Lotus Explore
a virtual kick-start to your meditation journey
Welcome!
…to our video course,helping you to kick-start your journey into Yun Hwa practice, we are thrilled you are here!
There is a lot to take in, and we’ve tried to give you an easy-to-understand step-by-step guide to help you get to know our versatile practice.
- Learn about the 5 core elements of Yun Hwa Practice
- Start forming your meditation habit
- Develop a daily practice awareness
- Understand what Sutras are and how we use them in our practice
- Get to know the Yun Hwa Sangha and what we stand for.
This course is for you:
You recently visited one of our centers (Dharma Sahs), a friend is a practitioner and sent you this resource, or you are a student who has committed to joining one of our live retreats in Europe. This course is for you.
Events and Live Sessions:
You can find information about upcoming retreats here:
Join our free live practice sessions, you can find all information on up-and-coming courses at our Online Temple.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at youngsangha@yunhwasangha.eu.
The 5 Pillars of Yun Hwa Meditation Practice
The core elements of Yun Hwa Meditation Practice consist of meditation (sitting and walking), chanting, mantra, prostrations (bowings) and Ki Song (physical exercises).
In our course, we will briefly look at each element on an introductory level. You can find a full list of the Videos in this course down below:
- Prostrations (Bowings)
- Chanting
- Mantra
- Meditation
- Ki Song
- Individual Practice
- Practice as a Community
- What are Sutras?
- Introduction to Buddhist Terminology, Episode 1
1. Prostrations (Bowings)
“A life of wisdom is a treasure and in order to find this treasure, it is essential to make sincere efforts and to practice. To practice diligently is actually to rescue oneself.”
Dae Poep Sa Nim Daily Reminder #8993 22. January 2017
The prostrations or bowings…
…are an essential part of the Yun Hwa Meditation practice. Yun Hwa Practitioners aim to do 108 bows every day, which is the standard within a daily set of Yun Hwa practice.
These can be challenging in the beginning, but like with each element of our practice, start small and build your habit step by step.
Pro-Tip 🔥: Going to a retreat is usually a great way to give yourself a kick-start.
When to do the bowings:
- 108x as part of the Morning practice
- Bowings are part of our retreat program and practice days at local centers.
- Whenever you feel like it, essentially. The prostrations are an ideal way to balance the body energy, especially when our emotions are imbalanced.
- The bowings are a way to clear our mind, to let go of our karma, and repent to become and stay humble.
2. Chanting
Chanting is a form of collective Buddhist practice that takes place in centers or monasteries. It not only offers a way to leave everyday life behind and strengthen concentration, but also serves as an expression of gratitude and respect towards Buddha and his teachings.
When to do chanting:
- Moon Celebrations
- Evening Practice
- Formal Morning Practice
Chanting provides:
- Communal Experience
- Personal Relief
- Musical Connection
3. Mantra
“Whether the mantra is always in the mind, repeated mentally or uttered with words, our memory becomes keen and astute, and we do not dwell in unnecessary illusions and delusions. Therefore, our own worries and insecurities disappear, and we live life like Buddha.”Â
Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim #10,497 March 6, 2021Â
In this video you can learn what the mantra is, why and how we do it and why we are thankful, that we have this special practice.
The mantra can help you on many different levels for example bringing forth the power of concentration.Â
When to do the Mantra:
- In your daily life
- Meditation
- Chanting
- Morning and Evening Practice
4. Meditation
“When we put all these fears and anxieties down and sit comfortably… then all the illusions, delusions and fears disappear. Consequently, in there, we can enjoy our own paradise. We do not get caught by the noise from outside… this is the most enjoyable time with ourselves and is what we call meditation.”
Daily Reminder #11,541 14. January 2024. Dae Poep Sa Nim
Meditation and practice…
…is a habit that we need to develop, like a muscle that needs to be nurtured to grow stronger.
There is so much to say about meditation and Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim has relayed many teachings and techniques on how to meditate. This Video is intended to be the first part of a series, helping you to start, restart or revitalize your meditation habit.
3 Steps to start your meditation habit from zero:
- Select a timeframe you want to commit to.Â
- Sit comfortably in an undisturbed space.
- Let your thoughts pass by like clouds in the sky.
5. Ki Song
“The whole world is full of energy if you utilize it well, you build a strong center… When we use the body correctly… energy flows easily.” Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa NimÂ
6. Individual Practice
“when we practice continuously and habitually, without contemplating whether we like it or dislike it, repeating the mantra, and doing meditation and prostrations, then the body and mind become healthy. Suddenly, we realize that our heavy brains become lighter. When we continue further, we can have the true taste of the practice, making life much more satisfying, and truly appreciate ourselves.”Â
Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim Daily Reminder #11,112 11.11.2022
Individual practice is all about developing a way of integrating the practice into your life. It is crucial for sustainable change and self-development.
Your needs, life circumstances, and goals play an important role. When you start to practice, it helps to find methods and techniques within the Yun Hwa practice that are most effective and meaningful for you. Starting to practice is about gradually building your practice habits.Â
The daily practice includes:
-
- Prostrations (Bowings)Â
- MeditationÂ
- Ki SongÂ
- Mantra CountingÂ
7. Practice in the Community
“Our correct human duty is to serve others. Such intention with right action brings great happiness.”
Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim #6801 22.1.2011
Practicing alone is essential and is what most practitioners spend the majority of their time with. However, equally important is the practice together with our community, the “Sangha.” Which has many aspects to it, learn about some of the essentials here in this video.
What kind of Community practice is there:
- Morning and evening practice at the center, including chanting.
- All chanting is usually done together at a communal practice session.
- Moon celebrationsÂ
- And specific Buddhist special events
- All communal practices take place at officially certified Yun Hwa Meditation centers
8. What are Sutras?
“In the Sutras, it is said that one good thought breaks one hundred kinds of badness. This means that when one person engages in good actions, then that energy spreads, and a hundred people together can foster goodness and make each other comfortable. With that, everyone can live happily together.“
Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim #11553 26.1.2024
The Daily Reminders by Dae Poep Sa Nim are texts written daily, specifically tuned to the energy of each day, offering timeless insights and covering a wide range of topics to support practitioners in their daily life and spiritual development.
How we apply the Sutras:
- Guidance and Inspiration: Read the Sutras regularly for deeper insights and inspiration in your spiritual practice.
- Integration into Daily Life: Apply the teachings of the Sutras in everyday life to promote more conscious decisions and actions.
- Community Exchange: Discuss the Sutras with others to deepen your practice and gain diverse perspectives.
9. Introduction to Buddhist Terminology ep.1
“To practice does not mean to find something outside oneself but to discover the Buddha nature that is within. That is why when one’s practice deepens and a difficult situation arises, one knows what the cause of suffering within oneself is and how one is attached to it.”
Ji Kwang Dae Poep Sa Nim #7113 30.11.2011
The following video gives you a short introduction to some important Buddhist Concepts.
Please note that terms in Buddhism have a much broader and deeper meaning than we can present here in a video.Â
Key Terms discussed in this video:
- The Three Jewels Buddha (absolute Truth), Dharma and Sangha
- The Four Noble Truths
- The Eightfold Path