As our world grapples with compounding crises – from ecological distress to societal polarization and an undercurrent of existential unease – many are seeking more than superficial fixes. We yearn for a comprehensive understanding, a "bigger picture" that can make sense of the turbulence. It is in this context that the teachings of Jeung San Do, as articulated by its current leader, Jongdosanim, offer a compelling and deeply resonant perspective. While some may initially categorize Jeung San Do as a religion, Jongdosanim suggests its scope is far broader.
The Essence of Jeung San Do: More Than Just Belief
When asked to define Jeung San Do, Jongdosanim acknowledges the difficulty of summarizing a truth that "is further complicated by its profound knowledge of topics ranging from cosmology to humanity." However, he distills its core message: "The cosmic season is giving way to autumn. The Autumn Gaebyeok is coming. Jeung San Do is a truth that aims to save people by spreading across the world the supreme dao of Gang Jeung-san Sangjenim, who incarnated as a human at this time of the age of the Autumn Gaebyeok." This immediately sets Jeung San Do apart. It's not just about faith in a deity or personal spiritual awakening in isolation.
Jongdosanim elaborates on why Jeung San Do "transcends religion." He poses a critical question: if spiritual awakening or faith alone is the answer, "then an earthquake abruptly heaves up the ground- at that moment, is that simply the end of us all?" He argues that true understanding must encompass the "overarching order of our existence," which is "heaven and earth." Therefore, "the first step in learning the truth is to know how the order of nature, within which you yourself reside, evolves."
Jeung San Do, he explains, provides this comprehensive framework through its "Li-Sin-Sa" principle – encompassing cosmic principle (Li), the way of spirits (Sin), and human affairs (Sa). It's about understanding the universe's operational laws, the influence of the spirit world, and humanity's role within this grand, interconnected reality. This holistic approach, examining the interplay of these three realms, is why Jeung San Do sees itself as a "truth that transcends religion."
The Cosmic Year and Humanity's Purpose
A cornerstone of Jeung San Do's cosmology, as Jongdosanim details, is the concept of the cosmic year, a 129,600-year cycle of cosmic seasons – spring, summer, autumn, and winter. This isn't just a philosophical abstraction; he points to ancient Eastern numerology and even echoes in Western scientific discoveries about ice ages. The universe, he states, "observes a cycle... birth, growth, harvest, and rest."
Crucially, this cosmic cycle has a purpose: "the cultivation of the human being." Jongdosanim asserts, "Heaven and earth cultivate humans- this is the starting point of Jeung San Do's cosmology." Why? "Because humans are heaven and earth's very reason for being... humans are the offspring of heaven and earth, they carry out heaven and earth's vision, and they shall build a paradise on earth." We are, in essence, "the fruit of heaven and earth."
Currently, Jongdosanim emphasizes, that humanity is "approaching the dawn of the cosmic autumn. It is a revolutionary period when summer's division and growth comes to an end autumn begins, a season of maturity, unification, and convergence." This transition from the "Early Heaven" (cosmic spring and summer, characterized by sanggeuk or mutual conflict and division) to the "Later Heaven" (cosmic autumn, characterized by sangsaeng or mutual life-giving and unity) is the essence of Gaebyeok.
Gaebyeok: Renewal, Not Just an End
The term Gaebyeok, Jongdosanim clarifies, is often misunderstood. It's not simply a doomsday prophecy. While it involves "disassembly of the order of heaven and earth that has governed the Early Heaven and the reconstruction of a new order befitting the Later Heaven," its ultimate aim is renewal. The "Autumn Gaebyeok" will indeed bring cataclysmic changes – wars, a mysterious disease, and even a straightening of the Earth's axis – leading to immense loss of life. Sangjenim's stark words about survival underscore its severity.
However, Jongdosanim stresses that "gaebyeok should instead be viewed as an inevitable process of reform or as a means of creating a new world." It is "an indispensable stage in the advent of the Paradise of Immortality on earth." The focus isn't on destruction but on the "selection of the seeds of humanity" and the transformation from an order of conflict (sanggeuk) to an order of mutual life-giving (sangsaeng).
The Era of Humanity's Nobility: Our Role in the Transformation
Perhaps the most empowering aspect of Jongdosanim's message is the declaration of the "Era of Humanity's Nobility." He states that in this cosmic autumn, "humans must resolve all their problems by themselves... Heaven and earth will complete autumn's unified culture through humanity." Sangjenim's incarnation as a human was a testament to this: "to prove that humans are noble and that they are the masters of their own destiny who will bring to completion the autumn culture of the Later Heaven."
This is a radical shift from past ages where salvation was often sought from an external divine power. Now, "humanity shall, by itself, overcome gaebyeok and enter into the Later Heaven's world." This is not a passive acceptance of fate, but an active participation in a cosmic process.
Confronting the Present, Embracing the Future
Jongdosanim acknowledges the "enormous problems that daily challenge humanity" – from extreme weather to geopolitical instability. He urges us to see these not as isolated incidents but as "signs that the cosmic season, the order of heaven and earth, is changing."
The path forward involves recognizing our role as "masters of our own destiny." This means more than just personal survival; it means participating in "attaining heaven and earth's achievement of their purpose." This achievement, he clarifies, is to "proclaim autumn's culture, and participate in the harvesting of humans on behalf of heaven and earth... spreading the teachings of Sangjenim and Taemonim and of saving many people."
Jeung San Do, therefore, presents a profound challenge and an equally profound opportunity. It offers a cosmic map to understand our turbulent times, a spiritual path (centered on practices like the Taeeulju mantra, as mentioned by Taesang Jongdosanim) for navigating the Gaebyeok, and a vision of a future where humanity, in harmony with a renewed heaven and earth, achieves its true, noble potential. It's an invitation to look beyond the immediate crises and participate in the grand, unfolding purpose of the universe.