Patheos

BuddhistCatholicContemplativeEvangelicalGeneral ChristianHinduJewishLatter-day SaintMuslimNew VisionsProgressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Patheos

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos Patheos on Facebook Patheos on YouTube

Living Tao with Ilchi Lee

Letting Our Inner Light Rebuild the World in 2021

Last updated on: January 13, 2021 at 4:14 am   by Ilchi Lee

Letting Our Inner Light Rebuild the World in 2021 2021-01-13T04:14:57+00:00 Ilchi Lee

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

sunrise

[Photo by Steve Halama on Unsplash]

To say the least, 2020 was a hard year. The global pandemic and the economic hardship it engendered certainly were hard to endure. Yet, there were blessings that came with the difficulties of 2020, in particular the opportunity to slow down, exhale, and reflect upon our lives.

Sometimes, we face something like this that is outside of ourselves that prompts us to change, and I’m hoping that this will be true for the whole world in 2021, so we can finally start to build a better world. If you want to help head the world in that direction, here is what I’d like to suggest for your 2021 resolution list:

  1. Realize the light within you.

    As we emerge from the state of dormancy that characterized 2020, the whole world will have a chance for a new beginning. This creates a wonderful opportunity to reboot our brains in a way that finally allows our inner light, which is our true nature, to shine forth. In 2020, we deeply felt our connection to each other, not just with those closest to us but with people throughout the world. Our inner light, the bright True Self that everyone has inside, is what can connect us all through a giant web of light that unites all life on Earth. If you want to change the world, recognize this light within yourself, and resolve to shine this light to the world.

  2. Be the light of hope for yourself and others.
    In 2021, people will need lots of things to help them rebuild, but they will need one thing more than anything else: hope. For many who have lost loved ones or who have had their businesses undermined by the lockdowns, it will be natural and normal to feel despair. If you were lucky enough to have avoided this, please be a beacon of hope for others, shining positivity and encouragement to them whenever you can. Yes, the hard realities cannot be avoided, but renewal is coming in 2021, and that is an exceptionally beautiful thing.

  3. Cultivate a bright consciousness.
    In spiritual circles, people often talk about levels of consciousness and how people can raise their consciousness. Really, doing this is just a matter of dropping your false self to let the bright inner light that you already have inside shine outward in all its glory.

    In the Tao philosophy that I teach, this light in Korean is called gwangmyung, the bright, pure light from the source of all life. You are not your name or your accomplishments or your bank balance. Rather, you are gwangmyung; it is your essence. Realizing this and living according to this fact will make you become powerful in the truest, most positive sense.

  4. Move step by step toward a better world.
    Certainly, we will have a lot of work to do in 2021 to rebuild the world, especially if we want to make it better than before. Each one of us has a role to play in this process. In addition to resolving to live according to your inner light in 2021, ask yourself what you want to do with this wonderful life you have been given. Set other lofty goals for yourself, creating a vision for your life that fills you with immense joy and satisfaction. If these goals are in alignment with your True Self, you will be doing much to bring healing to the world and to create a whole new culture for humanity. Make a realistic plan for how you will move toward your vision in 2021, and then do it!

    The year 2020 taught us so much about the value and preciousness of life. However many more years you have left here on Earth, you have so much to give to humanity and to the planet. And, even more importantly, you still have time to open up and uncover the bright light that you hold inside. Your life here on Earth is a great gift to your soul and a gift to all the other souls who share the planet with you. Please use that gift well and begin to live like the beam of bright light that you are. Let’s start healing ourselves, loving ourselves, and making each other happy. I promise you that this is possible with the light of gwangmyung.

    I wish you health, happiness, and peace in 2021.

Uncategorized

Previous Post



December 16, 2020

How to Develop Better Focus and Mental Clarity

Next Post



March 24, 2021 Four Ways to Balance Your Energy—And Why You Should


Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016


Follow Us!

Follow Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter



TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who preached the first Christian sermon on Pentecost in Acts?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Philip Paul Peter James

Related posts from Living Tao with Ilchi Lee

New Visions

Practicing Gratitude—And Why You Should

Living Tao with Ilchi Lee

New Visions

Healthy Sexuality and Spirituality: How These Energies Come...

Living Tao with Ilchi Lee

New Visions

Caring for Your Chakras and What You Can...

Living Tao with Ilchi Lee

New Visions

Laying the Groundwork for Longevity

Living Tao with Ilchi Lee

TRENDING AT PATHEOS New Visions

Did Prayer Cure His Cancer? Or Was It...

At 4 AM one morning, Joshua W. Brown’s wife awoke to a...

8 Ways a Near-Death Experience Rewires the Soul

Does Consciousness Survive Physical Death? After 50 Years of Research, Dr. Raymond...

Holy Longing: What Our Restlessness Is Telling Us

“One can find so many pains when the rain is falling.” -John...

The Making of a Dumbass

  What this is NOT about.  This blog is definitely not about...

Who Told You That?

Who said the Israelites were God’s chosen? That’s right, they did. Who...

The Spirit World Is the Real World: God...

A Monk’s Wisdom on Body and Spirit I sit with Brother Martin...

view all New Visions blogs

Patheos on Facebook Patheos on YouTube

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Copyright 2008-2026, Patheos. All rights reserved.

Subscription Support Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In

Follow Patheos Patheos on Facebook Patheos on YouTube