📖 INTRODUCTION

Military service is one of the most significant life experiences for many young men.

For some, it becomes a time of growth, discipline, and maturity.

For others, it leaves behind stress, emotional wounds, resentment, and memories that continue long after discharge.

Why do some people adapt well while others struggle?

Can military service become an opportunity for self-reflection rather than a burden?

In this unique meditation testimonial, Yong-hae C. and Chang-bae Y. share their experiences of military life and how meditation helped them navigate challenges, heal emotional wounds, develop leadership, and grow as individuals.

Their stories reveal how changing the mind can completely transform the way we experience even the most difficult environments.

💬 MEDITATION TESTIMONIAL: “TWO MEN TALK ABOUT MILITARY LIFE AND MEDITATION”

By Yong-hae C. & Chang-bae Y.

🪖 “MILITARY LIFE BECOMES HARD WHEN YOU ONLY THINK ABOUT YOURSELF”

Yong-hae C.

I served in an artillery unit.

Before enlistment, I lacked confidence and motivation.

Honestly, I entered the military almost as an escape from reality.

When I became an administrative soldier, my only thought was:

“As long as I’m comfortable, that’s enough.”

While others worked hard outside, I remained inside the office.

I avoided difficult situations.

Eventually, I became someone many people disliked.

Looking back, my biggest problem was that I only thought about myself.

Chang-bae Y.

I served as a military driver.

Before enlistment, I had already been practicing meditation.

People at the meditation center often told me:

“Don’t look for comfort.”

“Always step forward before others do.”

They also taught me not to hate people.

When someone criticizes you or becomes angry, there is always a reason behind it.

That perspective helped me tremendously throughout military life.

😔 “EVEN AFTER DISCHARGE, I HAD NIGHTMARES”

Chang-bae Y.

The transportation unit was known for strict discipline.

Because driving mistakes can cause serious accidents, soldiers were frequently criticized and corrected.

As a private, I was constantly scolded.

My locker was overturned.

I was told to reorganize everything.

Even small mistakes became reasons for criticism.

But each time, I practiced letting go of my mind and asking:

“Why is this person saying this?”

Eventually, I realized many seniors were actually trying to teach responsibility and leadership.

When I understood their perspective, misunderstandings disappeared.

Yong-hae C.

For me, those experiences became deep emotional wounds.

Being yelled at and criticized remained in my mind long after military service ended.

Even after discharge, I had nightmares almost every week.

I dreamed about being sent back to the army.

I dreamed about never being discharged.

I dreamed about being punished all over again.

Those memories followed me everywhere.

🧠 “THE DIFFERENCE WAS HUGE”

Yong-hae C.

The biggest difference between us was simple.

Whenever difficult situations arose, Chang-bae could let them go.

I couldn’t.

Everything accumulated inside my mind.

One day, someone told me:

“The senior soldiers call you a troublemaker.”

That completely crushed my confidence.

Years later, even after returning to civilian life, I still carried that label inside myself.

Whenever I made a mistake or moved too slowly, I heard that word in my mind again.

It became a nightmare.

Only after practicing meditation did those wounds finally begin healing.

Chang-bae Y.

Honestly, if I had not practiced meditation before enlistment, I probably would have exploded too.

Many situations felt unfair.

Many words hurt.

But meditation helped me release those thoughts before they became lasting wounds.

🌿 LEARNING TO SEE FROM ANOTHER PERSON’S PERSPECTIVE

Yong-hae C.

During meditation, memories of military life began surfacing.

At first, I remembered only my resentment.

Then something changed.

I suddenly saw the situation from my seniors’ perspective.

Honestly, I realized I had not done many things well.

The resentment disappeared.

The hatred disappeared.

The belief that I had been completely right disappeared.

For the first time, I understood them.

That realization brought tremendous freedom.

Chang-bae Y.

The military gathers people from many different backgrounds.

To adapt well, I realized I needed to become like a blank sheet of paper.

People who can accept situations openly tend to adapt more naturally.

Studying the mind completely changed my life.

💪 “THE MILITARY CAN BE A GOOD CHANCE TO REFLECT ON YOURSELF”

Yong-hae C.

What I’m most grateful for is that meditation helped me overcome my fear of people.

The encouragement and support I received helped me regain confidence.

Eventually I passed the civil service examination.

I became more active and outgoing.

I truly believe personality can change because mine did.

Looking back, military life became a mirror that reflected my own mind back to me.

Chang-bae Y.

For me, military service helped develop leadership and confidence.

Before, I only did what I enjoyed.

Now I willingly take responsibility for difficult tasks.

I learned that sincerity matters.

I learned that helping others matters.

Most importantly, I learned that a group becomes stronger when people think beyond themselves.

🤝 THE SECRET TO A WISE MILITARY LIFE

Chang-bae Y.

When you remove rank and uniforms, everyone is simply another human being.

An older brother.

A younger brother.

A friend.

That realization helped me develop compassion for the people around me.

Eventually, officers even encouraged me to talk with and support other soldiers.

Yong-hae C.

I once had a senior soldier who protected me whenever others bullied me.

I admired him greatly.

I wanted to become like him.

But wanting to change and actually changing are different things.

Only after letting go of my wounds, memories, and resentment could I truly change.

Chang-bae Y.

Meditation helped me see every situation as an opportunity for growth.

Instead of asking:

“Why is this happening to me?”

I learned to ask:

“What can I learn from this?”

That made all the difference.

✨ MILITARY SERVICE, MATURITY, AND SELF-REFLECTION

Today, both men view military service differently than they once did.

What once felt painful became valuable.

What once felt unfair became an opportunity for growth.

Their experiences suggest that military service itself is not necessarily the source of suffering.

Rather, how we store and interpret those experiences in our minds often determines whether they become burdens or lessons.

Through meditation, they learned how to release resentment, understand others more deeply, and transform difficult memories into wisdom.

And in doing so, they discovered that even military service can become a meaningful journey of self-reflection, maturity, and personal growth.