Silsi (失始): Losing the Beginning

[ComplexContentWithDelimiter] [DeliAbstract]Have you ever devoted yourself so wholeheartedly to something that you forgot why you even started? In a world relentlessly focused on goals, results, and destinations, we often forget the intrinsic beauty of the journey. This book introduces a timeless teaching called *Silsi* (失始), or “Losing the Beginning,” from the ancient Korean text, the *Chamjeon Gyegyeong*. Silsi is the art of pure immersion. We may begin a task with a clear purpose—to win a race, to paint a masterpiece, to build a successful company. But through sincere and continuous devotion, a remarkable transformation occurs. The initial desire for a result fades, and the act itself becomes the source of joy and meaning. What remains is a pure, unadulterated engagement with the present moment. Drawing parallels with the modern psychological concept of “Flow” and the Japanese philosophy of the *shokunin* (artisan), this book explores how Silsi can be the key to unlocking profound satisfaction and peak performance. Through compelling examples—from the athlete in the zone and the scientist driven by pure curiosity to the master craftsman who has polished the same stone for a lifetime—you will discover that the greatest rewards in life are found not at the finish line, but in the sincerity of each step taken. *Silsi: Losing the Beginning* is an invitation to rediscover the power of the process, to trade the anxiety of ambition for the deep fulfillment of devotion, and to learn that sometimes, the best way to reach a destination is to forget you were ever going there at all. [DeliAuthor]Since my final year of high school in 2000, I have lived with mental illness. In 2012, my kidneys failed completely, and I began hemodialysis treatment three times a week, lying for four hours each session as two thick needles filtered my blood through a machine in place of urine. During this time, I lived without employment. From 2005, I studied meditation for sixteen years. Now, while waiting for a kidney transplant, I devote myself to managing my health, practicing Guksundo, and personally training in Gicheon while working as a writer. Today, I have overcome schizoaffective disorder, and with my doctor’s guidance I have been able to stop medication. All that remains is to wait for a kidney transplant, while continuing to live faithfully with devotion to health and writing. Contact: cutyluna19@naver.com blog.naver.com/hicamita 010-9064-9325 [DeliList]Prologue: The Forgotten Purpose Chapter 1: The Principle of Silsi - Forgetting the Why Chapter 2: The Psychology of Sincere Devotion - Finding the State of Flow Chapter 3: The Artisan's Path - The Way of the Shokunin Chapter 4: Silsi in Action - From Mountain Peaks to Daily Rituals Chapter 5: Living a Silsi Life - When the Process Becomes the Way Epilogue: Returning to the Now