Woo Myoung, winner of the 2002 Mahatma Ghandi Peace Prize, presented a seminar Sunday night at Boston University’s College of Arts and Sciences on Maum Meditation, an eight-step process enabling individuals to ‘return to their true selves and answer all problems in life.’
Speaking with the aid of a translator, Myoung explained how Maum Meditation enables an individual to ‘cleanse the mind and return to the truth’ by becoming ‘one with the universe.’
Myoung explained human beings live with a ‘cloudy mind’ because of past experiences in life.
‘How you live now is totally based on past experiences,’ Myoung said. ‘You live a life that is restricted to your body and this creates a cloudy mind.’
The eight levels of meditation practice, Myoung said, enable the individual to attain ‘true enlightenment’ and find the ‘true self.’
Each level takes about one month to complete and the entire process requires about one year.
Myoung developed Maum (Korean for ‘mind’) Meditation six years ago in South Korea.
The technique has spread to numerous countries around the world including Canada, Australia, France, Japan and the United States, with 56 branch centers in these countries.
The most recent occurred last month with the opening of a Maum center in Newton.
Learning the meditation technique requires training at a Maum Meditation Center, according to Won Baek, president of the Boston Maum Meditation Center.
‘It’s a very easy and straightforward practice,’ Baek said. ‘We know how to guide and give you instruction.’
Maum students know when they find their true selves, Baek said.
‘You practice until you realize your enlightenment,’ he said.
Baek said they selected BU as a forum for the seminar because of its large number of students.
‘Many college students have a lot of problems,’ Baek said. ‘I hope they take this chance [to try Maum Meditation].’
After Myoung’s presentation, Maum adherents explained how the meditation changed their lives.
One individual described alleviation of stress and constant headaches, as well as an overall increase in general well-being.
Another trainee described how she resolved many problems with her family and now feels ‘healthier, lighter and better.’
Baek described how he had ‘attained eternal life’ and has already met ‘God’ or ‘the universe.’
‘Human disease and suffering comes from the human mind,’ Baek said. ‘[Maum] erases and cleans the mind even cancer will disappear.’
Audience reactions ranged from curious to skeptical after the seminar ended.
‘I’m totally interested in doing it, but I would like to have some more information,’ Emerson College freshman Annie Testa said. ‘I might consider trying one class.’
Another of about 50 people who attended the event said it raised as many questions as it answered.
‘I am leaving with a lot of questions,’ said Salem resident Kevin Swasey. ‘I’ll have to go to the center to find out I am curious if I can actually use it.’