Another success story!

[MJS]

I just want to say to everyone who has helped me, who knows what I have been going through with my chronic fatigue, that I am just about 100% better these days.

In addition to macrobiotics I have been following the dietary recommendations of Hyooong Sunim, a Korean monk in Berkeley, who bases his diet prescriptions on the the elements in your birth chart. He is very accurate and trustworthy -- an old friend of the family -- and this was an important part of my recovery. His system is very compatible with macrobiotics, too; I recommend it for anyone recovering from a serious illness. His website is http://www.zenhall.org

Thanks for the support, everyone...
Mara

[Roy Collins]

You go, girl! Keep up the excellent work and continue to follow your heart and the way of Nature (Tao).

I am curious if Sunim's learning is based on the syncretistic religion called Ch'ondogyo (The Religion of the Heavenly Way) which synthesized some of the essential aspects of Buddhism, Taoism, and Christianity to fight the influence of Confucianism in Korea. Originally Ch'ondogyo was called Tonghak (eastern Learning) founded by Ch'oe Suun in 1860. Essential to this Korean belief system is that man is god. Immortality of soul is denied but the survival of one's character is eternal and limited to the kingdom of heaven on earth. God is equivelent to the meaning of heaven (Haul) which signifies the Totality, like he Chinese Wu Chi and does not represent a personal god. According o Ch'oe Suun: "Heaven and Earth are also Spirit, and Spirit is also Yin/Yang"

In 1894 th Ch'ondogyo revolted against the Manchu's rule in Korea, helping to bring about the end of feudalism in the country. Today the Ch'ondgyo boast about 600,000 members.
See Kim, Yong Choon. "The Ch'ondgyo Concept of Man." Pan Korea Book Corp., Seoul, 1977.

In peace, Roy

[MJS]

This is really interesting...I don't know if Sunim is taught by this religion though. Maybe I'll ask him next time I see him, but that might not be for a while. You could email the Center and ask Jaguang, though, who runs the office; she studied at the same monastery as Sunim.

I just ordered your book from Amazon.com and I'm looking forward to reading it. My mom is my "macrobiotic student" now...she is inspired by all the changes in my health... and she's also taking a religions class that deals with the I Ching... So I think the book could be just 'up her alley', too.