Dealing with Change
by Master Lee Feng San Shifu
Translated by Sophia Lui
Edited by Ric Meyers
A friend of ours is passionate about mountain climbing. When he was in his twenties, he was fit — physically and mentally. Together with a few friends, he would spontaneously set out without feeling any need for prior preparations.
But when he reached his forties and fifties, his physical condition was not like it was before. A month prior to any climb, he had to train himself. Each day after work, he would run 5,000 meters to build up endurance. Only after a week of such training did he have the courage to set out for the climb.
Later he started learning Qi Gong and noticed improvements in his physical condition. Not long afterwards, he wanted to go mountain climbing again. At first, he planned to train himself like he always did. But then he decided to use the time practicing Qi Gong rather than running 5,000 meters. Naturally, on the day of his climb, he found himself full of energy. Even his altitude sickness, which usually bothered him, disappeared.
At different times in our lives, we go through physical and psychological changes, but every change is an opportunity for a breakthrough. If we are not afraid to meet these challenges head on, usually our bodily functions and mental state will also undergo transformations during the process.
In the same way, if we reach a bottleneck in our lives, it is time to take intelligent, informed, knowledgeable risks. Only through these wise risks can there be a real breakthrough. If we are prepared for risks, we need not tense up when we meet them. Yet it’s also wise to not go looking for risks — which is simply self-preservation common sense.
In two I-Ching Hexagrams — the Creative Heaven and the Receptive Earth — there are the sayings: “If something develops in the extreme, it will revert into the opposite direction. Destitution is the beginning of prosperity.”
We should let ourselves be guided by these two popular sayings, then, when things come to a natural end, we can let go. We let go because we understand, and therefore do not force ourselves into a dark corner.
“Every change is an opportunity for a breakthrough.” — Lee Feng San Shifu
