Present Still

  Photo by the author Hearing the Buddha Beyond Philosophy: A Buddhist Perspective on Anxiety and the Illusion of Self For a long time, I thought I understood the Buddhist teaching of non-self . I had practiced with it, reflected on anatta , and believed I had accepted the truth of impermanence in my very bones. But a few days ago, while opening the Saṃyutta Nikāya , something shifted profoundly. It wasn’t like listening to a modern Dharma talk where the edges are often softened for anxious minds. What the Buddha Taught About “I Exist” and Delusion As I traced the lines of the early discourses, the raw clarity of the Buddha’s voice felt immediate—as if He were in the room, pointing directly at the quiet, stubborn voice in my mind. The words were stark, repetitive, and uncompromising: “Monks, the thought ‘I exist’ is delusion. The thought ‘I am this’ is delusion. The thought ‘I will become’ is delusion. The thought ‘I will not become’ is delusion. The thought ‘I will have form’ is d...

  Photo by the author If you struggle with anxiety, racing thoughts, or late-night overthinking, you may have tried to “clear your mind.” But what if trying to stop your thoughts is actually making them stronger? In Buddhism, what we call beonnoe (mental afflictions) often appears in modern life as overthinking, emotional stress, and a restless mind.  Drawing on the wisdom of Venerable Beopsang , a contemporary Korean Zen Master, let’s explore a compassionate way to work with these mental afflictions—without fighting them. The Desire to Eliminate Overthinking Is Itself Another Thought Many people see wandering thoughts and anxiety as obstacles to peace. We try to suppress them, silence them, or cut them off through sheer willpower. But Venerable Beopsang teaches something radical: The very intention to eliminate your thoughts is itself another form of mental affliction. Ten years ago, when I first began meditation, I didn’t really understand what it meant. I had heard that med...

Photo by the author Are you feeling a background tension you cannot fully explain?   There are moments when anxiety quietly shows up, even though nothing seems obviously wrong. Life may look stable from the outside, yet inside, the mind feels unsettled.  It often feels like a background tension that’s hard to put into words. In an earlier reflection, I explored the deeper philosophical question, “Who am I?” through classical Buddhist teachings on ego and identity.  In this writing, I want to approach the same insight from a more practical and psychological perspective—how these teachings can help when anxiety, overthinking, or emotional overwhelm appears in daily life. Why Anxiety Often Appears When Nothing Is Technically Wrong Modern culture encourages people to develop a strong and stable identity. We are taught to define ourselves through work, relationships, achievements, personal goals, and social roles.  While these identities help us navigate society, they al...

  Photo by the author  Beyond all the roles we play and the labels we carry, there is a quiet question that often whispers in the back of our minds: “Who am I, really?”  When modern psychology feels like it’s reached its limit, we can find a deeper sense of relief in ancient wisdom that has comforted human hearts for thousands of years.  Personally, I’ve found that true inner peace often begins not by building a stronger self, but by gently letting go of the heavy “one” we’ve been carrying—a journey guided by the timeless insights of the Buddha and the compassionate teachings of modern masters like Venerable Beopsang and Venerable Wonbin . Here, I want to share a perspective that has helped me breathe again—one that gently loosens the grip of anxiety. “Who am I? What is the world? And what is the relationship between the two?” These three fundamental questions have long stood as the core pillars of human inquiry. For centuries, we have sought to define our existenc...