Today: “Though rejected for your brilliant efforts, stay with it.  Your good works will be recognized.” From the I Ching

Though rejected for your brilliant efforts, stay with it.  Your good works will be recognized.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 70 – My teachings are easy to understand and easy to put into practice.

 Today: “You have to be you, but you can only be you when you understand that you are a part of infinity.” – Yogi Bhajan

Previous reading: “You are done when the universe says you are done. Where there is need, serve in your best capacity. Share your good fortune.”

Previous previous reading: “Be mindful of everything and to whom you say anything. Realize the impact of your words.”

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35 – Thirty-Five.  Chin / Aspiration

The Sun shines down upon the Earth:
Constantly honing and refining his brilliance, the Superior Person is a Godsend to his people.
They repay his benevolence with a herd of horses, and he is granted audience three times in a single day.

Promotion.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

This is a time of reward for good works.
Those you have helped want to show their gratitude.
Benefits come both from on high and from the humble you uplifted.
Accept all gifts graciously, though the reward may not be what you truly need or hoped for.
Some may bestow more than they can afford to give, but you must realize that they need to feel that they have repaid you.

Six at the beginning [yin at bottom] means:

Meet their distrust with tolerance and benevolence; such graciousness will wear away any heart of stone.

Progressing, but turned back.
Perseverance brings good fortune.
If one meets with no confidence, one should remain calm.
No mistake.

The Merry Fiddler

‘The Merry Fiddler’, 1623 – Gerrit van Honthorst (1590 -1656)
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
At a time when all elements are pressing for progress, we are still uncertain whether in the course of advance we may not meet with a rebuff. Then the thing to do is simply continue in what is right; in the end this will bring good fortune. It may be that we meet with no confidence. In this case we ought not to try to win confidence regardless of the situation, but should remain calm and cheerful and refuse to be roused to anger. Thus we remain free of mistakes.
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: “You have to be you, but you can only be you when you understand that you are a part of infinity.” – Yogi Bhajan

“You have to be you, but you can only be you when you understand that you are a part of infinity. The moment that you understand you are a part of infinity, then you become a living God.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation: NM0415 – 20010910 – Karma & Dharma

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Tao Te Ching – Verse 70 – My teachings are easy to understand and easy to put into practice.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 70

My teachings are easy to understand
and easy to put into practice.
Yet your intellect will never grasp them,
and if you try to practice them, you’ll fail.

My teachings are older than the world.
How can you grasp their meaning?

If you want to know me,
look inside your heart. Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 70 – My teachings are easy to understand and easy to put into practice.”

Today: “You are done when the universe says you are done.  Where there is need, serve in your best capacity.  Share your good fortune.” From the I Ching

You are done when the universe says you are done.  Where there is need, serve in your best capacity.  Share your good fortune.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 69 – Rather than make the first move it is better to wait and see.

 Today: “I am nonviolent, but if I see that the weak is being molested by the unrighteous, I will be first to put myself between the two.” – Yogi Bhajan

Previous reading: “Be mindful of everything and to whom you say anything. Realize the impact of your words.”

Previous previous reading: “Be yourself rather than trying to become somebody. Fix internal turmoil with trusted practices rather than trying a quick fix. Enduring practice and patience are the proven remedies.”

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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 at the top means:

By virtue of your wise heart, you are followed by a leader.
Come down from your mountain, and you will be rewarded with another.

He meets with firm allegiance
And is still further bound.
The king introduces him
To the Western Mountain.

Confucius

K’ung Fu Tzu (Confucius), born 551 b.C., lived during the Chou Dynasty
This refers to a man, an exalted sage, who has already put the turmoil of the world behind him. But a follower appears who understands him and is not to be put off. So the sage comes back into the world and aids the other in his work. Thus there develops an eternal tie between the two.
The allegory is chosen from the annals of the Chou dynasty. The rulers of this dynasty honored men who had served them well by awarding them a place in the royal family’s temple of ancestors on the Western Mountain. In this way they were regarded as sharing in the destiny of the ruling family.
25 – Twenty-Five.  Wu Wang / Remaining Blameless

Thunder rolls beneath Heaven, as is its nature and place:
Sage rulers aligned themselves with the changing seasons, nurturing and guiding their subjects to do the same.

Exceptional Progress if you are mindful to keep out of the way of the natural Flow.
It would be a fatal error to try to alter its course.
This is a time of Being, not Doing.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

This is thoroughly a matter of the heart.
If everything you attempt, no matter how carefully planned, ends in disarray, then examine your motives.
They are the cause of your predicament.
It isn’t that your motives aren’t pure — even the best intentions will fail under these circumstances.
What stymies you in this situation is that you have a motive at all.
Free yourself of all expectations, release any tenuous grip you may have, and roll with it.
This is totally out of your control.
There are higher powers and more elements affecting the outcome of this situation than you can imagine.
Get out of their way.

Today: “I am nonviolent, but if I see that the weak is being molested by the unrighteous, I will be first to put myself between the two.” – Yogi Bhajan

“I am nonviolent, but if I see that the weak is being molested by the unrighteous, I will be first to put myself between the two. It may cost me my life but to me it is worth it. That is the grace of the inner being. And when you put your life as an offering on the altar of truth, that is the highest sacrifice.” Yogi Bhajan

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Tao Te Ching – Verse 69 – Rather than make the first move it is better to wait and see.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 69

The generals have a saying:
“Rather than make the first move
it is better to wait and see.
Rather than advance an inch
it is better to retreat a yard.”

This is called
going forward without advancing,
pushing back without using weapons. Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 69 – Rather than make the first move it is better to wait and see.”

Today: “Be mindful of everything and to whom you say anything.  Realize the impact of your words.” From the I Ching

Be mindful of everything and to whom you say anything.  Realize the impact of your words.  

Tao Te Ching – Verse 68 – The best athlete wants his opponent at his best. The best general enters the mind of his enemy. The best businessman serves the communal good. The best leader follows the will of the people.

 Today: “The purpose of knowledge is to develop infinite faith in self.” – Yogi Bhajan

Previous reading: “Be yourself rather than trying to become somebody. Fix internal turmoil with trusted practices rather than trying a quick fix. Enduring practice and patience are the proven remedies.”

Previous previous reading: “Others depend on you for sustenance. It is important that you be there for them now and always.”

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52 – Fifty-Two. Kên / The Mountain

Above this Mountain’s summit another more majestic rises:
The Superior Person is mindful to keep his thoughts in the here and now.

Stilling the sensations of the Ego, he roams his courtyard without moving a muscle, unencumbered by the fears and desires of his fellows.
This is no mistake.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

There is a higher vantage point available to you, but it is obscured by the visible peak of personal ambition.
To climb to this higher plane, you must shake off the desires and fears of the conscious, visible world around you.
To make this journey you must quiet the Ego, empty your mind of past and future, and dwell totally in the moment at hand.
Thorough mindfulness of what is before you is the only tranquility.
Be. Here. Now.

Six in the fifth place means:

Keeping his jaw relaxed, what words he speaks carry order and deliberation.
Conflict dissolves.

Keeping his jaws still.
The words have order.
Remorse disappears.

Ramana Maharshi

Ramana Maharshi – the sage of Arunachala
Tiruchuzli 1879 – Tiruvannamalai 1950
A man in a dangerous situation, especially when he is not adequate to it, is inclined to be very free with talk and presumptuous jokes. But injudicious speech easily leads to situations that subsequently give much cause for regret. However, if a man is reserved in speech, his words take ever more definite form, and every occasion for regret vanishes.
20 – Twenty.  Kuan / Contemplation

The gentle Wind roams the Earth:
The Superior Person expands his sphere of influence as he expands his awareness.
Deeply devoted to his pursuit of clarity and wisdom, he is unconscious of the inspiring, positive example he is setting for others to emulate.

You have cleansed yourself; now stand ready to make your humble, devout offering.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

The situation marks a rising to new heights.
As you climb for a better view of the panorama, you make yourself more conspicuous to those below.
This hexagram is also known as the Watchtower, because the shape formed by its lines resembles the ancient guardposts manned by Chinese soldiers.
These towers were placed on mountainsides to give a better vantage point.
To those below, the watchtowers served as landmarks to help them find their way.
The quality of your search for clarity in this situation serves as such a guidepost for others along the Way.

Today: “The purpose of knowledge is to develop infinite faith in self.” – Yogi Bhajan

“The purpose of knowledge is to develop infinite faith in self.” Yogi Bhajan

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Tao Te Ching – Verse 68 – The best athlete wants his opponent at his best. The best general enters the mind of his enemy. The best businessman serves the communal good. The best leader follows the will of the people.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 68

The best athlete
wants his opponent at his best.
The best general
enters the mind of his enemy.
The best businessman
serves the communal good.
The best leader
follows the will of the people. Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 68 – The best athlete wants his opponent at his best. The best general enters the mind of his enemy. The best businessman serves the communal good. The best leader follows the will of the people.”

Today: “Be yourself rather than trying to become somebody.  Fix internal turmoil with trusted practices rather than trying a quick fix.  Enduring practice and patience are the proven remedies.” From the I Ching

Be yourself rather than trying to become somebody.  Fix internal turmoil with trusted practices rather than trying a quick fix.  Enduring practice and patience are the proven remedies.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 67 – Some say that my teaching is nonsense.

 Today: “If any person is unhappy, it is because he wished for unhappiness. When you wish for happiness, you also wish indirectly for unhappiness, just as day precedes night and night precedes day. ” – Yogi Bhajan

Previous reading: “Others depend on you for sustenance. It is important that you be there for them now and always.”

Previous previous reading: “Allow things to take their course. Don’t rush it. Don’t force it.”

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52 – Fifty-Two.  Kên / The Mountain

Above this Mountain’s summit another more majestic rises:
The Superior Person is mindful to keep his thoughts in the here and now.

Stilling the sensations of the Ego, he roams his courtyard without moving a muscle, unencumbered by the fears and desires of his fellows.
This is no mistake.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

There is a higher vantage point available to you, but it is obscured by the visible peak of personal ambition.
To climb to this higher plane, you must shake off the desires and fears of the conscious, visible world around you.
To make this journey you must quiet the Ego, empty your mind of past and future, and dwell totally in the moment at hand.
Thorough mindfulness of what is before you is the only tranquility.
Be. Here. Now.

Nine in the third place means:

He seeks stillness through rigidity instead of relaxation.
He will paralyze his legs and overtax his heart.

Keeping his hips still.
Making his sacrum stiff.
Dangerous. The heart suffocates.


Buddha's meditation

Buddha’s meditation

This refers to enforced quiet. The restless heart is to be subdued by forcible means. But fire when it is smothered changes into acrid smoke that suffocates as it spreads.
Therefore, in exercises in meditation and concentration, one ought not to try to force results. Rather, calmness must develop naturally out of a state of inner composure. If one tries to induce calmness by means of artificial rigidity, meditation will lead to very unwholesome results.
42 – Forty-Two.  I / Expansion

Whirlwinds and Thunder:
When the Superior Person encounters saintly behavior, he adopts it; when he encounters a fault within, he transforms it.

Progress in every endeavor.
You may cross to the far shore.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

Get ready to ride a tide of accelerated growth toward self-actualization.
A joyful awareness of the best within you, coupled with an acceptance of your Shadow, will provide a greater repertoire, a much bolder vision, and new depth and clarity that will compel you to expand your horizons.

Today: “If any person is unhappy, it is because he wished for unhappiness. When you wish for happiness, you also wish indirectly for unhappiness, just as day precedes night and night precedes day. ” – Yogi Bhajan

“If any person is unhappy, it is because he wished for unhappiness. When you wish for happiness, you also wish indirectly for unhappiness, just as day precedes night and night precedes day. Every happiness is followed by sadness and every sadness is followed by happiness.” Yogi Bhajan

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Tao Te Ching – Verse 67 – Some say that my teaching is nonsense.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 67

Some say that my teaching is nonsense.
Others call it lofty but impractical.
But to those who have looked inside themselves,
this nonsense makes perfect sense.
And to those who put it into practice,
this loftiness has roots that go deep.
I have just three things to teach:
simplicity, patience, compassion.
These three are your greatest treasures. Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 67 – Some say that my teaching is nonsense.”

Today: “Others depend on you for sustenance.  It is important that you be there for them now and always. From the I Ching

Others depend on you for sustenance.  It is important that you be there for them now and always.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 66 – If you want to govern the people, you must place yourself below them.

 Today: “Regardless of your history of abuses or kindness, opportunity, or challenge, it is within you to direct your mind. ” – Yogi Bhajan

Previous reading: “Allow things to take their course. Don’t rush it. Don’t force it.”

Previous previous reading: “It is best to reconcile with those whom you are estranged. You will likely expand your view to include tolerance for their faults. If it’s too late, you can forgive them and release the burden of ill feelings.”

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Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's, Thomas Cleary's, Brian Arnold's and other translations of the I Ching
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.

Nine at the top means:

Others depend on you for sustenance.
If you are aware of the great responsibility such a position carries, all will share good fortune.
You may cross to the far shore.

The source of nourishment.
Awareness of danger brings good fortune.
It furthers one to cross the great water.

 

Edgar Fernhout - Zee (4)

 

  

‘Zee (4)’, 1958  – Edgar Fernhout (1912 – 1974) – Museum Van Bommel van Dam – Venlo Holland
This describes a sage of the highest order, from whom emanates all influences that provide nourishment for others. Such a position brings with it heavy responsibility. If he remains conscious of this fact, he has good fortune and may confidently undertake even great and difficult labors, such as crossing the great water. These undertakings bring general happiness for him and for all others.
24 – Twenty-Four.  Fu / Return

Thunder regenerates deep within Earth’s womb:
Sage rulers recognized that the end of Earth’s seasonal cycle was also the starting point of a new year and a time for dormancy.
They closed the passes at the Solstice to enforce a rest from commerce and activity.
The ruler himself did not travel.

You have passed this way before but you are not regressing.
This is progress, for the cycle now repeats itself, and this time you are aware that it truly is a cycle.
The return of old familiars is welcome.
You can be as sure of this cycle as you are that seven days bring the start of a new week.
Use this dormancy phase to plan which direction you will grow.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

You are about to experience a rebirth — about to be given another chance, a new lease on life.
You have persevered, gone the distance through an entire cycle — through the Spring of hope or new passion, through a Summer of growth and building, only to be sacrificed like the archetypal Harvest King at the Autumn reaping.
You lie dormant like seed beneath Winter snows now, healing and absorbing new energies in preparation for the new young Spring coming shortly to your life.

Today: “Regardless of your history of abuses or kindness, opportunity, or challenge, it is within you to direct your mind. ” – Yogi Bhajan

“Regardless of your history of abuses or kindness, opportunity, or challenge, it is within you to direct your mind. You can be a saint; you can be a human; or you can be a demon. You can act as an animal at the altitude of impulse and ground, as an earthling human at the altitude of feelings and horizon, or as an angel at the altitude of essence, Infinity, and the cosmos. It is your choice.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation: LA041-780525- Control the Mind

What else Yogi Bhajan said

Tao Te Ching – Verse 66 – If you want to govern the people, you must place yourself below them.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 66

All streams flow to the sea
because it is lower than they are.
Humility gives it its power.

If you want to govern the people,
you must place yourself below them.
If you want to lead the people,
you must learn how to follow them.

Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 66 – If you want to govern the people, you must place yourself below them.”

Today: “Allow things to take their course.  Don’t rush it.  Don’t force it.” From the I Ching

Allow things to take their course.  Don’t rush it.  Don’t force it.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 65 – The ancient Masters didn’t try to educate the people, but kindly taught them to not-know.

 Today: “This constant exchange between separation and union are the two basic acts that run the universe.” – Yogi Bhajan

Previous reading: “It is best to reconcile with those whom you are estranged. You will likely expand your view to include tolerance for their faults. If it’s too late, you can forgive them and release the burden of ill feelings.”

Previous previous reading: “Your power is yours to use. Practice using it appropriately.”

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43 – Forty-Three.  Kuai / Breakthrough

A Deluge from Heaven:
The Superior Person rains fortune upon those in need, then moves on with no thought of the good he does.

The issue must be raised before an impartial authority.
Be sincere and earnest, despite the danger.
Do not try to force the outcome, but seek support where needed.
Set a clear goal.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

Your iron will must come to the forefront now.
It will take great personal determination to resolve the situation in question.
Your adversary would love to force you into an angry display.
That would legitimize his opposition to you.
Such a berserker rage would drag you down to his level.
You must resolutely take a public stand against what he represents, but refuse to engage him.
Without compromise, you show others the way to higher ground.

Nine in the fourth place means:

Your legs are torn and bleeding as you push heedlessly through the thorns toward your target.
If you would allow yourself to be led down the path of least resistance, you would reach your goal.

There is no skin on his thighs,
And walking comes hard.
If a man were to let himself be led like a sheep,
Remorse would disappear.
But if these words are heard
They will not be believed.

Sheep in shade
Here a man is suffering from inner restlessness and cannot abide in his place. He would like to push forward under any circumstances, but encounters insuperable obstacles. Thus his situation entails an inner conflict. This is due to the obstinacy with which he seeks to enforce his will. If he would desist from this obstinacy, everything would go well. But this advice, like so much other good counsel, will be ignored. For obstinacy makes a man unable to hear, for all that he has ears.
5 – Five.  Hsü / Calculated Waiting

Deep Waters in the Heavens:
Thunderclouds approaching from the West, but no rain yet.
The Superior Person nourishes himself and remains of good cheer to condition himself for the moment of truth.

Great Success if you sincerely keep to your course.
You may cross to the far shore.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

You must now endure this Dangling — either a carrot before your nose, or a sword above your head.
This strange mix of apprehension and anticipation is a Purgatory.
There is nothing more you can do to affect the outcome.
You must now submit to the Fates.