Why Do People Suffer

1. A vicious cycle

When people fight among themselves, they provoke strife among ancestral spirits in heaven. Only when fighting in heaven has come to and end, will strife among humanity be resolved.

-San San Sahng Je Nim-

Many of us have been taught that heaven or the spirit world is a perfect place of peace and harmony. But the spirit world is filled with billions of spirits who were once human beings. Why would it be that much different than the human world? Throughout history there has been a vicious cycle with both physical and spiritual origins. Though it is desirable, noble, and beneficial for individuals to act virtuously and to cultivate themselves, the problem of conflict has become so complex that it requires a solution on a cosmic level.

2. Mutual conflict

In the Early Heaven, people have lived in the environment of mutual conflict.

-Jeung San Sahng Jeh Nim-

When we hear the word heaven, we usually envision a spiritual realm, but the term Early Heaven refers to an era in the natural cycle of the universe. According to Jeung San Do's cosmology, the universe goes through a cyclic process of creative change. The first part of this cycle is called the Early Heaven, cosmic spring and summer; and the second part is called the Later Heaven, autumn leading into winter. In the era called the Early Heaven there is an imbalance in nature; the fire energy (yang) dominates the water energy (yin) and two do not circulate well.

In Korea, mutual conflict is Sang-geuk. The word Sang-geuk can describe the situation in which two or more forces oppose one another or can be interpreted as the process of overcoming. The human experience thus far has been one of overcoming. It has been a natural part of our evolution as a species and our growth process as individuals. The German philosopher Nietzsche described this in the statement. "That which does not destroy us only serves to make us stronger." The problem with such a contentions growth process is that it leads to human suffering.

3. The Earth's Energy  

If heaven does not provide enough rain and drew, grievance inevitably rise in all directions. In growing everything, if earth does not employ water and soil plentifully, all things inevitably express grievances.                                                         

- Jeung San Sahng Jeh Nim -

The earth's environment is quite diverse. Some places have temperate climates, others are prone to drought or flooding. The terrestrial energy of the earth is also very diverse. Every culture in the world comes from its own unique environment, largely affected by the terrestrial energy of the place. The human race developed into a beautiful collage of cultures and tribes, but seldom in history have these unique people lived together in harmony. So far, our natural environment has not been conducted to the human race celebrating both the uniqueness of its many peoples and the oneness of all people. We have been confined by our own cultural experiences. Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and originator of nonviolent resistance Mahatama Gandhi tried to change this, but they met much opposition and ended up martyrs to their cause. For us to truly live in harmony requires a transformation of the earth's energy and a shift in human consciousness.

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