“Giving is a principle and it is an everlasting principle. Your Creator gave you life and that is why he is the great Giver.” Yogi Bhajan
Meditation: NM142 19940615 – Bless the Planet Earth and Let the Heavens Descend in You
Tag: Tao Te Ching
Tao Te Ching – Verse 40 – Return is the movement of the Tao. Yielding is the way of the Tao.
Tao Te Ching – Verse 40
Return is the movement of the Tao.
Yielding is the way of the Tao.
All things are born of being.
Being is born of non-being.
Today: “You are in a position to repair damage caused by corruption and abuse of power. Find the help you need and get it done.” – from the I Ching
You are in a position to repair damage caused by corruption and abuse of power. Find the help you need and get it done.
See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for the day
Tao Te Ching – Verse 39 – In harmony with the Tao, the sky is clear and spacious
See previous reading
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18 – Eighteen. Ku / Repairing the Damage
Winds sweep through the Mountain valley:
The Superior Person sweeps away corruption and stagnation by stirring up the people and strengthening their spirit.
Supreme success.
Before crossing to the far shore, consider the move for three days.
After crossing, devote three days of hard labor to damage control.
SITUATION ANALYSIS:
You are blessed with an opportunity to resuscitate that which others have abandoned as beyond repair.
This ruin wasn’t caused by evil intention, but by indifference to decay.
Just by addressing yourself to the problem, you exhibit a new awareness, a fresh perspective.
This is a time of recovery, renewal, regeneration.
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Six in the fifth place means: Setting right the father’s ruins, The son receives honors.
Corruption and fall of the Han dynasty |
| An individual is confronted with corruption originating from neglect in former times. He lacks the power to ward it off alone, but with able helpers he can at least bring about a thorough reform, if he cannot create a new beginning, and this also is praiseworthy. |
57 – Fifty-Seven. Sun / The Penetrating Wind
Wind follows upon wind, wandering the earth, penetrating gently but persistently:
The Superior Person expands his influence by reaffirming his decisions and carrying out his promises.
Small, persistent, focused effort brings success.
Seek advice from someone you respect.
SITUATION ANALYSIS:
Gentle persuasion is the key in this instance.
Though the words are soft, their speaker must be firm, calm and confident.
Gentle words are worthless if spoken with trepidation.
Wordless influence by example is also effective in this situation.
All persuasion should be almost unfelt, yet consistent and persistent.
Ask for feedback from someone you know to be an effective persuader.
Today: “Someone asked me once in a class, “What should one not lose?” I said, “One’s innocence.”” Yogi Bhajan
“Someone asked me once in a class, “What should one not lose?” I said, “One’s innocence. The highest prized quality is one’s own innocence. No matter how clever and diplomatic and shrewd and intellectually creative you are, you are basically nothing because the beauty of the man lies in his innocence.” Yogi Bhajan
Meditation: LA010 – 19780210 – Gobinda – Project to the Infinite
Tao Te Ching – Verse 39 – In harmony with the Tao, the sky is clear and spacious
Tao Te Ching – Verse 39
In harmony with the Tao,
the sky is clear and spacious,
the earth is solid and full,
all creatures flourish together,
content with the way they are,
endlessly repeating themselves,
endlessly renewed.
When man interferes with the Tao,
the sky becomes filthy,
the earth becomes depleted,
the equilibrium crumbles,
creatures become extinct.
Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 39 – In harmony with the Tao, the sky is clear and spacious”
Today: “In times of darkness, hide your true convictions, not calling attention to yourself.” – from the I Ching
In times of darkness, hide your true convictions, not calling attention to yourself. …”they need invincible perseverance of spirit and redoubled caution in their dealings with the world.”
See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for the day
Tao Te Ching – Verse 38 – The Master doesn’t try to be powerful; thus he is truly powerful.
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36 – Thirty-Six. Ming I / Eclipsing the Light
Warmth and Light are swallowed by Deep Darkness:
The Superior Person shows his brilliance by keeping it veiled among the masses.
Stay true to your course, despite the visible obstacles ahead.
SITUATION ANALYSIS:
This time calls for a saintly effort to turn the other cheek.
You have been deliberately injured.
Going blow-for-blow will only escalate this war.
Abstain from vengeance.
Show all watching that you are above it.
Sidestep your aggressor’s headlong charge, giving him the opportunity to fall on his face.
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Six in the fifth place means:
Ancient Chinese court |
| Prince Chi lived at the court of the evil tyrant Chou Hsin, who, although not mentioned by name, furnishes the historical example on which this whole situation is based. Prince Chi was a relative of the tyrant and could not withdraw from court; therefore he concealed his true sentiments and feigned insanity. Although he was held a slave, he did not allow external misery to deflect him from his convictions. This provides a teaching for those who cannot leave their posts in times of darkness. In order to escape danger, they need invincible perseverance of spirit and redoubled caution in their dealings with the world. |
63 – Sixty-Three. Chi Chi / Aftermath
Boiling Water over open Flame, one might extinguish The other:
The Superior Person takes a 360 degree view of the situation and prepares for any contingency.
Success in small matters if you stay on course.
Early good fortune can end in disorder.
SITUATION ANALYSIS:
Victory at the expense of another is a merciless taskmaster.
The precarious balance here is reflected in the lines of the hexagram: each of the yin lines rests upon a strong yang line — a seemingly perfect arrangement.
But the scales will be tipped with the change of any one line.
And there WILL be change.
Tireless vigilance and an answer to every challenge — that is the uneasy Seat of Power occupied by the conqueror.
Today: “Nothing is everything and everything is nothing.” Yogi Bhajan
“Nothing is everything and everything is nothing. When you become nothing, but tune into everything, then everything straightens out.” Yogi Bhajan
Meditation: Meditate on Nothing to Find Prosperity – 19930421
Tao Te Ching – Verse 38 – The Master doesn’t try to be powerful; thus he is truly powerful.
Tao Te Ching – Verse 38
The Master doesn’t try to be powerful;
thus he is truly powerful.
The ordinary man keeps reaching for power;
thus he never has enough.
The Master does nothing,
yet he leaves nothing undone.
The ordinary man is always doing things,
yet many more are left to be done.
Today: “Your advice and example go unnoticed, with possible dire consequences. Shine even brighter, and do not react in order to gain the influence that is required.” – from the I Ching
Your advice and example go unnoticed, with possible dire consequences. Shine even brighter, and do not react in order to gain the influence that is required.
See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for the day
Tao Te Ching – Verse 37 – The Tao never does anything, yet through it all things are done
Meditation: LA822-950201-Healing the Physical
See previous reading
Retell and add to The Magical Story of Mushkil Gusha over a meal with friends today.
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9 – Nine. Hsiao Ch’u / Gentle Restraint
Winds of change high in the Heavens:
Air currents carry the weather.
Dense clouds blow in from the West, but still no rain.
The Superior Person fine tunes the image he presents to the world.
Small successes.
SITUATION ANALYSIS:
No matter what you do, the fruit of your labors never seems to ripen.
Your reward remains just out of reach.
Men have gone mad from such anticipation.
Don’t lose your balance lunging for the brass ring.
While the Fates continue to restrain you, go them one better and display a self-generated restraint and grace.
Look for the humor in the situation.
Six in the fourth place means:By gaining confidence, the man keeps control of the conflict, avoiding the blood that could be spilled by fear. If you’re sincere, blood vanishes and fear gives way.
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| If one is in the difficult and responsible position of counselor to a powerful man, one should restrain him in such a way that right may prevail. Therein lies a danger so great that the threat of actual bloodshed may arise. Nonetheless, the power of disinterested truth is greater than all these obstacles. It carries such weight that the end is achieved, and all danger of bloodshed and all fear disappear. |
1 – One. Ch’ien / Creative Activity
Heaven above and Heaven below:
Heaven in constant motion.
With the strength of the dragon, the Superior Person steels himself for ceaseless activity.
Productive Activity.
Potent Influence.
Sublime Success if you keep to your course.
SITUATION ANALYSIS:
The time for action has come.
You now have the focus and the stamina necessary for accomplishing great tasks.
The path before you is being cleared and reward lies ahead.
Today: “I remember when Mahatma Gandhi was imprisoned in a jail. When he was released, he requested, “Can I stay one week more?”” Yogi Bhajan
“I remember when Mahatma Gandhi was imprisoned in a jail. When he was released, he requested, “Can I stay one week more?” They asked what kind of guy is he? He said, “It is a very big jail; there are a lot of people here and I have been teaching a special course on meditation that will take a week more to finish. If I am extended a week, I can teach these people and I’ll be grateful if you allow me to stay in here.” The superintendent said, “We will charge you four rupees, half a dollar a day for that week if you want to stay; otherwise, you better get out, we don’t need you anymore.” Can you believe that kind of consciousness? His consciousness was that he never felt imprisoned.” Yogi Bhajan
Tao Te Ching – Verse 37 – The Tao never does anything, yet through it all things are done
Tao Te Ching – Verse 37
The Tao never does anything,
yet through it all things are done.
If powerful men and women
could center themselves in it,
the whole world would be transformed
by itself, in its natural rhythms.
People would be content
with their simple, everyday lives,
in harmony, and free of desire.
When there is no desire,
all things are at peace. Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 37 – The Tao never does anything, yet through it all things are done”
Today: “You are well prepared to help, but yet unrecognized. Be patient, your time will come.” – from the I Ching
You are well prepared to help, but yet unrecognized. Be patient, your time will come.
See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for the day
Lecture and Meditation: Patience Pays – LA-19831020
See previous reading
Musings on Grace and Gratitude
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48 – Forty-Eight. Ching / The Well
Deep Waters Penetrated and drawn to the surface:
The Superior Person refreshes the people with constant encouragement to help one another.
Encampments, settlements, walled cities, whole empires may rise and fall, yet the Well at the center endures, never drying to dust, never overflowing.
It served those before and will serve those after.
Again and again you may draw from the Well, but if the bucket breaks or the rope is too short there will be misfortune.
SITUATION ANALYSIS:
There is a Source common to us all.
Jung named it the Collective Unconscious.
Others hail it as God within.
Inside each of us are dreamlike symbols and archetypes, emotions and instincts that we share with every other human being.
When we feel a lonely separateness from others, it is not because this Well within has dried up, but because we have lost the means to reach its waters.
You need to reclaim the tools necessary to penetrate to the depths of your fellows.
Then the bonds you build will be as timeless and inexhaustible as the Well that nourishes them.
Nine in the third place means:
The well is cleaned, but no one drinks from it.
This is my heart’s sorrow,
For one might draw from it.
If the king were clear-minded,
Good fortune might be enjoyed in common.
Kyomasa well – Yoyogi park – Tokyo
An able man is available. He is like a purified well whose water is drinkable. But no use is made of him. This is the sorrow of those who know him. One wishes that the prince might learn about it; this would be good fortune for all concerned.
19 – Nineteen. Lin / Noble Calling
The rich, loamy Earth on the banks of the Marsh provides fertile soil for exceptional progress.
The Superior Person is inexhaustible in his willingness to teach, and without limit in his tolerance and support of others.
Supreme Success if you keep to your course.
But be aware that your time is limited; your power will wane, as Summer changes to Fall.
SITUATION ANALYSIS:
You are in a position to help another.
This is a temporary situation, because your power is cyclical, seasonal.
Knowing this, you must perform your good deed without hope of reward.
You are not furthering your own process, but another’s.
Though you may cherish this other, you will never possess.
Touch without grasping.
Take comfort in becoming a fond memory.
Nurture, then let go.
Today: “For every problem there is an answer. No question can exist without the answer being already in it. For instance, ask any question. Question: What is infinity? Answer: Infinity is what.” Yogi Bhajan
“For every problem there is an answer. No question can exist without the answer being already in it. For instance, ask any question. Question: What is infinity? Answer: Infinity is what. The moment you ask what, you are relating something beyond the finite and you are in infinity.“ Yogi Bhajan
Tao Te Ching – Verse 36 – If you want to shrink something, you must first allow it to expand
Tao Te Ching – Verse 36
If you want to shrink something,
you must first allow it to expand.
If you want to get rid of something,
you must first allow it to flourish.
If you want to take something,
you must first allow it to be given.
This is called the subtle perception
of the way things are.
The soft overcomes the hard.
The slow overcomes the fast.
Let your workings remain a mystery.
Just show people the results. Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 36 – If you want to shrink something, you must first allow it to expand”
Today: “It is our duty to become more aware than our ancestors. We can improve on their vision, though be careful about throwing away what they have produced for our benefit.” – from the I Ching
It is our duty to become more aware than our ancestors. We can improve on their vision, though be careful about throwing away what they have produced for our benefit.
See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for the day
Tao Te Ching – Verse 35 – She who is centered in the Tao can go where she wishes, without danger.
See previous reading
Musings on Grace and Gratitude
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18 – Eighteen Ku / Repairing the Damage
Winds sweep through the Mountain valley:
The Superior Person sweeps away corruption and stagnation by stirring up the people and strengthening their spirit.
Supreme success.
Before crossing to the far shore, consider the move for three days.
After crossing, devote three days of hard labor to damage control.
SITUATION ANALYSIS:
You are blessed with an opportunity to resuscitate that which others have abandoned as beyond repair.
This ruin wasn’t caused by evil intention, but by indifference to decay.
Just by addressing yourself to the problem, you exhibit a new awareness, a fresh perspective.
This is a time of recovery, renewal, regeneration.
Nine in the third place means:
Restoring what his father damaged.
Some regrets, but no great mistakes.
Setting right what has been spoiled by the father.
There will be a little remorse. No great blame.
‘Writing to Father’ – Eastman Johnson 1863 – Boston Museum of Fine Arts
This describes a man who proceeds a little too energetically in righting the mistakes of the past. Now and then, as a result, minor discords and annoyances will surely develop. But too much energy is better than too little. Therefore, although he may at times have some slight cause for regret, he remains free of any serious blame.
4 – Four. Mêng / Inexperience
A fresh Spring at the foot of the Mountain:
The Superior Person refines his character by being thorough in every activity.
The Sage does not recruit students; the students seek him.
He asks nothing but a sincere desire to learn.
If the student doubts or challenges his authority, the Sage regretfully cuts his losses.
SITUATION ANALYSIS:
This is a time of interchange between a mentor and pupil.
Whether you are the teacher or the student, it is a time of companionship along a mutual path.
This hexagram also emphasizes the eternal, cyclical nature of the mentor/student relationship — a mentor is merely a more seasoned pupil, further along on the journey.
A pupil holds within himself the seed of a future Master.
Today: “The attitude of gratitude is the highest way of living, and is the biggest truth, the highest truth.” Yogi Bhajan
“The attitude of gratitude is the highest way of living, and is the biggest truth, the highest truth. You cannot live with applied consciousness until you understand that you have to be grateful for what you have. If you are grateful for what you have, then Mother Nature will give you more.” Yogi Bhajan