#17

[Earth Hall in Sedona Mago Retreat Center]

17. Fire that Vanished – Center that Turned into Ashes

Due to visa problems, after I went back to South Korea, those remaining behind in America were Master Yong Soo Moon in Philadelphia and Master Hyun Mook Choi in Los Angeles.  They diligently managed things well. 
During the six to twelve months that I was gone from America, many occurrences took place. While staying in South Korea, there were incidents that could not be solved through phone calls. In Philadelphia, the work that was being done together between myself and Yong Soo Moon, was now being done alone, and he could not take care of all that work by himself.  Meanwhile, since it was a situation where new masters could not be supplemented, that energy became weaker and at last became extinguished.
And to make matters worse, in the following year damage was done due to the African American riot in Los Angeles.  Because the center was near the Korean town in Los Angeles, the damage was made.  Even in the walls on the outside of the center, there were bullet holes.  Windows were shattered, and even though it was in a mess, it was a relief that there wasn’t anything to take.
The center was closed temporarily until it became quiet again in the neighborhood.  When it was reopened, for a while members were still afraid and could not come.
Even though we went through lots of hardship, up until this time it could be tolerated and endured.  However, in an unexpected place, another incident took place.  Master Hyun Mook Choi gave a healing to a female member early in the morning and was coming out of the room, when a second member saw the scene.  The second member promoted the scandal that they slept together.  This became a rumor; and even when he tried to have it under control, it was not working.  Eventually, Master Hyun Mook Choi bled his finger and wrote the words “I love you Seseungnim” on the bathroom walls and disappeared.  He did this because he felt it was his fault, and it was a situation where he could no longer manage the center, so he left for his home in Canada.  I can sufficiently understand how he must have felt to leave like this without being able to take care of the after effects. 

I can clearly see the incident of a young master who did not know how to take care of the matter, and was innocently thrown into confusion.  Even now, he is probably living somewhere in Canada as an artist and a painter.  Someday I wish to see him again and talk about the old days. Like this, because of the scandal with the female member, the center closed. 

This kind of misunderstanding and rumor occurs a lot even now, and it can occur whenever and wherever.  Even though the work is to benefit others, if not done properly, the fact that it can bring about negative results makes me cautious.  In the helping of one another, I would like it to be accomplished within the trust of each other.  When centers close, many people who train and benefit from the center are affected.  This kind of thing is truly heartbreaking.  When the many things that were created with tremendous effort are destroyed, once again lots of painstaking tears of energy need to be poured in and be created anew. 
The words and behavior of both parties must be cautious so that there won’t be a misunderstanding…… Hap Shim Dae Do (when you focus your mind, the great Tao will prevail)

Like this, with visa problems and scandal issues, the center that was created with great efforts was destroyed.