8. The Mind Changes Matter : Collective Unconscious

The mind is shaped by the interaction between consciousness and the unconscious. It is widely accepted that consciousness is merely the tip of a vast iceberg called the unconscious.

The unconscious is formed by memories from birth until now. It leads us to believe that what we perceive through our five senses is all there is, making us obsess over money, power, and success. When we fail to achieve these, we experience anxiety, depression, and sorrow, which may eventually manifest as physical illness.

The collective unconscious refers to a deeper level of the psyche than the personal unconscious. It is considered a remnant of the primal psyche that existed even before the animal stage—a universal consciousness shared across humanity.

People often say things like:

• “People are the same everywhere.”

• “Human nature is universal.”

• “Heart speaks to heart without words.”

These expressions reflect the collective unconscious. For instance, we feel the urge to help someone in distress or get angry when witnessing lies or injustice—universal human reactions that transcend race or nationality.

The collective unconscious can freely interact not only with other people but also with animals, plants, and even inanimate objects. It is said that we must become like children to enter heaven. Indeed, the elderly nearing natural death often resemble children, treating others without prejudice or judgment. Children, free from bias, seem to communicate with animals as if speaking the same language.

The collective unconscious bridges the mental and material worlds. It is expressed through love, gratitude, joy, truth, goodness, and beauty. Upon reaching this level of consciousness, all prejudice and ego dissolve—allowing for the healing of any disease. Illness is often the result of obsessive attachment to the self and greed. Even terminal cancer has been known to disappear when a person lets go of their attachment to life and becomes filled with love, gratitude, and joy—the essence of life itself.

The path to accessing the collective unconscious is through mindful breathing and meditation.

Dr. Jin-man Kim, director of Peace Oriental Clinic