The peace we feel when we are inside Nature
Is due to Nature’s openness. Nature does not insist upon its “self”.
Even in a drawing, each being of Nature shines with beauty.

For one tree to grow beautifully, there are countless exchanges.
The energy of the sun, moon, and wind -
Innumerable energies that cannot be seen grow the tree,
And the tree opens itself up fully to all of them.
This is the way, not only for the tree, but for birds, flowers -
All beings that exist inside Nature.
Only humans ceaselessly build walls, draw borders,
and withdraw deep inside the self.

The stars in the skies appear as if they are spread and separate,
But in the eyes of the Universe, they are one big clump.
If we observe the world while doing away with empty space,
Thousands, millions of things exist separately.
When we focus only on our thoughts and preconceptions,
The whole cannot be seen.
This is just like looking at the stars and moon
Without seeing the empty space that lies beyond.

When we lose sight of the origin of our life
We forget how to exchange
And lose our connection to our origin.
We fall into the illusion that we are
Incomplete and lonely beings.
Within this illusion we become attached to
Competition, possession, and control.

Just as the sun and moon are suspended in empty space,
So it is, that the origin of humans is empty space.
With empty space as the basis, all things that exist
Between the heaven and earth are connected as one.
When we become connected to our origin, we become the center of the Universe.
When we stand at the center, our hearts open fully
And each and every cell inside our bodies awakens.
We are able to embrace and exchange with all when we are at the center,
Holding an open love.
This is when we become complete beings.

From Ilch Lee’s lecture