Shi Heng Yi: Don’t wait for the world to change. Start with yourself.
- Edward Owen-Burge
- 6 days ago
- 7 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Shi Heng Yi is a master of the Shaolin Temple Europe and one of the most recognisable voices bringing ancient Eastern philosophy into contemporary life. Known globally for his teachings on self-mastery, mindfulness and internal strength, he weaves together the physical discipline of martial arts with the introspective clarity of Zen. With millions watching his lectures online, he has become a guide for those seeking stillness, meaning and integrity in a distracted world.
In this conversation with The Skylark, Shi Heng Yi reflects on generational inheritance, the illusion of the self, and the power of discipline. He speaks about social media’s grip on our identity, the loss of sensitivity in a speed-driven culture, and the need to realign with nature – not as something to conquer, but as something we are part of. At the heart of it all is a simple idea: if we want to see less suffering in the world, we begin by confronting our own.
I think every human, sooner or later, is going to face the same type of questions. The same type of problem areas. And that’s why for me, this tradition I follow, is not about belief. It’s about areas within us that are already there. When you look deep enough, you discover that there are things inside of us that we carry from the past. It’s memories from our parents, memories from the education system, and sometimes things that are generational; passed on for centuries.
If you don’t look into it, you might say there’s no relation. But there is. For example, have you ever met your great-great-grandfather? Most people haven’t. I haven’t. But I carry his face. Even if I’ve never met that person, even if they lived 300 years ago, still today I represent something that was there then. Physically, it’s in me.
So now the question is: if physical information is passed on, why wouldn’t emotional or mental information be passed on too?
I do believe that what our parents, or those before us, were not able to solve, we are going to be faced with again. Maybe in a different form, but it’s the same underlying challenge. And how do we recognise those challenges? It’s the things that still trigger us. When someone says something or does something, and suddenly a pattern inside you starts running – maybe anger, maybe fear – you didn’t choose it. It just happens. That’s unconsciousness.
The journey, therefore, is about becoming conscious of that process. Understanding how we function, what influences us, and how we can shape a life that feels authentic and free.
The smiling moment wasn’t real before the photo, and it won’t be real after.
In the Western world, people find this very difficult. Even if they enjoy meditation, even if they feel great afterwards, 90% of them – maybe 99% – won’t go further. They won’t practise. Why is that?
It has to do with how this, and past generations have been raised. What did the previous one value? What was being taught? What were the messages being propagated? Over the last few decades, our society has made it all about entertainment. About the pursuit of happiness out there. You must achieve something. You must prove yourself. The way you are is not enough. You must climb the ladder.
So now, we’re at a point where many people grow up not even questioning that structure. They take it as a given: that life is about showing your best side, especially on social media. It’s about smiles for the camera. One photo that captures the highlight of the day and the other 23 hours and 59 minutes of your day are not shown. The smiling moment wasn’t real before the photo, and it won’t be real after. But that’s become the way of living. The outside becomes everything. Validation becomes everything.
We’ve reached a stage where people are constantly waiting for something external to make them feel good, to tell them who they are, to approve of them. That’s where self-mastery comes in. Self-mastery means realising that if you want to be happy, you are the one who has to generate it. Nobody else can give it to you. And yes – it requires responsibility. You need to take your life into your own hands. All these methods, whether meditation or movement or breathing, they’re not there to impress someone. They are helpful tools to rediscover that there’s a kind of strength in you that doesn’t depend on what’s happening out there.
Say you want to do 100 push-ups. Maybe today, you can only do 20. Who is going to push you to keep going? Who is going to tell you to do number 21? It’s not a trainer. It’s not me. It’s you. Something in you has to be unlocked, and then suddenly – yes. You see it. You thought you couldn’t, but you can. That is the type of mindset I’m talking about. That is the spirit that gets you there.
The moment we live in conflict with natural laws, we suffer. And we are suffering, because we’re not in harmony.
Of course, there is another side to this, which people don’t often talk about. Strength and discipline, yes, but also sensitivity. Awareness. Empathy. Sometimes, I see how teachings from Shaolin or martial arts have been misused, taken by people outside the tradition to promote machoism, or even misogyny. That’s not Shaolin. That’s not what we teach. And sadly, it’s not always clear where these messages are coming from.
Just recently, my team told me that on YouTube, there are many videos of me – my face, my voice – saying things I’ve never said. AI-generated. Completely fabricated. And what’s worrying is that the topics being discussed are exactly these kinds of misrepresentations. So people see the video, they hear the voice, and they assume it must be true. But it’s not. It’s not me. It doesn’t align with my teachings.
Now, I can’t control everything that’s out there. But what I do trust is this: the more sensitive and aware you become, the more you feel when something is off. Even if it’s my voice and my face, something about it will feel wrong. That’s why self-reflection is so important. Don’t believe something just because it has a certain name on it. Ask yourself: does this feel true? Does it feel real?
That sensitivity is what we’re losing. People want quick wins. Instant reassurance. But they’re becoming more fragile: not stronger. Sensitivity, awareness, empathy. These are qualities that seem to be disappearing. But I believe they are essential. In the old traditions, we talk about the illusion of the “I.” The ego.
The more you identify with your individuality, with “me” and “my life,” the more disconnected you become. And when you believe you’re separate, that’s when things begin to fall apart. Empathy means the opposite. It means you can feel others. You can take their thoughts and feelings into account, even before you speak. You can ask: should I say this, or will it cause harm? That is the living practice of connectedness. Just because you think something is right doesn’t mean you should say it. You have to consider the effect.
Nature, too, is part of this. In Shaolin philosophy – in Zen, which is at the heart of Shaolin – nature is not something outside of us. We are not above it. We are part of it, just like any other being. The moment we live in conflict with natural laws, we suffer. And we are suffering, because we’re not in harmony.
You don’t need to save the world. Just work on yourself. If I reduce my suffering, and you reduce yours, the world will already be different.
Zen asks: what is our source? What is the origin of all things? Of the tree, the table, the person, the river? Where does it all come from? Living with that question means you begin to integrate nature into how you live. The more conscious you become, the more you see the connections between things. The more you see the connections, the closer you are to understanding the nature of reality itself.
Of course, when you look at the world, you see suffering. You see conflict. But again, that’s not something that can be fixed overnight. The mindset of the current generation is the result of the one before. What our parents believed about life – about success, about purpose – they passed on to us. Now we have a chance to become conscious. To ask what life is really about. And if we do that sincerely, we begin to reshape the path for the next generation.
You don’t need to save the world. Just work on yourself. If I reduce my suffering, and you reduce yours, the world will already be different. You can’t give what you don’t have. So ask yourself: how is your own suffering? Are you addressing it? Are you free?
People ask me if change can happen quickly. Of course, when there’s urgency – whether it’s in a family or a climate crisis – people want fast results. But the truth is, there is no shortcut. Every consequence we’re facing now is the result of a long chain of actions. You can’t undo it in a day. It took years to damage the body; it won’t heal in one.
What it takes is commitment. Dedication. Consistency. Perspective. These are not abstract ideas. They’re practical. If you want to build physical strength, if you want to learn martial arts, if you want to change your life – it’s the same. You won’t go from 10 push-ups to 100 overnight. But if you keep going, you’ll get there.
The important thing is: don’t wait for the world to change. Start with yourself. This is not about promoting a tradition. It’s about raising awareness. You – right now – in your life. Which direction are you heading in? How much control do you feel you actually have? And if you find that your satisfaction, your worth, your happiness are all tied to something external – then that’s the wrong way.
Bring the power back into your own hands.
Shi Heng Yi's book, Shoalin Spirit, introduces readers to the contemplative practice that underpins Shaolin – a way of life that has existed for over 1,500 years – and shows how it can help today. Published by Penguin.
This conversation took place at the Hay Festival on 25 May 2025 and has been edited and condensed for clarity and flow.
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