulfill some magnificent purpose for their
lives. Greatness must simply be chosen. And if you choose it, it
will happen.

Ilchi Lee, Brain Wave Vibration

Page 81-82

We have come to a point in human
history where we need to redefine spirituality in a way that
goes beyond religion—one that is satisfying to atheist and deist
alike. Many of the squabbles we have today in regard to religious
faith are not about spirituality at all. Rather, they are about layers
of identity that we have piled on our spirituality. We keep trying
to give specific form to something that is actually formless
and beyond the limits of our rational minds. The more we try to
define spirituality through theology and philosophy, the more it
slips away from us.

I believe that spirituality is actually quite simple, so simple,
in fact, that our rational minds will barely allow for it. Ironically,
the tricky part is not learning to be spiritual. That part is automatic
and requires little effort. The real trick is getting your
thinking mind out of the way so that you can experience it directly
and purely.

Ilchi Lee, Brain Wave Vibration

Page 83

The excitement of life is in the numinous experience wherein we
are given to each other in that larger celebration of existence in
which all things attain their highest expression, for the universe,
by definition, is a single, gorgeous celebratory event.
–Thomas Berry, Catholic theologian

There has been a lot of debate recently about the relationship
between God and the brain. Some say that God is an outdated
by-product of the brain, an illusion created by primitive parts of
the brain. Others claim quite the opposite, saying that the brain
contains evidence of a spiritual realm existing beyond the brain,
which the brain is well designed to perceive.

One thing is clear to me: the brain is indeed designed for
spiritual experience. It is also clear that such experience does not
come from thinking long and hard about the minutiae of theological
issues. Rather, it comes from a quieting of the thinking
mind so that one may open up to the mysteries of experience.

Ilchi Lee, Brain Wave Vibration

Page 84

To me, it is not a worthwhile question to debate the existence
or nonexistence of God. One way or the other, the spiritual
realm is beyond the power of the human mind to describe,
and as soon as we attempt to put our experience of it into words,
we have already shrunken it, regardless of how beautifully we
speak. If it is helpful for you to conceive of God as a specific entity,
then by all means, do so. There is indeed great truth to be
found in many descriptions of God, but I would implore you not
to let these descriptions confine your perception of possibility.
Rather, allow them to simply be a starting point.

Brain Wave Vibration is one among many training methods I
have developed to help people stop thinking about spirituality so
that they can start experiencing it.

Ilchi Lee, Brain Wave Vibration

Page 84-85

When you consider the many different manifestations of spiritual
experience in the world, it obviously does no good to debate
which one is right. That has been the root of unbelievable
amounts of suffering in the world. In fact, in the way I see spirituality,
it is quite contradictory to differentiate in this way. It is
best rather to focus on the concepts we have in common.

Most spiritual traditions have at their root the notion of the
ultimate peace that comes through the oneness of all beings. The
Bible speaks of “the peace that surpasses all understanding,” and
Hindus speak of nirvana. My belief is that journeying to this
place of oneness is the only thing that ultimately matters in any
spiritual practice.

Ilchi Lee, Brain Wave Vibration

Page 85

Much of our mythology teaches us that life is about finding
our way back to oneness. In Korean traditions, we have the story
of Mago, an Earth spirit analogous to Mother Earth in Western
society. At one point, humanity was in accord with Mago, and
there was a state of perfect peace and harmony. Like in the biblical
story of Eden, this paradise was eventually lost as people began
to divide themselves.

According to the mythologies of many cultures, humanity
once lived harmoniously only to lose this perfect existence. The
story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden is a familiar example.
I believe these stories are a reflection of the paradise that
already lies within the human brain. I am certain that we have
the potential for perfect joy and harmony already written into
the structure of our brain. So what then is it that keeps us from
living accordingly?

Ilchi Lee, Brain Wave Vibration

Page 85-86