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Heaven and Earth are Full of Spirits
Heaven and Earth are Full of
Spirits
 Heaven and earth are full of spirits.
There is no place
without spirits and there is no work in which spirits do not participate.
Dojeon 2:45:1
Monistic Spiritual Pluralism
Heaven and earth are filled with spirits. A leaf dries or
an earthen wall collapses when a spirit leaves. A thorn goes under a fingernail
when a spirit enters. Dojeon 2:87:4
The East and West have a different understanding of spirits. This is due to
the difference in the way culture took shape and became rooted in people’s
living conditions in the East and West. The West's spiritualism is based on
monotheism, i.e. a single spirit who created heaven, earth and human being.
Whereas, the East speaks of the highest ruling spirit in the spiritual realm who
resides alongside a multitude of spirits.
Due to the Western influence of monotheism, when people speak of God, they
readily invoke God the Creator in their minds, an omnipotent being who created
the universe and human being. However, after studying the words of Jeung-san
Sangjenim, true God of the universe who incarnated as a human being, it can be
understood that heaven and earth are filled with spirits of all shapes, sizes
and colors.
How then is Sangjenim, the highest being in the universe, different than
the spiritual being within our own body?
Regarding this, Sangjenim said that fundamentally all spirits are the same.
Viewed from the Christian perspective, this is truly a remarkable statement.
Christianity claims there is a distinction between God the Creator and His
creation.
However, according to Sangjenim’s words, spiritualism is not dualistic.
Although spirits are fundamentally the same, only the characteristics of their
existence are different. Quite simply, their rank, position and authority are
different. That is, spirits are fundamentally the same, but they exist as a
multitude. This is referred to as monistic spiritual pluralism.
To better understand this, we can consider the equality and majesty of
human beings. Within a country, both the president and citizens are the same as
human beings. Human rights are the same and everyone is important. However, the
roles and positions are clearly different. This is also true for the spiritual
realm.
Such a principle applied to spirits is called monistic spiritual pluralism.
Many Names of Spirits in Heaven
Jeung-san Sangjenim conducted Chun-jee-gohng-sa (the work of renewing
heaven and earth) to correct and mend the diseased worlds of spirit, human and
nature. While renewing heaven and earth, He revealed that there are many types
of spirits, as recorded in the Dojeon.
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Spirits |
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Explanation |
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Dojeon Verses |
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West Spirit |
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It is Sangjenim. With the arrival of the autumn
of heaven and earth, Sangjenim incarnated to open the great dao to achieve
oneness of the world and religions, as well as the integration of the
civilization of heaven and earth. |
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4:19, 6:32 |
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Ancestral Spirits |
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Spirits of our ancestors living in heaven. |
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1:18, 2:41, 2:101, 2:102, 4:48, 6:88, 7:50,
9:102 |
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Yellow Fountain Spirits |
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Spirits with descendents on earth. |
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2:87, 2:98, 5:197 |
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Middle Heaven Spirits |
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Spirits without descendents on earth. |
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2:87, 2:98, 9:69 |
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Triune Spirit |
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Spirits who send descendents to earth. |
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2:98, 3:37 |
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Spirits of Monarchs, Hwanggi Spirit |
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Spirits who were formerly monarchs. |
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5:157 |
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Head Spirit in the Spirit World |
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Head spirit in the spirit world. |
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2:26, 4:11 |
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Spirits of Civilization |
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Spirits of religious figures, scientists and
sages who devoted themselves to the advancement of human civilization. |
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2:26, 4:11, 4:16 |
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Spirits of Enlightenment |
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Those among the spirits of civilization who
attained enlightenment. |
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4:16, 6:83, 8:57 |
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Local Spirits, Regional Spirits |
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Spirits who govern their region or locality.
(Locality implies not only a region of a country, but also the whole country
itself. There is a big difference in the rank and position of these spirits.
There are spirits equivalent to governors of a region, founders of countries, or
guardians who founded and integrated countries and people. A guardian spirit
oversees a country and people.) |
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4:6, 4:17, 5:10, 9:107 |
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Spirit in Charge of a Place |
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Spirit who oversees an area. |
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3:92 |
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Mountain Spirits |
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Spirits who oversee mountains. |
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5:114, 11:152 |
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Tree Spirits |
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Spirits within trees. |
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5:114 |
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Spirits with Unresolved Bitterness |
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Spirits of people who died with unresolved
bitterness. |
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Spirits of Failed Revolutionaries |
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Among spirits with unresolved bitterness, these
are spirits who participated in revolutions with great causes but who died
tragically after being accused as traitors. |
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4:15, 4:22
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All Who Die Become Spirits
A spirit exists in everyone. You have one and so do others.
If you did not, you would be dead.
Just as an eye cannot function
without a pupil,
you cannot do anything without a spirit.
Dojeon 3:116:4-5
Human Being’s True Nature: Heavenly Soul & Earthly Soul
Sangjenim explained, Everone has a heavenly soul
(hohn) and an earthly soul (nuk). After death, the heavenly
soul goes up to heaven and becomes a spiritual being (shin). After
receiving ancestral memorial rites from four generations of descendants, it
becomes either a brilliant being (yung) or an immortal being
(sun). The earthly soul returns to earth, and four generations later it
becomes a ghostlike being (gwee).”
Dojeon 2:98:2-4
Many people believe that everything ends at death. Is that really true?
Does everything end with death, or is there life after death?
Jeung-san Sangjenim said that a heavenly soul and an earthly soul exist in
each person. Contemporary psychic studies explain that human beings are a
combination of astral and physical bodies. The astral body means that it is
insulated and hidden. It is the body that cannot be seen. The physical body is
the body of flesh that we can touch.
The astral body also signifies “star,” “heaven” and “universe.” The astral
body means “body from star” or “body from heaven.” When we look at these things,
we can confirm that both East and West have similar views on the heavenly soul,
which is equivalent to the astral body.
Sangjenim said that the heavenly soul emerges from heavenly energy.
But the heavenly soul and the astral body are slightly different. The
astral body is the vessel containing the heavenly soul. The heavenly soul is
much more spiritual and mindful than the astral body. Again, the astral body is
the container that nests the heavenly body. Even though it is different than
physical material, the astral body does involve some concept of material. Also,
the physical body and earthly soul are different. The physical body is the
container that houses the earthly soul. The earthly soul is called such because
it is formed by amassing earth energy.
All life forms in this world exist between heaven and earth. The heavenly
soul is formed by receiving energy from heaven. The earthly soul is formed by
receiving a heavier energy from earth.
What happens when one dies? The heavenly soul that received heavenly energy
ascends to heaven. This occurs because the place of origin is heaven. Similarly,
the earthly soul that received earth energy descends to earth. This is because
the place of origin is earth.
Human Being After Death - Ghostlike Being and Spiritual Being
We often use the term “existence“. In Korean, this term is refer to as
joan-jae. There is a difference between the terms joan and
jae. They both mean “to exist.” Despite their common meaning, their
significance is different.
Joan is used to refer to the formless, spiritual and unseen. On
the other hand, jae is used to refer to the form, material and seen. In
that vein, philosophy explores the world of non-tangible existence. Science
investigates the world of tangible existence.
But the actual nature of the universe includes both form and formlessness:
meaning, the two characteristics of yin and yang coexist. Thus, when we speak of
the existence of nature and its matters, we refer to joan-jae, as it
embodies both concepts of form and formless. We all exist (joan-jae)
through the heavenly soul and earthly soul, as well as the astral body and
physical body. Hence, in Korean, each word embodies profound truth and
philosophy.
The natural principle of heaven and earth and matters in the universe
cannot exceed the bounds of two words: yin and yang. The heavenly soul and
earthly soul are also within the framework of yin and yang.
Sangjenim said “After death, the heavenly soul goes up to heaven and
becomes a spiritual being (shin). . . . The earthly soul returns to
earth . . . [and] becomes a ghostlike being (gwee).”
In Korean, the phrases “a person has returned,” “out of one’s wits,”
“frightened out of one’s senses” are commonly used. They are very interesting
phrases. When someone dies, it is said that the “person has returned.” What this
implies is that upon death, the heavenly soul and earthly soul returned to
heaven and earth, their places of origin. Also, when people are scolded out of
their senses, it is said that they are “out of their heavenly soul” or “out of
their wits.” When they are “frightened out of their senses,” in Korean, it means
that their heavenly soul has fled while there earthly soul dispersed. When you
look deeply into these phrases, you can ascertain that Korean ancestors were
keenly aware of the spiritual realm.
On the other hand, Sangjenim said that after a person lives and dies, and
their heavenly and earthly souls divide and return to heaven and earth, the
spirit that eventually lives in heaven is called a brilliant being because it is
as bright as light.
The world in which these brilliant beings live, the place the heavenly soul
goes after death, is called the realm of brilliant beings, or simply the
spiritual realm.
The death of a person represents their simultaneous birth in the realm of
brilliant beings. Therefore, the day of ancestor ritual for the deceased is the
day of birth in the realm of brilliant beings.
What Does Reincarnation Mean to Our Lives?
I just explained how a human being comes and goes in spiritual and physical
realms. In other words, incarnation is repeated. What then is the significance
of reincarnation?
First of all, when reincarnation is properly understood, a person’s
lifestyle changes. The individual gains a deeper understanding of family
relationships, personal relationships and religious relationships; develops a
new perspective on life in the continuum of previous, present and future lives;
and lives life with more virtue and purpose than before.
Also, a true understanding of reincarnation can help to develop a new
perspective on life’s purpose.
Death is merely a process. In an endless process toward spiritual
advancement, we are living this current life. During countless cycles of
reincarnation, there lies a goal that must be fulfilled at some point. This is
what we call enlightenment.
How long does the cycle of human reincarnation endure? Does it continue
forever alongside the flow of time in the universe? If not, what limitations
does it have? This issue can be unraveled with an understanding of the cosmic
year principle of birth, growth, harvest and rest, revealed to us by Sangjenim.
Human reincarnation concludes with the end of Sun-chun (Early Heaven),
comprising cosmic spring and cosmic summer. During Autumn Gae-byuk, all life
forms stand at a fork in the roads between life and death and receive the
judgement of the universe. Thus, reincarnation closes one stage.
Life and Death of the Spiritual Being
Typically, people who recognize reincarnation refer to the spiritual being
as immortal. However, Sangjenim explained it in the following manner:
For those who practice dao diligently, the essence of their
souls will become densely concentrated. When they ascend to heaven after death,
the essence of their souls will never disperse. For those who do not practice
dao, the essence of their souls will eventually disperse into nothingness like
smoke.
Dojeon 9:29:1-2
Through this we can surmise that the spiritual being also faces life and
death. Ultimately, if a person’s spiritual being does not become one with
natural principles, that is dao, then it will dissipate and disappear. Thus,
death occurs.
The death of a spiritual being implies the extinction of the being that
thinks. When death occurs in this world and the heavenly soul and earthly soul
separate, thinking can still take place. However, when the spiritual being dies,
the host of cognition disappears. This represents the true death of the
spiritual being.
Through Sangjenim’s words, we can grasp the reason why we must ultimately
practice dao and embrace His truth. Over countless cycles of reincarnation, the
spiritual being can die and disappear at any point. But, when dao is practiced
diligently, immortality can be achieved. -http://www.jeungsando.org-
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