Modern Takeaways on Life, Success, and Choice

1. Decisions Shape Your Future

Every day we face choices, big and small. Avoiding decisions or “sitting on the fence” might feel safe, but it’s actually a form of failure. If you don’t choose, life chooses for you and that often leads to regret. Whether in business, relationships, or personal goals, progress only happens when you commit to a direction.

Example: In business, waiting too long to act on an opportunity out of fear or indecision can mean losing ground to competitors.

2. Balance Visible and Invisible Success

It’s easy to measure success by visible achievements such as money, titles, and recognition. But these are only part of the story. Invisible success is equally important: having integrity, living by values, and maintaining peace of mind. Without these, material gains feel hollow.

Example: An executive with wealth but no work-life balance, health, or ethical grounding isn’t truly successful. Real success blends external achievement with inner fulfillment.

3. Avoid the Trap of Self-Bias

Our own judgment often leans toward what feels convenient or self-serving. But right and wrong aren’t just about personal opinion, they’re tied to principles that exist beyond us. Checking decisions against values like honesty, fairness, and responsibility keeps us from rationalizing bad choices.

Example: Cutting corners for short-term profit might seem beneficial now, but long-term damage to reputation and trust will outweigh the gain.

4. Be Accountable

You can fool others with appearances, but not yourself. Guilt, stress, and dissatisfaction linger when actions don’t align with your values. Owning your choices, whether good or bad is what builds integrity.

Example: A manager might hide mistakes from their team, but the weight of dishonesty erodes confidence and effectiveness over time. Admitting the mistake early fosters trust and growth.

5. Master Yourself First

The biggest battle is internal. Self-doubt, ego, fear, and procrastination are often greater obstacles than outside competition. True success means overcoming your own limitations, staying disciplined, and not letting emotions or outside influences cloud your judgment.

Example: An athlete may win against others, but if they lack discipline in training or integrity off the field, their success is incomplete.

6. The Real Loss

Losing connection to your true self, by conforming blindly, chasing only money, or being swayed by others, is the greatest failure. Material setbacks can be rebuilt, but losing authenticity and self-respect is harder to recover.

Example: A professional who compromises values to fit into a toxic workplace might later find success elsewhere, but regaining trust in themselves can be a long process.

7. Victory vs. Success

Defeating others is external victory. But lasting fulfillment comes from internal success in discipline, self-awareness, and growth. The ultimate win is not over others but over your own weaknesses.

Example: In leadership, the best outcome isn’t outshining your colleagues but growing the whole team and developing yourself along the way.

Modern Common Sense in One Line:
Success isn’t just about what you achieve outside, but about the choices you make daily to stay true to your values, overcome yourself, and live a balanced, meaningful life.

Shintō to Buddhism

Reinventing Religious Identity in Korea After Liberation

During Japan’s colonization of Korea (1910–1945), State Shintō was forcibly introduced through the establishment of shrines and enforced participation in rituals, particularly by students and government workers (Grayson; Chōsen Shrine required attendance as a political act). This widespread imposition made Shintō highly associated with colonial authority and ideological control. In contrast, Buddhism had been part of Korean heritage for centuries and carried no stigma of foreign imposition.

After liberation in 1945, Shintō was widely rejected in Korea, while Buddhism was viewed as part of the national cultural and religious identity.

Political and Social Pressures

Shintō clergy or anyone linked to Shintō were at risk of being labeled collaborators with the Japanese colonial regime. Such stigma could lead to social ostracism or worse. By contrast, those associated with Buddhism were viewed as culturally legitimate and spiritually benevolent, making Buddhist identity a favorable alternative.

Cultural Perception and Misidentification

To the general public unfamiliar with Japanese religious garb, the distinction between Shintō ceremonial attire and Buddhist robes might have been unclear. Therefore, presenting oneself as a Buddhist monk was a practical way to avoid the stigma attached to Shintō affiliation, especially in a period when religious symbols had strong political meanings.

Strategic Reinvention

In post-war Korea’s rapidly changing climate, recasting one’s religious identity was a means of social survival. Claiming Buddhist identity provided continued spiritual or communal authority without colonial taint. It was both a personal and political strategy to remain relevant and respected.

Comparative Tables

Table 1: Public Perception in Post-War Korea (circa 1945–1950)

Aspect	Shintō Priest	Buddhist Monk
Political Association	Linked to Japanese colonialism	Rooted in Korean tradition
Public Reputation	Viewed as collaborator	Respected spiritual figure
Cultural Legitimacy	Foreign-imposed, often rejected	Indigenous, normative
Social Risk	High (stigmatized)	Low (broad acceptance)
Opportunities	Severely limited	Available through religious leadership

Table 2: Religious Signifiers and Public Perception

Feature	Shintō Priest	Buddhist Monk
Attire	Layered robes with formal pattern or cut	Plain, functionally simple robes
Headgear	Black cap or crown	Shaved head (no headwear)
Ritual Objects	Wooden baton (shaku), paper streamers	Prayer beads, staff, sutra scroll
Symbolic Setting	Shrine with sacred rope, torii gates	Temple with Buddha statues, incense
Cultural Role	Representative of Japanese ideology	Spiritual and moral guide within Korean tradition

Conclusion

After Korea’s liberation, religious identity was both symbolic and strategic. In a time when Shintō was equated with colonial oppression, claiming to be a Buddhist monk offered not just spiritual cover but also cultural rehabilitation. This reframing allowed individuals to retain authority, social standing, and moral legitimacy in a society eager to distance itself from Japan’s colonial legacy.

References:

Kim, Y. T. (2025). The common ground between Japanese and Korean Buddhism in the early modern period: changes in the perception of the mechanism of the State–Buddhist relationship. Religions, 16(4), 419. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16040419

Grisafi, J. G. (2016). Shintō in Colonial Korea: A Broadening Narrative of Imperial era Shintō. Upenn. https://www.academia.edu/28557377/Shint%C5%8D_in_Colonial_Korea_A_Broadening_Narrative_of_Imperial_Era_Shint%C5%8D?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Shinto in Korea. (2025). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from Wikipedia database. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinto_in_Korea?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Chōsen Shrine. (2025). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from Wikipedia database. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C5%8Dsen_Shrine?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Korean Buddhism. (2025). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from Wikipedia database. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Buddhism?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Limbic System and the Emotional Dimension of Pain

Pain is not solely a sensory experience. It is also deeply emotional, influenced by context, memory, expectation, and mood. While the somatosensory cortex processes the discriminative (sensory) aspects of pain, such as location, intensity, and duration, the limbic system, particularly the amygdala and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), mediates its affective (emotional) and motivational components (Apkarian et al., 2005; Leknes & Tracey, 2008).

1. The Amygdala: Fear, Salience, and Emotional Memory

The amygdala is a central structure in emotional processing, especially in the encoding and recall of fear and threat-related memories. It plays a critical role in the emotional coloring of pain and how we anticipate and respond to it.

The amygdala receives nociceptive input via the spino-parabrachial pathway and from higher-order cortical areas, allowing it to influence both immediate emotional reactions to pain and pain-related memory (Neugebauer et al., 2004).
It activates autonomic and behavioral responses to pain (e.g., anxiety, avoidance), especially when pain is perceived as threatening or unpredictable.
Amygdala hyperactivity has been linked with chronic pain conditions, where emotional reactivity and threat perception become amplified (Simons et al., 2014).

In other words, the amygdala adds emotional salience to nociceptive stimuli, transforming a mere sensory signal into a subjectively distressing experience.

2. The Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC): The Distress and Motivation Circuit

The ACC, particularly its rostral and dorsal regions, plays a central role in pain unpleasantness, emotional suffering, and motivational drive to escape or alleviate pain.

Studies show that ACC activation correlates with subjective pain unpleasantness, even when the physical intensity of pain is constant (Rainville et al., 1997).
The ACC is richly interconnected with limbic (amygdala, hippocampus), cognitive (prefrontal cortex), and motor systems, enabling it to integrate affective, attentional, and behavioral responses to pain (Shackman et al., 2011).
The ACC is involved in pain anticipation, which can amplify emotional distress even before the pain occurs (Koyama et al., 2005).
Chronic pain patients often show structural and functional changes in the ACC, suggesting a maladaptive feedback loop that reinforces pain-related suffering (Baliki et al., 2006).

Thus, the ACC is not responsible for detecting pain, but for how unpleasant and distressing it feels, and for driving the motivational state to take action.

3. Limbic Modulation and Homeostasis

Leknes & Tracey (2008) propose a framework for understanding how pain and pleasure share overlapping neurobiological systems, particularly in limbic circuits. They note that context, expectation, and emotional state can either amplify or dampen pain via top-down modulation of limbic and brainstem structures.

The ACC and amygdala are sensitive to emotional reappraisal, social support, and placebo analgesia, demonstrating that the emotional meaning of pain can drastically change the experience (Wager et al., 2004).
Pain that is interpreted as meaningful or self-chosen (e.g., in rituals or athletic endurance) can be experienced as less unpleasant, implicating limbic regulation of pain perception (Leknes & Tracey, 2008).

This suggests that the limbic system is central in determining whether pain is perceived as threatening and intolerable or manageable and meaningful.

4. Summary of Functional Roles

Region	Role in Pain Processing
Amygdala	Assigns emotional salience; fear, anxiety, memory of pain; enhances pain when perceived as threatening.
ACC	Encodes pain unpleasantness; mediates suffering, motivation to escape pain; modulated by expectation, attention, and emotional context.

Clinical Relevance

Chronic pain syndromes (e.g., fibromyalgia, neuropathic pain) often involve heightened activity in the amygdala and ACC, contributing to emotional suffering, catastrophizing, and avoidance behavior (Hashmi et al., 2013).
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and biofeedback target these limbic circuits to reframe pain perception, reduce suffering, and restore functional coping.
The limbic-emotional dimension of pain underscores the importance of holistic and biopsychosocial models in treatment.

References:

Apkarian, A. V., Bushnell, M. C., Treede, R. D., & Zubieta, J. K. (2005). Human brain mechanisms of pain perception and regulation in health and disease. European Journal of Pain, 9(4), 463–484. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpain.2004.11.001

Baliki, M. N., Geha, P. Y., Apkarian, A. V., & Chialvo, D. R. (2006). Beyond feeling: chronic pain hurts the brain, disrupting the default-mode network dynamics. Journal of Neuroscience, 28(6), 1398–1403. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4123-07.2008

Cleveland Clinic. (2024). Limbic system: What it is, function, parts & location [Illustration]. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/limbic-system

Hashmi, J. A., Baliki, M. N., Huang, L., Baria, A. T., Torbey, S., Hermann, K. M., … & Apkarian, A. V. (2013). Shape shifting pain: chronification of back pain shifts brain representation from nociceptive to emotional circuits. Brain, 136(9), 2751–2768. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awt211

Koyama, T., McHaffie, J. G., Laurienti, P. J., & Coghill, R. C. (2005). The subjective experience of pain: Where expectations become reality. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 102(36), 12950–12955. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0408576102

Leknes, S., & Tracey, I. (2008). A common neurobiology for pain and pleasure. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 9(4), 314–320. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2333

Neugebauer, V., Galhardo, V., Maione, S., & Mackey, S. C. (2009). Forebrain pain mechanisms. Brain Research Reviews, 60(1), 226–242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainresrev.2008.12.014

Rainville, P., Duncan, G. H., Price, D. D., Carrier, B., & Bushnell, M. C. (1997). Pain affect encoded in human anterior cingulate but not somatosensory cortex. Science, 277(5328), 968–971. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.277.5328.968

Shackman, A. J., Salomons, T. V., Slagter, H. A., Fox, A. S., Winter, J. J., & Davidson, R. J. (2011). The integration of negative affect, pain and cognitive control in the cingulate cortex. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 12(3), 154–167. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2994

Simons, L. E., Elman, I., & Borsook, D. (2014). Psychological processing in chronic pain: a neural systems approach. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 39, 61–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.12.006

Wager, T. D., Rilling, J. K., Smith, E. E., Sokolik, A., Casey, K. L., Davidson, R. J., … & Cohen, J. D. (2004). Placebo-induced changes in FMRI in the anticipation and experience of pain. Science, 303(5661), 1162–1167. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1093065

Executive Function Development

Understanding Why the Human Prefrontal Cortex Matures Late

One of the most profound discoveries in neuroscience over the last several decades is that the human brain does not fully mature until well into the mid-twenties. While physical growth often plateaus by late adolescence, cognitive and emotional maturity continue to evolve long afterward. This discrepancy between physical and neural development is primarily due to the slow maturation of the prefrontal cortex, the region responsible for executive functions such as decision-making, impulse control, foresight, and moral reasoning. Understanding this process not only explains the often turbulent behavior of adolescents and young adults but also highlights how life experiences, education, and mindfulness practices can support optimal brain development.

Neurological Foundations of Brain Maturation

During early childhood, the human brain undergoes explosive growth in both neural density and connectivity. However, the adolescent and early adult years are marked by a different kind of neurological transformation, one of refinement rather than expansion. The brain’s gray matter, which is abundant in synaptic connections, peaks in volume during adolescence before undergoing a process called synaptic pruning. This selective elimination of unused connections allows for greater efficiency and specialization within neural networks (Giedd et al., 2012). Simultaneously, myelination, the insulation of neural pathways with fatty sheaths that enhance signal transmission, continues to progress through the frontal lobes well into the mid-twenties (Paus et al., 2008).

The prefrontal cortex, located just behind the forehead, is the last major brain region to complete these processes. It orchestrates what psychologists call executive functions: planning, organizing, prioritizing, regulating emotions, and exercising self-control. The delayed maturation of this region explains why adolescents and even young adults often display risk-taking behavior, heightened emotionality, and difficulty predicting the long-term consequences of their actions (Casey et al., 2008). In a sense, the “hardware” for rational decision-making exists, but the “software” or the refined connections and pathways that support mature judgment, is still under construction.

Emotional Regulation and Risk Behavior

Because the prefrontal cortex matures later than the limbic system (the brain’s emotional center) there is often a developmental mismatch during adolescence. The limbic system, including structures such as the amygdala and nucleus accumbens, becomes highly active and sensitive to reward, novelty, and social approval during the teenage years (Steinberg, 2010). This imbalance leads to emotional intensity and impulsiveness that can overshadow rational thought. Consequently, young people may engage in high-risk behaviors, from reckless driving to substance use, not necessarily because they lack intelligence, but because their cognitive control systems are still evolving.

Hormonal surges during puberty further amplify emotional reactivity, creating a neural environment that prioritizes sensation and social belonging over long-term reasoning (Somerville et al., 2010). While this can lead to errors in judgment, it also fuels exploration, learning, and creativity, all essential components of human development. In this sense, adolescence is not a flaw in design but an adaptive phase that prepares individuals for independence, innovation, and identity formation.

The Role of Experience and Neuroplasticity

The extended development of the prefrontal cortex offers a unique evolutionary advantage: a prolonged window of neuroplasticity. This means that the brain remains malleable and highly responsive to environmental influences throughout the teens and early adulthood. Experiences such as education, social interaction, mentorship, and even adversity all sculpt the brain’s architecture through repeated patterns of thought and behavior (Blakemore & Choudhury, 2006). Positive experiences like supportive relationships, mindfulness training, or structured skill development, strengthen neural circuits associated with resilience, empathy, and foresight.

Conversely, chronic stress, trauma, or exposure to substance abuse during this sensitive period can disrupt prefrontal development and lead to long-term difficulties in emotional regulation and decision-making (Luna et al., 2015). This highlights the importance of nurturing environments, holistic education, and practices that promote self-regulation and body awareness during the formative years of brain development.

Enhancing Prefrontal Development Through Mind-Body Practices

Mind-body disciplines such as yoga, Qigong, Tai Chi, and Bagua Zhang provide valuable pathways to enhance prefrontal development by integrating attention, movement, and emotional regulation. These practices require individuals to cultivate mindfulness, balance, and fine motor control, all of which engage the same neural circuits responsible for executive functioning. Studies have shown that consistent engagement in mindfulness and meditative movement practices can increase cortical thickness and functional connectivity in the prefrontal cortex, leading to improvements in attention, emotional balance, and self-awareness (Tang et al., 2015).

Furthermore, activities that require coordinated, deliberate movement such as martial arts, dance, or even playing a musical instrument, stimulate both hemispheres of the brain and reinforce the mind-body connection. These practices can effectively “train” the prefrontal cortex, helping individuals refine focus, control impulses, and manage stress more effectively. Thus, while biology sets the stage for brain maturation, experience and intentional practice determine the quality of that development.

Implications for Lifelong Growth

Recognizing that the brain continues to mature into the mid-twenties carries significant implications for education, parenting, and social policy. It suggests that late adolescence and early adulthood should not be viewed as the endpoint of development but rather as a critical phase of refinement and responsibility-building. Encouraging environments that promote autonomy, reflection, and self-regulation can help young adults transition more smoothly into mature, balanced individuals.

From a holistic perspective, the developing prefrontal cortex reflects a broader principle of human growth: maturity is not merely a biological milestone but a process of integration of body, mind, and spirit. The capacity for foresight, empathy, and moral reasoning emerges not only through neural wiring but through conscious cultivation. Just as physical training strengthens the body, mindful discipline strengthens the brain, allowing individuals to live with greater purpose, clarity, and wisdom.

References:

Blakemore, S.-J., & Choudhury, S. (2006). Development of the adolescent brain: Implications for executive function and social cognition. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 47(3–4), 296–312. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2006.01611.x

Casey, B. J., Jones, R. M., & Hare, T. A. (2008). The adolescent brain. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1124(1), 111–126. https://doi.org/10.1196/annals.1440.010

Giedd, J. N., Raznahan, A., Mills, K. L., & Lenroot, R. K. (2012). Review: magnetic resonance imaging of male/female differences in human adolescent brain anatomy. Biology of Sex Differences, 3(1), 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/2042-6410-3-19

Luna, B., Marek, S., Larsen, B., Tervo-Clemmens, B., & Chahal, R. (2015). An integrative model of the maturation of cognitive control. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 38, 151–170. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-neuro-071714-034054

Paus, T., Keshavan, M., & Giedd, J. N. (2008). Why do many psychiatric disorders emerge during adolescence? Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 9(12), 947–957. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2513

Somerville, L. H., Jones, R. M., & Casey, B. J. (2010). A time of change: Behavioral and neural correlates of adolescent sensitivity to appetitive and aversive environmental cues. Brain and Cognition, 72(1), 124–133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandc.2009.07.003

Steinberg, L. (2010). A dual systems model of adolescent risk-taking. Developmental Psychobiology, 52(3), 216–224. https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.20445

Tang, Y.-Y., Hölzel, B. K., & Posner, M. I. (2015). The neuroscience of mindfulness meditation. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 16(4), 213–225. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3916

“Polishing the Sword with the Soul”

The Tao of Inner Refinement in MuDo Practice

The phrase “polish the sword with the soul” is rooted in Taoist and Mu-Do (武道) traditions and expresses a universal ideal of continuous self-cultivation through disciplined practice and moral awareness. Like a sword that must be repeatedly sharpened to retain its edge, the human being must refine body, mind, and spirit to express the full potential of Dao (道) or The Way. This teaching transcends martial technique; it symbolizes the transformation of the practitioner into a vessel of harmony, wisdom, and integrity.

1. The Sword as the Symbol of Self and Spirit

In both Chinese and Korean philosophical systems, the sword (jian) is not merely a weapon but a metaphor for consciousness itself. The Taoist classic Zhuangzi likens the true swordsman to one whose blade never dulls because his mind is empty of attachment (Watson, 2013). Within Mudo, the sword embodies the shin (mind-heart), which when pure, reflects truth without distortion. The practitioner’s journey is to temper this “inner blade,” learning balance between yang (activity, assertion) and yin (stillness, receptivity), a theme central to traditional Taoist cosmology (Kohn, 2009).

In the Korean context, this teaching resonates with the ideal of Su-shin, meaning “cultivation of the body/self.” Confucius placed Su-shin at the foundation of social and cosmic harmony: “When the self is cultivated, the family is regulated; when the family is regulated, the state is in order” (Great Learning, trans. Legge, 1893). Thus, polishing the sword is both personal and social, in refining oneself to act justly in the world.

2. The Polishing Process: Friction as Transformation

Polishing requires friction, an apt metaphor for life’s challenges, failures, and self-confrontations. In Taoist alchemy, this process is described through the San Bao or “Three Treasures” of jing (essence), qi (energy), and shen (spirit). Through disciplined practice, essence is refined into energy, energy into spirit, and spirit into emptiness (xu) (Chia, 2008). The polishing of the sword thus mirrors Neidan, or internal alchemy: the transformation of raw life energy into luminous awareness.

In Mudo philosophy, this transformation parallels the Way of the Warrior – Scholar- Sage, a triadic path uniting physical discipline, intellectual cultivation, and moral-spiritual awareness. The warrior’s physical training tempers jing; the scholar’s contemplation refines qi; and the sage’s insight elevates shen and ultimately leading to harmony between heaven, earth, and man. This mirrors Jung’s (1968) notion of individuation, where the conscious and unconscious are integrated into a unified Self through continual refinement of opposites.

3. The Soul as the Source of Mastery

To “polish with the soul” means to engage one’s innermost consciousness as the agent of refinement. The soul (hun) represents the luminous, yang aspect of spirit that animates purpose and creativity (Larre & de la Vallée, 1996). Without the engagement of the soul, practice becomes mechanical; a sword swung without intention. When the soul infuses the art, each motion reflects authenticity, compassion, and clarity.

Modern psychological parallels can be found in self-determination theory, where mastery arises from intrinsic motivation aligned with personal values (Ryan & Deci, 2017). The Mudo practitioner’s polishing, therefore, is not merely technical repetition but the alignment of inner motive and outer action, manifesting into a harmony of virtue (de) and expression (gong).

4. Integrative Reflection: The Sword as Mirror of the Way

In the broader context of Taoist cultivation, “polishing the sword with the soul” signifies a return to the Dao through continuous refinement. Each moment of training, contemplation, or service becomes a stroke of the whetstone against the blade of consciousness. The goal is not perfection, but rather clarity to remove the rust of ego and reveal the reflective surface of awareness.

As explored in prior discussions of the yin–yang dynamic, strength and vulnerability, action and stillness, are not opposites but mutually transformative forces (Kaptchuk, 2000). The act of polishing symbolizes this balance in assertive effort (yang) combined with humble introspection (yin). Ultimately, the soul becomes both the craftsman and the mirror, through which the practitioner perceives the infinite in the finite.

To polish the sword with the soul is to practice Mudo as a living Tao, where every strike, breath, and thought becomes an act of refinement. The practitioner becomes both the sword and the polisher: a self-reflective being who tempers strength with compassion, power with humility, and mastery with moral integrity. In this process, technique becomes transcendent, and the path of the warrior, scholar, and sage merges into one continuous motion of the soul returning to its source.

References:

Jung, C. G. (1968). The collected works of C. G. Jung: Vol. 9 (Part 2). Aion: Researches into the phenomenology of the self. Princeton University Press.

Kaptchuk, T. J. (2000). The web that has no weaver: Understanding Chinese medicine. McGraw-Hill.

Kohn, L. (2009). The Taoist experience: An anthology. State University of New York Press. https://archive.org/details/thetaoistexperienceliviakohn

Larre, C., & de la Vallée, E. (1996). The seven emotions: Psychology and health in ancient China. Monkey Press.

Legge, J. (1893). The Chinese classics: Vol. I. The Great Learning. Oxford University Press. https://archive.org/details/chineseclassics41legg/page/n5/mode/2up

Chia. M. (2008). Healing light of the Tao: Foundations of internal alchemy. Universal Tao Publications.

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2017). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. The Guilford Press. https://doi.org/10.1521/978.14625/28806

Watson, B. (2013). The complete works of Chuang Tzu. Columbia University Press.

wikiHow. (2025, February 7). How to Take Care of Swords (with Pictures) – wikiHow. wikiHow. https://www.wikihow.com/Take-Care-of-Swords

1. Decisions Shape Your Future

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Reinventing Religious Identity in Korea After Liberation

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