These reflections come from my 40-day practice of mindful contemplation on a range of interesting topics—from love and union to knowledge. It’s important to remain intentional about what truly interests you.
Yung Suk Kim, PhD
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
Mind
What is a good thing about the mind?
Is it to be mind-free or to be mindful?
What is the difference?
The mind is not the same as brain activities.
It is embodied and relational.
2
Uncertainty
Human life is filled with uncertainty.
We are all born crying—the first acknowledgment that we are nothing.
We cry for help.
With each cry, our soul begins its meandering journey.
We smile, seeing the scary world not so much as a threat but as a malleable one.
But soon our comfort evaporates, because things do not always go as we wish.
We lament and seek justice.
In lament, we fall to the ground, breathing hard and seeing no hope within ourselves.
We are listless.
But there is an insurmountable power surrounding us and the world: the irresistible grace of God.
In the face of lingering uncertainty, I am not crushed.
I am myself.
I find regeneration through the power of uncertainty.
Feeling on the edge, I sense a power greater than my own.
I feel safe sailing not because there are no storms or tempests, but because I know there is a way of grace beyond me.
I am reborn amid turbulence.
I move with uncertainty, through which I am alerted and awakened, and find the true light illuminating a path forward.
3
Time
Time is an illusion and not something that flows.
It has no boundary and no end.
It is like a soft, slow whisper of memory.
In the present, it takes different forms,
appearing in brief moments.
It becomes the story we unfold,
the lives we live and the things left unspoken.
We sense it in mind and body,
but what we truly have is this fleeting moment—
the present, bright and lasting in itself,
the only real truth and our guiding light.
4
Truth
Pilate inquires, "What is truth?"
Jesus replies, "I was born to testify to the truth."
The way is not to possess, but to be—
To live it fully, faithfully, freely.
Truth isn’t merely a thing to hold,
But a spirit of compassion, gentle and bold.
5
Life
Life, a gift so pure and sweet,
To live well, in every beat.
Not mine to own, but mine to tend,
A sacred trust, a gentle mend.
What makes a life truly good?
Honoring moments as they should—
Brief and fleeting, yet so dear,
Seeking the joy of being clear.
To simply be, to truly feel,
In that embrace, life’s meaning is real.
6
Way
Everyone has a way of life,
a way to think, feel, and experience.
Such a way is to be honored, while not perfect.
There is a common way people need to honor, too.
The way to respect each other,
The way to live a life of honor,
The way to love and trust one another.
7
Sin
Sin is not to love oneself.
Sin is to harm others.
Sin is not to honor God.
8
Salvation
Salvation is to find a sense of peace,
A normal state where all may cease
To long for what’s beyond today,
And cherish what is in their sway.
It needs the basics—food, shelter, bonds,
Connections with beings, both seen and beyond.
A holistic, simple, sacred truth—
The contentment of this moment’s booth.
It cannot wait or be deferred—
Salvation starts in the now, assured.
It begins this very breath we take,
In the present, where true lives wake.
9
Vapor
Vapor appears and disappears,
but it does not vanish; it merely becomes invisible air.
There is nothing wrong with vapor or air.
We must accept them as they are.
Our life is like vapor.
There is nothing wrong with it.
The paradox is that life is precious because it is fleeting.
10
Faith
Faith is trust in the divine’s grace,
A steady beam, a sacred place.
Its highest form is love made plain,
A life whose warmth reveals the flame.
From sacred example, we learn what faith can be,
A living, shining testimony.
So, we follow that faithful way,
Living out that love each day.
11
Repentance
Repentance is a shift of mind toward the divine,
A humbled mind, in love’s design.
To see our nothingness, yet find worth anew,
Rooted in God's eternal view.
This awakening must never cease or fade,
A continuous turn, a conscious braid.
12
Confidence
Confidence in oneself is the basis of ethics and health.
Confidence is rooted in God’s love.
Can-do spirit. Can happen.
I am that I am.
Acknowledge God’s place and presence.
Accept God’s love. Accept who you are.
Assure that God’s will be done through you.
13
Normal
Who determines what is considered normal, and on what criteria?
From God's perspective, everyone is normal or should be.
God supports us, giving us the strength to return to normalcy.
When feeling depressed or anxious, remind yourself, "I am normal," not because everything is perfect or problem-free, but because circumstances do not ultimately define you.
14
Agency
Because of God's love, I come into being,
A unique presence, myself and no other.
I am I.
Decisions are mine to make,
For I am not merely my thoughts or feelings,
But a soul upheld by divine grace.
15
Prayer
I pray because I am weak.
I pray to get peace of mind.
I pray to change my thoughts and behavior.
I don’t pray to change God or others.
I don’t pray to get to heaven.
I pray to live well in the here and now.
I pray to be resilient.
16
Love
We exist because of love.
All want love.
All need love.
God loves.
We are loved and we love.
Others also need love.
True love is neighborly love.
A neighbor is not the mere object of love.
We must be neighbors to others.
17
Hope
Hope is based on want.
True want is based on true mindfulness.
True mindfulness sees and feels that the need of “now” is urgent.
Hope is not giving up on this sense of time.
Nothing can be a hindrance to this accomplishment.
18
Mortality
Mortality is a gift.
If you live forever with your body,
it will be an unimaginable burden and boredom.
Simply trust God and enjoy your life.
19
Distance
Out of sight, out of mind.
We long for something or someone because of distance.
But now distance disappears through the internet.
When there is a mind, there will be a connection.
But we also need distance from others.
We need our own space and time.
20
Politics
Politics is necessary in the human world.
We need good politics.
Good politics integrates differences and turns them into a harmonious whole.
Bad politics ruins community, society, and the world.
21
Pause
I need to pause to create more.
My weakness is anxiety and rushing.
Pause is not merely stopping work.
It is time for us to rethink and develop a better idea and fresh energy to continue.
22
Union
In a union, different members think and act differently.
But they are united with love and understanding of the differences.
There is no one thinking or lifestyle.
But they love each other and do their best.
Each one is precious.
23
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a sense that honors being alive.
It asks questions about life and all things in the world.
Nothing is outside of it.
Mindfulness is a struggle to understand and sense being alive.
It is a path or journey to reach the point of meaning in life.
24
Unity
Who wants unity?
Those who have things to keep.
Most people don’t need such unity.
They want their simple life in union.
25
Bond
Bond means solidarity.
It is not glue or a mix that loses one’s originality or authenticity.
If a bond is immature or blind, it is a prison.
Also, what matters is solidarity with whom?
26
Retirement
Retirement is a time for maturity.
Not the time for resting or pausing.
It is the time for the last flowering.
27
Justice
Justice seeks the right things for me.
It also seeks the good things for others.
Justice also means knowing when to give up on something.
Don’t seek too much for yourself.
28
Religion
Religion is good, but it is also human-made.
No religion is pure, but we need it because we are religious.
Good religion helps people, cares for nature, and loves the self.
29
Evil
Evil is all that virtue is not.
It may be in our minds.
Sometimes it turns real, affecting others.
It is dormant in our minds.
We need to control it.
We need to win it with love.
30
Virtue
The most beautiful virtue is humility.
Humility is not letting oneself down.
It makes one see oneself as nothing before God.
Yet, one finds the most precious from that standing.
Humility gives one a true sense of existence.
Through that lens, all other things are observed in awe.
31
Wisdom
True wisdom embraces our smallness and worth,
Seeing life’s reality in an honest glance,
Living briefly, yet with mindful grace.
32
Development
True growth unfolds with patience and time,
A process steady and slow, unseen, divine.
Rush it, and it may crumble, fall apart—
Like a seed that takes its time to grow and start,
To blossom fully and bear its fruit,
Revealing the beauty of growth that’s absolute.
33
Integration
Integration combines both good and bad feelings.
Chaos and stability
Joy and sorrow
Success and failure
It’s like a river flowing.
34
Desire
Without desire, no rhythm or life.
Desire is energy, small or large.
There is a positive, good desire.
There is also a negative desire.
Good desire drives us to do something good.
35
Chaos
Chaos is disorder.
It needs reorientation.
It may inform us of what is wrong.
If we know it, there will be a chance to change.
It may be incorporated into a whole good thing.
It can lead to creation.
36
Maturity
Maturity is a goal to reach.
Once reached, one needs to fall to the ground and restart, just like a plant.
Maturity cannot stand forever.
37
Survival
Every moment, we need to survive what we face in our lives.
Life is a game or a fight against all forms of counterforces.
Bare survival is like death.
We need survival.
It depends on our every moment decision, lifestyle, and efforts.
38
Harmony
Harmony is not about the middle ground.
It consists of all parts integrated into the whole.
All are connected by love and care.
39
Healing
Healing is integration.
It addresses all aspects of life.
All times
All situations
All emotions
40
Knowledge
Knowledge is power.
But knowing our ignorance is more powerful.
Be honest.