We are human beings living in this reality—living on this Earth—sharing its resources with other living creatures. We don’t control the web of life; we are simply another integral part of it. You are an energetic force with unique consciousness and purpose. And as an energetic force with its own unique consciousness, the earth has its own purpose and mission to fulfill.

I see many patients who believe they are spiritual people. They go to church or synagogue; they may do yoga faithfully for an hour every day. When I hear patients talk about being on a spiritual journey, I ask them, “Are you “in” a spiritual journey or “on” a spiritual journey?” What’s the difference? There is a big difference. This belief helps me open up a new angle for them to recognize that their health issue comes from a much deeper level of their being.

I ask them, “How long can you practice yoga or Taiji? How long can you pray in church or synagogue? How long can you meditate? One hour, maybe two hours? What about the other twenty-two hours when you are not doing these spiritual things? What’s happening when you are not practicing, meditating, praying, chanting or doing other spiritual things? Do you still live the other part of life in a way that honors your beautiful spirit?”

How Deep is Your Faith?

When we are not involved in issues that try our souls, many of us consider ourselves spiritual people. When we are facing chaos or experiencing life and death situations, we have to ask, “How deeply do I allow my spirit to support me during these trying moments? How deep is my faith, trust and belief that events are being guided by my spirit?”

Though many people are interested in spirituality, most are more focused on the material world. It’s understandable; that’s the way our culture has evolved. Think about the messages you hear all day long—they’re all around you! It’s hard to escape even for a little while to hear what our Heart has to say and become peaceful enough to connect to something beyond our five senses.

My suggestion is to slow down a little bit. Take time to watch yourself and how you use your mind to process information and create beliefs. Changing beliefs is a shortcut to real healing. It’s difficult to fully receive messages from your inner self, or your intuition, or even your dreams, when every thought is taken up with why, how, when or how much. Once you ask why, there’s always another why that follows. But do we really do anything with the information? Real questions must come from the Heart.

There are many good books by many masters, religious leaders and spiritual gurus, who explain how to visit the spiritual world, but even these works can’t convey the richness, complexity and singularity of your own spiritual experience. Many of these books use different language to describe the same fundamental truths. The basic requirements are the same. You have to experience the spiritual world for yourself. Faith, trust and belief are essential for this journey. What should we have faith in?

-Grand Master Nan Lu

Excerpted from Digesting the Universe: A Revolutionary Framework for Healthy Metabolism Function