Month: September 2017

Today: “Have wisdom in your actions and faith in your merits” Yogi Bhajan

“Have wisdom in your actions and faith in your merits.” Yogi Bhajan
(via Ram Anand)

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Today: What is not known must be discovered and known – from the I Ching

Fellowship and union are based on and rely on common goals and pursuits.  These need to be clear and out in the open.  When agendas are hidden and do not further the common goals, they must become known and must be resisted.  It’s not useful merely to react with counteroffensives.  They must be carefully planned under strong leadership and with mutual consent.  What is not known must be discovered and known.  Then, when the time is right, and when in full possession of power and position, it is time to strike.

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching
“
True fellowship among men must be based on a concern that is universal. It is not the private interests of the individual that create lasting fellowship among men, but rather the goals of humanity. That is why it is said that fellowship with men in the open succeeds. If unity of this kind prevails, even difficult and dangerous tasks, such as crossing the great water, can be accomplished. But in order to bring about this sort of fellowship, a persevering and enlightened leader is needed – a man with clear, convincing, and inspiring aims and the strength to carry them out.
The beginning of union among people should take place before the door. All are equally close to one another. No divergent aims have yet arisen, and one makes no mistakes. The basic principles of any kind of union must be equally accessible to all concerned. Secret agreements bring misfortune.
Conditions are such that the hostile forces favored by the time are advancing. In this case retreat is the right course, and it is through retreat that success is achieved. But success consists in being able to carry out retreat correctly. Retreat is not to be confused with flight. Flight means saving oneself under any circumstances, whereas retreat is a sign of strength. We must be careful not to miss the right moment while we’re in full possession of power and position. Then we shall be able to interpret the signs of the time before it is too late and to prepare for provisional retreat instead of being drawn into a desperate life-and-death struggle. Thus we do not simply abandon the field to the opponent; we make it difficult for him to advance by showing perseverance in single acts of resistance. In this way we prepare, while retreating, for the counter- movement. Understanding the laws of a constructive retreat of this sort is not easy. The meaning that lies hidden in such a time is important.

Meditation
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Today: I Ching

Today: “The purpose of life is to watch and experience living” Yogi Bhajan

“The purpose of life is to watch and experience living. To enjoy living every moment of it. Just to be. The ideal purpose of your life is that you are grateful – great and full – that you are alive, and you enjoy it.” Yogi Bhajan
(via Ram Anand)

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Today: Be in sync with the season – from the I Ching

Be in sync with the season.  At the equinox, the first signs of contraction and decay appear.  It’s just part of a cycle that we should be aware of.
Recognize that when things seem to be in decline or falling apart it’s part of a cycle.  Eventually there will be a low point and the cycle will turn around.

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching
“
Applied to human affairs, the hexagram indicates action in conformity with the situation. The person in question is not in an independent position, but is acting as an assistant. This means that he must achieve something. It is not his task to try to lead – that would only make him lose the way – but to let himself be led. If he knows how to meet fate with an attitude of acceptance, he is sure to find the right guidance. The superior man lets himself be guided; he does not go ahead blindly, but learns from the situation what is demanded of him and then follows this intimation from fate.
When the first hoarfrost comes in the autumn, the power of darkness and cold is just at its beginning. After these first warnings, signs of death will gradually multiply, until, in obedience to immutable laws, stark winter with its ice is here.
In life it is the same. After certain scarcely noticeable signs of decay have appeared, they go on increasing until final dissolution comes. But in life precautions can be taken by heeding the first signs of decay and checking them in time.
After a time of decay comes the turning point. The powerful light that has been banished returns. There is movement, but it is not brought about by force. The upper trigram Kun is characterised by devotion; thus the movement is natural, arising spontaneously. For this reason the transformation of the old becomes easy. The old is discarded and the new is introduced. Both measures accord with the time; therefore no harm results. Societies of people sharing the same views are formed. But since these groups come together in full public knowledge and are in harmony with the time, all selfish separatist tendencies are excluded, and no mistake is made. The idea of RETURN is based on the course of nature. The movement is cyclic, and the course completes itself. Therefore it is not necessary to hasten anything artificially. Everything comes of itself at the appointed time. This is the meaning of heaven and earth.
All movements are accomplished in six stages, and the seventh brings return.

Meditation
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Today: I Ching

Today: “Hope is not a prediction of the future” Yogi Bhajan

“Hope is not a prediction of the future, it’s a declaration of what is possible.” Yogi Bhajan
(via Ram Anand)

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Today: Express the beauty that you see and share it as love – from the I Ching

Express the beauty that you see and share it as love.  In order for others to receive the benefit of your vision, expression must come from you within you.  It must include your entire conduct. Then you will become an instrument grace, subtly inspiring everything and everyone around you to emulate and share the beauty.

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching
“
The family is society in embryo; it is the native soil on which performance of moral duty is made easy through natural affection, so that within a small circle a basis of moral practice is created, and this is later widened to include human relationships in general.
…Influence on others must proceed form one’s own person. In order to be capable of producing such an influence, one’s words must have power, and this they can have only if they are based on something real, just as flame depends on its fuel. Words have influence only when they are pertinent and clearly related to definite circumstances. General discourses and admonitions have no effect whatsoever. Furthermore, the words must be supported by one’s entire conduct, just as the wind is made effective by its duration. Only firm and consistent conduct will make such an impression on others that they can adapt and conform to it. If words and conduct are not in accord and not consistent, they will have no effect.
A king is the symbol of a fatherly man who is richly endowed in mind. He does nothing to make himself feared; on the contrary, the whole family can trust him, because love governs their intercourse. His character of itself exercises the right influence.
Grace brings success. However, it is not the essential or fundamental thing; it is only the ornament and must therefore be used sparingly and only in little things.  In human affairs, aesthetic form comes into being when traditions exist that, strong and abiding like mountains, are made pleasing by a lucid beauty. By contemplating the forms existing in the heavens we come to understand time and its changing demands. Through contemplation of the forms existing in human society it becomes possible to shape the world.

Meditation
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Today: I Ching

Today: “The purpose of life is to reach God within you” Yogi Bhajan

“The purpose of life is to reach God within you. Try it so you can be happy, rich and prosperous, beautiful, bountiful and recognizable.” Yogi Bhajan
(via Ram Anand)

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Harry Dean Stanton – Review

Since Friday, with the passing of Harry Dean Stanton, I have been reading numerous accolades about the depth of his work as a character actor. I hadn’t taken notice of his work until about a week before his passing, when I watched an episode (#5, I think) of “Twin Peaks: The Return”. In that episode there is a scene that I count as perhaps the most profound that I have witnessed in this or any show.  It is a credit to all who produce Twin Peaks, but in particular to Harry Dean Stanton.
The gravity of the scene is captured nicely by Mark Butler in iNews.  Bravo.

Today: Allow new solutions to form from novel ideas – from the I Ching

It is a momentous, pivotal time.  The situation cannot be endured as it is.  Something must be done now, not by forceful means, rather by understanding the underlying causes and rectifying them.
Allow new solutions to form from novel ideas.
These will encourage support from youthful and energetic sources who will assist with manifesting a new order based on  the primal forces of attraction.

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching
“
The weight of the great is excessive. The load is too heavy for the strength of the supports. The ridge-pole on which the whole roof rests, sags to the breaking point, because its supporting ends are too weak for the load they bear. It is an exceptional time and situation; therefore extraordinary measures are demanded. It is necessary to find a way of transition as quickly as possible, and to take action. This promises success. For although the strong element is in excess, it is in the middle, that is, at the centre of gravity, so that a revolution is not to be feared. Nothing is to be achieved by forcible measures. The problem must be solved by gentle penetration to the meaning of the situation (as is suggested by the attribute of the inner trigram, Sun); then the change-over to other conditions will be successful. It demands real superiority; therefore the time when the great preponderates is a momentous time.
Wood is near water; hence the image of an old poplar sprouting at the root. This means an extraordinary reanimation of the processes of growth. In the same way, an extraordinary situation arises when an older man marries a young girl who suits him. Despite the unusualness of the situation, all goes well.
From the point of view of politics, the meaning is that in exceptional times one does well to join with the lowly, for this affords a possibility of renewal.
The weak element is above, the strong below; hence their powers attract each other, so that they unite. This brings about success, for all success depends on the effect of mutual attraction. By keeping still within while experiencing joy without, one can prevent the joy from going to excess and hold it within proper bounds. This is the meaning of the added admonition, “Perseverance furthers,” for it is perseverance that makes the difference between seduction and courtship; in the latter the strong man takes a position inferior to that of the weak girl and shows consideration for her. This attraction between affinities is a general law of nature. Heaven and earth attract each other and thus all creatures come into being. Through such attraction the sage influences men’s hearts, and thus the world attains peace. From the attractions they exert we can learn the nature of all beings in heaven and on earth.

Meditation
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Today: I Ching

Today: “Love yourself” Yogi Bhajan

“Love yourself. Love your soul and let go of the past. Past pain is keeping you in pain. You don’t have to deteriorate.” Yogi Bhajan
(via Ram Anand)

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Today: Retreat – from the I Ching

Stop any advance and gather your power and strength for a more opportune time.

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching
“
Conditions are such that the hostile forces favored by the time are advancing. In this case retreat is the right course, and it is through retreat that success is achieved. But success consists in being able to carry out retreat correctly. Retreat is not to be confused with flight. Flight means saving oneself under any circumstances, whereas retreat is a sign of strength. We must be careful not to miss the right moment while we’re in full possession of power and position. Then we shall be able to interpret the signs of the time before it is too late and to prepare for provisional retreat instead of being drawn into a desperate life-and-death struggle. Thus we do not simply abandon the field to the opponent; we make it difficult for him to advance by showing perseverance in single acts of resistance. In this way we prepare, while retreating, for the counter- movement. Understanding the laws of a constructive retreat of this sort is not easy. The meaning that lies hidden in such a time is important.

Meditation
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Today: I Ching

Today: “There is a calling, and now is the time” Yogi Bhajan

“There is a calling, and now is the time To awaken from the rhythm of me and mine. There’s a light shining bright throughout all God’s space And it shines through everyone by His Grace.” Yogi Bhajan
(via Ram Anand)

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Today: Possession in great measure – from the I Ching

Possession in great measure.  Be modest with what the heavens bestow upon you.  Walk in truth and be devoted to what is right and true.  Base all your relationships on spontaneous affection.  Beware of passing distractions and avoid empty associations of convenience.

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching
“
The sun in heaven above, shedding light over everything on earth, is the image of possession on a grand scale. But a possession of this sort must be administered properly. The sun brings both evil and good into the light of day. Man must combat and curb the evil, and must favor and promote the good. Only in this way does he fulfil the benevolent will of God, who desires only good and not evil.
In the fullness of possession and at the height of power, one remains modest and gives honour to the sage who stands outside the affairs of the world. By this means one puts oneself under the beneficent influence descending form heaven, and all goes well. Kongfu (Confucius) says of this line:
To bless means to help. Heaven helps the man who is devoted; men help the man who is true. He who walks in truth and is devoted in his thinking, and furthermore reveres the worthy, is blessed by heaven. He has good fortune, and there is nothing that would not further.
Affection as the essential principle of relatedness is of the greatest importance in all relationships in the world. For the union of heaven and earth is the origin of the whole of nature. Among human beings likewise, spontaneous affection is the all-inclusive principle of union.

Meditation
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Today: I Ching

Today: “…the earth would be a heaven” Yogi Bhajan

“If bitching mouths were stitched, The earth would be a heaven. If the rich were compassionate, The earth would be a heaven. If the holy men of the world unite, The earth would be a heaven. If all could see the one God in all, The earth would be a heaven.” Yogi Bhajan
(via Ram Anand)

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Today: Be flexible and don’t panic – from the I Ching

Be flexible and don’t panic.  Simplify rather than struggle against the tide in times of slender means.

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching
“
Water reaches its goal by flowing continually. It fills up every depression before it flows on. The superior man follows its example; he is concerned that goodness should be an established attribute of character rather than an accidental and isolated occurrence. So likewise in teaching others everything depends on consistency, for it is only through repetition that the pupil makes the material his own.
Danger comes because one is too ambitious. In order to flow out of a ravine, water does not rise higher than the lowest point of the rim. So likewise a man when in danger has only to proceed along the line of least resistance; thus he reaches the goal. Great labours cannot be accomplished in such times; it is enough to get out of the danger.
Decrease does not under all circumstances mean something bad. Increase and decrease come in their own time. What matters here is to understand the time and not to try to cover up poverty with empty pretence. If a time of scanty resources brings out an inner truth, one must not feel ashamed of simplicity. For simplicity is then the very thing needed to provide inner strength for further undertakings. Indeed, there need be no concern if the outward beauty of the civilisation, even the elaboration of religious forms, should have to suffer because of simplicity. One must draw on the strength of the inner attitude to compensate for what is lacking in externals; then the power of the content makes up for the simplicity of form. There is no need of presenting false appearances to God. Even with slender means, the sentiment of the heart can be expressed.

Meditation
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Today: I Ching

Today: “Slow and steady wins the race” Yogi Bhajan

“Slow and steady wins the race. Attitude and manners bring the grace. Identity and dignity give the self face. Nobility and reality open every space.” Yogi Bhajan
(via Ram Anand)

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