Harmony Brings Flourishing

Dear Ones,

Confucius taught that the family, including a harmonized husband and wife, is the key for harmony and flourishing. How can a husband perform his duties and responsibilities well? How can a wife be a good wife? How should one deal with other family members—parents, children, brothers, and sisters? Each family member has his or her own responsibilities. Accomplishing one’s own responsibilities and doing well in one’s own tasks will help create a harmonized family. Then, as the ancient spiritual teaching states: A harmonized family will bring flourishing.

Confucius also taught about relationships in the work place. How does one deal with and work under the leaders of any organization? In fact, Confucius also taught that across the whole country, everyone is a brother and sister. Think of the whole country as one big family. Unity and harmony in the whole family are very important.

The fundamental teachings of Confucius can be summarized as follows:

·      Study and research the philosophy and practice of everything.

·      Develop the wisdom and knowledge to understand everything in the universe.

·      Practice honesty and sincerity to others.

·      Purify and cultivate your heart.

·      Purify and cultivate your body.

·      Harmonize the family

·      Transform the country.

·      Create a peaceful society and country.

This ancient teaching is ignored, or not taught enough, in modern-day schools. Modern teaching has emphasized the rational, the scientific, and the pragmatic more than the ethical, the moral, or the virtuous. However, students must be taught standards for being a kind being and pure servant. Students must be given the wisdom that to serve others is a great honor. They need to understand the importance of offering love, forgiveness, peace, harmony, sincerity, and honesty to others. Lack of education about purifying the heart and soul leaves students with no standard in their hearts and minds for being a good person. When they grow up, selfishness, greed, struggles for power, and ego easily occupy their hearts and minds. Therefore, all kinds of problems arise easily.

The process of transformation of consciousness and purification of the heart must start with the babies and children. It must start from every family. In order to create love, peace, and harmony for humanity, Mother Earth, and all universes, purification of the soul, heart, mind, and body must start with the individual and then proceed to every family member, to society, to the country, and finally to all humanity.

With love and blessing,

Master Sha