Enrich Your Inner Self

Xuefeng

Solomon’s treasure captivates us because it contains rare gems, while nature’s extraordinary beauty lies in its endless variety. Supermarkets attract customers with their dazzling array of goods, and a wise person seems unfathomable due to their rich inner world.

In Revelation Chapter, I wrote an article titled “Simplicity + Purity = Beauty.” This simplicity does not mean barren, lifeless, dull, or devoid of charm. It certainly does not imply being completely exposed, and even less does it refer to being simple-minded or foolish. Rather, simplicity means having a rich and orderly inner world, with a pure and beautiful heart that captivates and delights others, drawing them in to linger.

A remarkable piece of writing doesn’t rely on fancy words, and a person of great character reveals only their true nature. Only when someone has a rich inner world can they attain greatness in the most ordinary way. Greatness in the ordinary can be an illusion; pure ordinariness is too simple. Only after crossing mountains, rivers, deserts, and peaks can one finally rest in a kind of ordinariness that is truly exceptional.

In The Legend of Ji Gong, Ji Gong is wealthier than any billionaire. He is so simple—"his shoes are worn, his hat is worn, his robe is also worn”—yet we can never guess how much treasure he holds. He seems to have nothing, but can turn stone into gold. He appears inactive yet accomplishes everything. One could say Ji Gong’s inner world is extraordinarily rich.

Some religious teachers instruct their followers to enter only one gate, read only one scripture, worship only one master, and seek only one form of power. I disagree. If I were a master, I would first encourage my disciples to experience all religions, read every scripture, follow various masters, practice different methods, explore unconventional paths, and taste wild fruits. Only in this way can they gain great wisdom, discern right from wrong, navigate with ease, discover new paths, and ultimately find peace—returning to “the state of the infant, to the boundless,” and to ordinariness.

In other words, don’t just read Marxism—also read the Bible and Buddhist scriptures. Otherwise, you’ll remain stuck in one-sided prejudice. Scientists should learn some spiritual knowledge, and Christians and Muslims should read Buddhist texts. Tibetan Buddhist practitioners could explore teachings from the New Age, like those from Seth and Orin. Those who read the Tao Te Ching could experience Osho’s life and listen to Conversations with God. Qigong practitioners should study feng shui, face reading, astrology, palmistry, onomastics, and the principles of yin-yang and the five elements. Yoga practitioners could delve into the I Ching. Fortune-tellers and spiritualists should learn about quantum physics and the holographic universe. Those who study astronomy and seek extraterrestrial life could explore the vast and wondrous non-material world. Those engaged in meditation and self-cultivation should try practices like Zhong Gong, Falun Gong, Natural Gong, Xuanji Gong, Tai Chi, and other unconventional methods. Seekers who endlessly spin around abstract concepts should occasionally play in the mud with children—there’s Tao in mud play, too! Astute merchants see profit everywhere, while wise sages with enlightened eyes find Zen in everything. Eating, drinking, sleeping, playing cards, and even mahjong are all methods of practicing Tao. Flashes of spiritual insight appear everywhere. In short, enrich your inner self. Plants grow strong with sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide, but they also need nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. A mature life depends on the Greatest Creator, the Tao, and a richly developed inner world. Simplicity is beautiful, but simplicity without knowledge is not only unappealing—it can even be ugly.

The mysteries of nature are wrapped in layers. The merciful Greatest Creator cares for simple creatures and rewards explorers who fearlessly climb. The simpler life is, the better, but the more complex the mind, the better. When we have a rich inner life and appreciate the wonders of both the material and non-material worlds, even simple food like cornbread becomes much sweeter.

Going from simplicity to complexity, and then from complexity back to simplicity—these two types of simplicity are worlds apart. A glass of water is just a glass of water in the first simplicity. But in the second simplicity, it becomes a rich, colorful world full of wonders. Similarly, a person without inner richness is merely a moving object. But a person with a rich inner self is like a magnificent palace filled with rare treasures.

Who would want to interact with a person devoid of thought? Not many. Why? Because they’re too monotonous. Monotony leads to boredom, and boredom is uninteresting.

From the outside, people may seem similar apart from a few differences in appearance. But once you explore their inner world, the differences are vast. There are endless chapters to read, life experiences to explore, landscapes to see, and flavors to savor. A person with rich inner content is fascinating—you might even want to "devour" them. When people say, “I love you to death!” they might be expressing this feeling.

The difference between people lies in their thinking abilities. I divide thinking into eight types: material thinking, image thinking, associative thinking, illusory thinking, visualized thinking, Taiji thinking, formless thinking, and holographic thinking. Each type of thinking is a different realm. The stronger your thinking ability, the closer you are to celestial beings, buddhas, and gods. But to reach higher realms, the best method is to first enrich your inner self. Without ingredients like oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, star anise, Sichuan pepper, cinnamon, cloves, galangal, and black pepper, it’s hard to cook a delicious meal.

Dear ones, enrich your inner self.