Stimulus from a High Place

The commentary on hexagram nineteen line two tells us that "when the stimulus to approach comes from a high place ... good fortune will ensue." This is a universal law and will always apply in the long run though sometimes it may seem not to in the short run. The key is knowing when it is coming from a high place. There is a hint here that we must receive stimuli from our higher self, and not from selfish desire. Selfish desire will get us into trouble sooner or later.

What stimulus do our actions come from? Are we trying to aggrandize ourselves at the expense of others? Sometimes this may work for us for awhile. Usually it doesn't in the long run however. It is true that some notorious gangsters, brutal as they may be, have died in their bed at a ripe old age. Don't make the mistake of thinking this is the end of the story however. There is a judgment of sorts, one way or another. But if we are striving toward the higher aims of mankind in general, we can be confident of our being and our success if we follow the "natural way," as the Taoists might call it, or the "way of the cross," as the Christians might call it. We empty ourselves of self, and allow the higher power to flow through, always being assured that we are set upon the right course, and our compass is true.

In this way we can be as in hexagram six, "So clear-headed and inwardly strong that we are able to quickly come to terms" with any enemy, in a way that is beneficial for all. Hexagram nine line two however, tells us that we "must be in harmony with the time." How do we know whether we are in harmony with the time? We know because we are acting from the stimulus of the higher self. When we are fully in accord with our Higher Self then "all things work together for good ... those who are called according to His purpose." That is, the purpose of our higher self. When we do we can follow this path good fortune comes.

Hexagram thirty seven line two tells us that "We should not follow our whims, but must attend within to our nurturance and to our Higher Self. We "must always be guided by the will of the master of the house," The house is our inner being, where we find sanctuary, where we receive guidance from the master, where we have that inner knowing that allows us to know what stimuli is the right stimuli to keep us on the path that we were meant to be on. If we do not strive to stay on this spiritual path then sooner or later, our readings of the I Ching will prove to be misinterpreted, and the "Three unexpexted guests" will not come. We will be on our own, and ashamed and embarrassed at our misfortune. Are we in harmony with the Tao, or the "way of the cross," or are we not?

The Limitations of Hexagram Sixty

In all my thirty plus, maybe forty years of studying the I Ching, I have very rarely gotten hexagram sixty. But now I am getting it intermittently. Usually this happens when we are ready for a new type of lesson or a lesson on a different level. The thing I find interesting here is that this hexagram tells me a lot of the same things that the other hexagrams do, just in a different way. That is just me however. Others may find completely different things in it as we all have our own areas of expertise and understanding, and all have our own personalities and character traits, and when we consult the I Ching personally, through a random means, such as throwing coins or yarrow stalks, we receive answers that are specific to us. Someone else getting hexagram sixty may see something completely different in it, and that is not wrong. The Spirit behind the I Ching knows our nature, our abilities, and our LIMITATIONS.

Lines one and two show two different scenarios, one in which it is "safe to go out the door," and another where "it is not." The key is that it all depends on the timing, a timing which only the universe, or the Higher Self knows, but our LIMITED self does not. If we become arrogant, and think we control it all, we are not in harmony with the meaning of the hexagram nor are we in harmony with the universe as a whole, and therefore not in harmony with our Higher Selves.

It is requisite that we submit to our Higher Selves, or in other words, the universal powers, and do not try to complete everything by ourselves. If we think we can do it all in our own power, we inevitably fail. Granted, some may make their way very well in the world, but sooner or later, arrogance will catch up with us, and we will be humbled.

Line five tells us that we must apply our limitations to ourselves. There are times when we might have to apply them to employees, (if we own a company) or to our children, etc., but primarily we must apply them to ourselves. To know when to go out the gate and courtyard is not something we are consciously capable of knowing, but when we follow the higher guidance it works for us without our conscious awareness of it.

When these four lines change, the result is hexagram fifteen. Hexagram fifteen indirectly and discreetly indicates to us that we must be modest and recognize a higher power that can guide us. When we are in harmony with this higher power, we can pass through the gate or not at the right time and in accordance with the will of higher powers. In this way we follow what the Taoists call "the natural way," and we make no mistakes.

Union and Misunderstandings

In the last post it was related that a relationship with a significant other is not unsimilar to a relationship with our own Higher Self or the I Ching, and pretty much the Higher Self and the I Ching are the same thing. The I Ching is merely the medium the higher self uses to communicate with us. Pretty much the same principles apply. Therefore, in our approach to the I Ching, we are really approaching a deeper aspect of our own being, and as such are having a relationship with that deeper aspect. Often in our relationships, misunderstandings are created because non of us see the world through the same eyes, or have the same understandings of given things. We become all too often like "the teamhorse that goes astray." If we really care about our relationships however, we attempt to look beyond the misunderstandings and find a common ground for attempting reconciliation. Sometimes differences are irreconcilable of course, at least with a significant other, not with our higher self. Nevertheless, it is often possible to maintain a relationship if things have not become too poisoned. In order for things not to become too poisoned, it is essential that we look at the world through other lenses, and not  just our own. It is imperative that we gain a broader view of the world so that we can see someone else's point of view. We do not want to see the world through "the crack of the door" as it is said in hexagram twenty line two. We must have a broader view. In the same way, it is necessary to gain a broader view of ourselves, and of our relationships with the world. In fact, by "Observing," in hexagram twenty, we come to understand things we would not otherwise understand. And the "commands" (directives) of our higher self and how to relate to it become more clear.

Sometimes it is simply not possible in our present state of development to find a way to reconcile, but our Higher Self can clear up the differences in its own way, if we are "receptive" (hexagram two) to the impulses that can be received from the Higher Self. This situation is depicted in hexagram thirty eight line two. Here it says, "One meets his lord in a narrow street." This meeting may be "accidental" by our standards, but by the standards of the Higher Self it is not. For it is the Higher Self that plans out our "accidental meetings," which refers to a place where we come face to face with a truth in such a way that we cannot deny it or lie to ourselves. We will be forced to look in the mirror to see ourselves the way we really are no longer with self deception. The meeting can be startling. We meet in "a narrow street" where we cannot get away from the truth of the matter. This can be arranged by the "Higher Self" as well for situations which are fated or destined for us, or for relationships that were intended for us. We come face to face with the reality of the situation as unpleasant as that might be, and we cannot get around it because the "street is too narrow" to allow for escape. This may be very uncomfortable but it is not a bad thing, for therein do we learn who we really are. And relationships are often a necessity for us to see a mirror image of oneself, and come to terms with the reality of our condition. Then as in hexagram twenty line five and six we come to contemplate our life and find where we have failed and where we have succeeded, and the reason for each.

Often, as in line six of hexagram thirty eight, we see our companions, (including our Higher Self) "As a pig covered with dirt. As a wagon full of devils." We are ready to fight. But in time, thanks often to the meddling of the Higher Self, to "meeting our Lord in a narrow street." we come to realize that the partner comes with good intentions. We have the same problem in hexagram thirteen line three where we "hide weapons in the thicket." There is always a tendency within ourselves to project onto others the faults that we ourselves are burdened with. However, as in line four of hexagram thirteen, "he climbs up upon the wall, (where he has a better view) and realizes that either "he cannot attack" or that there is no need to attack, and reconciliation draws nearer. It is important that we try our best to reconcile with those we can reconcile with, and infinitely more important that we reconcile with our own Higher Self, and in the same way, with the same meaning, the I Ching.

Different relationships

There are so many lines in the I Ching, and I would submit that in some ways, all lines in the I Ching discuss our relationship with our own higher selves and how that relationship is either blocked or in non working order, or else it is in good order. In hexagram forty eight line four it says, "The well is being lined." It amazes me how many different meanings any given line can mean. Often it can mean a situation has not fully developed yet, and no definitive answer can be given until the situation develops further. It can also mean that we have not yet fully developed ourselves or the nature of our relationship to our own higher self. Remember that all lines can relate to relationships; either relationships to ourselves, to our neighbors, to our interaction with society as a whole, to relationships with superiors or inferiors, or personal relationships of the most intimate kind. Hexagram forty eight line four can therefore mean, in terms of a personal relationship, that the relationship has not yet fully jelled, and there is no guarantee that the relationship will move to the next level. This of course does not begin to exhaust the possibilities of meaning coming from just this one line.

In hexagram eight we have an obvious reference to relationships of one kind or another. But all types of relationships follow a certain kind of pattern. The same type of principles of  relationship we have with a "significant other" is the type of principles in a relationship with our higher self. Just as we don't want to try to move too fast into a relationship of significance, we cannot too quickly develop a relationship with our own inner self. The stage has to be set. And both hexagrams thirty one and hexagram fifty three (as well as others) caution us against moving too fast into a relationship. It tends to scare the other person away. We have to under many conditions hold back for the time being until the time is right. Until the "well has been lined."

Sometimes a relationship simply is not possible. (Although it is always possible with our higher self if we proceed in the right way.) As such, hexagram eight line six tells us, "He has no head for holding together." In other words, the conditions aren't right for a relationship to develop. This is true on a personal and interhuman level, just as it is true on a deeper level in getting to know our higher self. We do not understand (head) the mechanisms for making a relationship work even within our own being. If the beginning is not right the the end cannot be right either. Relationships cannot develop too quickly. At the same time, if we hesitate too long we miss the minute of truth, the minute when the relationship can work.

Hexagram sixty one indicates also the way relationships work. But here the emphasis is not on the physical aspects of a relationship or the dynamics of male female relationships (actually, yes it does in a certain way, which will be discussed here.) But on the inner affinity necessary between two people to make the relationship work. The same principles that work within us for a relationship with ourselves apply with a relationship with others. There has to be an inner affinity of "like attracting like" in order to make it happen. Usually for men the original impulse for attraction is the physical beauty of the female, where for the female it is the success of the man that is an initial attractor. However, for a relationship to jell and continue it takes more than that. There must be an inner affinity between the two people. In a human relationship however, there has to be an awareness of each other and a mutual looking at each other in the sense of going the same direction. In line four though, the team horse does not look at its mate. This is because it has a job to do and cannot be distracted. In terms of our relationship with our higher self, this has got to be the way it is. We cannot be distracted in pursuing a relationship with our higher self and at all times must attend to our duty. In contradistinction to what I just said though, although the former applies too in it own way, in order to have a relationship with another, we cannot allow outside distractions to develop keeping us from pursuing and continually better relationship with our significant other. We cannot be dazzled by the beauty or the attractiveness of outside people, but must maintain strict discipline in pursuing the improvement of the relationship that we have and the desire to make it better. We must at all times attend to our duty. In this way we "limit ourselves" (hexagram sixty) to the pursuit of that which reinforces the value of the relationships that we have.

Line five of hexagram sixty one says, "He possesses truth, which links together." Falsehood will not enhance our relationships, this is true in interpersonal relationships as well as relationships with our own higher self. We cannot lie to our own higher self. It is impossible. It may be possible to lie to our significant other for a while and get away with it, but eventually it will destroy the relationship, not strengthen it. (I am talking about real deceit here, not little lies to not hurt someone's feelings). However, when both lines four and five of hexagram sixty one change, the resulting hexagram is number thirty eight. Herein lies the possibilities of misunderstandings and how to deal with them. We will get to that later.

Something Very Short

Not much about the I Ching in this post. Just a few short notes, hope to get going again tomorrow or a day or two.

I have been very interested in world events for some time now. There was much debate about whether the Month of December in 2012 would bring some drastic changes. Some thought it was the end of the world. When nothing of particular, (seemingly) importance happened on that day people just ascribed it to the lunatic fringe. Nothing could be further from the truth. It had real significance and still does, and this whole thing is not over. The world is about to experience turmoil like never before. But it won't happen tomorrow or the year after. It is a gradual thing. We are starting to experience it.

The gist of it is this. We are entering a new era. And those who understand the nature of the world and how it works, have a fairly good idea, though not exact, of how things are playing out. The world's elite, the international bankers, the upper level master masons, those controlling behind the scenes are playing us for fools. And it doesn't matter which country you live in or how educated you are. You have been lied to and reality is not anything like what we are taught in schools. Those of us living in the United States are aware of the news that came out about Obama Care, and how the architects of the program have stated that they purposely lied to the American people about how it worked and what it would cost because we are too stupid to know what is good for us. As "snake oily" as that comment is, there is some truth to it in the sense that we have always been lied to, and believe the lies we are told. It has always amazed me, that when we in the west elect our leaders, on the one hand we know they lie, on the other we listen to what they say, and tend to believe them, and vote for our candidate thinking he or she is going to make change, and nothing ever changes. It is because they are counting on the gullibility of the American public.

Well, if you don't live in the west don't think you are not affected because the same thing is true in your country, whether you vote for your leaders or live in a totalitarian state. You are still being lied to. And your leaders think the common folk are unbelievably stupid just as ours do. This world is ruled by a Luciferian principle, whether there is any Lucifer or not, it amounts to the same thing. The elite lie to us about everything, and laugh about it, just like they did with Obama Care.

I will not get into this any further at this time. I just want to mention and recommend a book or two that relates to "esoteric" Christianity, and other "esoteric" systems as well. One book I would recommend is "End Times and 2019. For 2012 was the beginning of this seven year system. If anyone doubts this, it has been documented in main stream magazines and news that the United States intends to start microchipping its population in the year 2017. See what the book of Revelations, starting with chapter 13, has to say about it. Other books might be books written by David Flynn, such as "Temple at the center of time." Or the book by his brother, Mark Flynn, "Labrynth." You might find them interesting.

More on hexagram forty eight

It was mentioned that when hexagram forty eight shows as a secondary hexagram (and also hexagrams four and twenty), it can indicate that the lesson has not been fully understood. Hexagram forty five line five carries a similar theme, but here it is a general statement that the I Ching's teachings are not readily perceived. The line says, "Supreme and enduring perseverance is needed, then remorse disappears." If we do not spend time meditating on the lines and commentary in the I Ching, we will not be able to perceive truly and perfectly the message that is presented before us. It is only when we calm our mind, for only in a state of calmness can we "perceive the laws of the universe." (See hexagram fifty two). But such does not come easily. It is not in the first reading usually that we get the answer. It must be meditated upon until a deeper stratum of our being is reached, (the rope must go all the way down to the well), until we really have a grasp of the meaning of the lines and precepts within the constructs of the I Ching. (The same is true of any other sacred book.) It is only by persevering that we achieve any meaning answers from the I Ching. It is only in persevering in the right, in love, and awe and respect, that the great laws of the universe permeate our mind and produce within us fresh insights. In hexagram twenty nine the light lines are trapped between two dark lines in each trigram. On the one hand, the darkness creates a greater contrast to the light, on the other, the light cannot be readily seen until the lessons of the teacher (the I Ching) are practiced over and over again that the light begins to shine within the darkness. We cannot perceive real spiritual truth until the mental ground of our being has been prepared. (See the parable of the sower who went forth to sow in the gospels). The seeds only produced in the ground that was fertile. Our minds must be fertile.

Hexagram sixty three line three says that, "Long, drawn out struggles must be reckoned with." The struggle is within ourselves. In order to see the light we must meditate and work to understand the metaphorical and metaphysical meanings of the lines. It is only when we are willing to struggle for the answers that the come, and in coming we are allowed to "See the Illustrious Ancestor," In other words, we see the real meaning behind the words. But line five of sixty three says that real seriousness is lacking, and as long as it lacks, our "rope does not go all the way down to the water." We lack seriousness when we look for superficial answers, and having found them, give up any further search thinking we have received the full measure of "water from the well." In that sense we only "shoot fish." And/or our "jug breaks." In this case, as in line four, "The king is not clear minded." His words are only superficial and do not reach to the heart of the problem.

If it were simply a matter of intellectual learning, the teacher (I Ching) would not have to repeat the lesson over and over again, but hexagram twenty nine speaks of the necessity of repetition by the teacher, otherwise the material is not made ones own, and does not have the life giving properties of water.

The Trouble with Forty Eight part two

Just one really quick thing I forgot to write. Part of the charm of hexagram forty eight is its commentary saying, "May fail to penetrate to the real roots...and remain fixed in convention." This is really, really important. Because if we fail to get to the heart of the matter we tend to believe whatever we were brought up to believe; whatever our schools teach us, or our governments or our churches or our psychiatrists tells us. There then becomes no critical thought. We just "follow the conventions."

Now, critical thinking does not guarantee us of any success either. Once again, as in hexagram fifty two, understanding the laws of the universe only come about when we are at deep peace and calm, and no longer affected by the "hustle and bustle" of life. This is because we are looking for spiritual truths, not just intellectual science or religion or philosophy or what have you. We want to go down to the deepest stratum of spiritual teaching, brought to us by the I Ching or other sacred book which has an intelligence of its own beyond human capacity, and can direct its teaching specifically to the individual under timely circumstances when it is most favorable to pass that particular teaching to the individual, and when the individual is most receptive to it.

The trouble with hexagram forty eight

Actually, there is no real problem with hexagram forty eight, except in some contexts. As a secondary hexagram, or the hexagram derived from the changing of lines, hexagram forty eight could at times be telling us that we are "not getting it." The reason we don't get it is that we don't go far enough down into the well to find the real answer. We see spiritual things from a superficial angle only. The commentary in Wilhelm/Baynes on this hexagram says, "We must go down to the foundation of life. For any merely SUPERFICIAL ordering of life that leaves its deepest needs unsatisfied is as ineffectual as if no attempt at order has been made." (At this point, does anyone see why I use only the Wilhelm/Baynes version when using the I Ching for spiritual growth?) How often is our reading and understanding of the I Ching superficial or even misinformed? I would say 100% of the time. It is not enough to just get a simple answer to a simple question with the I Ching. For if it doesn't change us then it doesn't change the circumstances under which we asked the question either. And even if we get some good advice and follow it, it will leave us feeling as in our "deepest needs are still unsatisfied." We have not gotten the real answer, because our rope does not go far enough down.

There are other hexagrams that deal with this same problem although in a slightly different way. Until we get into the upper trigram we are viewing things in a very superficial way. In hexagram twenty it is often that we do not properly perceive the teachings of the teacher, or that we do not have a sufficient basis for understanding to really understand the true meaning. In several places in the I Ching it tells us that until we can truly calm our mind we cannot understand the laws of the universe. (See hexagram fifty two for one example.) The problem is discussed also in hexagram four, but here the emphasis is one the immaturity of the one attempting to perceive, and teaching alone is not enough, but life experience is what is really needed. It is one thing to have head knowledge of a subject, it is another to experience it and through "repetition of the material" make it a part of our inner being. When hexagram forty eight appears, it is possible to think we have gotten to the truth when we have not. In this case we need to take the advice of hexagram twenty one, and "bite through" til we get to the heart of the message. For when we think we understand, usually we do not.

Inner discipline

Sometimes in our personal readings we might get hexagram thirty seven, with, let's say, lines one and three changing. The context here is such that we need to have firm discipline within the family. This does not necessarily mean what we might think it means in our western world. In the western world we tend to think of the Confucian model of the I Ching an outmoded model of superficial morality and ethics. Indeed some often cringe at the thought of the "Superior Man" in the I Ching as they think this leads to unfair biases of one man over another. This all has to do with what we in the west call "Political correctness", where we all try to use words that we think have the least amount of bias built into them. But this so called political correctness is stretched very thin and often distorts the true meaning of words and concepts. The I Ching is full of concepts of the actions of the superior man versus the inferior. Let's face it. Our football teams, baseball teams, and all other sports teams are filled with people of superior talent or they would not be playing professional ball. We must call a spade a spade and face life as it really is.

So, in effect the person who contributes to the well-being of his or her family can in some senses be called acting in a superior way in regards to the family over someone who squanders the families wealth on alcohol or beats the children or what have you. These are not the actions of the superior person. It would be best to quit becoming prejudiced by pretending to be getting rid of our prejudices and see things in their true light.

But it can be that we have no family in the literal sense, so we might be confused when we get these lines, or any lines in hexagram thirty seven. But we must remember that what happens above also happens below, and what happens without also happens with in. And within each of us there are a multitude of personalities calling out for expression. One moment one mood controls us, and the next another. Line one of hexagram thirty seven says, "Firm seclusion within the family. Remorse disappears."  Even if we are not a part of a literal family, we have a family within ourselves, and the best way to integrate that family is to be always focusing on the "superior", and letting the "inferior" go. We must develop ourselves in such a way that there is an "inner power" within us. Line three carries on the theme of discipline, and we must discipline ourselves. When these two lines change, we have hexagram twenty. Hexagram twenty speaks of a profound inner seriousness. (In life, paradoxes exist, so it is equally true that we cannot take life seriously and should have fun, and that we should take life very seriously.) Most people at some time in their life find something that inspires them with a great deal of awe, and they get caught up in it, and try to understand it. In hexagram twenty the person finds great awe in the spiritual and/or cosmological processes of life. It so inspires us that we are in awe of the greatness of it all, and begin to "comprehend" the laws of nature. Science does this as well as the philosopher. But in order to really understand the laws of the universe we must have that inner discipline that keeps us on track, not by force or intimidation but by fascination. We are so in awe of it that our minds become quiet and meditative, as in hexagram fifty two, (which has a similar structure) and it is through this quietness and this awe that we come to understand the spiritual laws of life, and not just have book knowledge of them, which is meaningless. Just reading the book of changes from cover to cover would never give us a profound understanding of the laws of life. It is only when we compare "line with line, precept with precept" that the material becomes part of us and binds us and unites us as an inner "family" and we become awed by the vastness and the profuseness of it all. It changes our inner being. Book learning, and intellectual learning does not do that.

Not for the Inferior Man

The utilization of the I Ching works only for the superior man and not the inferior. Therefore it behooves us to know where we stand. If we are not capable of understanding the advice of the I Ching there is no use in requesting it. In the same way, if we do not act in accord with the Tao, or that is, with the way of sacrifice; if we do not recognize a heavenly guidance in our life, or we do not walk a spiritual path, then the wisdom and guidance of the I Ching will not work for you.

For example, let us say we receive hexagram five line four, and we look at the guidance. The hexagram and line speak of a situation in which we are cut off and ordinarily there would be no hope for us. However, there is hope when we compose ourselves and allow guidance to come through. When there is no hope we let fate take its course. When fate takes its course, then suddenly, a way out shows itself. We have this same motif in line six of the same hexagram. After one falls into the pit, three uninvited guests arrive. The uninvited guests are spiritual powers that save us from the situation that we are in. Those spiritual powers will not arrive however, for the average person. It is only when we have turned ourselves over to the Tao, to the spiritual way, to the way of sacrifice, or the way of the cross, that we have any hope of having "three uninvited guests arrive." If we are not at one (atonement) with the spiritual powers, with the universe, the guests will not arrive. This is not to be considered totally a bad thing, it is just the nature of the laws of the universe. We cannot overcome the laws of the universe in any way. The only way we can have this hope is by being one with the tao, one with the natural way.

We see this concept in many places in the I Ching. In the image in hexagram forty seven it says, "Thus the superior man stakes his life on following his will." The commentary on the image says, "This (hexagram) symbolizes an adverse fate in human life." Therefore it is essential that we understand that it is essential that the will we follow is not that of our lower self, but the will of the higher self, which is the will of heaven. Without that, nothing of permanence can be accomplished." Acting from our lower self can be of benefit for a time, but does not have the permanence of the will of the higher self. We cannot escape our fate, but we can consolidate it in a good way by following the way. This the inferior man cannot do, only the superior man can accomplish the will of heaven. Therefore, only the superior man will find help from unseen forces when adverse fate befalls us.

Hexagram fifty also speaks of fate. The image says, "Thus the superior man consolidates his fate by making his position correct."  The commentary says, "There is likewise in man a fate that lends power to his life. And if he succeeds in assigning the right place to life and to fate, thus bringing the two into harmony, he puts his fate of a firm footing." Therefore, in many ways, the superior man creates his own fate, though he or she is not necessarily conscious of having done so. It happens in the spiritual realm, beyond the comprehension of the conscious mind. Those powers are nevertheless real, whether we recognize them or not.

Finally, we see this argument expressed in hexagram twenty three, line six. The line says, "The superior man receives a carriage, the house of the inferior man is split apart." Why? The superior man follows the will of heaven. The inferior man follows his own will, arrogantly. When we follow the Tao, or the way of heaven, we create a fate, or a karma, or a destiny that "saves us" at the last minute. The 'uninvited guests arrive." When we create negativity, when we create discord, and disharmony, when are creating the conditions where our house, (the place we shelter ourselves, where we think we have safety and protection), is "split apart."

What is truth?

In life, many times we encounter obstacles that must be dealt with. Sometimes the counsel is to stop and wait. Other cases, as in hexagram twenty one, we must "energetically bite through the obstacle." Lord, give us the wisdom to know which way to deal with a situation in a given situation. Sometimes we just have to bite the bullet, (hexagram twenty one, and take the plunge. (Hexagram twenty nine). One way to decide is the "smell test." Often in situations in life something just "doesn't pass the smell test." As a kid I often heard the phrase, "there is something rotten in ..."  Now we say "it doesn't pass the smell test." Where people come up with these idioms and expressions I don't know. But the idea is that "something smells fishy." In cases like these it is well to bite through to the truth. And that is one aspect of the meaning of hexagram twenty one, getting to the truth of the matter.

So Pilate said to Jesus, before sending him off for crucifixion, "What is truth." In Christiandom it has been generally acknowledged that that was a sarcastic statement. And maybe it was, but maybe it wasn't. It becomes apparent to many who have been through tremendous struggles that there IS no truth. Truth is only what we make it in the moment, or truth amounts to "might makes right." If we look at history that certainly is apparent that might has decided who is right. But is there an absolute truth? Should we even use the time to find it? Pilate must have ordered the crucifixion of innumerable personages, many of whom probably had no crime greater than by circumstances getting in the way of the powers that be. Sometimes people are crucified or sentenced to death only because they present a challenge to those who are in power, and often they do not even mean to be a challenge. So it is understandable that he would say, "What is truth?" After all, we only do what is expedient, regardless of any morality. Or, in other words, the highest morality, or the highest truth is simply doing what maintains the status quo.

Sometimes in our lives we have to ask the question, what is truth? Or what is THE truth? obviously, we all get lied to at one time or another, even by our best friends. Sometimes that is only so that we don't hurt someone's feelings, but often it can become more sinister than that. So we hear someone say something, and we think, "That doesn't sound right." Then we get suspicious. When we get suspicious we start reasoning about how we can "bite through to the truth." In the commentary on hexagram twenty one it says, "Whenever unity cannot be established, the obstruction is due to a talebearer and traitor who is interfering and blocking our way." So when we see obstructions, it is best to find out what the cause is and remove it. (See hexagram eighteen.) Someone might not be telling us the truth, or they may not be telling someone else the truth about us.

Line four is representative of the obstacle that must be bitten through. But that is not always pleasant. So in ferreting out the truth, we may "receive metal arrows," which in some cases may be a good thing, but often when we find out the truth, it is not pleasant for us. So we have to bite the bullet or accept the metal arrows. Often the truth hurts. Yet we must must get through to the bottom line.

But how often are we our own talebearer and our own worst enemy. Perhaps it is our own deception of ourselves that is causing the problem. Perhaps we do not see things in their true light, and are not objective about ourselves, Then, we ourselves will not pass the "smell test." We will not come across as correct, honest, or forthright to others. Then we have to break through our own obstacles before others do it for us. It will be unpleasant, (metal arrows) for us to find the truth out about ourselves. It will likely be even more unpleasant if others point it out to us. And they may not be so merciful to us as we would be to ourselves. We must have truth within. We cannot be honest with the world if we are not honest with ourselves. Illusions always bring pain with them. If it weren't for the pain, we would likely never recognize our deficiencies. If it weren't for the pain, we may never know we skinned our knee. Sometimes receiving metal arrows can be a blessing in disguise.

Resistance is Futile

Everywhere throughout the "Book of Changes" we are confronted with the principle of non resistance. We can see it right away in the second hexagram called "The receptive." The judgment says, "If the superior man undertakes something and tries to lead, He goes astray; but if he follows he finds guidance." Does this mean that we should never lead and always follow? Of course not, but even a leader must understand that he himself is to be guided by a higher power; otherwise it is like the blind leading the blind, and "they both fall in the ditch." As a slight diversion here, when we do an actual reading, to find the answer to a question or a problem we have, the text indicates the answer that applies in that particular situation. But if we do readings for personal guidance and deeper understanding, then the answer we get relates to a situation that is always true, within the context of what is being proffered by our Higher Self, or God. So it is always true that we should be guided, even though we lead.

Jesus also spoke of nonresistance. He said, "resist not evil, and turn the other cheek." Of course, we have to be careful to understand the context, just as we do in the I Ching. Non resistance of evil does not mean that we should never fight for what is right, but that we should have an attitude of non resistance nevertheless. It seems like a contradiction, and yet when we put everything in its proper perspective it is not. There are times when we absolutely have to resist evil. Yet we must be very careful of the time and the situation to know how and when. The principle works, but only if we have a deeper understanding of it, and not a simplistic viewpoint. So in hexagram forty line six we are told to "shoot the hawk on the high wall." Here we root out evil. In hexagram forty three however, it gives us a little different perspective on this matter." The commentary on the judgment says, "...and if we do it the favor of fighting it blow for blow, we lose in the end because thus we ourselves get entangled in hatred and passion." Therefore we must combat it in the right way.

Hexagram sixteen also gives us a little perspective on nonresistance, but in a different way. This gets into the concept of "excessive force" as depicted in hexagram thirty four, but in a different way. In order to "lead men, and to have power over them, we must find the way of nonresistance." If lines one two, and three change of hexagram sixteen, the resulting hexagram is hexagram thirty four, in which we are told not to go too far, not to go beyond the median line. For if we go too far, and push too hard in leadership, all we get in return is resistance from those we try to lead. Here the leader must be in sympathy and harmony with the needs of the people, and shows them how to meet their needs, and solve their problems. If he or she leads by force, he or she is not in harmony with the people, and is not creating unity and harmony within the social structure. We don't fight the current, we go with it. In the same way, here as well, we don't brandish weapons. We fight the evil through nonresistance, and find the path to the greatest prosperity for all. We must know when it is appropriate to fight, and when it is appropriate to use nonresistance. In the martial art of Tai Chi, the older Sages used to use the principle of yielding and neutralizing brute force without confronting it. And when done with skill and agility softness and yin can overcome hardness and yang force very easily. It has in more recent times especially in the western world been emphasized the use of rooting, which is rooting your energy so that you cannot be pushed. That works up to a point, until you come across someone that has a better and stronger root. The best way is nonresistance, letting an opponent go wherever he or she wants to go but then using their own strength against them. This becomes especially easy when an opponent has "gone beyond the median point," where the opponent is now too far forward and off balance. The same thing applies in our social life, if we can learn how to do it, to use softness against force, and allow a person to become "off balance" themselves, and easily toppled. Non resistance works, but only if we have a lot of skill in knowing how to use it, and have practiced for particularly long periods. If we go "blow for blow," as mentioned in hexagram forty three, the bigger and stronger person is probably going to win.

So then, this being said, why does it say in hexagram sixteen line two, that one must be "firm as a rock?" We are firm in our inner principles. We are firm in our determination of following the right way to solve our problems and our shortcomings. We are firm in following the principle of nonresistance and yet at the same time doing the right thing. How do we know what the right thing is? We learn by following the principles in sacred scripture,and studying to know the meaning of a given situation or predicament, and how through nonresistance we can turn it into a plus for us. Not using force, but at the same time being firm. Not giving into evil, but finding a way to fight it without going blow for blow. We "shoot the hawk on the high wall but we do it while understanding the principle of nonresistance. It is really tricky, and we have to understand the principle extremely well in order to use it successfully. The first key, is to, in the process of leading, find our inner guidance.

A few answers to readers

I have received a few requests from people. Of course I don't know any of the people, but to give some answers; As far as allowing others to place posts here, I will consider it. I haven't made a definite decision yet. I do want to say this, that I try to maintain a certain type of internal integrity to the site, so any articles submitted would have to go through me first for approval, and then I would have to give assurances to the readers that this post did not come from me.

As far as the amount of time and effort into the blog, I set it up a few years ago, and do not remember all that much about what I did. This is a blogsite and not a true website, so there is less work put into it than there would be for a regular site. I am not sure where I got the website to put it together; I think it may be googleblogspot.com, or just blogspot.com. You might be able to do a search for blogspots that can be created and see what comes up.

Although I am not really excited about putting email addresses out on the blogspot, I will do so for those who wish to communicate with me in any other way. I cannot reply to anonymous emails, they do not go out. So I either have to do comments or I have to do a post. So please, only readers who have a serious interest in my work or serious questions respond, but here is the email address. It is gener202002@yahoo.com.

From forty to thirty four

But what happens when instead of hexagram thirty four changing to hexagram forty, we have hexagram forty changing to thirty four. In both cases the first and third line are changing. We would think we have the opposite, and maybe in some way we do, but let's look at it. In hexagram thirty four we have a situation where the tendency is to charge ahead regardless of circumstances. In forty we are trying to wrap things up and get back to normal circumstances. Hexagram thirty four is in one sense, starting something, hexagram forty is completing something.

The commentary on line one of hexagram forty says, "In keeping with the situation, few words are needed." When we complete something, (however, line one is the beginning of the situation of completion) the same principles of giving the praise to a "higher power" applies. It is not necessary to boast about our progress. It is not necessary to talk incessantly about our accomplishments. If we do, we can evoke the "anger of the gods" and destroy the progress we have made. The commentary in hexagram two line three says, "He does not seek to have credited to himself things that stand accomplished. but hopes to release active forces..." His focus is on the accomplishment, it is not on his/her prowess in accomplishments, but on the forces that are released, not by his lower level conscious mind, but by the higher powers that operate through him or her that are the true accomplishers of the task. In the same way that the superior person does not revel in the power that he has, the superior person does not revel in his own accomplishments. He gives the glory, the credit, the honor to the higher powers that exist within him.

Line three of hexagram forty carries the same thing. The line says, "If a man carries a burden on his back and nevertheless rides in a carriage..." In other words, we think more highly of ourselves than we should. That does not mean we should not have a good self image, that we should not honor ourselves and recognize the value that we have. But our sense of worth must be based on the reality of ourselves, and our willingness to recognize that our self worth is tied up with our acceptance of higher powers that work in our favor. But when we try to put on airs we are usually more transparent than we think we are. Acting as if we are above our station is usually not a sign of a GOOD self image, but an attempt to cover up for the real emptiness we feel inside. We need to be who we are, and we need to recognize the value of that, giving the credit to the higher power that works within us. When we take these attitudes, the proper attitudes, we find that that is when we accumulate the "Great Power" of hexagram thirty four, and that we can accomplish great things. Like hexagram fifteen we can work together with the higher powers within us with a sense of humility, while at the same time recognizing the value that we have and worth we are giving. Then, as in hexagram fifty, in the image, we "consolidate our fate, and make our position correct."

The Way of Sacrifice

The Taoist way is the way of sacrifice. In that sense it is no different than the Christian Way which is the way of the cross. Six of one and half a dozen of the other. Same thing. What is it we sacrifice? We sacrifice our self will and give it up to the universal will. The universe has a consciousness. This is what the "New World Order" and the elite do not want you to know. They want you to know it is a cold dead universe; that it happened by accident. The Taoists did not necessarily (or maybe they did) believe in a supreme being in quite the same way we do in the West, but they did believe that the universe was alive and that the universe was fully conscious. In much the same way, some Gnostic Christians believed that the old Testament God was a lower ranking being, and that the true God was this "mystical" universe of consciousness.

Fundamentalist Christians do not agree with the oriental concept of "oneness." That is because, in my opinion, they do not understand exactly what is meant by that. They quote the Bible which speaks of atonement, but do not realize that atonement comes originally from three words, "at - one - ment," or at one meant. Sometimes we speak apples and oranges, and argue never realizing that we are not even speaking of the same thing and are using concepts that are perceived in one way by the speaker and another by the hearer. This subject could be carried on farther, perhaps at another time. Suffice it to say for now that in most, if not all religions is this concept, conceived or not by the general practicioner, of a supreme being who is not in a given place in time or space, but all pervading, and is the essence of all that exists.

And in the I Ching, as well as the Bible, we have the concept of a higher reality in which we "move and breathe and have our being;" and being such, we learn that it would not be wise to "lean upon our own understanding," but to submit to this higher power, and give it credit for our accomplishments and our successes, rather than attributing them to our lower personality alone. So in hexagram thirty four, the Wilhelm/Baynes commentary says that we may "rely on our power, and forget to ask what is right." In other words, we rely on our lower consciousness rather than recognizing and availing ourselves of the deeper power that exists within us. When we do this we violate the maxims of hexagram fifteen, and give ourselves praise rather than the higher powers. In other words, we are self willed. "Pride cometh before a fall." We must humble ourselves and give ourselves up to a power that is higher than we. In this way we do not forget to "ask what is right." In this way we are following the way of the cross and the way of the Tao.

The lines give us various indications of how we can violate this universal law of "asking what is right." Often when we come into power we revel in it, and begin to exert our will to dominate those around us. However, this only causes resistance. Line one of hexagram thirty four describes a situation where a person has developed a certain amount of power but not as much as he or she thinks. Then they begin to arrogantly lord it over other people and this causes a reaction. Line three tells us that we must be "conscious at all times of the danger of pushing ahead regardless of circumstances." This too comes from a lack of humility and unwillingness to ask what is right.

When we use power properly following the tao and not our own self will, we find ourselves as in hexagram forty, easing ourselves away from tensions. We recognized in good time that we were violating the universal law of universal willfulness by trying to enforce our own will. Now, before disaster strikes, we need to "return to the way that is suited for us." And as hexagram forty says, (when lines one and three of thirty four change) we must make a "clean sweep and get back to normal conditions as soon as possible." In this way we spare ourselves of the humility that would overtake us by our own ignorance of our situation. (See hexagram four). If we fail to learn our lessons we can be like line four of hexagram four that says in the commentary, "Often the teacher, when confronted with such entangled folly, has no other course but to leave the fool to himself for a time,not sparing him the humiliation that results" For there is no harsher taskmaster than our own being when we behave foolishly and arrogantly.

A problem on Internet Explorer

Hello

I have heard there is a problem loading this on internet explorer. At the time I have no idea what to do about it. If I find a solution I will take care of it.

The Biggest Secret

The biggest secret is that there is no secret! And yet there is. Because even though the secret is right out in the open, nobody sees it. Lao Tzu, who wrote the Tao Teh Ching said, "the best secret is one which is right out in the open." Nobody notices the obvious.

I submit that the I Ching, the Bible, and pretty much all sacred or religious books are written in code, and that while the secret is right there, we never see it. And even those who see it see it only on a lower level. By the way, there are those code breakers working for various military units around the world who have stated "I work with secret codes, I make them and I break them, and I have seen enough of them to know that the Bible is a secret code."

Well, the above is just a few statements that should be made, and perhaps not elaborated upon at this point. I suspect that the people who read the posts on this blog have a somewhat higher understanding of life and the nature of reality than those who read other things. That being said, it may be surmised that people who read these posts understand that science is not all that it is cracked up to be. Science says that there is no way that someone can consult the I Ching and get an answer that is valid. They say they have proven there is "No God, no purpose, no plan for the universe and that it is just an accident." Therefore, there can be no meaning to the I Ching, to any religious, or spiritual, or sacred document. It is just a bunch of superstition made up by ignorant people in ages past who had no science. Well, those of us that have used the I Ching know that it DOES work. If we have used it extensively we know that there is a power, and a purpose behind it. And therefore it seems to me that we have a little more savvy, a little more understanding, than those who arrogantly think of themselves as the saviors of society with their science or what have you. So, once again I say, that I believe those that come to this blog consistently probably have a little better knowledge of the world and its meaning than society at large does.

And yet, even with that, we are all deceived. For there is a dark spiritual power and spiritual force in the world that wishes for the truth to be completely washed away, and that everyone should believe exactly what the elite of the world tell them they should believe. If they say two and two equals five, we are supposed to believe it, until they say it equals three, and we believe that. And the most educated of the world are the ones that are the most inclined to follow the elite into whatever belief system they lay out for the common man. Right now it is just a matter of deceiving us. The time is coming, and has always been that way in certain countries, where we will not only be expected to believe whatever the elite want us to believe, but we will be forced to believe what they say, under penalty of death. The elite have openly stated that they intend to crush Christianity. In many countries it is being done by slaughter. It some it is being done by ridiculing anyone that would believe in Christianity. But if you are not Christian, it would not be wise to think you are safe, that you don't have to worry. Once they stomp out Christianity, you can bet they are coming after everyone else's religion or spiritual beliefs. The elite of the world believe in Lucifer, but they want the common man to believe in nothing but the material world. They want him or her to believe there is nothing spiritual at all, that there is no purpose, and we are just here by accident. Two and two equals five. It is easier to control those who fear death (because there is nothing after) than those who believe we continue in spirit or soul form.

So sometimes it is not easy for me to post here. I know what is coming. I know what lies ahead and what the plans are. Right now there are those international elite who intend to pass laws such that any website that does not tell the truth can be shut down. Sounds like a good thing, except, who decides who is telling the truth? The elite do. It is their truth (which is a lie) that they are concerned about. And it follows their plan for world domination by forcing people to believe what they want them to believe, which is a lie. I salute those who read this. I greatly appreciate the following, though not large, yet surprisingly significant (by my perspective of significance) of those who are interested in this subject.

The Source of Great Power

Hexagram thirty four gives us insights into the meaning of power and where it comes from. When we attain it, we are all too often inclined to become egotistical and bully our way around in one form or another. This is true pretty much of all leaders of all nations. That doesn't mean they will necessarily go to war with another country, but that they will use their power to suppress all others who are opposed to their power, or trying to become more powerful themselves.

Many would argue that we all do this on our own level, and that we must do it in order to survive in the world. Indeed, it is the instinctive way. Even when we wish to break from the game we find ourselves engaging in these power struggles without really realizing it. If we don't, we may find ourselves the "dog that gets eaten." So, if we want to live moral lives, what do we do? Perhaps it is, as so many say, impossible to not play the power game at least at our own level. But the highest spiritual values and teachings, insist that we should not play this game. In fact they are so emphatic about it, that they insist you should not play this game even at the cost of our own lives. Jesus said that "a man must take up his/her cross daily, and follow him. Lao Tzu, the Chinese philosopher said that "daily he invests in loss." Why would anyone invest in loss? Perhaps because "metaphorically speaking, "The way of the cross leads home." To our true home.

At any rate, The hexagram speaks of great power and how to use it successfully. But early on in the Wilhelm/Baynes commentary it says, "...There is the danger that one may rely entirely on one's own power, and forget to ask what is right." What does it mean to not ask what is right? I would say this. If we think that our own power originates with us, without seeking the tao, or seeking heavenly guidance, we become arrogant and our own arrogance will eventually turn against us, as the dark shadow within us seeks its due. Not asking what is right means we ultimately think that our own conscious mind is so smart we can outsmart and outfox everyone, and in that way gained our power. But as the ancient Greeks used to point out so much in their mythology is that the gods hate arrogance above all else. We do not give them their due, we arrogantly take credit of ourselves, and hence eventually lose the power we had fought so hard to gain.

Out of Town

I will be out of town the next two weeks but should post after that.

Common Themes

In consulting the I Ching for a specific question, it seems to me it is best to seek an answer from one specific hexagram rather than multiple readings. When reading for spiritual wisdom or deeper understanding of the I Ching I would submit that it is better to consult from a complex of hexagrams. Carol Anthony, in her books, suggests that six hexagrams seems to give a good answer. I have followed that too. In this way it is possible to get a cluster of hexagrams with a common thread. For example, there are a number of hexagrams that relate to situations where one must retreat. Each hexagram or line that deals with that however, deals with it in a little different manner and a little different way. Therefore, in getting a cluster of hexagrams that relate to retreat, (hexagram thirty three is the most obvious) we can discover that that is a major theme for us to review. But there are other hexagrams and lines that can deal with this very same situation, albeit in a different context. So when we get perhaps, hexagram thirty three, with a number of lines changing, and we get hexagram fifty five, which indicates a situation where things are at their peak, and a change is coming, lets also say we get hexagram seventeen line one, which speaks of a standard that changes, and we get as well hexagram one line four, which speaks of a transition period, in which we can either leave the world behind, (retreat) or not, then we can see that we have a bit of a common thread running throughout. Things are not always so easy. Sometimes a common thread takes a lot of time in meditation to find. Things don't always fit together perfect in a way that we understand. (They do fit together but sometimes we are not mentally and spiritually ready to take the next step, and discover the real message. Then we have to persevere and concentrate until a light comes out of events.)

We can see from this group of hexagrams that a change is coming, and that it may be time to retreat from old friends and find new, or we may need to retreat from a situation that no longer serves us, or we may need to retreat from a position, or even from the world at large. It is often hard though, to comprehend that these timelines are a part of the Tao, or the Way, that we are meant to follow, and occur during times in our life when we are maturing to a point that we need a new environment for further growth. In hexagram fifty three line six, we see a situation that has matured to a point where we soar above the world, and can observe from above the dealings of the world. When we reach this stage, we may or may not still be "in the world," but we are no longer, in may ways, "of the world." A point of maturity has been reached. As the commentary in hexagram fifty two says, "He no longer sees in it (the world) the struggle and tumult of individual beings, and therefore he has that true peace of mind which is needed for understanding the great laws of the universe, and for acting in harmony with them." When we reach this point it can be said as in the commentary on hexagram thirty three line five, that the retreat can be friendly though the time for retreat has come, and in line six, that the retreat can be cheerful and that one can see clearly that it is time to depart, and that there is a clear path ahead which always leads to the good.

Today's discussion will probably not resonate with a lot of people, but for those few who have seen the handwriting on the wall may very well resonate with it, knowing that it is time to retreat, or that it is time to move to a higher level on the path of initiation. As in hexagram twenty six line six, "One attains the way of heaven. Success."

Closer to the Ruler

The discussion recently has centered around the case for two (or more) levels of understanding for initiates into the sacred mysteries. We have discussed a little about the levels of initiation in Christianity, and a very little in other religions (or philosophies) that I know less about. And I am not qualified to express the meanings on the highest level of initiation. We do have, however, an example in history when things went terribly wrong with those who had secret knowledge. It appears that there are those, (and I think this is especially true in the western world, but maybe not) who are absolutely determined to keep mankind in darkness and ignorance. (Remember the snake in the Garden of Eden?) The Serpent apparently gave knowledge to mankind that he was not supposed to have yet. And the question becomes, is it best for us to have that knowledge or not? Was the supposed fall a fall upwards? or was it a fall into sin? Or perhaps we can accept the idea that it was both? At any rate, whether it is the Serpent, or the Elohim that got us into this mess, or maybe both - maybe both had a hand in our demise, and things are not as simple as they seem, we do appear to have this capacity for advanced knowledge, but it is only for a few.

It appears that a group of Knights called the Knights Templar, who were guardians for the Roman Catholic Church, found some manuscripts in Jerusalem, perhaps in underground tunnels, that gave some secrets or secret knowledge that someone didn't want us having. And when it was discovered they had it, then, I believe the year was 1307 A.D.,  and I believe Friday October 13th, the Roman Catholic Church issued an edict for their complete destruction and in France a slaughter began. Some may have escaped to Scotland, and other parts of Northern Europe, and still exist in small groups, but that is speculation as far as I am concerned. Nevertheless... (This apparently is where we get the superstition of the dangers of Friday the 13th of any month.)

At any rate, that is enough of history, there are hints in many places about a secret doctrine that exists in many religious or philosophical sects. In the I Ching there is evidence of it in many places, but one I will mention now is hexagram forty six, line four. The Wilhelm/Baynes commentary says, "One acquires fame in the sight of gods and men, is received into the circle of those who foster the spiritual life of the nation, and thereby attains a significance that endures beyond time." Those who foster the spiritual life of the nation would be those of secret orders who have a secret doctrine that goes beyond the simple understanding of the natural man.

The fourth line of any hexagram is a line that has gone beyond the natural realm and into the heavenly realm. For those who are not ready, this is dangerous, especially since this line is close to the ruler. It depends on the energy of the trigrams in a given hexagram, and the quality of the line to decide how dangerous this is. It is necessary to keep one's estate, and then move on. The fourth line is close to the ruler in the fifth line, and hence is scrutinized very closely. In hexagram forty six, however, the nature of the individual is to push upwards. But since he or she does this without antagonizing the ruler, the line is safe, and finds respect by the ruler, who "offers him mount Chi." The person has proved his or her worth, and therefore is received into the circle of those who "hold the secret doctrine." This is not necessary for everyone. Most of us do very well just to understand the I Ching on a level that helps us in our personal lives. But for some it is important to do better. As the commentary on hexagram thirty five says, "His ruler in turn is free of all jealousy, showers presents on the great man, and invites him continually to his court." There is both great responsibility and great freedom in being close to the ruler, and to the Sage.

Biting through to new levels of understanding

The I Ching is designed to operate on numerous levels. This is possible due to the factor that creates the reality of "as above, so below." So we can be sure that what happens on the microcosmic level happens as well on the microcosmic level. But it behooves us to ensure that we are understanding the I Ching on the highest level possible.

Hexagram twenty one brings this to our attention in a variety of ways. We must understand that to understand the I Ching on the higher levels we have to "bite through the wrappings." Most of us have no need for that as the physical world is all that concerns us. We are concerned about our relationships, about our careers, and about our families, but for the most part we are not concerned about things on a spiritual or metaphysical level. Yet it would be best that we were. We cannot deny the real, physical world, it does affect us, but in a more subtle way, so does the more ethereal, or microcosmic world.

Hexagram twenty one tells us that we must look for deeper meanings. That we should 'take the plunge" (hexagram twenty nine) and discover the message on a deeper level. Often this is initially repellent to us. Line two says that "in biting through, our nose disappears." Something smells rotten, something seems wrong. These deeper levels of meaning seem odious, and violate our sense of the nature of things. We think they do not make sense and cannot accept the deeper message. But we have to let the message sink in. It takes time. At first we are disgusted. This is because the message violates our sense of the nature of reality. But in the long run we find the message to be true.

Of course. "Biting Through" in this way can only occur after we have spent a lot of time in "Contemplation." (hexagram twenty) In contemplation we come to see the world in new terms. Are typical totally materialist point of view begins to dissolve and it confuses us. At first in contemplation we see only "through the crack of the door." (hexagram twenty line two) Then our contemplation confuses us, and violates our sense of reality. (hexagram twenty one line two) Eventually we allow the new message to fester within us such that we gradually (and grudgingly) honor or the Sage, or that wisdom within. As such we "bite through," and in doing so, we "receive yellow gold." We receive a gift not of a physical nature, but of a spiritual nature, and in doing so, we move from the lower levels of the outer mysteries, into the inner levels, the level of the initiate, the level that the initiate does not talk about, because he or she knows that in doing so, they violate the sense of reality of the lower level initiates. (Biting through so that the nose disappears.)

The crux of the meaning of the I Ching is that we can learn to advance ourselves through the nature of the Tao, and not through force or intrigue, or attempts to control. But in order to do that, we must build up character. This is one of several lessons taught to us especially through hexagram twenty six, although also through the I Ching as a whole. The mountain dams up the energy of the creative until the power of the creative becomes so great that it explodes as a volcano might explode after a buildup of gases and other forces within the mountain.

But the I Ching tells us that in order to build up creative energy, we must build character day by day. As such it is imperative that we follow the Tao each day and create within ourselves more and more of the energy of the heavenly realm. One way of expressing this is that we create more and more positive karma, not by good deeds that have the conscious intention of building karma, but by following the natural way. This is explained throughout the I Ching, and cannot be expressed in one or even several posts. It will be the sort of thing that one exposes themselves to as they build their intuition into spiritual matters, and allow the teachings to fester within until one finally matures in ways that are not easily describable.

When the light dawns through, one can say they have reached a certain level of enlightenment but not the whole. Each day one adds to the understanding within, and "finds treasure within the mountain." (Hexagram twenty six.) Finding treasure within the mountain refers on one level to finding intuitively nuggets of truth in sacred scripture. When these "pearls of great price" are found, we realize that we are leaving the "outer band of discipleship," (the outer mysteries) and are gaining insight into the second level of discipleship where we understand the allegorical meanings of the text and of symbols. We begin the process of reaching the inner level. Usually we have to have an initiate teach us these things, as they are not going to reveal themselves. We can however, after long periods of meditation and research, and speculation, arrive at some of the deeper truths that were meant for us. The "daily renewal of character" referred to in hexagram twenty six eventually leads us to these intuitive insights. Since it requires meditation and cumulative effort within to gain these insights, having attained them, it is useless to try to impart such wisdom to others. They cannot see what they are not ready for. Therefore the initiates into the greater mysteries as a rule do not discuss their secrets with others. As Jesus said, "cast not your pearls before the swine." Most people will not understand that there is a deeper level of wisdom here, there or anywhere, so will interpret these messages as utter nonsense. But for those who are ready, there is "great treasure within the mountain."

Inner Versus Outer

In all religions and philosophical orders it appears that there is an inner and an outer doctrine. There is one belief system presented to the masses, and another to the inner initiates. In order to know the real doctrine, often you have to be a member of an elite society, and even then make sure you are part of the inner circle. In many cases it would seem, the lower ranking members of the society are purposely lied to while others are given the "secrets."

Modern Christianity, at least the Protestant version, tends to disagree with this, quoting Paul's message that said, "but if our gospel be hidden it is hidden to those who are lost." Of course, this evokes a serious question regarding, what does it mean to be lost? The Roman Catholic Church is more into symbolism and allegory but does not share that with the Roman Catholic laity. Why not?

It is said of the Masons as well, that they have a secret doctrine for the elite that is not shared with those of the lower degrees, and apparently not all of those in the higher degrees. It is argued however, that this is more of a sinister organization. I would argue that some branches of it are and some aren't.  I am not a mason however, and have no interest in becoming one, not to mention being any part of their more secret "inner sanctum."

Jesus however, regardless of how you interpret Paul's message, made it clear that there was an inner and an outer division of believers. To those outside Jesus said, "I speak to them in parables, that in seeing they may see not, and in hearing they hear not." There was the literal version, and the allegorical version. At least that is one way of putting it. In the literal version of Christianity, Christ's death was a sacrifice, (like the sacrificial lamb) for our sins, that we might be saved and declared righteousness. In an allegorical version. Christ's death would be a "death of the ego, and his resurrection would be a new life lived in accordance with the "way," or in Chinese terms, the Tao. Interestingly, the word Tao, (regardless of its being an English version of a Chinese symbol, is written, usually with a T rather than a d, although it sounds somewhere in between the two letters) starts with a T which is a symbol for the cross, upon witch a sacrifice is made and we change from the horizontal axis of time and space to the vertical axis of eternity. The A is a symbol for the ox, or for great power and the O for the sun. So Tao can be a symbol for sacrificing great power to the sun, or in other words, sacrificing our personal power to the universal sun symbol, the symbol of life, and the symbol of the universe, and the symbol of the Son. By giving up our ego we allow the "sun" to flow through us, and become one with the way. So is the allegorical version right? Or is the literal? Or could they both be right. I leave that up to the reader to decide. At any rate, the I Ching too, has an inner and an outer meaning. But what do we make of it?

More on this later.

In response to email requests...

Hello

I get email sometimes from anonymous sources, and some request I keep in touch. I cannot reply to the emails as it will not reach its target, so all I can do is comment or write a post. As far as twitter and facebook, and others, I hesitate to use them. I have become much more careful about what I write over the years, and do not have much confidence in social media. So it is not possible to follow me on twitter. You can write comments here however, or use the email address which I believe is on this blog somewhere. But I cannot respond to anonymous emails. It is not possible to respond to anonymous emails as the reply will not reach you. I do appreciate all the nice responses and comments however. don't feel that you cannot reach me in any way.

Gene

Accepting all, rejecting none

In the I Ching, every line in some way, is describing our relationship with the Sage. In Christian terminology, it could be referred to as our relationship with the Lord, or Christ. In others it might be our relationship to the Buddha, or to Krishna, or whoever. It might be referring to our relationship with our own higher self. It doesn't matter. But it does refer to a relationship.

In hexagram eight line five the line states to the effect that the Sage accepts all who come to him, but allows all who wish to go a different direction, to go that direction. He doesn't reject them, he just allows them to go their own way. They reject the Sage, or the Christ, or such. There is no such penalty for doing so, except the penalty that we do not learn the way of the Sage, or the Christ, and therefore live a lesser fulfilling life. No one goes to hell because they missed their opportunity. Now, whether or not there is a heaven and a hell is a matter for a different discussion. I am only talking about the consequences in this context; that of accepting or rejecting the Sage. The Sage does not become angry when he or she is rejected. The Sage only sorrows for those who do not know the wisdom in his/her words, and lives a life of foolishness because they do not see the light of the kingdom. (Hexagram twenty line four.)

Hexagram eight is created by the topping of the earth trigram by the water trigram. Earth stands still. Water can be a symbol of danger but it can also be a symbol of wisdom. Here we have water on a field. Earth can stand for the center. As such, it is by staying in the center that we overcome danger and evoke wisdom. The King stands in the central position. The Sage is in the sixth position and is above all. Why do we reject that which is above all? Why do we thirst for knowledge and yet reject wisdom? Knowledge feeds the ego. Wisdom feeds humility. (See hexagram fifteen.) When we reject wisdom we create our own punishment. No one outside ourselves punishes us. Our foolishness is its own punishment. The Sage does not force us to be good or wise. It allows each to make its own decision. And, as the saying goes, "The rain falls upon both the just and the unjust."

Gradual Development

Hexagram fifty three reminds us that Rome wasn't built in a day. To accomplish anything of value takes time and effort. Line three however, shows a little bit different twist. The third line is normally in the place of transition, so it is in a difficult situation. Each line wants to move upward into a higher position, and the third line wants to reach into the upper trigram. That is why it is in a difficult position. Line three in hexagram fifty three is a yang line in a yang place and therefore has strength. Nevertheless, the line says, "The woman carries a child but does not bring it forth."

Any creative effort is like a child that we bring forth. Any attempt to accomplish something that requires time and effort is a child that we "bring forth." Here a strong line in a strong place cannot accomplish the task however. Why? Because robbers have come and taken our possession.

All too often we tend to look at the literal meaning only, and not look beyond that. It takes creative effort and meditation to pick up a lines symbolic meaning. Robbers can be mental attitudes that block our effectiveness. Robbers can be that part of our own inner psyche that discourages us, or can find any little reason not to practice on a daily basis. It reminds us of all the little things that need to be done, and gets us carried away doing menial tasks that are not important, and we never get around to practicing the things that we need to practice in order to accomplish something in life. Robbers can rob us of our energy, of our stamina, and of our time. The reason the third line does not accomplish is because it allows robbers to steal its efforts, its time, and all that has meaning. We must put all our effort into accomplishing something of value. Then, as hexagram eighteen line six says, "He does not serve kings and princes, sets himself higher goals.

Gene

In response to some comments

Its been a long time since I have posted, and there are several reasons for that. I have received some very nice comments about my blog though, and want to address that, and maybe accomplish a few other things from time to time. There have been times in the past when I planned to respond to a few comments and could not get around to it. This time I have to do it.

There have been some questions about comment blockers. You can have google block spam comments. There is a catch though because they may not always be right about what is spam and what is not. When I first started writing there were 100's of comments advertising porn sites and such, without anyone asking permission or such. That's fine except that is not what this site is all about. I had to find a way to stop it. There is a way to contact google and request stoppage but I don't remember how I did it.

Anyway; the I Ching is such a broad subject, and has so many correlations that no one can know it fully or even anywhere near fully. I only know the aspect that I know, and my knowledge is considerable, but still faulty and lacking. I can only do what I can do and that is limited. Nevertheless, I do have good information to pass on when I can. Why this site? Is it better than any other site? Not necessarily, but it will reflect the area of expertise that I have whereas others will reflect their area of expertise and it is all good.

The biggest disappointment I have in my life, is that there is not enough hours in the day to accomplish anything of note. The more I study, the more I find I am lacking. It is also the case, that to be good at something you have to limit yourself to that one thing, at least for the most part. (See hexagram 60 line four.) I find that those that do find nuggets in their field of knowledge, but I also find that these people are often very one sided, and as much as they know in their field of expertise, they are lacking in overall clarity. So what to do? I am overextended, and I know it, but I need to do all of these things to become a well rounded human being. So I try to practice Tai Chi at the very least an hour a day, but often as much as three hours. I listen to the news at least an hour a day. I listen to documentaries most days, and some days up to three or four hours. I try to keep informed on what is going on in the world, and that requires more than mainline news, because mainline news is largely controlled. Think we have freedom of the press in this country? Not as much as you might think. I try to study the I Ching at least an hour a day, but simply cannot always get to it. I also try to study other sacred scriptures from around the world, but cannot always get to it. I try to read books, study gematria, study symbolism in scripture, astrology, and on and on and get frustrated because I cannot do it all: Then try to write here too? Especially when only a very small group is listening to me? But there are some, although I suppose I have lost a lot of readers not having written for so long. Anyway, how do you do it all.

Anyway, thanks for the nice comments I have received. The way this is set up though, often I cannot reply and get through in email, but can only respond to comments here. I will try to do that, and will try to write something meaningful and valuable to all those who have as I do a thirst for knowledge, wisdom, understanding, and spiritual love.

Gene