Shaolin master Shi Heng Yi shows us how to better understand
ourselves
By Shevlin Sebastian
Very early in the book ‘Shaolin Spirit — The Way to
Self-Mastery,’ by Shi Heng Yi, the author states, ‘It is the moment that
matters. It is living in the present and being aware of what is, here and now —
because the Now is when life is happening, and only in the Now can change take
place.’
He also talks about how important it is to focus on the
breath. In Shaolin, this system of focusing on the breath is called Qigong.
‘You can go a few days without food, and even without water, but you can only
last a few minutes without breath,’ says Shi. ‘When you focus on the breath, it
enables you to strip away illusions and see the world as it is.’
The Shaolin philosophy was founded over 1,500 years ago at
the Songshan Shaolin Temple, located at the foot of the Shaoshi Mountain in
Dengfeng City, Henan Province, China. The temple is now a UNESCO World Heritage
Site.
The philosophy focuses on martial arts and meditation,
addressing the needs of the mind and the body.
Author Shi acknowledges that what the world thinks of Shaolin
is probably true. Adherents can do head-high standing jumps, can shatter a
glass pane with an accurate throw of a needle, and have lightning-quick
reflexes. But to do this, there are years of practice and discipline that are
required.
Shi says that to change, you must ‘come face to face with
yourself, plumbing your own depths, recognising your limits, and understanding
that only you can push past them if you want to grow. It requires intense
effort and energy, as well as the willingness to welcome pain when those limits
begin to shift and open.’
In a shaded text, there is a question:
Who are you?
Shi writes: ‘Take a moment to gaze deeply into your past.
Look at the way you have developed and ask yourself: What has shaped me in the
past? What has moulded me into what I am today? Are there things from your past
that may still linger, things you aren’t aware of? Have you repressed them, or
did you simply never take the time to really examine what happened to you?’
These are thought-provoking and life-changing questions.
Honest answers to them might lead to a deeper perception of how you turned out
the way you did.
Here are some wise thoughts to ponder:
‘Everything in life will one day reach its peak and then
dwindle into nothing.’
‘Your mindset determines success or failure. It is essential
to be conscious of it, because it can be powerful and dynamic or devastating
and dark. Your mindset determines your thoughts, and thus how you see the world
— which in turn affects how the world reacts to you.’
Shi says that it is important that one becomes aware of one’s
opinions and thoughts.
He adds that we should ask questions like: Is this really
your point of view? Did you come up with it yourself? Or did you adopt this
opinion from somewhere else? If yes, how long ago? Is it relevant enough to you
and your current life that you should continue to carry it within you?
Honest answers to these questions will enable one to change
the course of one’s life. But he says it is important to keep asking these
questions again and again, only then will the truths about the basis of your
opinions emerge. Once you are aware, then there is a possibility of changing
your mindset, and setting off on a path that is unique, exciting, and
successful.
The key is to observe without judgement so that you are not
hampered by buried emotions or wishful thinking. That is when we can get a
clear picture of the truth. Shi writes: ‘The more sensitive your mind, the more
detailed your perceptions, the higher the quality of your insights.’
Shi says that when somebody is on the path to
self-improvement, he or she will face five hindrances. They include sensory
desire; hostility or resentment; mental or physical torpor; restlessness,
scepticism, and indecision. The way to overcome them is to be aware of the
feelings they create inside you and then try to work your way around
them.
One of the ways to heal yourself is to let go — of anger,
resentment, frustrations, disappointments, beliefs, expectations, and
deep-seated attitudes. It should be like removing the furniture and other items
stored in a basement. Shi says that you will be surprised by how light-hearted
you will feel. It is not a simple task, but Shi shows you physical exercises
that will, over time, help you reach an empty basement in your
mind.
Shi insists that the mind should be assertive. ‘Ask yourself
what freedom means to you?’ he says. ‘Does it mean following your
impulses or mastering your impulses? Only when you have disciplined your
mind does true freedom begin.’
He also says that it is important to self-observe. ‘This is a
fundamental aspect of the Shaolin spirit,’ he says. ‘How deeply can you look
into yourself? How well can you see yourself? How honest are you with yourself?
Can you see the truth free of other people’s expectations and your own desires,
perceiving what is present in the moment?’
Here’s a bit about the author: Shi’s mother escaped from
Vietnam, crossed the border, and reached Bangkok with little money. The
authorities jailed her many times because she could not pay for necessities.
She eventually ended up at a UNICEF camp. While there, she received a marriage
proposal from a man who had been her neighbour in Vietnam. Shi’s mother
accepted, and they got married. They received asylum in Germany. The couple
settled in Kaiserslautern, near Otterberg.
Shi was born in Germany in 1983. When he was four years old,
he received training in Shaolin from Grandmaster Kwan Chun. Today, Shi runs the
Shaolin Temple Europe, based in Otterberg. He teaches physical and mental
disciplines, Qi Gong and Chan Buddhism.
This is a book that makes you aware of how mechanically we
live our lives. Almost like a machine, we go full tilt each day, living mostly
on the outside, unable to understand the roots of our behaviour, unaware of the
reasons behind our addictions and compulsive behaviour, and not fully aware of
our mindset.
Through the book, Shi invites us to go on a journey within,
to better understand ourselves, to look at the darkness inside, and try not to
flinch. The more aware we become, the more sunshine will light up the dark
corners and heal our psyches. Eventually, Shi promises you will reach a state
of nirvana, free from earthly bondage.
(Published in kitaab.org)
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