How to Develop Unbreakable Self-Discipline | Shi Heng Yi

Summary

Detailed Summary of The School of Greatness Podcast

Episode: How to Develop Unbreakable Self-Discipline

Guest: Master Shi Heng Yi
Host: Lewis Howes
Date: April 3, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of The School of Greatness dives deep into the philosophy and practice of self-mastery, self-discipline, and emotional resilience with Master Shi Heng Yi, a Shaolin master. The conversation centers on how ancient teachings can help navigate the mental barriers of modern life, detailing the "Five Hindrances" that prevent personal growth, actionable strategies to overcome them, and practical advice for manifesting your ideal future with self-discipline and emotional intelligence.

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Main Topics & Discussion Points

1. The Crisis of Modern Self-Discipline

• Lewis frames the problem:
  “I feel like the modern world is lacking self-discipline, self-knowledge, and connection to their authentic selves… it's a constant process of learning, staying accountable, and disciplined.” (01:43)

2. The Five Hindrances to Self-Mastery

Master Shi Heng Yi outlines five classic Buddhist “hindrances” that derail personal progress:

a) Sensual Desire (Positive Emotion as Distraction)

• Positive emotions like fame, sensory pleasure, or indulgence can derail you from your purpose.
• Master Shi Heng Yi:
  “You have a goal on the mind... but along this way, you feel there is that word of fame… suddenly you are replacing your initial goal with something that gave you positive emotions along this way.” (04:32)
• Sensory desire arises from the senses—sight, smell, taste, hearing, touch (07:25).
• Key insight: These distractions aren’t good or bad; they may simply pull you away from your goal. Recognizing their presence is critical.

b) Aversion/Ill Will (Negative Emotion)

• Includes anger, judgments, resentment, and emotional reactivity.
• Master Shi Heng Yi:
  “Ill will is a state of the mind… doesn’t matter if it’s towards yourself or another, it’s always the same ill will... If you don’t pay attention, it’s going to be a hindrance along your way.” (23:35)
• Ill will often arises from greed, hate/jealousy, or ignorance. (33:13)

c) Sloth and Torpor (Laziness and Lack of Energy)

• Loss of momentum, dullness, and physical lethargy or mental apathy.
• Influenced by lifestyle, habits, diet, lack of vision, or both (50:42).
• Small, consistent steps are key to overcoming laziness—massive, unsustainable changes don’t last (54:00).

d) Restlessness/Worry

• The “monkey mind”—constant distraction, jumping between tasks, never going deep.
• Master Shi Heng Yi:
  “You’re maybe having contact with a lot of branches, but it’s very difficult to really focus and concentrate on one thing specifically.” (72:14)
• This lack of presence affects performance at work, at home, and in relationships.

e) Skeptical Doubt

• Lacking belief or confidence in one’s chosen path after deliberation.
• Master Shi Heng Yi:
  “Once you have put something into your mind, don’t let anyone else stop it anymore… don’t doubt anymore.” (77:18)
• Evaluate risks and plans thoughtfully, but once decided, commit fully (78:57).

Notable Quote:

“Whatever you would like to express into the outside world, number one is—you need to have it. This is the baseline, this is the main idea.” – Master Shi Heng Yi (19:58)

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3. How to Overcome the Hindrances

The RAIN Method (Recognize, Accept, Investigate, Non-Identification)

• Recognize: Be aware of the arising hindrance (81:29).
• Accept: Don’t resist or push feelings away—embrace them as your own to effect real change (85:02).
• Investigate: Ask, “Why is this arising? Where did it come from? How was it embedded?” (88:18)
• Non-Identification: Step outside of the feeling; acknowledge that you are not defined by transient states (88:56).
• Master Shi Heng Yi:
  “As long as something is not accepted or not acknowledged, it can’t be changed because it is still outside of you.” (85:02)

Practical Tactics

• Use the breath as a tool—deep breathing combined with intention helps release emotional charge (36:11).
• Employ mantras or affirmations to reorient the mind, e.g., “They don’t know better” coupled with compassion (38:57).

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4. The Path of Manifesting a Dream Future

The “Heaven, Man, Earth” Model

• Earth: The tangible world—your body, food, actions; everything visible and limited (97:22).
• Heaven: The limitless, the realm of the mind and imagination; potential, vision, ideas (100:39).
• Man: The bridge; transforming vision (Heaven) into material reality (Earth) through discipline and action.
• Visualize, then break your goal into actionable, step-by-step plans.
• Make your vision concrete: write it, speak it, set cues in your environment (103:17).
• Understand your current “location”—know your skills, resources, and readiness before charting your path (105:56).

The Role of Discipline & Kung Fu

• Kung Fu: Acquiring skill through hard work—no shortcuts, no outsourcing, only direct experience (106:41).
• “Skills… I have them, and nobody else in this world can copy. If you want to copy, you need to train… like you.” (106:41)
• Progress is individual—people repeat the same mistakes until the lesson is learned. Don’t force others to grow; only help those ready to learn (109:49-111:02).

Balance Between Hardness and Softness

• Maintain a disciplined, “hardened” body/mind, but keep the heart open to love, compassion, and gratitude (127:06).

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5. Practical Wisdom on Self-Discipline and Confidence

Working in Cycles

• Focus on cycles of dedicated effort—deeply immerse in a skill or area for a time, rather than spread energy thin (137:02).
• The deeper the transformation (skin, muscle, tendons, bones), the more time and focus each cycle requires (138:18–141:29).
• Fewer simultaneous goals means deeper transformation and retention.

Affirmation and Fuel for Action

• Every enduring achievement requires not only vision but a fueling affirmation—a personal commitment or sense of mission (120:37).
• Master Shi Heng Yi:
  “I cannot imagine there is one person existing in this world who in some way has achieved something without an affirmation…” (122:43)

The Importance of Mentorship and Hierarchy in Learning

• True learning often requires humility to follow someone further along the path—a willingness to be a student (130:47–133:05).
• “If you want to learn something, there is a hierarchy… there are people who possess what you want to learn, and people who don’t.” (130:47)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Inner vs. Outer Life:
  “Whatever you would like to express into the outside world, number one is—you need to have it.” – Master Shi Heng Yi (19:58)

• On Dealing with Judgment & Ill Will:
  “They don’t know better if they would have more information available, they would maybe see me differently. And together with that physical aspect, this is what I do. …Get rid of that steam, get rid of that air out.” (36:11)

• On Emotional Mastery:
  “Don’t make decisions while you are emotional… Sometimes there are questions you are being asked by people where you feel it puts you under pressure. But maybe think about it. Why do you want to answer it right away?” (46:11)

• On Growth Cycles:
  “If you want to change something about your muscles… 30 days. …The deeper within the field of martial arts we get into our body, until the bone, the longer these cycles become.” (139:47)

• On Manifestation:
  “Only if you work on yourself.” (146:56)

• On Greatness:
  “To impact… beyond yourself… this is not about your own wealth anymore, it has become the wealth of the world... You’re greater than yourself.” (157:07)

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Key Timestamps

• The Five Hindrances Intro: 02:33–11:01
• Example of Mental Preconditioning: 11:01–13:36
• Feelings, Mindset & Self-Mastery: 13:59–19:58
• Ill Will and Managing Emotions: 23:35–38:57
• RAIN Method Overview: 81:29–88:18
• Manifesting Dream Future (Heaven-Man-Earth): 94:50–108:30
• On Failure & Growth Cycles: 109:34–119:49
• Affirmations & Motivation: 120:37–123:29
• Practical Training Cycles: 137:02–141:44
• On Gratitude: 142:54–147:28
• Three Truths for Life: 150:33–152:36
• Definition of Greatness: 157:03–157:44

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Actionable Takeaways

• Recognize when you are in a hindered mental state—don’t judge it, but accept and work with it.
• Practice breathing and intention-setting for emotional regulation.
• Structure your life into learning cycles, deeply focus on one area at a time.
• Anchor your actions in meaningful affirmations or mission statements.
• Seek mentors or teachers for growth—be willing to learn in humility.
• Embrace balance: pursue physical discipline and mental mastery, but continually return gratitude, love, and community to the center of your life.

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Three Life Lessons from Master Shi Heng Yi

1. The Flower in the Pot:
   Symbolizing nonverbal wisdom, connection with nature, and the power of presence.
2. Keep Community:
   “It’s not necessary to always be right. It’s more important to have backup if you’re not right.”
3. It’s Repeating:
   Growth, learning, and life patterns continuously repeat—embrace the process.

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Closing Definition of Greatness

“To impact… beyond yourself… the wealth of the world, the peace of the world… You’re greater than yourself.” (157:07)

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Connect & Learn More

• Shaolin.Online – Programs, 12-month course, and resources.
• Instagram: @shaolin.online
• Facebook: Shaolin Temple Europe

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This summary synthesizes the rich, philosophical, and practical guidance shared in this episode to help listeners (and those who missed it) explore, embody, and sustain unbreakable self-discipline in their personal and professional lives.

Transcript

[Master Hong Yi]

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[Lewis Howes]

I'm so excited that you're here because I feel like the modern world is lacking self discipline, self knowledge, and they're lacking connection to their authentic selves as human beings. And I've been there in my life where I've lacked these things as well. And it's a constant process of learning, staying accountable and disciplined to these teachings that you have. So I'm very excited that you're here and I want to make this a very special long format episode and interview. And I want to ask you first about the five hindrances that you've talked about online before. These hindrances that hold people back from mastering themselves and their inner world. I'm curious if you can talk about what those five are first.

[Master Hong Yi]

Yes. So when it comes to developing something about yourself, it doesn't matter what it is. If it is just following up in becoming great in any type of sport, or even if you want to build up like a small community or something for yourself, it's about if you want to go somewhere, if you have a goal and want to go somewhere, along this way you will meet different type of hindrances that we call that will sometimes make it difficult for you to, let's say, reach the goal where you would like to go and to very easily explain it. One way, for example, is if you are too easily being caught by positive emotions.

[Lewis Howes]

Which type of positive emotions?

[Master Hong Yi]

All types. That is raising something inside of you that you are relating to that feels really good now, but it takes you out of your ordinary. So that means you have a goal on the mind, what you want to achieve. You start walking, you start doing your jobs and your obligations. But along this way you are meeting a distraction which is giving you a lot of positive emotions. Because you are in that average state of the mind that overall, let's say normal state of the mind. Now, if it takes you out of the average of being positive, it's very easy for us that we get attached to these type of feelings. So what ultimately means you're going to lose track of your goal? Because you would prefer right now to spend more time with all of these things that give you positive emotions.

[Lewis Howes]

Can you give an example of one of these positive emotions or a situation

[Master Hong Yi]

that someone might have positive emotions? For example, let's take a very nice one, fame. Yes, you have a goal in the mind, what you want to achieve, but along this way you feel there is that word of fame. And so what does it mean? It means you are getting the views, you're getting the sight of different people. And now you are encountering something that you haven't planned about it before, but now that you meet it and now that you feel it, that it's this type of fame that you could get from the people. Well, now the question still is if you can stick to your initial plan or not, or is the fame going to move in front of all of this and it's not your mission anymore that was important to you, but now suddenly you are replacing your initial goal with something that gave you positive emotions along this way.

[Lewis Howes]

Right? So the positive emotion is that the first thing that could be a hindrance for you?

[Master Hong Yi]

I definitely think it is something that you need to consider as a human. If you walk through this lifetime, I want to build something which is out of the ordinary. You are 100% going to meet various positive emotions. And one of them is just that example that I brought right now. But it can also be very simple things that your eyes are catching the attraction too. Quickly, about things that look beautiful, about things around you that taste too great, that smell too good. So that means it's very easy, especially nowadays with all of the advertising being around, to lose your awareness in the outside. In the outside distractions, let's call it that. Like this.

[Lewis Howes]

So I think, is this what you call sensual desire? Is this like having too much sensual desire? These positive emotions around the senses? Yes, that could distract you, for example.

[Master Hong Yi]

And why is it called sensory desires? Because those desires are based on our five senses, for example. Because just think about it in very simple terms. Everything in this world where you say I like it or I dislike it, those things happen only on five different levels. Either you see something that you start to judge, you smell something that you start to judge. You taste something, you hear something, or you feel something. So it's the five senses actually that

[Lewis Howes]

are

[Master Hong Yi]

building the bridge between what we regard as the outside impacts and what you internally are then afterwards reacting to. And this is not to say that sensory desire is good or bad. It's really important to understand. I'm not talking about good or bad. I'm talking about if you have a specific goal on your mind, there are things that can happen to you which will be useful to have. And there are other things that are going to hinder you along this way.

[Lewis Howes]

Hindrances?

[Master Hong Yi]

Yeah, hindrances. And so right now it's not about good or bad, it's about a hindrance. If you have a goal, just take care that these things are existing, the positive emotions, just like the negative emotions. Negative emotions, meaning you have a goal. You are already preparing yourself to go there. But now things are becoming difficult. Your daily schedule is not going according to plan, how you wrote it down in your schedule. Things are coming in that you didn't expect because you didn't expect it and maybe are not prepared for. Can easily happen that you are getting stressed out by so many different impacts. So that means there are now events coming along this way that are giving you, that are raising negative emotions inside of you. And so what does it also mean? It means that the chances at these type of mental states, it's easy right now to find an argument and give up and stop the journey. And this is exactly. It's the five hindrances of the mind. What I'm talking about is mental states. Beware of your mental state. Now, sometimes in different traditions, you hear it already. We have the body and the mind. Sometimes you also have traditions where we talk about the body, your thoughts and your emotions. So now you suddenly have three areas. You can make as many areas as you would like because these are just concepts. They are there to help us humans just get into the right direction that you can work with. And now the reason why very often we are only in our tradition, say there's the body and the mind and are not separating anymore into the feelings is simply because of this feeling and mindset mental state and the way how you feel. I think they are very, very close related to each other. And what you can try to just observe about yourself is the feeling, no matter what it is very, very often is just the postponed, let's say the postponed reaction of what way before that was already implemented inside or cultivated inside the mind.

[Lewis Howes]

Can you give me an example of that?

[Master Hong Yi]

Yes. You go to any type of meeting where you have persons that you maybe meet for the first time. Just choose any of them. Before you talk to this person, sit somewhere in the corner, always observe the person and pay attention to everything that you can criticize. So that means consciously educate the mind to always find the mistakes in that person. Yeah, look how he dresses, look how

[Lewis Howes]

he's walking, look how sloppy is this

[Master Hong Yi]

talking, look how he's behaving. And just make this project, this idea always over and over again towards this person. A judgment, a judgment before you even go to that person. So before that, just use it as an experiment. And then after some time really go to that person, even without talking to him or her and just feel what is it? What type of feeling do you have when you are standing now next to this person? And it is my, yes, it is my belief that you can either choose how you judge the people, you can continuously pre condition your mind that your feelings are going to follow in this direction, or you precondition your mind in general towards people around you, towards this world in a completely different way as

[Lewis Howes]

well, in an empowering way, a positive way, a way that supports you in building a relationship or a connection.

[Master Hong Yi]

Right. For example. So what I'm saying is the way how you feel meeting people, getting into a situation and then saying, see, I told you it's going to be like this. No, it's like this because you before that decided already it's going to be like this.

[Lewis Howes]

Right. It's interesting because when I meet people, like for today when you were coming here, I just said to myself, I'm excited to connect with you. I'm excited to learn. I'm excited to learn about your lifestyle and your lessons. And that excitement when you walked in, I was excited and I enforced that Belief of thinking, that prejudgment of excitement to learn. So hopefully you felt that excitement. Right? As opposed to who's this guy, you know, this Shaolin master and what does he know? And you know, I didn't come in with that belief system. Is that correct?

[Master Hong Yi]

Yes. Thank you very much.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah, so that's a. That's a good example. So I love this feeling and mindset conversation which influences the other. Is it the thinking that influences the feelings or the feelings which reinforce and influence the thinking?

[Master Hong Yi]

I'm sure that this could definitely lead to any type of scientific discussion. What I'm saying is the easiest way to test for yourself without trying out too much, reading too much is just like this. Next time you go into this situation or you have a feeling coming up inside of you, no matter which one it is, just ask yourself, where is the root of that feeling right now? Could it be that the way how you feel right now in regards to that situation, what is your relation? What did you thought about this type of situation, let's say weeks before, months before, in the past? When was the last time you had such a type of situation? Is it the first time you go into this situation and actually you just heard from your friends, from your parents, from your teacher, this type of situation exists and then you need to be careful of this and that. So where is that feeling rooted in? And this you can do with many, many things. And what we call in our language or in what we are doing nowadays, this idea of why is it called self mastery? Because it is something you need to discover about yourself. It is not something other people are going to discover about you. It is you take the time and watch yourself. This is the. This is the path to go. Sometimes we call it also turn the view inwards. Because you see, there's this nice picture. It's always something goes wrong and then it's always easy to say yes because of you, you and you. It's always easy. That one, the hard part in this world is this one. It's the hard part and it is the one that opens the greatest doors.

[Lewis Howes]

I'm curious, what have you been looking inward at yourself over the last few months that you've been able to see in a different perspective that is opening up for you personally, whether as a master teacher or as a human being or a friend, or what are you seeing and learning about yourself at this season of life?

[Master Hong Yi]

So it's not just in the last month, let's say, I do think that it is a progress. The general idea Is that from time to time, it absolutely makes sense to take that conscious decision, okay, I have a family, I have friends, I need to take care of them. I need to take care also of my job. So that means you are investing a lot of your lifetime trying to support, trying to build up, trying to establish something, let's say, outside of you. At the same time, what we then have is that teaching of Yin and Yang. Everybody knows that symbol. Okay, what does it mean? Inside and outside, up and down, black and white, hot and cold, success and failure, outside, inside, belong together. And so besides the time that you spend outwardly oriented, I think it is normal and it's necessary. There is, I think there is no choice to decide from time to time for yourself that you take your personal breakout, your personal timeout. You can take care, of course, but you also need to take care of yourself in the first place. So reason for that, until I come back to the question, you're responsible for your team, you're responsible for your employees, you're responsible for your family, you're responsible for your children. Responsibility, what is it essentially? Is it the way how you behave or is the behavior which comes out of a responsible feeling what we're talking about? So that means how can you be responsible for something around you if inside of yourself, your body, in the world of your feelings, you don't know, how does responsibility feel? So that means we're talking about. It's a feeling just like you love the world. How can you love the world if inside of you, you do not carry the feeling of love? Why is it important to respect your parents, to be thankful and grateful towards your parents? Because if the people that granted you this life right now, you are not even grateful for to who else you want to be grateful in this world then?

[Lewis Howes]

Interesting.

[Master Hong Yi]

And these, let's say, feelings that are mentioned sometimes we also call them, these are qualities of the heart. Because the heart we know, it's like, it goes very deep. Yes, because it's related to how you feel. So the point is, whatever you would like to express into the outside world, number one is you need to have it. So this is the baseline, this is the main idea.

[Lewis Howes]

So if you want to express love to the outside world, you must have love within you.

[Master Hong Yi]

Yes.

[Lewis Howes]

But if you don't, if you have anger within you, it's going to be hard to express it to your friends, your family or the world.

[Master Hong Yi]

Yes, but that's way easier because anger is something people are sure how this anger feels nowadays with the other attributes they are not so easy. Because anger from its quality, it's a quality that naturally starts to separate things, actions out of anger, thoughts out of anger. What is their nature? The nature is you are separating stuff, you're protecting yourself.

[Lewis Howes]

Is that right?

[Master Hong Yi]

Yes. Loving is not the way of separating. Loving. If you carry love inside you always, let's say, understand you, me, in a way, we come from different mothers, we come from different areas, but there's still something that's connecting us. And so that means even if you have been mean to me, acting out of love or acting out of the feeling, no matter what, still we are connected is different. And so this is what I regard as being really important to cultivate. First of all, before we, let's say, do too, too big stuff on the outside world. And this is the point where it comes back again to this personal retreat, to the time where you watch inside yourself. What do you have inside of yourself? What is your. Yeah, take off your clothes, take off the jewelry, take off the tattoos you have on the body, look into the mirror and then just see who is standing there. If you take off everything that, let's say, artificially came on top of your being, take everything away and then what is it that you see in the mirror? Do you see? There is the loving heart inside. There is the strength or the willpower inside this body. There is the discipline inside this body. There is a loyal person standing. There is pride inside of this. And these are all things. How do I put my pride here on the table? How do I put my discipline here on the table? This is the area now where we talk about. These are things, they just don't belong to the world of forms. Nevertheless, these are things that make the human being like human. And this is the special part that meanwhile there are just methods where such attributes, such virtues can be developed.

[Lewis Howes]

Right. One of the other things you talked about that I've seen you talk about online, about mastering the inner self and the things that hold people back is ill will. And I think it's like if you look in the mirror and you say, oh, there's anger inside of me, there's judgment inside of me. Is that also associated with ill will? Is it towards yourself, towards others, to the world? What does that mean, ill will to the mental state?

[Master Hong Yi]

Whatever triggers it is pretty irrelevant. It's sometimes also just think about it, when we were young and we didn't get what we wanted, we became angry. As a teenager, somebody took something away from you, you got angry. Nowadays, 21st century, somebody takes something away from you, you are angry. The reasons why this anger came up, always different, but the anger is always the same. The anger you feel today is the same anger that you felt when you were in young ages. So that means there might be the feeling that outside circumstances are triggering something inside of you. Yes, it's triggering something, but what eventually comes up is what you have not been able to adjust in the proper way yet. And the same is like ill will. Ill will is a state of the mind. It's not just doesn't matter if it's towards yourself, towards another person, towards an animal, towards your colleagues, it's always the same ill will. It is something inside of you which if you don't pay attention to, is going to be a hindrance along your way of walking.

[Lewis Howes]

How do we heal or integrate ill will so that it's no longer inside of us? How do we re. Evaluate it, mend it, heal it, go beyond it?

[Master Hong Yi]

Go beyond it, I think is the more proper expression because this is now really playing with the words. But it's still important because we don't try to get rid of all of these things. You don't want to get rid of the body, that it's never going to be inside of your body anymore. You don't want to get rid of your jealousy when it comes up. You don't want to get rid of the joy that you feel. You don't want to get rid of your feelings. You want to have a very great variety of different feelings that you can tap into. The only thing which makes the difference is if you are tapping into this world of feelings consciously or if that world of feelings is just unconsciously imploding inside of you. This makes the difference. And so to overcome it means to realize it is there. Yeah. But now, like sometimes what to do, you need to find something, a state of your. The state of level on which you are coordinating, which means you have to stand above you. Learn to get into a perspective where you are standing above you, which means this is not about you at the moment. This is not about you. Stand above is about you. See? Okay, you see, that person at the moment has an issue. How would you, as somebody watching at you, help him?

[Lewis Howes]

How would you coach. Guide?

[Master Hong Yi]

How would you coach yourself? Guide yourself to the better version. And this is what it only means to sometimes de. Identify yourself with this one.

[Lewis Howes]

Yes.

[Master Hong Yi]

If you are caught inside here, I think it becomes difficult.

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[Lewis Howes]

There's a. There's some neuroscience that talks about that, you know, we're really good at being a negative or a critical coach to ourselves and putting ourselves down in those situations as opposed to stepping aside and coaching from a different perspective to ourselves. And there's neuroscience that backs the importance of that as a tool to go beyond it as well. So I think it's really important. How do you, how often do you feel these emotions or feelings of ill will, anger, jealousy, frustration? How often do you feel them and how do you teach or coach yourself beyond them?

[Master Hong Yi]

If I want to, I can tap inside of it right away and my whole day is filled with it. No matter where I watch around on the street, there's no problem at all for me to generate the feeling that ill will starts to dominate. Really? Yes.

[Lewis Howes]

At any moment you could go there?

[Master Hong Yi]

Yes.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah.

[Master Hong Yi]

It's just then I asked, but then I just asked this feeling that you are in, huh? If you. Does it feel good?

[Lewis Howes]

No.

[Master Hong Yi]

You know, and then the point is just like this, that it doesn't even feel good to be in it, you know, so if we would say ill will, if at least it would give you something by staying inside that state of the mind, at least then I would understand. But if you watch at it, there is nothing positive, zero. There is no benefit to yourself and there is especially no benefit to the people around you that this ill will is going to cause. That means what is the first thing that I do when I realize, let's say I have this feeling, first of all I need to know from what does it come? What is it at moment that triggers it? So I try to identify very quickly what is at the moment, the source that is triggering it.

[Lewis Howes]

What is usually the source for you in a situation that triggers ill will? Is it injustice? Is it someone treating someone poorly? Is it someone with a lot of money that triggers you, like, what's the root trigger?

[Master Hong Yi]

Actually, this is now a question where, for example, I say it's so super helpful if you already have, let's say, some type of concept, some type of teachings, they tell you already where it comes from very simply. And this ill will to 100% in all its different variation, that it comes in this world mainly from three reasons.

[Lewis Howes]

What are these?

[Master Hong Yi]

Either from greed, greed of not getting more than you want, hate or jealousy of not getting what you want. And sometimes it's called, let's say ignorance or not knowing. Greed, hate, ignorance and especially ill will easily falls into one of these categories or sometimes a combination of these things. So ill will can be why does he, why does he get it? I deserve it. Why you deserve it because you think about yourself. You are the more hard working person in this room. So what is that combination? In that combination it is like there's unfairness from your subjective view, unfairness, jealousy, no respect towards yourself. So which then also can maybe mean a low level of self esteem, self con of self confidence, a lack of it. So it's very often like a variety of these attributes, I think.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah.

[Master Hong Yi]

But ultimately broken down, I think that's it. Greed, hate, not knowing when does ill

[Lewis Howes]

will enter your emotions free you personally? Like what it. What is it that you see where you feel it for a moment? Obviously it sounds like you know how to catch it and go beyond it pretty quickly. But when it happens to you, what do you struggle with?

[Master Hong Yi]

I would say then when it is like a very subjective. I have to say yes, that because this is the reason why I always catch myself back and why then afterwards is not so bad anymore anymore, but subjective unfairness, unfairness, unfairness in the fairness in the world.

[Lewis Howes]

Or is it some like a jealousy unfairness like oh, they have something.

[Master Hong Yi]

No, it's not that about they have something. It's about they project something upon you not knowing the full truth.

[Lewis Howes]

Ah, so unfairness towards you, for example. Gotcha. Yeah. Maybe someone's judging you or has an opinion or criticism that they don't have the full story or the wisdom or the. They don't know you.

[Master Hong Yi]

Yes, right.

[Lewis Howes]

And so that's. So when that happens, when you feel judged or criticized or there's an unfairness about you personally, they don't know better. How do you not let it ruin your day or stay in the emotions of anger or frustration or unfairness? How do you go beyond it?

[Master Hong Yi]

Personally, I breathe in deeply and I breathe out and this sounds super ridiculous, but if you really ask me how do I cope with such situation, this is meanwhile what I do. I am very aware that I have it right now and I combine my breath, meaning something is getting out of me together with my deep intention and with my deep connection of the mind together with the breath. First of all, they don't know better if they would have more information available, they would maybe see me differently. And together with that physical aspect, this is what. What I do. This is the first. And it's like a valve before you start imploding, before something starts to rise too much and the pressure builds up. First of all, get rid of that steam, get rid of that air out. And that's why it sounds very ridiculous sometimes to really say, just breathe out. But it's not about the breath only. It's about how serious. Mm. Are you living different type of teachings and methods, and if you are able to learn to combine the breath with an intention, work with intention more consciously, then I think it's very, very possible to get into an area where breath becomes everything to you.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah, I'm a big believer in breathing, meditation strategies, whatever. Meditation and breathing strategies work for you, but having some type of breathing practice where you slow down the breath, I feel like benefits all human beings. And there's lots of different strategies and styles of breathing. But I think focusing on the intention and the breathing combined, like you said, is extremely powerful. I'm curious if someone is feeling anger, unfairness, or any emotion around ill will about something that's happened to them and they feel this is unfair and they have this anger or defensiveness. You talked about the breathing. What is the intention that they can think of during those moments? 60 seconds, 10 minutes, however long it takes to go beyond it. What is the intentional thought while they're in that stressful. The heart is pounding. I don't like this. I want to break free of this. What can they think or say internally along with the breath to help them go beyond?

[Master Hong Yi]

This is sometimes what people then refer to as a mantra can be helpful. So especially in such moments, you have something you always tell to yourself, continuously repeat. And now these can be different things. If you merge together the thought they don't know better, together with the cultivation of a hard quality of compassion inside of you, then I think even this thought together with that heart quality and the breath has a very powerful impact. And this is why initially I said about there are hard qualities.

[Lewis Howes]

Hard qualities.

[Master Hong Yi]

Hard qualities, yes. So that means this is why it's helpful. To really, from time to time, make clear to yourself again. So the greatest love you have ever felt in this lifetime, how did it feel? How does it feel? So if somebody would ask you nowadays, when was the moment you really felt love? Well, first of all, you can't make it on the go. Second of all, even probably people nowadays are ashamed of even getting into this state of being while other people are Watching around. This is why you need to do these practices alone, where nobody is watching you and where are you sure you are only with yourself. And there what you do, you start to travel. You travel into the world of your memories and you travel into everything that you are still able to recall in your mind that has happened in the past when somebody hugged you, your father, your mother, your grandfather, your first girlfriend, your first boyfriend, it doesn't matter. Recall the situation where you think, this was the greatest feeling I have ever felt when I hear about that word, love. So then at least in the 21st century, you are at least recalling it again and now know maybe how it feels. And after you have this feeling now you ask yourself if something like this is existing and you would have the chance that the people in this world can choose in which state of being would you yourself personally would like to live? And what would you wish the others to live in? I think you will only if you are intelligent. You will only come up with one answer which is for all of them. And this is the reason why out of that loving feeling arises then what we call compassion, which means I know how great this feeling is. So that's why maybe I know in which direction I would like to guide my life, to finally have this feeling, let's say more in my life. And now you walk around and then you see people that are obviously sad, that are obviously having issues day in, day out and busy with their mind, and you see how they are suffering. And because you see it and now have this direct comparison to yourself, this is why it becomes so much easier now that you are not going to act anymore out of ill will. So the ill will is only there because you are not at that level yet where you can stand above it. Easily said, yeah.

[Lewis Howes]

Feel the love and the compassion for yourself and others at the same time. It's really hard to do though, right? When you feel like someone is against you, attacking you, hurting you, hurting someone you care about, saying mean things about you, nasty lies about you, judging you, it's hard to have the feeling of love and compassion in those moments because you feel like this is unfair, this is not right, this is not just. Why don't they just stop it?

[Master Hong Yi]

Yes, exactly in that moment. That's why if you feel like moments are too overwhelming for you, number one is get out of the situation. If we get into big argument right now and you feel like, no, this is too overwhelming, I would now really start get out of the room, number one. So something very practical.

[Lewis Howes]

Yes.

[Master Hong Yi]

If something is Too overwhelming. Then we say get distance first of all. Get distance. Now this is a nice part. For example, that our abbot, for example, in the monastery also teach us. He always said, you need to be able to adjust room and time. You need to be able to learn and adjust space and time. Yes, sounds very philosophical. But space and time means if we are in an argument, a big one, I want space first of all. So that means I have distance to observe. That is the space. And I want time because time lets me think more clearly if I'm not under pressure. If you have someone that you really don't like, then vice versa, you also know exactly what to do. Then if he's a friend, he or she is a friend. You always give room and time.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah.

[Master Hong Yi]

If you want to make enemies, you steal room and space. You don't let them move and you don't give them time to react. This is how you treat enemies.

[Lewis Howes]

Wow. You pressure them.

[Master Hong Yi]

You pressure them.

[Lewis Howes]

You lock them in, you confine them. Yeah.

[Master Hong Yi]

Because this is what it is.

[Lewis Howes]

Wow.

[Master Hong Yi]

What arises out of that situation if you put people under pressure is something that is overwhelming them. And overwhelming means your emotions are not under. That's your own control, which makes you vulnerable.

[Lewis Howes]

Right.

[Master Hong Yi]

That is like the, the point behind this. So another thing to just keep in mind, no matter what type of emotion it is that we are sometimes feeling, is you don't take decisions while you are emotional. Next one.

[Lewis Howes]

Don't make decisions while you're emotional. Yeah.

[Master Hong Yi]

And you know, I understand sometimes people in certain areas, fast paced areas, where like time is money. Yeah. I don't have time to think about. Yeah. And so meanwhile, we really have this culture where like somebody walks in, gives me a question and expects the answer right away. And I'm always asking myself, why can't you just, to some, to some questions, just say, let me think about it, I'm going to come back to it tomorrow.

[Lewis Howes]

Right.

[Master Hong Yi]

So that means sometimes there are questions you are being asked by people where you feel it puts you under pressure. But maybe think about it. Why do you want to answer it right away? What's the point? To give the answer right away, Especially if it's an important answer. I personally would prefer if I would come up to you with a really important question. I would even prefer for you to tell me. Okay, that is something I cannot just decide on the spot. Let me think about it and tomorrow we're gonna talk about it.

[Lewis Howes]

Right.

[Master Hong Yi]

And then also for me, I have no problem to say, okay, let's talk tomorrow. And this Is also something where nowadays it's. Yeah, a lot of pressure is coming from. From these type of things that unconsciously you just give answers for the sake of giving answers, whereas it would be better to just wait.

[Lewis Howes]

Wait on it. Yeah. Think about it. Speaking of, you mentioned enemies for a second ago. What is the Shaolin philosophy around enemies? When you're not in an actual physical war, when you're not in combat, when you're not fighting for your life, but there is a potential enemy psychologically, business relationship, whatever, family friend who's feeling like an enemy. What is the philosophy of the Shaolin Way on how to approach an enemy when it's not a physical attack?

[Master Hong Yi]

If we're really not talking about physical attack, then I think it's very easily expressed that we are right now in the field of Buddhist teachings or of Chan or Zen teachings, which means it is about the mind. We are only talking right now about psychological aspects and every confrontation that you are feeling inside the mind. For me personally, what it means is if something is resonating and is still triggering me mentally and therefore also emotionally, the only thing it means is that is one of the next areas I need to learn to adjust. This is my initial. I don't know what else to say.

[Lewis Howes]

That's the lesson. It's more adjusting within you, not them.

[Master Hong Yi]

No, no. The reason why they are there is to show you your weakness.

[Lewis Howes]

What was your biggest weakness that you had to overcome as you started to grow up? You know, studying martial arts, living in the modern world, and then becoming, you know, a teacher, a student in the temple? What was the biggest inner enemy that you faced and overcame, or you're still in the practice of overcoming it seriously,

[Master Hong Yi]

is still the five hindrances because it is just something common. So, for example, one of the next hindrances is laziness. Very easily, the lack of energy, meaning you have great ideas, you have great plans, all of this, but the spark to put you under fire is just not there.

[Lewis Howes]

Why do so many people lack the spark to act, to launch, to build momentum, to be consistent? Why do so many people lack that energy, desire and stay lazy or dull?

[Master Hong Yi]

I think it's a combination of the way of life people have lived before and the lack of vision, what lies in front of them. So both of these things. So what I mean by that is not always is just like, let's say, the physical appearance of that laziness, of that dullness, of that heaviness. It's apparent, but why is it there? And this has so many different Variations. Now, when you look into the past, it can really be because of the food that you're eating, because the lack of movement that you're having, because of your habits, whatever type of habits it is that caused you to now end up in that body, which is at the moment pretty inefficient. Yes. To generate fire. You know, I have to say, sometimes in my, in my spare time, I, I like to build engines. Really, I build engines, I build race engines. And there for me, if I look at it, I really like that similarity. You want that engine to perform well. One of the things that then normally needs to be optimized is, number one, airflow, the intake, and then also the amount of the air that gets in there, the quality of it. That's why on the engine, we filter it. So but now it comes to us, what are you breathing in? How is it with your lung capacity, how much of your lung capacity are you able to really use? How clean are you inside of it? Because what is it eventually that, with that oxygen that we are taking in, what is it that you are burning and try to make into energy? There are a lot of things that you can eat and try to burn, but the quality of this energy is very little. There is other food. They have a very, very high amount of energy once you burn them. So that means, of course, these things that diet has an effect also on the dullness of the body. This is the one thing. And now looking into the future, well, if you are expecting fast results, this is, you know, looking out into the world. What comes fast goes fast. And especially something that is changing the status quo of your life, your lifestyle, let's say something that is changing it too quickly. It is like, let's just say at the moment I visit you, I see you like this, in one month, I come back and you might have 30 kg more on muscles. I know whatever you did, it was not good.

[Lewis Howes]

It was too fast.

[Master Hong Yi]

Yeah, because all these quick changes also when we look outside sometimes, I mean, let's just take the earthquake or the tsunamis or a lightning strike, anything like this. The natural forces, they don't tell you one month before that they are coming. The problem is when they come, they very often have this destructive character. Not always, but often. And when it comes now to creating our way of life, when it comes to the transformation of ourselves, at least in my worldview, I take this into consideration. Meaning I don't even expect myself to make huge jumps quickly because I just feel like, okay, that might just not be sustainable. That Might not just be something that is helpful on the long run and therefore to take pressure away from you, make small steps. And this is what I mean by how far is your view on your future vision of what you want to achieve there?

[Lewis Howes]

How far should we be thinking out in terms of our vision or our mission? Is it based on the season of life we're in? You know, if we're 18 years old and we're going to school, we should just be thinking out, you know, the next four years or should we be thinking out five, 10, 20 years? Because so much can change so quickly in life and situations and.

[Master Hong Yi]

Okay. I can only talk about myself. Yes. And I have to say I'm a dreamer.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah.

[Master Hong Yi]

Yeah. I'm a dreamer and a visionist. A visionary, probably. I don't know how you call it.

[Lewis Howes]

Visionary.

[Master Hong Yi]

Visionary. My dream, my way of seeing this world where I am embedding in is super huge. That's why, of course, you can always say, yeah, but this is just your imagination. Yeah. Yes. Which is your most powerful source, your ability to put something into your own mind where nobody else has impact on. And only you know that day in, day out, you just still walk this path and feel for yourself how it's been getting real because it's unbroken, because there's nobody who can interfere. It's all small things. And probably I can just say that maybe to try it out. Okay. Of course you should not, like, dream too big, which is like, unrealistic, let's say like this. Of course not. But a vision that there is something you can bring out about yourself that this world has not seen yet. This is something which is quite appealing to me and is therefore also something that I also, let's say, continuously practice and keep on the mind. And now comes the. But whatever vision and dream you have upon yourself that you are projecting upon yourself, I do think that you need to have at the same time a commitment. And first on, for example, the commitment. And what are you going to do with that identity of yours if you're going to get there?

[Lewis Howes]

So you mean a commitment of like the daily actions you're going to take that you're committed to, or once you're there, what are you going to do with it?

[Master Hong Yi]

The commitment. Now, very clearly you are creating because you want to help.

[Lewis Howes]

To serve.

[Master Hong Yi]

Yes.

[Lewis Howes]

To help others. Yes.

[Master Hong Yi]

You are not creating any identity of yours in order to harm. Because I think if this is what your initial intention is, then I think the penalty will come.

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[Lewis Howes]

Quince.com Louis what if you're in. Your intention is to only serve yourself, is to look good, to make money for you, to get famous for you, to buy things for you because you want to be successful, but you're not including doing it in the service of other people as well. What happens when it's only about me?

[Master Hong Yi]

You might reach it in this lifetime, but if you bring this one to an end or if you continuously go there in my vision, not only in this lifetime, yes, you're going to be lonely. You're gonna have everything you want. You're gonna have everything that blinks. You have all the reputation. It's all great. Everything you ever dreamt of, you have it. What you don't have is something that gives you real stability, something that gives you real value in this life.

[Lewis Howes]

What is that?

[Master Hong Yi]

I think it is something that can't be taken off from you. I think it is the connection to other fellows. It's the connection to people, to humans, to animals, to this world and ultimately the connection of this life and what happens with this person, if he only lives this way of life, he's going to repeat himself. Why repeat? Or what do I mean by repeating? Now I jump a little bit, but sometimes this life seems to me is like a video game. And if you're at level one and continuously fail at level one, you're never going to move up to level two and get into touch with the next challenges of life. So if somebody is still stuck on the material level of wanting this and that, so really materialistic, this is really the basic plane. This is a very, very basic plane. This is like level one. Sometimes it's necessary, you need to have it first. And then your relationship towards these things starts to shift and suddenly you find yourself that now it's not these things anymore that start to matter to you. Now suddenly since you're in level two now, you're starting to ask yourself, okay, now it's not material things anymore. But I love my wife, I love my husband, I love my children, I love my dog, I love the jobs, I love my employees. But they are getting sick. They are starting to die away. This is now starting in level two to trouble you. So now it's the time. Figure out a way. How do you walk through this lifetime figuring out these challenges of life that our ancestors lost people, our future generations are going to lose beloved people? It's nothing new. How do you learn despite the fact of death is existing? How can you still find something about yourself to still keep going, stay strong and still keep going and supporting and helping despite of these things? And then maybe level two, you manage to find a way for yourself, and then you're going to be exposed to the next type of challenges that this life is giving to you. So what I'm talking about is that I'm not sure if life is getting easier. I just think that you are becoming more mature, you are becoming more skillful in order to tackle the challenges of life. I think this is what ultimately for me at least seems to me like this.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah, it's. It's learning to become a better leader for yourself. It's developing these skills, overcoming the challenges. So that I think I heard you say, like, life doesn't get easier, you just get stronger and you can manage it with more peace and grace as these challenges and pains come to you. Right? When do you think is the easiest time in life? When you're younger or when you're older?

[Master Hong Yi]

When you're younger out of just the fact that you have not learned yet and have not been exposed yet to all of these adult ideas of what you are supposed to do with your life.

[Lewis Howes]

How do you manage the level that you're at now? I'm not sure what level you're in in the video game. Is it level 7 or 28 right now for you? But how do you manage this level where you're stepping into new seasons, new decade of the material number of the world you're in, the new, the platform that you're building around the world, globally, how do you step into that and master it?

[Master Hong Yi]

I think before we talked about it already a little bit, that within the last three years, four years, I could really witness in a way how like these type of teachings, or let's say my name was really spread out into the world. And more and more people starting to also participate in listening to what is it that is being shared out, for example. And at the same time, I can also feel that everything I have to say, everything that I like, shared. The reason why I could share all of these things is because the first 35 years before that, I was not the talker at all. There couldn't be any more quiet person than me. So I was really. Yes.

[Lewis Howes]

Until when? When did you start using your voice?

[Master Hong Yi]

I think it happened in the moment where people asked me to explain what I'm doing. And then I just said, look, I'm not just doing like my punch. This is not punching for me. So in the martial art, for example, I started to explain, for example, the punch is not just for me, something, let's say physical, it has also something to do. What are you doing to prepare inside of you before you throw out that punch? Because if you throw out something, if something moves outwards, the question for me is where does it get in? Because if you throw out punches, 500 punches every day, you just throw them out, where do you get the energy from to throw 500 things out? And now different ways how you can express it. But for me, coming from this field of martial arts, where the Yin Yang symbol does matter and also does matter why it is round, means for me, I started to explain, if you want to throw a punch, there are different ways how to throw it. If you have a lot of mess already on yourself, you probably can just use straight line movements, no issue at all. But if you look at me, small Asian, I have to compensate for the lack of mass somehow. And therefore I need to use another method. I need to use different methods to compensate for the lack of mess that I have in comparison to other people. So, and suddenly out of a question, how do you punch starts the talking discussion?

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah.

[Master Hong Yi]

And honestly, I think this is where the beginning lies, where then people found it interesting that apparently there's a whole philosophy just behind like a punch. And I said, yes, how did you.

[Lewis Howes]

I can resonate with the fact that, you know, you were shy most of your life. Right. You didn't speak that much up, you didn't use your voice as much. You were more introverted with your voice, Is that correct?

[Master Hong Yi]

Yes.

[Lewis Howes]

So how did you have the confidence and learn that skill of confidence to use your voice when you really didn't use it that much beforehand? Were you fearful, were you nervous, were you afraid? Or how did you step into that?

[Master Hong Yi]

I just had to laugh right now because I just imagined in my mind they were very often also now in school time already, of course, my friends, they were standing in the break time, everybody having discussions. I was always quiet, but internally I could already feel like I knew what I would say if I would open my mouth. It's just that I didn't. Why not? Because ultimately I just thought that it's. It's pointless. It's pointless because sometimes, just sometimes the topics are just right.

[Lewis Howes]

It's superficial or whatever.

[Master Hong Yi]

Yeah, yeah. It doesn't bring benefit to anything. Yeah. It's just meaning maybe that you are like profiling yourself, but that was it. Yeah. So that's why I kept it for myself. But internally observing people watching, just listening inside of me, the language was always speaking. I always knew, like, what would be my answer if somebody speak to me. Like, sure, sure. And so ultimately, I really think it was for me, not difficult at all to. Then when I was asked to just. Just let it out, say it.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah.

[Master Hong Yi]

Because I already had it inside. I just had to, let's say, allow my, my mouth to speak it out. And.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah, that's beautiful. So you had the confidence because you had the inner wisdom, the inner answers to what you would say already, you just didn't say them before as much.

[Master Hong Yi]

Probably. Yeah, probably. But of course, to sometimes use proper vocabulary, to use proper rhetorical ways. Of course, this I also had to learn. But like in general, when it comes to if I was fearful to speak out. Normally not, no, Because I only let out what I anyway already have inside of me. So that means, yeah, this is something important. Maybe I don't know if there are public speakers or so sometimes listening, but I concentrate on just. I can only talk about stuff I have inside.

[Lewis Howes]

Yes.

[Master Hong Yi]

That's why very rarely I try to come up with new ideas or anything like this, which doesn't come from me, then I don't feel comfortable.

[Lewis Howes]

And it's inauthentic. Yeah. It's not authentic. You've been training for essentially 35 years of your life in some different form, whether it be physical training, mental training, emotional training, but specifically for the last 15 years, you've really been having a disciplined life at the temple, and you've been practicing martial arts. I don't know, is it five days a week or seven days a week? Physically, mentally, emotionally? In that discipline and in that practice. The fourth hindrance that you talked about that I've seen is restlessness. Can you talk about what is restlessness? And do you ever face it yourself in this practice and in this discipline?

[Master Hong Yi]

So restlessness there is a nice picture you can always think about. We say it's the monkey mind. Monkey mind, meaning there's always one. You're jumping from one sword to another, from one branch to another. What it means is that you are maybe having contact with a lot of branches, but it's very difficult to really focus and concentrate on one thing specifically. Now, why would I say that it is important to learn and concentrate on one thing specifically? Because this is the pure expression of what the Buddhist teaching or also the Shaolin teachings are about. You can spend your time traveling this whole world, always visiting different lakes and oceans, but the way how you are visiting them is you drive on the coastline of it, watch over it, say, okay, that's the ocean. And then you keep on driving to the next one, which means what you do is you keep traveling the world, watching at the surface of each of these lakes and oceans. I do think that if you just stay with the Pacific Ocean and start diving down into it, you will never, ever again need to visit another lake or ocean in order to make discoveries. So the point is that it is about going deeper. Going deeper. Deeper means it is going to give you an insight. And so what is Buddhist teaching about to give you insight into what? Sometimes into your body, sometimes into your mind. So what's the problem with the restlessness? You don't gain insight because the monkey all the time is jumping too much and staying too much on that surface area. And now translated, it just means that on the average day, whatever job you are doing, you do it under your possible potential. And also what it means is it's like you can't really. You can't really embrace what you actually have there. It's like you are at work. You are supposed to concentrate and work Write down your emails, but all the time you're already like jumping around, making plans for the weekend, who to call, or that you are hungry or that you are thirsty, what movie to watch. This is how you behave when you're at work. Then afterwards you drive home and maybe the family is waiting for you. And now it's a good example. But the children or your wife or your husband want to spend time with you, but they can see very clearly your body is there, your mind is not there, you're not present, you're just not present. So then sometimes the question, why do we have then the wife and the. And the husband, if you don't pay them the necessary respect and attention that they, let's say, deserve? Or also towards your children? And if it's a conscious decision, why you don't pay attention to them, well, there's something different. Then it's really the question, why do you have one family then? But that restlessness can also mean it happens unconsciously. Yeah, yeah. And maybe for you, yourself, you don't realize it, but people around you, they realize very quickly if you are with them or not.

[Lewis Howes]

Right.

[Master Hong Yi]

And I just think that this is hindering you now, in that picture of. Of reaching that mountain or reaching that goal, it's hindering you because whatever you do, you don't do it properly. You jump from one to another. You maybe have. You maybe have touched many different surfaces, but none of them you can really. You don't really have an insight into them.

[Lewis Howes]

You've been delving deep into it. Yeah. The fifth one you talk about hindrance that holds people back is skeptical doubt. What is. What is skeptical doubt? And why do we have it?

[Master Hong Yi]

Why do we have it? I don't know. I really don't know. What it means, therefore, or what it still means, is you need to trust in what you do. Once you have put something into your mind, don't let anyone else stop it anymore. Now I have to be careful how I say this. Of course, sometimes you can see. Yeah, but come on, this is now really a really stupid idea. It's really stupid. So, like, obviously stupid. But what I'm talking about is that if you continuously develop yourself, educate yourself, train yourself seriously, observe yourself, try to be honest with yourself, listen to the opinions of other people, and after all of this, you finally come up with a plan. This one now don't doubt anymore. The plan that before that you have, well thought of, that you have taken time to establish it, where you spend weeks and months of figuring out should you really do is this type of plan where skeptical doubt is not necessary,

[Lewis Howes]

you don't need it anymore. Yeah.

[Master Hong Yi]

No. If you are still in the field or in that area of you are unsure, don't start the journey. So if you're still in the field of that mountain is so high, do you really think I can reach the top? But it looks dangerous. If you're still in that state, don't even start that. This evaluation of your wrists and should you and your benefits and all of this, you make that before. You make that in the moment where you still have time and space to. To look for yourself. Is it really what you want? And make a plan. This is what's happening in. In those. We call it 99. 99%. You stay calm, you stay relaxed. Spend 99% of your lifetime relax. But that 1% is the other way. 99%. I'm a very peaceful person, very peaceful. I'm a very easygoing person, I think. And as long as I stay in the 99%, it stays like this, right? But if somebody forces you into the 1%, then at least it is my attitude which is like this 1% is 1% inside the 1%. There is no compromise of jumping back into the 99 anymore. That's why the 99 is so big. Because you have time to really think about what are you willing to do, what are you willing to sacrifice. What is it worse for you fighting for? This is the 99% and the 1%. There is the no compromise. You decide, you walk the path, then here we go. And this is what I relate to personally to this idea of that skeptical doubt. You shouldn't have it anymore.

[Lewis Howes]

Once you're clear, once you've got the game plan, once you've assessed the risks, all that stuff. Yes, yes. You have this four step method you call rain to help you clear your mind and overcome these hindrances. Can you share what this four step method is?

[Master Hong Yi]

So for example, once you are. Once you know or have understood about yourself what type of mental states these hindrances, for example, represent the way how we just try to explain to them. Every time one of these mental states pops up into your mind, which means positive emotion, negative emotion, ill will, you feel depressed, you feel weak, you feel that lack of power, you have this restlessness inside of you or you have. What was the last one? The skeptical doubt or the skeptical doubt coming up. So most important is you need to realize it. Realize that it is just there. Sometimes you realize it, sometimes you recognize it. This is the idea why It's a very, very nice simile to remember those four methods later on. What we regard as rain R A I N and we are at the moment with the R, meaning you recognize and you realize that apparently at this moment in time, you are finding yourself in one of these mental states which are representing hindrances. Now, the next step. What are you doing after you have recognized that you are in it? Now starts the point where it becomes very helpful if we start to analyze and analyzing. Meaning you do everything that is in your possibilities to just ask questions about why did it come up, What did it trigger, when did it exactly come up? How actually did this feeling in the first place get into yourself? When was, for example, the first time that you realized that you are having this type of mental state? So what analyzing means is you try to look into your past also. Yeah. Is it something related to the education of your parents? Is it something related to an idea that you caught up from? I don't know from where. So analyzing means that you make an investigation. Investigation means this time you go deeper. This is where we are at the I already.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah, the third one.

[Master Hong Yi]

Yeah, I is investigation A. I'm sorry, I said

[Lewis Howes]

analyze.

[Master Hong Yi]

Analyze. No, it's accept. It's accept. Sorry, you're good. Accept it, accept it, accept it, acknowledge it. The difference is when you acknowledge something and accept something, it is that you're not pushing it away,

[Lewis Howes]

you're not resisting

[Master Hong Yi]

it, you're not resisting it. And the reason for that is as long as something is not accepted or not acknowledged, it can't be changed because it is still outside of you. See? So if I have like a mental state, anything like this, and I say, yes, it's there, but I want to have it gone, then what you're trying to do in this approach is you are separating, you're trying to separate it. But this is not the way this method is expressing. This method tells you it is there. Why is it there? It's because something inside of you already is resonating with it. So it's a matter of you. It's your business. So now what you're doing is, I accept the business. I take it, I understand, okay, it's my business. That is the acknowledgement, the acceptance that you are saying, okay, I'm going to take care of it. This is like that, a part why it is important if you reject it, if you don't embrace it, it can't be changed.

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[Master Hong Yi]

And then now in the third step, now comes the investigation. This is where you ask the questions. So that means where you try to find out more, you want to become familiar. You want to take that feeling into your family. Make him become part of you and make him become friend of you. Understanding it is a part of you, but maybe it's just a misunderstanding of the way how you saw it before. This is like the idea, the investigation of asking questions.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah.

[Master Hong Yi]

Finding out more about it. Where does it come from who implemented it into your way of seeing the world. And ultimately the last step after this type of process is what we call non identification. Now non identification is quite similar to what I tried to express before that you sometimes need to stand above you and see from that perspective how can you support yourself, how can you support that person to get into the next development stage. Yeah, for example. Yeah, this is one, one type of non identification. But at the same time also means nothing stays as it is. Nothing stays as it is. Just as sometimes things are so overwhelming entering into your life, it can happen the other way around as well. And I mean you just need to everybody just look back into your personal life. How many bad moments did you have in the past? How many times did you suffer in the past? How often we were already thinking like this is the end of the world, girlfriend left you, boyfriend left you. You know, different, different occasions. Yeah, but none of them stayed. Yeah, that is like also the other, the other truth behind it. And the great part, like I also said already in our conversation is the way how you are able to use either the imagination or just like the abilities of the mind because you can turn it both ways. Either you see it as why did it come so suddenly or you see the opposite. Yeah, it's going to leave.

[Lewis Howes]

Right, Right.

[Master Hong Yi]

I mean that's the other side. Of course in this world we are living that we humans and this society I think is more, more easily being torn towards the positive or towards a very certain site, let's say. But this is because of I think the developments of our 21st century where there are certain values being propagated. There is no propaganda in learn how to be poor, learn how to deal with failure, learn how to not be successful, learn how to accept the way how you are not how to make yourself more beautiful and try to stay beautiful. There is a different agenda going on in the 21st century and based on that I do think that the mindset also has shifted. Therefore in trying to fulfill the expectations what is present in our nowadays world. But it's your personal decision. It's really important for me to really say this again and again. I'm not here to judge whether something is good or whether something is bad. But I'm just saying that if you have place something upon your mind that right now you are trying with your lifetime to make it become real. But this is what you are trying to put into this life is not even an idea that comes from you. I just want to express that I think it is can go very Wrong to one day find out that you have lived a life and invested your lifetime following up on a vision, on an expectation, or anything like this, which first of all was never something initially coming from yourself. And afterwards, even if you followed up on it and achieved it afterwards, realize it doesn't give you what you were looking for in this lifetime. And that's just how it is.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah. This has been about the five hindrances that hold people back from mastering their inner selves and really feeling more abundance, peace, love and joy. I'm loving everything we're talking about. And I want to ask you now I want to transition into a new topic about how to manifest your dream future and how you think we can step into this. If someone has a vision, a dream that they want to manifest something, where do you think we should begin in this process of dreaming and manifesting the future? And I know you've talked about heaven, man, earth concept that has helped you manifest a vision. Is this something that we should think about? And if so, what's this concept? Can you explain it?

[Master Hong Yi]

So this sentence, heaven, man, earth, heaven above us, man in the center, earth below us, it's just expressing from the same, let's say, family of teaching, the same that also we find in the area of the Yin and Yang symbol, it's just a little bit more detailed, meaning there is something inside of us humans which we say has some heavenly connection. At the same time, there is something about us humans which has a very strong foundation rooted in the earth. So let's start with the earthly aspects about ourselves. So earth means for me, first of all, I can see it if I fly on the plane, no matter where, if I look down, I know where to look to see the earth. So what does it mean? It means there is something to see. Our whole world is based on seeing. What is it that you can see? You can only see something that has a shape, something without a shape, you can't see. But talking about, you can see it, talking about it has a shape. What, what is the nature of a shape? A nature of a shape is separating. It's separating what is inside the shape and what is outside of the shape. It's separate. So one quality of the earth is. It's based already from the, let's say from the natural side, based upon separation, based upon. This is life and this is death. This is growth and this is decay. And now our body, our physical body, how come when we were born, we maybe had our like 3kg, 4kg baby, and now look at how Huge we have become. Not me, you look how much like we have. We have grown.

[Lewis Howes]

Yes.

[Master Hong Yi]

So where all of this come from?

[Lewis Howes]

Right.

[Master Hong Yi]

Very easily said. From the food, from the nutrition, from everything that we have taken and give our body to eat or to drink. Even if it is meanwhile some products are created in a laboratory. But even the resources for that, ultimately everything comes just from the earth. So if you now just follow up on that thought. Our body is created upon, let's say, individual aspects from this earth that by nature already are limited in a way limiting inside and outside. So limiting. That means our body automatically is limited. It is what we call nowadays lifetime. So simply said, sorry for the long explanation.

[Lewis Howes]

Sure.

[Master Hong Yi]

But that is what it means for me. It is no doubt about it. I don't need to philosophy around it. I can see it. This is out of question. It's gonna go. That is the earth part about ourself. At the same time giving me insights. You want to change something about that? What is it? To take care of everything that comes from the earth very easily. Which means food drinks the breath, probably. So that is like how I would use now this concept in my daily life to just understand, okay, this body comes from there. So the better the quality of the ingredients I put into this, the more quality this can generate. That is the earth aspect. And in comparison now to that earth, we have that heaven aspect. Heaven aspect called like this because looking up into the sky, it's really difficult to tell where does the sky end. Meaning heaven stands for something which is borderless. There are no borders in the sky. And so what is it inside of us humans that I think we have something similar like this. That is for me the way of how you are able to use your mind. Because sometimes you can use the mind and create something you have never seen in this world. You are creating something in the mind. You have never seen it in person. Why? Because it's not existing yet. Yet you can see it here. This can mean a fear also A fear what's going to happen tomorrow. A fear what will happen to my children if I will not be able to take care of them anymore. So there is something you are projecting already that is not here yet.

[Lewis Howes]

It's not real.

[Master Hong Yi]

You are projecting it inside of you. And the feelings based upon that way of thinking still makes it real to

[Lewis Howes]

you, even though it's not in the world yet.

[Master Hong Yi]

Yes. So this is how you need to be careful what you're creating on the mind. This is the reason why it's so important to know what Are you placing inside the mind because it's so powerful? Yes. But now assuming that we all do not want to create our own descent or decay, anything like this, let's say this is not what we want, but we want to have something that we would like to create. Yeah, let's say. So the I. The question right now is how do I get something from what at the moment is only in my mind into something that it becomes what we would call real. When is something real? It's real when it's here. When also other people can see it, not just you in the mind, then it's real because like you can imagine you have like some beautiful women as a girlfriend. Yeah.

[Lewis Howes]

But no one else sees it.

[Master Hong Yi]

Nobody else sees it.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah.

[Master Hong Yi]

It's only real if there's another witness who sees you and that girl walking together, then it's real. So, and how do we make this now happen? It is on the one side of course you need a plan. You need a small step by step plan. And I really think that meanwhile, especially like in modern businesses of is very similar. Like when you make project management, you break your ideas of course down into walkable steps. So that's why I think I don't need to say so much to it. But along this plan, along this way of, let's say trying to make it become real, this can also mean you need to find more and more ways. How does something so fine, like your thoughts start to shape into a form? So it is about find ways to give it expression.

[Lewis Howes]

Can you explain?

[Master Hong Yi]

Yes. Write it down on paper is one way of giving thoughts and expression. Speaking about it, speaking it out to your friends, more people know about it. Writing it onto your fridge. Something where the thought starts to enter into your visible world. This is the small steps that just support you on this mission. These are small things. The next step would be whatever you would like to achieve there. What skills are necessary? Do you have the skills. Now? A little bit more, A little bit more nicely drawn. It means you want to go on a mission. But at the moment you don't know yet in which direction you have to move. So that means the first thing in order for you to answer this question, which direction to move is, you need to know your location. And this now translated into so what is it I'm supposed to do? Who are you at the moment? What are your abilities at this very moment? What do you have available? Time wise, financial wise, it doesn't matter what in which situation are you right now? So we need to see where is Our actual location. And from there now it starts. At least now you have a hint if you want to go there. But at the moment you don't know yet where are you located. If you're located here, you know you need to walk here east. If you are located here, it's not east, because then you're going to make a long way. So that it really depends on where are you located. And this is why it's from person to person. It's different. And I cannot always tell to the same person. So you want to go there, go east. You want to go there too. You also go east. No, because they are not starting from the same position.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah.

[Master Hong Yi]

Some people have already some education and some experience previously that will immensely help them to already, like, start from a different point. So. But where have we been skills? And now this is the part we are also jumping back into. What is Shaolin also known for? Known for abilities of the practitioners which are normally above average human abilities. And this doesn't come because we bought it somewhere.

[Lewis Howes]

You practice it?

[Master Hong Yi]

Yes. But there is a very specific type now of practice. And this is maybe also interesting. What actually is that original meaning of David Carradine? Kung Fu. Kung Fu. This Kung Fu. Kung Fu. Meaning it's a. Attaining a skill through hard work. That is important. Attaining a skill through hard work. Why is only this one what we call Kung Fu? Because this Kung fu is not about fighting at the moment. It is about something that you have, for example, also developed. You also have Kung Fu. It is something that you have, you can do, you got. And if somebody else in this room would like to have the same ability like you, he cannot buy it. He cannot just like wish to have it. There's only one way how a person would ever get to the same skill set like you have. He needs to go through the same training effort, sweating, suffering consistently. Yeah, like you. And this is what we regard as these are the skills we are looking for. I'm not looking for a skill that I can outsource. I'm looking for skills. I have them. And nobody else in this world can copy. If you want to copy, well, then you need to train, you need to do the same.

[Lewis Howes]

Right?

[Master Hong Yi]

And so that means along this way, you also realize in developing those skills right now, actually this is a way to make something unique about you. And this uniqueness goes hand in hand with the unbroken willpower that you put into it. And with that vision of yourself that this is what you want and this is what you're going to do. And so it is a combination. It is a combination of you need to work for it, but also at the same time have the mindset also that backs up your battle plan. Yeah.

[Lewis Howes]

And why do you think most people fail to manifest what they want? Is it because they don't have the discipline, the willpower, the consistency? Is it because they're not strong enough or willing to develop the strength? Why do they fail at manifesting?

[Master Hong Yi]

I think it is a question of time. In my world, people are repeating the same mistakes over and over again because they haven't overcome them yet.

[Lewis Howes]

They're still level one. They keep failing at level one.

[Master Hong Yi]

Yes.

[Lewis Howes]

They haven't. They haven't beaten that level yet. Yes, master the level.

[Master Hong Yi]

Yes. But it's out of question for me that they will. Why is that? Because you can touch three times on the hot heat plate and it hurts. Three times you touch the fourth time, it still hurts. Fifth time, still hurts. There will come the day they say,

[Lewis Howes]

no more now, no more, no more. Yeah, it might take a while.

[Master Hong Yi]

I expressed it maybe like in a funny way, but it's true though. It is even said like this in the teachings. Yeah. You cannot teach someone who is not willing to be taught. Don't waste your time on people or to teach people that are not having the willingness to learn. Don't waste. This is also the reason why this, what I try to present right now. We don't have missionaries going out like saying, look, we have the answers to your problems. We don't do that stuff because if

[Lewis Howes]

people aren't receptive to it, it's not going to work.

[Master Hong Yi]

Exactly. If people are becoming ready, how. How do they know they become ready? It's because they start to ask different questions.

[Lewis Howes]

Right.

[Master Hong Yi]

And once you start to ask the questions, soon or later in this lifetime, let's just say what happens after death? Let's just assume this one, this question only we can ask people that are right now starving in the world, they are not asking what happens after death. People that are feeling too good, they are also not coming up with this type of question. So that means whoever is asking this question already is at a certain level in his life, in his development of the mind. Yeah. And this is like why I appreciate this type of teaching so much. Because for every person, there is the right time. There's nothing to hurry, there's nothing to worry. It's in each individual hands. So why do they fail? At the moment? I could say because they haven't failed enough yet in order to make the next step. Or because they were didn't take that, didn't see the lesson yet from that failure. I don't know. I don't know. There are so many different reasons why people then do not continue, but it's just a question of time until they will, right?

[Lewis Howes]

I've made many mistakes over and over and over again until finally I said, oh wait, it's not what I want anymore. Let me really take a step back and re evaluate why this keeps happening, why I'm at the source of all these mistakes happening over and over again for 15, 20 years. And let me start to look at it differently and approach it differently. And it wasn't until I experienced so much pain and suffering where I was like, okay, no more. I'm done with this way of acting, being, experiencing relationships, whatever it might be. And I'm going to redefine what I want and step and act accordingly. And it took a lot of pain to get there. I was the one that touched the hot pan, you know, a hundred times probably right until I finally said, okay, this doesn't work, work. But I think that's what we get. Each one of us gets to be on our own timing and learn the lesson the way we need to. Whereas other things in my life I learned very quickly. You know, I make one mistake and okay, I don't want to do that. Let me learn, you know, let me improve. I'm curious, in your life, where's the lesson that you feel like you haven't fully learned yet? You keep touching the hot plate just a little bit. Is there any area that still causes pain or that still you haven't

[Master Hong Yi]

something I, let's say, observed about myself also in the way how I grow up and also like afterwards now watching what type of, let's say, hobbies I spent my time in. There is something I witnessed about myself which is always, I cannot leave the things as they are. I always have the urge to optimize. So that means optimize the bike, optimize the car, optimize the engine, optimize myself, optimize the body, optimize the mind, optimize the life. So at the moment, my biggest journey, I still have to say is really. Yeah. At the end, these are all just like optimized. This life itself is for me the area to just discover the thing is, I don't know where this journey is going. Yeah. And this is maybe something also.

[Lewis Howes]

So you don't have to always optimize is what you're saying.

[Master Hong Yi]

Yes.

[Lewis Howes]

Maybe just let it be and just experience It. And just sit with it.

[Master Hong Yi]

Yes.

[Lewis Howes]

Inefficient. Inefficient sometimes. Yeah.

[Master Hong Yi]

To find that balance.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah. Okay.

[Master Hong Yi]

You know, many years now already I have spent in optimizing, thriving for goals. Also like. Also like training wise. Yeah. So people always maybe misconfuse a little. Misconfused a little bit. So how could I have reached all these graduations, for example, or reach any type of position in the field of martial arts? Because there is a difference. Inside the field of martial arts, you are not being measured by how much you can talk. In the field of martial arts, you are being measured by does it work or doesn't it work?

[Lewis Howes]

Is it effective or ineffective, for example? Yeah.

[Master Hong Yi]

And so that means, of course there is some fire inside of me in order to push through a lot of these hardships when it comes to the training. So that means it is still related to I want something, but now to purely taking the Buddhist teaching. Buddhist teaching is not about what you want. Buddhist teaching is about what can we take away from you until it is uncovered again what you really are, you know? So we have this world nowadays on the one side where it is about in the picture speaking, you're feeling not complete. That's why first of all, you go to the school until you get your college degree. But even with that college degree, you are not complete yet. So that means you make a further education. Even with that university degree, you are not complete because you need a job. One job is not complete. Second job. Okay, second job. There's still something missing in your life. You need a family now. Now you need a car. But actually the second car wouldn't be so bad. So you get the point. There is something about you are never enough. Wherever in which position you are located in your lifetime, apparently you are never enough. There is always something more to add that is the one direction. And what we nowadays know as the Buddhist teachings doesn't have this approach. The Buddhist teaching says you come to this world as an empty cup. Then your parents put their drop inside of you, the teachers put their knowledge inside of you. The advertising, the government, the schools, your friends, the parents of your friends. So a lot of different influences, ideas, concepts, what you are supposed to do in this life is starting to fill up your cup now. Really? Simply said, what Buddhist teaching now is, is to say, look, all of that stuff inside there, it's not coming from you. So that means spend some time and learn to empty the cup. Make that cup empty. Then you will realize who you really are, what your essence is. The Way, how you came to this earth. And previous to the question, when you ask, when was life, let's say, easier as a child or as an adult? Like I said, I think as a child, because that cup as a child is not so full yet.

[Lewis Howes]

It's empty.

[Master Hong Yi]

Not completely empty, but more empty than now. As an adult now you have the burden to cover the expectations to fulfill the role you have to play. This is why I think it's more difficult now. Yeah. And so that means you have these two approaches. Learning to get rid, learning to let go is one area. Learning to attain is the second. And the balance of this, I think this is the biggest challenge.

[Lewis Howes]

Well, I love your thoughts around mindset and your thoughts around how we can think in a certain way that can either impact us and be useful or hurt us and be ineffective and pull us backwards from manifesting the future that we really envision, the dream future. I'm curious. What are the daily thoughts that people should. Should generate to keep focused on their vision and not fall back into pains or problems of the past?

[Master Hong Yi]

Now, that word came flying before, when I said you need a commitment, I didn't mean commitment. You need an affirmation.

[Lewis Howes]

Affirmation

[Master Hong Yi]

for your goal that you set into your life for whatever you want to develop yourself in. You need to connect it with a personal affirmation. That is something that. That fuels it. This is what fuels actions. Yeah, Just similar like I said before, in the kung fu training, for example, you are learning techniques, you are learning body mechanics. Yeah, but that is something you learn on the outside. It's the form, it's the shape that you are supposed to take in while you make, let's say, this movement. You need it. Yes. But there's something more that you need. You need something that is going to fuel that movement. You need something that fills up that form. So. And now, just to explain to you, you have no real drive to fight, you don't want to win, you don't care. You know how to do it against somebody who needs to do it. Because it's about an existential question, no matter what type. Okay. There is a different spirit behind it. If you meet those two people, somebody who has nothing to lose and puts everything on one card because you have no choice. Either you make it now or. Yeah. Or your family suffer. You fight differently. So that means it's not always the technique, the form that you see on the outside that is so impactful. What is it that fuels your actions, your daily actions? What fuels. When you walk to the office prepared to do the work. What fuels you to invite other people waking up every day, even if it's hard, even sometimes you're sick, you still go to the office and do the work. And that fuel, I think is very, very essential. And yes, and I can only imagine, even if maybe you don't call it like this, or people are not officially expressing it like this, I cannot imagine there is one person existing in this world who in some way has achieved something without an affirmation. I think it doesn't exist.

[Lewis Howes]

What's your affirmation?

[Master Hong Yi]

I think we are all connected on the one side. I really love this life. So as long as I can, I would like to experience the variety of everything that is existing here. But at the same time, I also see it as part of my obligation that if I have a possibility to do something that supports other people along the way, this is what I do. Yeah, I just think this is, this is what you do in the family.

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[Lewis Howes]

about your thoughts on the actions people should take in order to manifest. And it seems to me like there's a lot of weakness in the world. People don't have in general, a lot of people don't have the discipline, the actions that create good habits, that support them in being consistent. You know, having the right thoughts, the right actions, all those things. And I wanted to ask you about how can we, you know, you train the body, right? You're training the limbs, the weaknesses, you're callousing the bones and all these things to take on more force, more stress. How do we harden certain things in us while also keeping our hearts open, loving, compassionate, giving. How do we do both in this process?

[Master Hong Yi]

Always, when there is something consisting of two aspects at least, or both, like you mentioned, the answer is always balance. So now the practical ways, what I would suggest, okay, you need a healthy body. You need a healthy body. That means choose any type of physical activity. It really doesn't matter. It only matters that you understand all your wishes, all your dreams, all the goals that you are putting to yourself, what you want to achieve in this lifetimes, they all are not going to matter anymore if your body is not going to be on the earth to witness these things, right?

[Lewis Howes]

You got to take care of it.

[Master Hong Yi]

Simply said. But what we are talking about right now, greatness means you want to bring something out of yourself which is not average. This is not what the message is able to do. If it is something that the masses are not able to do, which means your body, yourself, the way, how you're thinking, the way, how you're training can't be average. So in our field, keep the body not just healthy, but watch out for methods to make your body really performant. Performant for that specific area where you maybe later want to find yourself in. Because let's just say if I want to become a truck driver, I could never do it because my mind and my body probably is just not made for so long distances and this type of concentration which is needed. So I have definitely a lot of respect of all the truck drivers, but I can feel it is something I couldn't do. There is a performance necessary in these type of areas that I have not developed in myself. It's like I can also watch. Back in my past, I. I had a lot of ill will when it came to running around the track, the track, sprinting, never a problem, I enjoyed.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah. But long distances, so that means short

[Master Hong Yi]

burst of energy, a lot of energy in a short period. This is what I really feel like, what that body is made for. But long distance, which is draining. This is draining me.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah.

[Master Hong Yi]

So, but we were at the body, which means just physicality, activity, vitality, yoga, many things you can do, but there should be something.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah. And when we lack confidence, when we lack the belief in ourselves, the esteem, the self esteem, how do we learn to overcome the things that we doubt about ourselves and gain more confidence not just in the material skill acquiring world, but in the spiritual world? How do we gain more confidence here?

[Master Hong Yi]

I think we're entering into an area that for me personally matters a lot. Why? I think, look, it seems like at the moment, 21st century, everything is about everybody can do what he wants. We are free to express. There's no hierarchy because we are all humans. There's no hierarchy between all of us. Seeing as a human being, there is no hierarchy. I agree. But if you want to learn something, there is a hierarchy. And the hierarchy is there are people who already possess what you want to learn, and there are people who don't possess what is possible to be learned. So if I want to develop myself and I want to learn something, attain a skill, at the moment, I would just look out in the world first of all to see who possesses that skill. Because it might be that you think about something, but there's nobody else in the world who at the moment possesses it. So it maybe is a little bit unrealistic that it even exists. But if you want to have something, first of all look for the places or the persons that have it. Very easily and very often that means you are meeting in our tradition now, you are meeting masters. You are meeting a person who has already mastered a certain ability because you see it and then you say, yes, he has it. And then the next question is, how does now either the knowledge or the skill is being transmitted. How does it come to you now? And like I said, from my tradition, there's only one way you need to get into a student master relationship. Master student relationship and a master student relationship. There is no democracy. Right.

[Lewis Howes]

That's what the master says you do.

[Master Hong Yi]

And I do think that in the field of where we are talking right now as well, sometimes you need a mentor. Sometimes you need to surround yourself with people that are already standing at a certain point where you maybe would like to go to. These are the people with experience. These are the people that walked the path already that you right now would like to walk. So I think there is a difference in a way of how then you talk to these people, how then you also see yourself in regards to these people. And this is what opens up doors, which means you are regarding yourself as a student. This is what it means in our tradition. If you think you are equal to the rest of the world, you are equal. This is a type of wrong pride, I have to say, because it absolutely stops you from further development and learning really what you would like to learn. So getting surrounded, searching for people that are already in that area where you would like to move to is also one of the next steps. For example, I would look for.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah.

[Master Hong Yi]

So it is about with what type of people are you surrounded? One side, how are you taking care of your body? Other side, so now taking care of the mind. How do you do this? In order to know what is important to you, it's necessary to also know unimportant, important things.

[Lewis Howes]

Unimportant things.

[Master Hong Yi]

Unimportant things. It's not necessary from seven days a week to only do important things. Because ultimately importance is a question which is also very subjective. Yeah. Importance for this life, nothing is too important. Yeah. What I mean is you need balance. You consciously sometimes need to do something where you really feel this is really unimportant.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah. Just doing whatever.

[Master Hong Yi]

Yeah. Because it keeps something inside of you open. If you only do the important things, only be focused. You can only be focused because there's another state inside of you which is you're open minded, you are open minded, you are. You're able to receive focus. There is no receiving anymore. There is all. There's already that guided intention of yours. So switching the states of mind, putting yourself consciously into different states of mind. I think this belongs to the category of mind development. And there are different ways how you can put this into practice. And I can now maybe share the way what we use in the monastery.

[Lewis Howes]

Please.

[Master Hong Yi]

I think it is super helpful if you are learning to work in cycles.

[Lewis Howes]

Cycles, cycles.

[Master Hong Yi]

So for Example, when it comes to you need a new skill, you want to develop something, you need to learn how to program, you need to learn how to use a new software program, you need to learn accounting, I don't know, you need to learn to do the web page. Something about. You need to, you want to develop something new about you. I think the most effective way is to cut off yourself for a certain period of time and do nothing else in between for that period, for that cycle.

[Lewis Howes]

Can you give me an example?

[Master Hong Yi]

Yes. Now, this is really simple example, but it involves something more. If you want to change something about the appearance of your skin, you're not satisfied with your skin. So the good message is it probably is the quickest to do something about it. The quickest, why? Because it lies right on the surface, because it's right on the outside of the body, so it's easily treatable. So which means do a seven day treatment where you take care of the body seven days long, go into the sauna, cream yourself. What? Seven days? After seven days, I'm sure if you do it, it looks different. Now we go a layer deeper. You want to change something about your muscles. The muscles are lying underneath the skin, meaning not so easily accessible anymore, which automatically means the cycle needs to become longer. Seven days muscle training. No, it's not going to be enough. So let's say 30 days. Yes. Maybe not visibly, but feelable. Definitely go even more deeper into the area of your tendons, your sinews, your fascia. 30days is not enough because this is changing a very. This is going even deeper into your system, trying to change something there. So the cycles become longer.

[Lewis Howes]

Right.

[Master Hong Yi]

So the deeper within the field of martial arts, we get into our body, until the bone, the longer these cycles become that you need to dedicate your time in practicing and similar. I would say it is like now, when it comes to the training of skills that modern people nowadays want to develop, you need to ask yourself how much of a, of a software hack is it that you're trying to put upon yourself? How deep is it embedded? The deeper it is, the more time those cycles need, the more often you need to repeat those cycles. But the main point is that I don't think it is senseful and a good method within a 30 day month to like spread it apart, to have too many things at the same time. Here you make that skill, here you make that, here you make another one. I think it's not effective.

[Lewis Howes]

Go all in on one thing for a cycle.

[Master Hong Yi]

Yes. Now maybe, of course people say yeah, but I can't concentrate on one. Well, concentrate on three. Better on three than on 10. This is the main point. What I mean, sure, because it's not just physically that we are transforming. It is mental changes, it is emotional changes, it is physical changes. And they just don't go so quickly if you jump too much.

[Lewis Howes]

Right, right.

[Master Hong Yi]

And also they don't penetrate deep enough. They don't penetrate deep enough for you to have a lasting impression of what it is that you're trying to develop there.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah.

[Master Hong Yi]

Which means also before when we said mind training or how do I react to. To ill will towards other people, I talked about the hard qualities. Hard qualities. You make one a week. Which means, let's just say we take the hard quality of gratefulness just as an example. Gratefulness means you go to your closed room, you close your eyes. If you want, you put some music on. But normally you better try without music. And then you recall all the moments in your lifetime where you think gratefulness was apparent in those. These moments. The gratefulness that you felt because you know, like. Yeah, Louis, so thank you very much for this interview and for that cup of water. You know, this is like talking. Gratefulness has never been about talking. Either you have it or you don't have it.

[Lewis Howes]

It's feeling it. Experiencing gratitude.

[Master Hong Yi]

Yes. So this is why, in order to get to that feeling again, every human had it in his lifetime. Just sometimes it has been too much in the past and it has been forgotten. That's why we need to dig it out and therefore recall the moments where you think, yes, towards that person, I really felt that gratefulness. Then it's like a small flame pops up and there it is. It's not clear defined yet, but you feel there is something. And now, for example, what we use is you breathe into the feeling and try. Use also, like your mind to make that grow. Okay, maybe it's a little bit more feelable. It feels maybe strange to many people. But since you are asking me, how do the ancient traditions look like, what are the methods? This is the way how we do it. Okay. You realize there's something. You want it to grow means you need to put energy into it. How do you put energy into it? By using your intention in going there. And so like this, on day one, it becomes like a small palette of gratefulness of that you feel. But now you stay one week long. On the second day, it's already easier to identify. There it is already. And you stay one week long cultivating, cultivating until it's very Easy for you now to identify, especially to identify if people who apparently seem to be grateful towards you, if they really are. Because the good part is that now that you know how it feels, you don't only know it how it feels inside of you, but you can define detected in other people.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah.

[Master Hong Yi]

This is that special part. Why, why all this development always starts with yourself? Because I know how my body is aligned. I know how your body is aligned because I know the weak points of my body. I know the weak points of your body. And this is that idea that sometimes you can't change people around you. You can't look into the heads of other people. But what you can do at all times every day is to do something about what is in your own hands, yourself. This is why this idea of turn the finger around, do something about yourself, develop yourself, invest in yourself, you grow as a human being, you grow in skills, all of these things, they will naturally just follow. Because in the moment where you are starting to express something that people nowadays are not seeing often anymore, you just become the magnet. This is how it is. Why? Because people are used already to average every day they see average, but now they start to see something different. They start to see somebody, another attitude towards life. And so this feels, I think, very like a magnet. And so all of this, you don't even need to probably go there. It's going to come to you.

[Lewis Howes]

Everything you want to create starts to come to you.

[Master Hong Yi]

Only if you work on yourself.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah. How often do you embody gratitude and practice it on a daily basis? Are you.

[Master Hong Yi]

We have therefore our ceremonies, for example. Yes. Our ceremonies in the monastery, which always evening time, 9 o'. Clock and there we have parts of this type of cultivation integrated in the ceremony.

[Lewis Howes]

Really? Do you think we can manifest a beautiful life without gratitude?

[Master Hong Yi]

No, no. It might feel like, might seem like it, but ultimately, no way.

[Lewis Howes]

Gratitude, it's the key to abundance. It's the key to being a magnet, to drawing in the things you truly want that create a beautiful life. I've got a few final questions for you. This has been fascinating. Before I ask those questions, I want to make sure people follow you online because your content is amazing. You also have a 12 month course, a program that people can follow if they want more of this mental training, the philosophies that you've provided, the things that you've learned and that you teach to others. It'll help people in their life, improve their life.

[Master Hong Yi]

But also physical, a lot.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah, physical stuff as well in there so they can get this 12 month course at Shaolin Online for all the information there, plus information about the temple, the practices, the teaching, your work, speaking and other things. As you do some speaking. I'm not sure how much you'll be doing in the future, but every now and then you'll be doing some. Also, people need to follow you on social media, Instagram, Shaolin Online for that. And if you look up shaolintemple Europe on Facebook, you'll see it there as well. And if they look up your name, they'll see lots of great content, lots of great TED talks, you've done, videos. We'll have a lot of this linked up in the show notes. But I just wanted to say I'm grateful for you for being here. And I've got a couple of final questions. I have so many more things I want to ask you, but you'll have to come back on another time. Save your voice for the next time. But this is a question I ask everyone towards the end of my conversations. It's a hypothetical question. So imagine you live as long as you want to live in this physical three dimensional space, time, reality. I think I heard you say 100-808-years. 108 sounds good, right?

[Master Hong Yi]

Yeah.

[Lewis Howes]

So imagine you're 108, right? And you get to live the life you envision. Everything you want to do, it happens. You create it, you overcome, you learn, you master all these different areas of life. And you serve and impact the world through your teachings. But for whatever reason, this hypothetical scenario, at 108 years old, you have to take all of your content and message with you. So this conversation goes to the next place. All the TED talks, all the interviews you've ever done, for whatever reason, they're not here in this physical world anymore. Hypothetical scenario. But you get to leave behind three lessons with the world. Three lessons from all of your teachings and all your learnings. And this is for whatever reason, all you could share these truths that I like to say. What would be those three truths for you if you could only share three?

[Master Hong Yi]

You know that this is a really super hard question.

[Lewis Howes]

I know. I gotta get you to think a little harder, you know?

[Master Hong Yi]

Okay, sounds super funny. Especially if I'm not going to talk about it. But one message is just the flower. If you want the flower in a pot, doesn't matter. The first message, one, I don't even need to speak about it. Just a flower in the pot. This number one,

[Lewis Howes]

what does that mean, flower in a pot?

[Master Hong Yi]

It means everything. There is a history behind it. The future of that flower, in a way is in your hand. The care is integrated, the nature is integrated. No words to be speaking. Sometimes you don't need to speak about it. It's feelable what needs to be done. Okay, so this is one message.

[Lewis Howes]

Let's say okay, that's number one. Number two,

[Master Hong Yi]

keep community. It's not necessary to always be right. It's more important to also have back up if you're not right. That feels better.

[Lewis Howes]

And the third, I got to challenge you. You know, I gotta challenge you already.

[Master Hong Yi]

You do already. Number three is. It's repeating.

[Lewis Howes]

It's repeating.

[Master Hong Yi]

It's repeating

[Lewis Howes]

everything.

[Master Hong Yi]

Just as I said it, it's repeating. This was now kind of matrix stuff.

[Lewis Howes]

Yes, it's inception. I love it. Master Hong Yi, I want to acknowledge you for the gift you are in this world. For being a symbol of inspiration for a lot of people, and for dedicating decades of your life to mastering certain skills and philosophies, practicing them and teaching them to others. I want to acknowledge you for, for showing up here, present, open, loving, giving, vulnerable, wise and giving us his time and synergy from again your near 40 years of existence and lessons. I really appreciate how you show up and your level of discipline, your level of commitment to your message, to your community that you have into the world. So I really appreciate your time here. Again, I want people to go and follow you. I want them to get your course Shaolin Online. Shaolin Online on social media. Well, I'll link up a lot of the TED talks and all the other information that you guys can learn more about the temple in Europe. And I recommend people seeing if they can get to your temple too. I know you guys host certain retreats there for people to. To study, to practice for shorter periods of time so they can see and experience smaller groups. So you can go to the website, learn more about that. If you feel called to learning more, then go to the website for that. Is there any other way that we can support and serve you right now besides sending people there and following your message online?

[Master Hong Yi]

Not really the only thing that since I started sharing out all of these methods, what gave me super much confidence also of why I also came here. Now I can tell you I also did some search where actually is Lewis Howes come from. And it makes me so happy to meanwhile have that chance that I met so many people who from nothing built up so huge things. And what does it show me? It means there is something that you can get, but you also need to give something back. You need to Develop something about yourself in order to be able to receive these gifts from the world. And if you are selfish, you're not going to get it. This affirmation for your mission. I really think this is something to keep in the mind. And at the end, no one in this world is like your master. I appreciate it very much if people call me master, but what is it that I'm trying to spread to the world? I'm spreading self mastery. You are your master. You take your life into the hands and decide in which direction you want to take it. It's just that you need the right methods and the right tools sometimes to go in the right direction. And that's what it is about. Learning from different people. Learning from people that already had experience before you. But ultimately you are the one who needs to put it into practice. And this is that greatness of this whole path. That if you are open to it, things gonna come.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah.

[Master Hong Yi]

And so therefore I think everything that you have said. Thank you also very much, Lewis. You really greatly appreciate it.

[Lewis Howes]

Yeah, I appreciate it, man. I've got one final question for you then.

[Master Hong Yi]

Okay.

[Lewis Howes]

What is your definition of greatness?

[Master Hong Yi]

To impact. To be able to impact on the one side, something beyond yourself in all different types of areas. Which means this is not about your own wealth anymore. It has become the wealth of the world. It is not just about your own personal peace. Your matters are the peace of the world. This is not about. You are beyond yourself. You're greater than yourself. That is very close related, I think, to what greatness means.

[Sponsor Announcer]

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[Lewis Howes]

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