Today: “Realize that everything is impermanent.  What is important is how we relate with that reality.  Denial, fear, or a adopting and living a path to know the self.” – from the I Ching

Realize that everything is impermanent.  What is important is how we relate with that reality.  Denial, fear, or a adopting and living a path to know the self.

A quote from Yogi Bhajan

Tao Te Ching – Verse 24 – He who stands on tiptoe doesn’t stand firm

Meditation: M0512-19890312 – For Mastery of Time and Space

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30 – Thirty  Li / Igniting

Fire sparks more Flames:
The Superior Person holds an inner Fire that ignites passion in every heart it touches, until all the world is enlightened and aflame.

With so searing a flame, success will not be denied you.
Take care to be as peaceful and nurturing as the cow in the meadow; you are strong enough to be gentle.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

A Promethean flame is delivering light and heat to the situation at hand.
This radiance will cause such an alchemical transformation of circumstances that the changes will seem magical, miraculous.
Yet they are only shifts of perspective and attitude that bring clarity.
The passions kindled by this fire must be harnessed and used judiciously, or they threaten to consume your hopes and dreams.

Nine in the third place means:

Old men read the lesson in the setting sun.
Beat the cymbal and sing in this life, or wail away the hours fearing death.

Their choice is their fortune.

In the light of the setting sun,
Men either beat the pot and sing
Or loudly bewail the approach of old age.
Misfortune.

Pacific sunset

Pacific sunset

Here the end of the day has come. The light of the setting sun calls to mind the fact that life is transitory and conditional. Caught in this external bondage, men are usually robbed of their inner freedom as well. The sense of the transitoriness of life impels them to uninhibited revelry in order to enjoy life while it lasts, or else they yield to melancholy and spoil the precious time by lamenting the approach of old age. Both attitudes are wrong. To the superior man it makes no difference whether death comes early or late. He cultivates himself, awaits his allotted time, and in this way secures his fate.
21 – Twenty-One  Shih Ho / Biting Through

The merciless, searing judgement of Lightning fulfills the warning prophecies of distant Thunder.
Sage rulers preserved Justice by clearly defining the laws, and by delivering the penalties decreed.

Though unpleasant, it is best to let justice have its due.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

A terrible reckoning is due.
A wrong will be righted — and even if it has been you who has been wronged, you will tremble at the terrible power of Justice untempered by Mercy.
Pray for your oppressor, that his punishment will fit his crime.

Today: ““Reality only the Real One knows, and the Real One is the One Who knows all the reality.” Yogi Bhajan ” Yogi Bhajan

“Reality only the Real One knows, and the Real One is the One Who knows all the reality.” Yogi Bhajan

See Tao Te Ching Verse 65

Meditation: NM0394 – Live Above Denial

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Today: “Bonding for any cause requires leadership.  Otherwise, chaos ensues.” – from the I Ching

Bonding for any cause requires leadership.  Otherwise, chaos ensues.

A quote from Yogi Bhajan

Tao Te Ching – Verse 23 – Express yourself completely, then keep quiet

Meditation: NM0163 – 20010618 – Polish the Radiant Body

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8 – Eight  Pi / Bonding

Deep Waters on the face of the Earth:
Surface waters flow together.
The Superior Person recognizes the situation calls for joining together.
Thus he cultivates friendly relations with all.

Good fortune is possible.
Cast the coins again to discover if you have the qualities needed to lead such a group.
Then there will be no error.
Those uncertain will gradually join.
Those who join too late will meet with misfortune.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

This is a time of connection with another or others — not just an alliance, but a melding of parts into a new whole.
Such a connection may be too close, too intense for some.
Consult the oracle again to see if you have the qualities needed to strengthen and withstand such an intense synthesis.

Six at the top means:

Without a head, the union cannot hold together.
Misfortune.

He finds no head for holding together.
Misfortune.

No head

The head is the beginning. If the beginning is not right, there is no hope of a right ending. If we have missed the right moment for union and go on hesitating to give complete and full devotion, we shall regret the error when it is too late.
12 – Twelve  P’i / Stagnation

Heaven and Earth move away from each other.
In the ensuing void, the small invade where the great have departed.
There is no common meeting ground, so the Superior Person must fall back on his inner worth and decline the rewards offered by the inferior invaders.

Difficult trials as you hold to your course.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

It is natural to assume that, if Earth above Heaven forms the hexagram for Peace and Paradise, then the opposite configuration, with Heaven over Earth would represent the antithesis of Paradise, Hell.
Not so.
This hexagram is actually the Dark side of Peace, its unsavory byproduct, Stagnation.
In a time when most of our wants are provided, there is little need for the heroes, the artists, the great thinkers and innovators.
As they recede into the shadows, Idleness, Apathy, and Lassitude come to the forefront.
Peace has become boring, bland, unchallenging — Stagnant.
Now our attention turns to the quick fix, the instant celebrity, the fad, the one-nighter, the current buzz.
There is no room for depth.
If you are a passionate soul, you must wait for a better time to find kindred spirits.
In these times, they are only curious legends, bas-relief, dead poets.

Today: “It is not everybody’s karma to learn everything.” Yogi Bhajan

“It is not everybody’s karma to learn everything. If all reached Godhood, then what would happen to the creation? God would be perturbed. God loves everybody. He is not in a hurry. He has no jealousy, no ego, no involvement. He has created this whole universe, given the body, let all enjoy. God is not in a hurry for you all to have salvation, for all to come and hug Him. He knows where you are and what you are doing. Whether you do it in private or in public, it is one and the same thing to Him. The Unknown knows everything. He is the secret eye of the self and it is in every self.” Yogi Bhajan

See Tao Te Ching Verse 65

Meditation: M043-19890623 See Your Soul Within Your Third Eye

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Today: “It is right to put yourself in danger for a worthy cause.” – from the I Ching

It is right to put yourself in danger for a worthy cause.

A quote from Yogi Bhajan

Tao Te Ching – Verse 22 – If you want to become whole, let yourself be partial. If you want to become straight, let yourself be crooked.

Meditation: LA673-19910205- Third Chakra

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28 – Twenty-Eight  Ta Kuo / Critical Mass

The Flood rises above the tallest Tree:
Amidst a rising tide of human folly, the Superior Person retires to higher ground, renouncing his world without looking back.

Any direction is better than where you now stand.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

Several high-priority concerns demand immediate attention.
All are crucial.
None will be denied.
Yet some demand the denial of others.
Like two atoms seeking to occupy the same space, these irresistible forces and immovable objects threaten to ignite a cataclysm that could irreversibly alter your world.
This is no time for fatal heroics.
You are at Ground Point Zero.
Remove yourself from this situation without delay.
Find sanctuary.
Later you may deal with these concerns on your own terms, from a position of strength.

Six at the top means:

One must go through the water.
It goes over one’s head.
Misfortune. No blame.

Drowning

Here is a situation in which the unusual has reached a climax. One is courageous and wishes to accomplish one’s task, no matter what happens. This leads into danger. The water rises over one’s head. This is the misfortune. But one incurs no blame in giving up one’s life that the good and the right may prevail. There are things that are more important than life.

50 – Fifty  Ting / The Caldron

Fire rises hot and bright from the Wood beneath the sacrificial caldron:
The Superior Person positions himself correctly within the flow of Cosmic forces.

Supreme Accomplishment.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

Your needs are coming into harmony with the requirements of the Cosmos.
Blending brilliantly with the Dance of Life, you are becoming an actual element of Cosmic Law.
Your goals will now be realized because you no longer cut against the Cosmic grain; you are no longer swimming against the flow of the Tao.
You are acquiring an intuitive sense of what can and cannot be, and aligning your efforts accordingly.

Today: “Preserve yourself. That is an art. It is an art to preserve yourself.” Yogi Bhajan

“Preserve yourself. That is an art. It is an art to preserve yourself. It is an art to selflessly serve somebody. It is an art to give your total everlasting friendship. It is an art to understand all activity so caused by you in good faith, because you are a living being. It is an art of gratitude. The attitude of gratitude is the highest living experience in a human life. I don’t care whether you believe in Jesus or not, whether you believe in God or not, whether you believe in Buddha or not. This is not my problem, it is your problem. But be grateful for every moment, for you must remember this moment will never come back.” Yogi Bhajan

Musings on Grace and Gratitude

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Today: “Keep up despite profound disappointment.  All you can do is compensate for a lack of support by trusted ones.” – from the I Ching

Keep up despite profound disappointment.  All you can do is compensate for a lack of support by trusted ones.

A quote from Yogi Bhajan

Tao Te Ching – Verse 21 – The Master keeps her mind always at one with the Tao; that is what gives her her radiance.

Meditation: NM0394 – Live Above Denial

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54 – Fifty-Four  Kuei Mei / A Loveless Marriage

The Thunderstorm inseminates the swelling Lake, then moves on where the Lake cannot follow:
The Superior Person views passing trials in the light of Eternal Truths.
Any action will prove unfortunate.
Nothing furthers.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

This is at best a Marriage of Convenience.
You have found yourself in desperate straits, a position of weakness, and you are tempted to pay dearly for a remedy.
A drowning man isn’t picky about who throws him a rope.
The rescue offered to you now is undesirable.
It may pull you out of this sticky situation, but it will cause even greater predicaments down the road.
Don’t obligate yourself in this way.
You are selling your future for a quick fix today.

Nine in the second place means:
A one-eyed man who is able to see.
The perseverance of a solitary man furthers.

Le cyclope

‘Le cyclope’ – Odilon Redon (1840 – 1916) – Kröller Müller museum – Holland

Here the situation is that of a girl married to a man who has disappointed her. Man and wife ought to work together like a pair of eyes. Here the girl is left behind in loneliness; the man of her choice either has become unfaithful or has died. But she does not lose the inner light of loyalty. Though the other eye is gone, she maintains her loyalty even in loneliness.
51 – Fifty-One  Chên / Thunder

Thunder echoes upon Thunder, commanding reverence for its father Heaven:
In awe of Heaven’s majestic power, the Superior Person looks within and sets his life in order.
Thunder mingles with startled screams of terror for a hundred miles around.
As the people nervously laugh at their own fright, the devout presents the sacrificial chalice with nary a drop of wine spilt.
Deliverance

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

A thunderbolt of Cosmic judgement crashes to earth.
For the common person, it’s just a momentary fright soon forgotten, its warning unfathomed and unheeded.
But to one who understands its significance, this thunder is a signal to awaken.
Centering the Self, seeking balance, the enlightened person will respect and align himself with this Higher Power, while his fellows remain subject to the whims of every passing storm.

Today: “If you really want respect in this life, never advise anybody without being asked” Yogi Bhajan

“If you really want respect in this life, never advise anybody without being asked; and secondly, when somebody really asks you for advice, just wait until he is ready to listen; and when you find the person is really ready to listen, then always give him polarity, the two sides of the subject as you know it.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation: NM0364-20001023-On Communication I

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Today: “Hold your relations close.  Gather together in harmony.” – from the I Ching

Hold your relations close.  Gather together in harmony.

A quote from Yogi Bhajan

Tao Te Ching – Verse 20 – Stop thinking, and end your problems.

Meditation: LA0967-Division and Oneness

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8 – Eight  Pi / Bonding

Deep Waters on the face of the Earth:
Surface waters flow together.
The Superior Person recognizes the situation calls for joining together.
Thus he cultivates friendly relations with all.

Good fortune is possible.
Cast the coins again to discover if you have the qualities needed to lead such a group.
Then there will be no error.
Those uncertain will gradually join.
Those who join too late will meet with misfortune.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

This is a time of connection with another or others — not just an alliance, but a melding of parts into a new whole.
Such a connection may be too close, too intense for some.
Consult the oracle again to see if you have the qualities needed to strengthen and withstand such an intense synthesis.

Six in the fourth place means:

Hold to him outwardly also.
Perseverance brings good fortune.

You express your devotion humbly and openly.
Good fortune if you keep to this course.

Icon

Here the relations with a man who is the centre of union are well established. Then we may, and indeed we should, show our attachment openly. But we must remain constant and not allow ourselves to be led astray.
45 – Forty-Five  Ts’ui / Gathering

The Lake rises by welcoming and receiving Earth’s waters:
The King approaches his temple.
It is wise to seek audience with him there.

Success follows this course.
Making an offering will seal your good fortune.
A goal will be realized now.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

This is an important Convergence, and you must be part of it.
Look for the Center of this convergence.
Like waters running to the sea, like an astronomical convergence of planets revolving around the sun, you should let the gravity of this Center draw you near.
Others are also drawn to this Center, and among them you will find shared bonds and kindred spirits.
This tribal convergence will give you a clarity of purpose.
You will no longer be alone.

Today: “Wherever one bows, there he will be blessed.” Yogi Bhajan

“Wherever one bows, there he will be blessed.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation: NM0163 – Feel God Within You, The Kindness in You

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Today: “Discover what you truly want and you will find what you need for your personal development.  Put aside distractions.” – from the I Ching

Discover what you truly want and you will find what you need for your personal development.  Put aside distractions.

A quote from Yogi Bhajan

Tao Te Ching – Verse 19 – Throw away holiness and wisdom, and people will be a hundred times happier.

Meditation: The Positive Mind

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17 – Seventeen  Sui / Following

Thunder beneath the Lake’s surface.
The Superior Person allows himself plenty of sheltered rest and recuperation while awaiting a clear sign to follow.

Supreme success.
No mistakes if you keep to your course.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

Thunder from the Lake — the lulling, rhythmic roar of the faithful tide, eternally wearing away the stone of the shoreline, forever obedient to the phases of the moon.
The pull of the moon on the tide is the Following called for now.
As mighty as the tide is in its own right, it is ever the puppet of the invisible, irresistible gravity of the moon.
What cyclical forces pull you along?
Are you futilely attempting to resist a natural attraction?

Six in the third place means:

If one clings to the strong man,
One loses the little boy.
Through following one finds what one seeks.
It furthers one to remain persevering.

Pope Leo X

Portrait of Pope Leo X and two cardinals, c. 1518 by Raphael Sanzio
Uffizi Gallery of Florence

When the right connection with distinguished people has been found, a certain loss naturally ensues. A man must part company with the inferior and superficial. But in his heart he will feel satisfied, because he will find what he seeks and needs for the development of his personality. The important thing is to remain firm. He must know what he wants and not be led astray by momentary inclinations.

49 – Forty-Nine  Ko / Revolution

Fire ignites within the Lake, defying conditions that would deny it birth or survival:
The Superior Person reads the Signs of the Times and makes the Season apparent to all.

The support you need will come only after the deed is done.
Renewed forces, however, will provide fresh energy for exceptional progress.
Persevere.
All differences vanish.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

A revolutionary Change must be made forcibly.
There is no negotiating with the Established Order.
Perfect timing is essential.
Let the abuse of power become apparent and oppressive to those around you before making your move.
Lay the groundwork, sow the seeds for Revolution without tipping your hand prematurely.
You will need a strong foundation, because you will have to bring about this necessary change alone.
You cannot count on popular support, so you must wait until there is massive dissent.
Then the avenue for your assault will be cleared.

Today: “Feel good, do good, and be good.” Yogi Bhajan

“Feel good, do good, and be good. These are the only goods you can carry along with you; all the rest belongs to the planet Earth.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation: The Positive Mind

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Today: “Form good habits and lose bad ones while you are still young enough to change.” – from the I Ching

Form good habits and lose bad ones while you are still young enough to change.

Here’s what Yogi Bhajan had to say about this.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 18 – When the great Tao is forgotten, goodness and piety appear.

Meditation: LA101 790419-Faith In Our Self And Our Own Discipline

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44 – Forty-Four  Kou / Compulsion

A playful Zephyr dances and delights beneath indulgent Heaven:
A Prince who shouts orders but will not walk among his people may as well try to command the four winds.

A strong, addictive temptation, much more dangerous than it seems.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

You are ignoring a clear and present danger to your well-being.
If this threat emanated from a heavy-handed oppressor, you would see it coming.
But this danger comes to you in the form of a seduction, an amusement, a diversion, an indulgence that is eating away at the fiber of your secure little world.
You are too cocksure.
You underestimate the tribute this dalliance will demand.

Six at the beginning [yin at bottom] means:

It must be checked with a brake of bronze.
Perseverance brings good fortune.
If one lets it take its course, one experiences misfortune.
Even a lean pig has it in him to rage around.

Pig

‘Pig’ – J. Singer

If an inferior element has wormed its way in, it must be energetically checked at once. By consistently checking it, bad effects can be avoided. If it is allowed to take its course, misfortune is bound to result; the insignificance of that which creeps in should not be a temptation to underrate it. A pig that is still young and lean cannot rage around much, but after it has eaten its fill and become strong, its true nature comes out if it has not previously been curbed.
14 – Fourteen  Ta Yu / Great Treasures

The Fire of clarity illuminates the Heavens to those below:
The Superior Person possesses great inner treasures — compassion, economy, and modesty.
These treasures allow the benevolent will of Heaven to flow through him outward to curb evil and to further good.

Supreme success.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

You have become an instrument of Heaven’s will, offering a balance in the world around you.
It is not swashbuckling prowess or uncanny talent that qualifies you for this office, but your simplest gifts — your modesty, your compassion, your economy.
Because you can see clearly who most needs a miracle, Heaven’s bounty is being put at your disposal.

Today: “If you want to refrain from something, refrain when you are young. Youth is the time of life when you can do anything.” Yogi Bhajan

“If you want to refrain from something, refrain when you are young. Youth is the time of life when you can do anything. It is during the time of old age that the bloody wolf declares, “Now I have become a vegetarian,” because after losing his teeth he can’t hunt anything.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation: LA101 790419-Faith In Our Self And Our Own Discipline

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Today: “A way has opened up for you to serve people in need.  Take advantage of the opportunity and keep an eye out for danger and other challenges to your  intentions.” – from the I Ching

A way has opened up for you to serve people in need.  Take advantage of the opportunity and keep an eye out for danger and other challenges to your  intentions.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for today

Tao Te Ching – Verse 17 – When the Master governs, the people are hardly aware that he exists. Next best is a leader who is loved. Next, one who is feared. The worst is one who is despised.

Meditation: LA769-19930415 – Development of Self Control

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26 – Twenty-Six  Ta Ch’u / Recharging Power

Heaven’s motherlode waits within the Mountain:
The Superior Person mines deep into history’s wealth of wisdom and deeds, charging his character with timeless strength.

Persevere.
Drawing sustenance from these sources creates good fortune.
Then you may cross to the far shore.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

There are important precedents in this situation.
Others have trodden this Path before you, overcoming the same obstacles facing you now, and making crucial decisions at the same crossroads.
Study their journals, watch for their trail markings.
Gain inspiration and wisdom from the heroes and learn from the mistakes of those who chose a sidepath.
All were Seekers, explorers whose daring mapped a course you can follow.
The words and deeds of the finest can imbue you with the courage necessary to face what lies before you.

Nine in the third place means:

A good horse that follows others.
Awareness of danger,
With perseverance, furthers.
Practice chariot driving and armed defense daily.
It furthers one to have somewhere to go.

Scene form Ben Hur

Scene form Ben Hur, the movie

The way opens; the hindrance has been cleared away. A man is in contact with a strong will acting in the same direction as his own, and goes forward like one good horse following another. But danger still threatens, and he must remain aware of it, or he will be robbed of his firmness. Thus he must acquire skill on the one hand in what will take him forward, and on the other in what will protect him against unforeseen attacks. It is good in such a pass to have a goal toward which to strive.

27 – Twenty-Seven  I / Providing Nourishment

Beneath the immobile Mountain the arousing Thunder stirs:
The Superior Person preserves his freedom under oppressive conditions by watching what comes out of his mouth, as well as what goes in.

Endure and good fortune will come.
Nurture others in need, as if you were feeding yourself.
Take care not to provide sustenance for those who feed off others.
Stay as high as possible on the food chain.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

You are a conduit in this instance, able to provide the sustenance needed by others.
Position yourself to nourish the truly needy and worthy.
Avoid situations where you might be coerced into supporting the parasites and vermin who deprive your true charges.
Your own nourishment is an issue here, too.
Remember Lao Tzu’s three Great Treasures:
Only the person possessed of Compassion, Modesty and Frugality can remain fit enough to stay free of desperation and keep control of the situation.

Today: “There is a reason we are here and that reason is to remain graceful and face all ungraceful environments with grace.” Yogi Bhajan

“There is a reason we are here and that reason is to remain graceful and face all ungraceful environments with grace. This is the purpose and it is a privilege.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation: LA958 A00413 Grace My Grace Is Me! 20000413

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