Every person possesses elements of the ideal of creation [our original, eternal nature] within his or her heart.

Sun Myung Moon

Our Original Nature

Topic: Immanence & Transcendence

Despite being fallen, every human being has an inner connection to his or her original, eternal nature. Every person possesses elements of the ideal of creation within his or her heart. Therefore human beings have the capacity to overcome their sin, become complete, achieve union with God, and live infinitely happy lives. The goal of our prayers is to awaken that inner nature [our original, eternal nature] and make it the core of our thinking.

Sun Myung Moon

Sun Myung Moon, born on January 6, 1920, was a spiritual leader and luminary hailing from North Korea. He founded the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity, better known as the Unification Church, in 1954. Drawing upon direct Prophetic revelation, influenced by the major faith traditions—especially Christianity, but also Judaism, Islam, Confucianism, and Buddhism. He also developed a political philosophy to resist the spread of the anti-religious Communist ideology. Reverend Moon's teachings centered on love, unity, and peace. He aimed to spark a global spiritual movement that transcended religious and cultural divisions, and his vision resonated with followers all over the world. Through the Unification Church, Sun Myung Moon also promoted interfaith understanding and collaboration, striving for harmony among diverse religious traditions.

Reverend Moon's teachings went beyond the realm of the spiritual to touch on the universal human themes of love and family. He emphasized the importance of nurturing strong, loving families as the cornerstone for a harmonious and peaceful world. To this end, he conducted mass wedding ceremonies known as the 'Blessing', symbolizing the unity of all people under God, regardless of their cultural or religious backgrounds. Moon also stressed the value of community service and encouraged his followers to actively contribute to their local communities.

Sun Myung Moon's partner in both life and work was his wife, Hak Ja Han Moon. As co-leader of the Unification Church, she is a pivotal figure in spreading their shared vision of a world unified by love and peace. Affectionately known as 'True Mother', she embodies the ideal of nurturing and unconditional love in their teachings. After Reverend Moon's passing in 2012, Hak Ja Han Moon assumed sole leadership of the Unification Church and changed the name to Heavenly Parent's Holy Community. In her leadership role, she has tirelessly carried forward their mission, upholding the church's emphasis on peace, interfaith dialogue, and strong, loving families. Under her guidance, the church has continued to flourish, spreading its message of unity and love to people around the globe.

(1920-2012) Heavenly Parent's Holy Community
Cheon Seong Gyeong

Moon, Sun Myung, and Hak Ja Han Moon. Cheon Seong Gyeong. Seonghwa Chulpansa, 2015, p. 888 [Sun Myung Moon, Cheon Seong Gyeong, Book 8, Chapter 3.14].

Sun Myung Moon

Theme: Immanence and Transcendence

About This Sun Myung Moon Quotation [Commentary]

Andrew Wilson, Immanent and Dwelling Within the Heart [Commentary]

Abiding within the heart, God is near at hand to each of us, if only we would notice. In the Bible, God’s immanence is described in the revelation to Elijah, where instead of a grand manifestation in earthquake and storm, God appeared as “a still small voice.” Through faith and humility we can sense God’s presence within. Yet God is in fact near to all, even though most are blind and deaf to His [Her] reality.
In the Abrahamic religions, God’s immanence rarely leads to identification with the soul itself, but Eastern traditions teach more thoroughgoing notions of divine immanence. Sufis interpret the qur’anic parable of the Lamp as expressing God’s presence in the heart as a light illuminating the body. In Hinduism, divine immanence is ontological: Ultimate Reality is the Self, the Atman. In Buddhism, it is realization by the mind of its true nature: the Essence of Mind (Tathata) or Buddha-nature. Yet these conceptions in no way make a simple identification of God with the individual soul (jiva), which is beclouded and deluded by an egoistic sense of self.
The complete realization of the God within is a potential and ideal, because that is our God-given purpose. God created each of us to encompass the universe and correspond with God’s heart.

—Wilson, Andrew, editor. World Scripture II. Universal Peace Federation, 2011. P. 27.

Additional Sun Myung Moon Quotes

“Whatever difficulties you face, do not ask others, but ask your own conscience. When you pray, do not pray vaguely. God gave you an original mind, so you should be united with that precious gift. Once you are united with it, you will know everything about yourself. Once you have cultivated your heart and mind, you can be tuned to God’s heart and mind.

—Sun Myung Moon [307:216, November 21, 1998].

Even though I am your teacher, my teachings cannot connect you eternally to God. It is your task to find your original heart. You have to hear the calling of Heaven through your mind’s ears. You have to see the divine nature through your mind’s eyes. You have to feel the heart of Heaven through your mind’s senses…
We have thought that God was the only precious existence, but now we should understand that our minds are just as precious. By finding the nucleus of your mind, you can attain the high standard of value by which God can make a relationship with you. Otherwise, how can you be in alignment with Heaven’s principles?…
Today’s believers frequently take comfort from their conceptual beliefs and their world of faith. Yet although we are fallen, our minds contain elements of the ideal of creation by which we can commune with the eternal God. What, after all, is the purpose of prayer? Why do Buddhists seek a state of emptiness through Zen meditation? It is to awaken the elements that lie at the nucleus of the mind.

—Sun Myung Moon [2:192-93, May 19, 1957].

“Now is the time when people must reflect on themselves and listen to the voice from Heaven. Through the benefit of the providence, the living God has now drawn near to us. From now on, people will have many spiritual experiences that they could not have earlier. That is to say, they will communicate with the transcendent world. Through these frequent spiritual experiences, people will be influenced directly and indirectly. Especially people who experience the inspiration of God and good spirits will have their spiritual senses developed centered on God, and they will experience major changes in their character. People whose character is thus transformed to fit the way of Heaven are the true people God has been hoping for.”

—Sun Myung Moon [February 6, 2003].

“God gave us the Original Mind [conscience] as a guide whereby we can distinguish between good and evil. Use it!”

—Sun Myung Moon [The Way of God’s Will] p. 25.

Our Original Nature

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