📖 INTRODUCTION
Many people dream of becoming a pilot.
Flying high above the clouds.
Traveling through the sky.
Experiencing freedom that few people ever know.
But behind the excitement of military aviation lies an immense amount of pressure, responsibility, and stress.
Every decision matters.
Every flight demands complete focus.
And even the most accomplished pilots can quietly struggle with anxiety, perfectionism, and emotional burdens.
This meditation testimonial shares the story of In-Jae L., an Air Force Fighter Pilot and Major, who achieved his childhood dream of becoming a fighter pilot, only to discover that success alone could not eliminate stress or bring lasting fulfillment.
Through the meditation method taught by Master Woo Myung, he learned to let go of fear, pride, rigid thinking, and the countless mental burdens he had accumulated throughout his life.
As those burdens disappeared, he discovered a new way of flying—and a new way of living.
This meditation testimonial beautifully illustrates how true freedom begins not in the sky, but within the mind.
💬 MEDITATION TESTIMONIAL: “THE STRESSED VERSION OF ME DISAPPEARED…”
By In-Jae L. | Air Force Fighter Pilot, Major
As a middle school student, I often looked up at airplanes crossing the sky.
Flying seemed exciting.
Free.
Extraordinary.
I dreamed of becoming a pilot.
Years later, that dream became reality.
I entered the Air Force Academy, completed flight training, and became a fighter pilot.
At first, I loved flying.
But the reality of military aviation was very different from the dream I had imagined.
✈️ “I WAS FLYING… BUT I WASN’T ENJOYING THE SKY”
People often imagine pilots enjoying beautiful skies and exciting adventures.
The reality is much different.
In the cockpit, there is never a moment to relax.
A single mistake can result in disaster.
Pilots must remain alert every second.
And the pressure doesn’t end after landing.
There are always:
• Flight evaluations
• Combat training requirements
• New operational procedures
• Safety concerns
• Performance expectations
• Military organizational pressures
Although I was living the dream I once desired, internally I felt trapped.
I was always busy.
Always tense.
Always worried.
And somehow, never fully satisfied.
🪞 “THE PERSON I THOUGHT I WAS… WASN’T REAL”
During a particularly stressful period, I came across a book about meditation.
I became so absorbed that I stayed awake all night reading it.
One statement especially stood out:
Through meditation, people can rediscover their true nature.
That idea deeply moved me.
Soon afterward, I began practicing meditation.
During the process, one memory suddenly resurfaced.
Back at the Air Force Academy, during my senior year, classmates had written anonymous comments about each other.
I had always believed I was considerate and easy to work with.
But what my classmates wrote shocked me.
Many described me as:
• Stubborn
• Rigid
• Difficult
For the first time, I realized:
The person I believed myself to be was very different from the person others experienced.
That realization stayed with me.
🌱 “EVERYTHING INSIDE MY MIND WAS A FALSE CONSTRUCTION”
As I continued reflecting on my life, I began discovering where many of my habits originated.
I grew up as the eldest son in a strict and traditional household.
Without realizing it, I had developed powerful beliefs about:
• Being right
• Following rules perfectly
• Never losing arguments
• Never showing weakness
Since high school, I had spent most of my life in competitive environments.
Dormitories.
Military academies.
Flight training.
Professional military service.
Achievement became my identity.
Success became my standard.
And gradually, I began believing that everything I accomplished was entirely my own achievement.
I rarely felt gratitude toward:
• My parents
• Friends
• Colleagues
• Superiors
• Subordinates
Instead, I lived inside a rigid worldview created by my own mind.
Seeing that clearly was deeply humbling.
✨ “I REALIZED EVERYTHING I BELIEVED WAS JUST AN ILLUSION”
As meditation continued, something remarkable happened.
I began letting go of the countless emotional burdens and mental images I had accumulated throughout life.
Then one day, I experienced a profound realization.
I saw that everything inside my mind had been something I created myself.
The fears.
The pride.
The judgments.
The limitations.
All of it.
Then another realization followed.
The universe itself was me.
At that moment, something finally made sense.
I understood why I had always loved the sky.
Why flying had fascinated me since childhood.
It felt as though my longing to fly had actually been a longing to return to my original nature.
🌌 FLYING BECAME COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
After that realization, many things began changing.
My anxiety decreased.
My stress became lighter.
My direction in life became clear.
Then one night during a flight, I experienced something unforgettable.
The canopy above me revealed a sky filled with stars.
I had seen that view countless times before.
But I had never truly noticed it.
This time was different.
Suddenly:
• The airplane disappeared
• My sense of self disappeared
• Only the sky remained
For a brief moment, I felt completely united with the vastness around me.
It was one of the most peaceful experiences of my life.
💙 “THE STRESSED VERSION OF ME IS GONE”
Fighter pilots operate in constantly changing environments.
Situational awareness.
Rapid decision-making.
Calm judgment.
These qualities are critical.
Fear and unconscious reactions can become dangerous.
Meditation helped me remove not only surface-level stress, but also the deeper fears and emotional burdens hidden underneath.
As a result:
• My situational awareness improved
• My judgment became clearer
• My emotional stability increased
• My ability to remain calm strengthened
And perhaps the greatest change of all was this:
The stressed version of me disappeared.
From the outside, my life looks very similar.
I still fly.
I still serve.
I still carry responsibility.
But internally, everything feels different.
The anxiety is gone.
The heaviness is gone.
The fear is gone.
Now, a peaceful and truly free self is living.
And for the first time since childhood, I can genuinely enjoy the sky.
