When people dream of traveling to Mongolia, they often imagine finding freedom while galloping on horseback across the vast, endless grasslands.
However, for Go Mi-soβa thirty-year-old Mongolian woman enrolled in the master’s program for Chinese Language and Literature at Jeju National Universityβtrue freedom was found not on the plains, but in South Korea. It was a freedom of the mind that, according to her, cannot even be compared to riding a horse on the grasslands.
A feature published by Bridge Economy highlighted her profound journey of self-discovery through Ma-eum Su-ryun mind subtraction meditation. Here is her deeply moving story.
𧳠A Journey to the Island of Peace
Having settled in Korea four years prior to the interview, Go Mi-so shared that she simply fell in love with Jeju Island.
Her connection to the island began in 2007 during a high school trip with her father. Despite not knowing Korean, she felt a deep, affectionate familiarity with the place and its people. This experience left such a lasting impression that she later took a leave of absence from her university and re-enrolled in a public university in Mongolia just to join an exchange program that would send her back to Jeju.
She eventually settled on the island and even adopted the beautiful Korean name, ‘Go Mi-so’ (which translates to ‘smile’). However, juggling the demands of work and graduate school in Koreaβs fast-paced environment quickly took its toll. Feeling confined by a tight 24-hour daily routine, she began to feel as though she was losing herself.
“I lived for several years harboring the feeling that I was losing myself and wanting to find my true self… I even once posted on Twitter, ‘Where can I find myself?'”
πͺοΈ Confronting the Shadows of the Past
Her struggle wasn’t just about a busy schedule. Although she grew up in a comfortable environment, her life felt like it collapsed when her father passed away during her adolescence.
This tragic loss led to a period of intense wandering and depression. She harbored deep resentment toward those who had treated her poorly, which eventually festered into hatred and even led to a suicide attempt. She attended churches and temples at the recommendation of others, desperately seeking an escape from the swamp of depression.
It was during this time that she serendipitously discovered Korean mind subtraction meditation.
π‘ Healing Through Mind Subtraction
The Ma-eum Su-ryun method offered a simple, systematic way to deeply reflect on oneself and discard accumulated mindsets.
“It was so simple and systematic that even I, a foreigner, could understand it immediately. All I did was subtract my mind, but the changes were amazing,” she explained.
Through meditation, a massive realization shifted her entire perspective:
- Releasing Victimhood: “I realized I had always considered myself a victim. I had lived with this mindset for 29 years… ‘Ah, I only knew myself. My mind made it that way’βI think realizing this is the most important thing. Since I realized it was my own doing, I could break free from it all.”
- Healing Family Ties: For the first time in her life, she offered a sincere apology to her family for her past behavior, shocking them in the best way possible. By simply changing herself, her previously unharmonious household became peaceful.
- Accepting Loved Ones: She found the courage to fully accept her older half-sister, whom she had previously hidden from friends out of shame. She called her sister to express her sincere love and gratitude.
Today, she experiences the profound joy of not harboring hatred for anyone.
π A New World and a Clear Purpose
The benefits of her practice extended into her professional and academic life. With a clearer sense of purpose and newfound confidence, her ability to adapt to challenging situations grew. She even found the courage to study for the rigorous civil service exam in Korea.
Go Mi-so emphasizes that investing time in the unseen mind is crucial. If the heavy, packed “pictures” in the mind are not subtracted, true freedom cannot be found.
One unforgettable day, after a deep meditation session, she stepped outside and experienced the world completely anew:
“It was a path I walked every day, but it was a completely different world. It felt like I was hearing the birds singing for the first time… All I did was subtract, so how could it change this much! I truly became a completely different person and confirmed a different world with my own eyes.”
In Mongolian, Korea is called ‘Solongos’, meaning ‘rainbow’. For Go Mi-so, Korea truly became the country of the rainbow, providing her the opportunity to find the ultimate freedom of mind. Her goal now is to introduce this life-changing practice to Mongolia, because being happy all by herself is simply not enough.
“I feel like I can finally breathe and live now… I feel like I am finally breathing properly now.”
π° About the Article
- Publication: Bridge Economy
- Article Title: “Korean Ma-eum Su-ryun Meditation Helped Me Find My True Self,” Says Mongolian Woman Go Mi-so
- Published: February 26, 2016
- Reporters: Lee Jae-bok & Im Do-kyung
