Nurturing the Inner Self
by Master Lee Feng San Shifu
Translated by Sophia Lui
Edited by Ric Meyers
Every time there is an election, we see various electoral campaigns taking place. Personally, I am not against campaigns, but they should not go overboard. In fact, before we set out to do anything, we should first take a step back to quiet our minds and gain perspective.
Then, whatever we need to say or do will come naturally to us. In contrast, there are people who have no depth of character, yet try to appear larger than life in order to impress others. These are overly charming people who seem to know what to say and how to say it, but there is very little substance behind their words. Such deliberate attempts will not make others feel reassured. Instead, they will make others nervous.
When we have achieved a certain depth of character, our lives will start to gather momentum, like a snowball rolling downhill. For example, I have never advertised, but nonetheless work continuously on my own growth and development. When someone makes a suggestion and it is seconded by one, two or three other persons, then I would say: “Alright, let’s do it!” In this case, the decision is made by itself, rather than by my whims and fancies. The decision process evolves organically by itself. If what I desire is also desired by others, then success follows.
We must often reflect on our inner development and ask ourselves: “Do I have depth of character? Do I enrich my mind with continuous learning? Do I work towards becoming a person of substance?” If we cultivate our inner self, our hidden potential will gradually reveal itself, and things will start to change around us.
This is a change that cannot be forced but comes about naturally. When there is an inner change, outer circumstances will also change to align with the inner. If there is no inner change, any forced change in the outer environment will only create an imbalance. When our inner does not measure up to the outer, it can be sensed by others and they will not feel convinced or reassured.
Nowadays the name Meimen is synonymous with confidence and reliability. Why? This is because we never resort to gimmicks to promote ourselves, but work continuously on quality improvement. This naturally leads to the formation of an energy which gradually makes itself felt, and which continues to grow and develop. Therefore, people will not only see us as we are but also have confidence in us. In this way, we gradually make ourselves known.
“We should work on cultivating inner depth, and our hidden potential will gradually reveal itself.”— Lee Feng San Shifu