I hope to start writing again occasionally. I have lots of information I want to post here. Sometimes it is a real challenge to do anything, but I will try. I have been getting a lot of interesting anonymous requests and such. I will try to answer them as best as possible, but applying to anonymous emails doesn't seem to accomplish anything. I will have to answer questions right here.
Gene
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Friday, July 06, 2012
Well, I am going to start posting again, maybe not every day, but some. And the following is my first post for this year.
The I Ching is replete with statements that depict a universal principle of a sine wave in all matters relating to the universe, and we see that while in hexagram fifty five in which it is stated that a reversal of good fortune is inevitable the commentary also states, “Be not sad, (about this principle) be like the midday sun.” In other words, we just recognize the principle for what it is and just accept it. We maintain an equilibrium, knowing that this is a universal principle and that we simply prepare for it, and understand the changes as they come about. There are certain ways in which we should act during an up cycle, and certain ways we should act during a down cycle. Sometimes we advance, sometimes we retreat. Sometimes we spend, sometimes we save. Sometimes we prepare, sometimes we act, and so on and so forth indefinitely.
The l Ching is an excellent guide book to tell us where we are in a given cycle, and how we should react to the energies of that particular point in the cycle. Hence, the commentary in hexagram sixty line one says, “He must know when to stop.” This wisdom of knowing the point of the cycles is taught us in the I Ching but the ultimate goal is to incorporate the knowledge and wisdom of those cycles into our own souls and become ever more intuitively aware of the signs that are all around us. Line two of hexagram sixty tells us that although when the energies are not right we do not continue, when the cycle comes back around, we begin to act. Then hexagram eight tells us that whoever comes too late meets with misfortune. In other words we must act when the time permits it, and refrain when the time does not.
Hexagram thirteen gives us a little different take on this as the hexagram is more concerned with interacting with others, but it does relate indirectly. For example, the commentary tells us that all things that belong together must be organically arranged. And this can only happen through the medium of time. Hexagram three tells us of the difficulties of starting any project in that it cannot be completed all at once. It takes time. There are proper steps to be taken in order to complete any project and each step must be completed in its own time. (See hexagrams one and fifty three.) But the nature of the universe is to breakdown that which has served its usefulness and reorganize it into something new, thus everything is cycling eternally, and old organisms are broken down so new ones may appear. Since everything follows this universal law, we must be cognizant of the nature of it, and become in harmony, first through the use of the I Ching, then through our intuition, so that we do not miss the proper timing for any activity. All things must be accomplished in their own time, and the nature of the universe is to “bring things together that belong together.” (See hexagram thirteen, fifty five, forty five line two, several others, and sixty three and sixty four.)
We too, by tapping into the wisdom of the I Ching, eventually tap into our own power, and develop a sixth sense, that serves us more and more as we develop it more and more.
The l Ching is an excellent guide book to tell us where we are in a given cycle, and how we should react to the energies of that particular point in the cycle. Hence, the commentary in hexagram sixty line one says, “He must know when to stop.” This wisdom of knowing the point of the cycles is taught us in the I Ching but the ultimate goal is to incorporate the knowledge and wisdom of those cycles into our own souls and become ever more intuitively aware of the signs that are all around us. Line two of hexagram sixty tells us that although when the energies are not right we do not continue, when the cycle comes back around, we begin to act. Then hexagram eight tells us that whoever comes too late meets with misfortune. In other words we must act when the time permits it, and refrain when the time does not.
Hexagram thirteen gives us a little different take on this as the hexagram is more concerned with interacting with others, but it does relate indirectly. For example, the commentary tells us that all things that belong together must be organically arranged. And this can only happen through the medium of time. Hexagram three tells us of the difficulties of starting any project in that it cannot be completed all at once. It takes time. There are proper steps to be taken in order to complete any project and each step must be completed in its own time. (See hexagrams one and fifty three.) But the nature of the universe is to breakdown that which has served its usefulness and reorganize it into something new, thus everything is cycling eternally, and old organisms are broken down so new ones may appear. Since everything follows this universal law, we must be cognizant of the nature of it, and become in harmony, first through the use of the I Ching, then through our intuition, so that we do not miss the proper timing for any activity. All things must be accomplished in their own time, and the nature of the universe is to “bring things together that belong together.” (See hexagram thirteen, fifty five, forty five line two, several others, and sixty three and sixty four.)
We too, by tapping into the wisdom of the I Ching, eventually tap into our own power, and develop a sixth sense, that serves us more and more as we develop it more and more.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
A Few Notes Before March 1st
As I said I have been torn between posting and not posting due to the new laws being put into effect in the U.S. but the main problem is google. The SOPA and PIPA acts have been put on hold as there has been too much of an uproar over these laws. So, I may continue on in a new format after March, perhaps with a new computer and with a regular website not google related, and strictly I Ching or esoteric Christianity information.
People do not know how dangerous the situation is now. One of our top political leaders recently made the statement that there is an information war going on, and we, (the elite) are losing it. That is why there is such a hurry to stifle information on the internet. The mainstream newsmedia is locked by elite interests and any real news is not to be found there. The only way to get real news is through uncontrolled sources such as the internet, and the elite are doing everything in their power to shut it down, and I have no doubt that they soon will succeed.
At any rate, around March 1st, I will either be no longer posting, or I will post on a regular website. In the meantime, there is so much to post if I just get around to it. And here I will post something I thought about last night, that I think may be interesting to many people. But first, let me remind people that the thrust of the kind of work I do relates to the I Ching as a unique voice, conscious and aware, and it speaks wisdom to us. It is great to do readings and find out information about things going on in our lives, and about relationships, the daily things, but it is of paramount importance to understand the deeper spiritual aspects, and this is what this is all about.
In that vein, the I Ching has something very important to teach us in line two of hexagram forty eight. The lines say, "At the wellhole one shoots fishes. The jug is broken and leaks." When we go to the well to catch fish, the I Ching is not being used for the purposes it was meant to be used for. Not only are we not using it correctly, but the "Jug is broken." The jug is broken when we do not properly understand the message that is being presented. Our understanding is limited. This is related to hexagram twenty line two when we "see only through the crack in the door." But here, not only is our understanding and perception limited, it is actually faulty, and not only is it faulty, but it is being used in the wrong manner. We can use our perception in the wrong manner when we do not approach the sage in childlike innocence, as in hexagram four line five, or when we have ulterior motives which we are only vaguely aware of and are using the I Ching for selfish purposes rather than our own spiritual growth. The commentary says, "...and whoever comes to it comes only to catch fish." They do not understand the value of the water, and how it can replenish them, give them understanding, like the "man who has the secrets to make the kingdom flourish" in hexagram twenty line four.
The same is true in our relationships when we do not recognize the value of our partner. It can be true in our businesses when we do not recognize the value of the business, when we handle our relationships on a superficial level, and do not bother to discover the real problem in our relationship, or in our business partnerships. We can deceive ourselves into thinking everything is okay when it is not. We have an idea of what is needed but do not take it seriously enough to actually do it.
When we try to grasp water it simply rushes through the cracks between our fingers. When we try to hold onto relationships and businesses without proper understanding of the problem, without a basis for a true realization for the extent of the problem, it is like "the jug is broken." We cannot hold onto what we have. When the jug is broken we lose that which is most precious to us. When we lose that which is most precious to us, the water leaks out of the jug.
The commentary also says, "This describes the situation of a person who has good qualities but neglects them." We neglect our good qualities when we do not take care to maintain our relationships, when we do not attend to business as appropriately as we should. In this way the line has a relationship with hexagram sixty three, where everything is in order, but left to itself will surely deteriorate, and it takes a superior man who cares to maintain the situation. If we leave our relationships to themselves, and do not maintain them, in time they will fail. The same can be said of our businesses, our families, our social organizations. All things have this peculiarity about them that if left to themselves they ultimately deteriorate. The proper use of the wellhole, is the spiritual nourishment we receive from its teachings, not mundane day to day things per se, although if we seek the spiritual first, "all these things shall be added unto you." If we want a life that is blessed, we must attend to the things that are important in our life and keep them from deteriorating. And we must drink "from the living water that lasts forever."
People do not know how dangerous the situation is now. One of our top political leaders recently made the statement that there is an information war going on, and we, (the elite) are losing it. That is why there is such a hurry to stifle information on the internet. The mainstream newsmedia is locked by elite interests and any real news is not to be found there. The only way to get real news is through uncontrolled sources such as the internet, and the elite are doing everything in their power to shut it down, and I have no doubt that they soon will succeed.
At any rate, around March 1st, I will either be no longer posting, or I will post on a regular website. In the meantime, there is so much to post if I just get around to it. And here I will post something I thought about last night, that I think may be interesting to many people. But first, let me remind people that the thrust of the kind of work I do relates to the I Ching as a unique voice, conscious and aware, and it speaks wisdom to us. It is great to do readings and find out information about things going on in our lives, and about relationships, the daily things, but it is of paramount importance to understand the deeper spiritual aspects, and this is what this is all about.
In that vein, the I Ching has something very important to teach us in line two of hexagram forty eight. The lines say, "At the wellhole one shoots fishes. The jug is broken and leaks." When we go to the well to catch fish, the I Ching is not being used for the purposes it was meant to be used for. Not only are we not using it correctly, but the "Jug is broken." The jug is broken when we do not properly understand the message that is being presented. Our understanding is limited. This is related to hexagram twenty line two when we "see only through the crack in the door." But here, not only is our understanding and perception limited, it is actually faulty, and not only is it faulty, but it is being used in the wrong manner. We can use our perception in the wrong manner when we do not approach the sage in childlike innocence, as in hexagram four line five, or when we have ulterior motives which we are only vaguely aware of and are using the I Ching for selfish purposes rather than our own spiritual growth. The commentary says, "...and whoever comes to it comes only to catch fish." They do not understand the value of the water, and how it can replenish them, give them understanding, like the "man who has the secrets to make the kingdom flourish" in hexagram twenty line four.
The same is true in our relationships when we do not recognize the value of our partner. It can be true in our businesses when we do not recognize the value of the business, when we handle our relationships on a superficial level, and do not bother to discover the real problem in our relationship, or in our business partnerships. We can deceive ourselves into thinking everything is okay when it is not. We have an idea of what is needed but do not take it seriously enough to actually do it.
When we try to grasp water it simply rushes through the cracks between our fingers. When we try to hold onto relationships and businesses without proper understanding of the problem, without a basis for a true realization for the extent of the problem, it is like "the jug is broken." We cannot hold onto what we have. When the jug is broken we lose that which is most precious to us. When we lose that which is most precious to us, the water leaks out of the jug.
The commentary also says, "This describes the situation of a person who has good qualities but neglects them." We neglect our good qualities when we do not take care to maintain our relationships, when we do not attend to business as appropriately as we should. In this way the line has a relationship with hexagram sixty three, where everything is in order, but left to itself will surely deteriorate, and it takes a superior man who cares to maintain the situation. If we leave our relationships to themselves, and do not maintain them, in time they will fail. The same can be said of our businesses, our families, our social organizations. All things have this peculiarity about them that if left to themselves they ultimately deteriorate. The proper use of the wellhole, is the spiritual nourishment we receive from its teachings, not mundane day to day things per se, although if we seek the spiritual first, "all these things shall be added unto you." If we want a life that is blessed, we must attend to the things that are important in our life and keep them from deteriorating. And we must drink "from the living water that lasts forever."
Thursday, February 02, 2012
Deeply Torn
I am sorry that I have not posted in a few days. I am deeply torn and troubled about the current state of the union in the U.S. and things that are happening to the country and to the internet. I do not know how much longer I will have internet and/or cable service. If I drop it I will be totally isolated from the world with the exception of a few neighbors etc.
I feel the times are very troubling. I have a lot to write about. I do know however, that there are enough books out now, and magazines, or such, that the material I present is not unique to me, but many people know it. I do feel however, my approach to the I Ching is somewhat unique. I know of no source to get the type of material I am putting out. Much of the same "TYPE" of message however, can be found in esoteric Christian sources, such as books by Malachi Tao, one of whom's books is called, "The Gnostic Gospel of Thomas." Scientifically speaking, a great book has been out for some time called "The Holographic Universe," by Michael Talbot. A book called "Oneness" by Rasha is also very good. Peter Novak's books on "Division Theory" are very good. There are also some Indian Buddhist and Hindu masters who have written great books on the gospels from their perspective. Their names are too hard to attempt right now though. I will try to get some names tomorrow. The esoteric and spiritual sources of Christianity are very similar to Hindu, Buddhist and Taoist texts, but the church has changed them and created doctrines for their own purposes of control. When we see from fresh eyes, not the eyes of the church, we get a whole new perspective. For now I will try to get back to writing. I have been in Albuquerque a couple days this week and last, and I have been perplexed as to what to do, but I will try to continue with the best information I can possibly put out as long as I am online.
I feel the times are very troubling. I have a lot to write about. I do know however, that there are enough books out now, and magazines, or such, that the material I present is not unique to me, but many people know it. I do feel however, my approach to the I Ching is somewhat unique. I know of no source to get the type of material I am putting out. Much of the same "TYPE" of message however, can be found in esoteric Christian sources, such as books by Malachi Tao, one of whom's books is called, "The Gnostic Gospel of Thomas." Scientifically speaking, a great book has been out for some time called "The Holographic Universe," by Michael Talbot. A book called "Oneness" by Rasha is also very good. Peter Novak's books on "Division Theory" are very good. There are also some Indian Buddhist and Hindu masters who have written great books on the gospels from their perspective. Their names are too hard to attempt right now though. I will try to get some names tomorrow. The esoteric and spiritual sources of Christianity are very similar to Hindu, Buddhist and Taoist texts, but the church has changed them and created doctrines for their own purposes of control. When we see from fresh eyes, not the eyes of the church, we get a whole new perspective. For now I will try to get back to writing. I have been in Albuquerque a couple days this week and last, and I have been perplexed as to what to do, but I will try to continue with the best information I can possibly put out as long as I am online.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
About the Future
I am embarking on a mission to find out the truth about the new changes that are coming to google on March 1st. The situation is serious, very serious. I have heard rumors that it marks the end of free speech on the internet. I heard that it comes on March 1st. Then today I got info from google speaking of a change in terms and contracts starting March 1st. I am reading this to find out what I can about it. I have heard that after March 1st, and information that does not agree with official governmental policy, or what they want us to believe, will be removed from the internet. The situation is very serious here in the United States, and indeed, in the netire world. For if freedom dies here it dies everywhere. It is questionable whether I can continue to post after March 1st.
People argued with me when I said freedom was dying. They laughed when I mentioned the danger. Well, here it is. I saw an article in the Albuquerque newspaper the other day written by someone who is either a complete idiot or is posting on behalf of the global elite. He was discussing how dangerous it is to argue against scientific data. In essence he was saying it is dangerous not to believe whatever science tells us. The trouble is scientific research cannot be published unless it agrees with the official policy. The article went on to say it was dangerous to not believe humans are causing global warming, in spite of the fact that many serious scientists say that is only a small part of it. He also said it is dangerous not to believe in the Darwinian form of evolution, although many scientists have concluded Darwinian evolution cannot be possible. We are to believe whatever they say is true. We are not to believe or even know about any discussion of other possibilites. Two hundred years ago science knew nothing about quantum physics. Does that mean that it didn't exist until they found out about it? Of course not. Our science is still in its infancy, and to quell discussion is the real danger, but that is exactly what they want. They want us to believe the official story without question, even if it is a lie, if they say it, it is to be believed. People refused to see what was happening, and now we pay the price, worldwide totalitarian government, believing only what we are told to believe, and absolutely no freedom whatsoever. The light is going out.
People argued with me when I said freedom was dying. They laughed when I mentioned the danger. Well, here it is. I saw an article in the Albuquerque newspaper the other day written by someone who is either a complete idiot or is posting on behalf of the global elite. He was discussing how dangerous it is to argue against scientific data. In essence he was saying it is dangerous not to believe whatever science tells us. The trouble is scientific research cannot be published unless it agrees with the official policy. The article went on to say it was dangerous to not believe humans are causing global warming, in spite of the fact that many serious scientists say that is only a small part of it. He also said it is dangerous not to believe in the Darwinian form of evolution, although many scientists have concluded Darwinian evolution cannot be possible. We are to believe whatever they say is true. We are not to believe or even know about any discussion of other possibilites. Two hundred years ago science knew nothing about quantum physics. Does that mean that it didn't exist until they found out about it? Of course not. Our science is still in its infancy, and to quell discussion is the real danger, but that is exactly what they want. They want us to believe the official story without question, even if it is a lie, if they say it, it is to be believed. People refused to see what was happening, and now we pay the price, worldwide totalitarian government, believing only what we are told to believe, and absolutely no freedom whatsoever. The light is going out.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Drinking Cheap Wine
All the true masters of the world and the great mystics have told us that we are "like drunken sailors" adrift in the world. When true spiritual teaching is available, nobody wants it. Every master has had to struggle with this phenomenon, that the world wants only the exoteric message, and is only concerned about the physical. We want immediate answers to our life's problems, not mystical mumbo jumbo. But immediate answers will not work. When we try to come up with a quick fix from outside ourselves, we find we cannot change the situation. The reason is simple. We have not changed ourselves. Nothing in our world will change until we change ourselves on the inside. We will confront the same old problem over and over again, and nothing will change it.
Hexagram twenty two line three addresses this problem to a certain extent. The commentary says, "This represents a charming situation." One is under the spell of grace and the mellow mood induced by wine." This grace can adorn, but it can also swamp us. Hence the warning not to sink into convivial indolence but to remain constant in perseverance."
We remain constant in perseverance when we keep our mind fixed upon the spiritual world which is the real source of the material world anyway. The material world is but an illusion created by the mind which is under constant attack from the seeming reality of the physical world. As long as we are focused on the material world, and do not keep it in its place, we are "under the mellow mood induced by wine." We must remain constant in our meditation, we must "practice chariot driving daily, and we must persevere in the truth, remembering that the physical world is but a shadow of the real.
The "Gospel of Thomas" addresses this issue as well. In it Jesus says, "I took my place in the midst of the world, and I appeared to them in flesh. I found all of them intoxicated..." The world was either of those who were looking for a physical Messiah as many Jewish groups were, or of those who like the Roman soldiers, played lots for Jesus garments, and mocked him, not having any concept of the seriousness of the situation. They were all drunk. They were foolish in their orientation and in their perception. They all were interested only in something physical. The church carried this on, not after the teachings of Jesus, but after the mental constructs that insist that there is only the physical saving that of a heaven in the far off, or a hell. They did not wake from their stupor. They did not understand the teachings of Jesus at all. It became a religion, not a way of life.
All teachers face this. They come to the world with a message, and find that they face only rejection and sorrow. It may be called sad that it is that way, but it is not sad, it is just the way it is. Only the most serious shakings, (hexagram fifty one) can break us from our stupor. When we look to the I Ching for guidance, we must allow the sage to offer to us the "secrets of the kingdom," (hexagram twenty line four) and not be satisfied with merely "a view through the crack of a door." We must allow the deeper truths in, or our lives will never truly be satisfactory, for we will be "oppressed by stone, (the physical) and "lean on thistles," (the material world cannot hold us up.) We must look for the "inner guidance," else we will stumble and fall, and not overcome the oppression of hexagrams thirty nine or forty seven. We must look deeper.
Hexagram twenty two line three addresses this problem to a certain extent. The commentary says, "This represents a charming situation." One is under the spell of grace and the mellow mood induced by wine." This grace can adorn, but it can also swamp us. Hence the warning not to sink into convivial indolence but to remain constant in perseverance."
We remain constant in perseverance when we keep our mind fixed upon the spiritual world which is the real source of the material world anyway. The material world is but an illusion created by the mind which is under constant attack from the seeming reality of the physical world. As long as we are focused on the material world, and do not keep it in its place, we are "under the mellow mood induced by wine." We must remain constant in our meditation, we must "practice chariot driving daily, and we must persevere in the truth, remembering that the physical world is but a shadow of the real.
The "Gospel of Thomas" addresses this issue as well. In it Jesus says, "I took my place in the midst of the world, and I appeared to them in flesh. I found all of them intoxicated..." The world was either of those who were looking for a physical Messiah as many Jewish groups were, or of those who like the Roman soldiers, played lots for Jesus garments, and mocked him, not having any concept of the seriousness of the situation. They were all drunk. They were foolish in their orientation and in their perception. They all were interested only in something physical. The church carried this on, not after the teachings of Jesus, but after the mental constructs that insist that there is only the physical saving that of a heaven in the far off, or a hell. They did not wake from their stupor. They did not understand the teachings of Jesus at all. It became a religion, not a way of life.
All teachers face this. They come to the world with a message, and find that they face only rejection and sorrow. It may be called sad that it is that way, but it is not sad, it is just the way it is. Only the most serious shakings, (hexagram fifty one) can break us from our stupor. When we look to the I Ching for guidance, we must allow the sage to offer to us the "secrets of the kingdom," (hexagram twenty line four) and not be satisfied with merely "a view through the crack of a door." We must allow the deeper truths in, or our lives will never truly be satisfactory, for we will be "oppressed by stone, (the physical) and "lean on thistles," (the material world cannot hold us up.) We must look for the "inner guidance," else we will stumble and fall, and not overcome the oppression of hexagrams thirty nine or forty seven. We must look deeper.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Genetically Modified Crops
Monsanto is a major food distributor and producer throughout the world. They are very instrumental in distributing genetically modified foods, and intend to keep on doing so. There have been tests done in China which show genetically modified foods to be dangerous to health over a long period of time. Monsanto refuses to do any testing of its own however, saying that it is a waste of time because all food has DNA in it and it doesn't matter if they put foreign DNA in the crops.
Let's be clear about this. It is the DNA that makes the crop what it is. It is the DNA of the crop that makes it useful for fruit or other medicinal purposes. When you change the DNA of the crop you change what the crop is meant to do in the body.
It doesn't matter whether you believe in evolution or creationism, or something in between. We are a product of the earth. If you believe in evolution you know that we are the product of what came before us, all life evolved from a single cell, and we all have DNA characteristics in common. Some more than others. If you believe in creationism you know that we were created "from the dust of the ground." Once again we have the same characteristics (DNA) as the crops around us. They were created to supply us with supplements the body needs. This cannot be denied. Mankind eats because mankind has to in order to stay alive and receive nutrients. The plants that are here by nature are plants meant to sustain the higher levels of life. It is the DNA that gives them the characteristics and makes a pear a pear, a peach a peach, and a banana a banana. Each of these fruits, and all other crops have nutrients in them that help the body. Each of them have something the others don't have, and we were meant to eat them all. When you add DNA you add something that changes the nutritional value of the plants. This is by definition.
The higher ups at Monsanto cannot help but know this. Many of the rank and file I am sure do not. Who knows what - who knows? But at the top they must know. To genetically modify our crops is murder on a massive scale. Just because people don't die immediately, even if it takes forty years, it is still murder. And that is what they are doing, whether they know about it or not. Unfortunately, the big boys, and girls, who have mega money and mega power, are not brought to justice. And so many people just go along with the program thinking everything is fine, but it is not. The super elite of the world think that the planet is overpopulated, so they try to do something about it. It is not their place to do this. They think we can't understand how what they are doing is moral because it will save the planet. Well, we do understand. And we understand it is not their place to decide who lives and who dies. The planet is alive, whether anyone believes it or not. And if the planet feels there are too many people, it will react in such a way as will reduce the population. It will do this through earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, what have you. But it is the one that has the right to decide. Not the super elite. Not the one's who wish to play God and create live, modify it, (through genetics, DNA, or however), and they will reap a horrible karma for their actions. But tomorrow back to the I Ching.
Let's be clear about this. It is the DNA that makes the crop what it is. It is the DNA of the crop that makes it useful for fruit or other medicinal purposes. When you change the DNA of the crop you change what the crop is meant to do in the body.
It doesn't matter whether you believe in evolution or creationism, or something in between. We are a product of the earth. If you believe in evolution you know that we are the product of what came before us, all life evolved from a single cell, and we all have DNA characteristics in common. Some more than others. If you believe in creationism you know that we were created "from the dust of the ground." Once again we have the same characteristics (DNA) as the crops around us. They were created to supply us with supplements the body needs. This cannot be denied. Mankind eats because mankind has to in order to stay alive and receive nutrients. The plants that are here by nature are plants meant to sustain the higher levels of life. It is the DNA that gives them the characteristics and makes a pear a pear, a peach a peach, and a banana a banana. Each of these fruits, and all other crops have nutrients in them that help the body. Each of them have something the others don't have, and we were meant to eat them all. When you add DNA you add something that changes the nutritional value of the plants. This is by definition.
The higher ups at Monsanto cannot help but know this. Many of the rank and file I am sure do not. Who knows what - who knows? But at the top they must know. To genetically modify our crops is murder on a massive scale. Just because people don't die immediately, even if it takes forty years, it is still murder. And that is what they are doing, whether they know about it or not. Unfortunately, the big boys, and girls, who have mega money and mega power, are not brought to justice. And so many people just go along with the program thinking everything is fine, but it is not. The super elite of the world think that the planet is overpopulated, so they try to do something about it. It is not their place to do this. They think we can't understand how what they are doing is moral because it will save the planet. Well, we do understand. And we understand it is not their place to decide who lives and who dies. The planet is alive, whether anyone believes it or not. And if the planet feels there are too many people, it will react in such a way as will reduce the population. It will do this through earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, what have you. But it is the one that has the right to decide. Not the super elite. Not the one's who wish to play God and create live, modify it, (through genetics, DNA, or however), and they will reap a horrible karma for their actions. But tomorrow back to the I Ching.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
The Well is Being Lined
Hexagram forty eight line four tells us that "the well is being lined." Often in our lives when we have studied a little, or even a lot, and have gained some valuable information, and some personal capabilities, we think we are ready to teach others, and maybe we are to a certain extent, at least beginners. But we really have not made efficient use of the total teachings available to us. This often happens because as hexagram four line four teaches us, "we have a blind spot in our thinking." We do not realize the depths of the teaching still available to us, and see only as the subject in hexagram twenty line four "as through a crack in the door." As Luke Skywalker says to Yoda in *The Empire Strikes back," "But I AM ready, Ben tell him I am ready. But I have learned so much." Still he could not see himself as he really was, because as Yoda said, "All your life you have looked away, into the future, wherever, never knowing who you are or paying attention to what you were doing." Luke thought he was ready, but he was not. That did not mean he could not learn, only that he was not as adept as he thought he was.
We see this same attitude prevalent in the martial arts teachings in the west, where students studied for a while from the master, then thought they knew it all and went out and created their own style, never knowing how much they were lacking, and the west is just full of inefficient and incomplete martial arts classes, so much so that a beginning student would never know the difference between a true teacher and one who was less proficient.
When we get the line saying "The well is being lined, we may be being told that we need to practice, or train much more ourselves before we can take the teaching to the outer world. At most, we may be able to train beginners only, while we ourselves are still being trained by the master. The commentary says, "In life also there are times when a man must put himself in order. During such a time he can do nothing for others, but his work is nontheless valuable, because by enhancing his powers and abilities through inner development, he can accomplish all the more later on." If we break off and attempt to be the teacher before we are ready, we become isolated, with no one to teach us as hexagram four line four tells us. Our blind spot remains. Luke Skywalker had a 'blind spot." Luke feels danger within the cave. (In our own darkness.) He takes his weapons. Yoda tells him, "your weapons, you will not need them" Luke takes them anyway, (he has not yet come to fully trust the master) and goes into the cave. He is confronted by a Darth Vader figure, and pulls his weapon. The dark figure does the same. Luke strikes, and finds that the dark figure is himself. He was blind to his own darkness. He did not need his weapon, he only needed to confront himself, and learn about his dark side. He failed in the cave because of a "blind spot" in his thinking.
We all fail in the cave. We all fail in our darkness, because we have not yet allowed the light to shine in all parts of our own cave. We are underlings, and do not recognize it. In our ego we think we are mighty, indispensable, highly educated, smart, and cannot see our own darkness. It is only when we have done the work ourselves that we can teach others. If we think we have "arrived" we haven't. If we think we are ready, we probably aren't. If we think we understand, we probably don't. We must continue carrying on the work on our inner selves, before we can teach others. We must trust our master, if truly he or she is a master (and we must learn the difference). We think we are prepared, but we are not. Finally, the commentary on hexagram forty three line two says, "If a man develops his character, people submit to him of their own accord." You will know you are ready to be a teacher by when the students appear. The old adage is true. When the student is ready the master will appear, but it is also true, when the master is ready, the student will appear.
We see this same attitude prevalent in the martial arts teachings in the west, where students studied for a while from the master, then thought they knew it all and went out and created their own style, never knowing how much they were lacking, and the west is just full of inefficient and incomplete martial arts classes, so much so that a beginning student would never know the difference between a true teacher and one who was less proficient.
When we get the line saying "The well is being lined, we may be being told that we need to practice, or train much more ourselves before we can take the teaching to the outer world. At most, we may be able to train beginners only, while we ourselves are still being trained by the master. The commentary says, "In life also there are times when a man must put himself in order. During such a time he can do nothing for others, but his work is nontheless valuable, because by enhancing his powers and abilities through inner development, he can accomplish all the more later on." If we break off and attempt to be the teacher before we are ready, we become isolated, with no one to teach us as hexagram four line four tells us. Our blind spot remains. Luke Skywalker had a 'blind spot." Luke feels danger within the cave. (In our own darkness.) He takes his weapons. Yoda tells him, "your weapons, you will not need them" Luke takes them anyway, (he has not yet come to fully trust the master) and goes into the cave. He is confronted by a Darth Vader figure, and pulls his weapon. The dark figure does the same. Luke strikes, and finds that the dark figure is himself. He was blind to his own darkness. He did not need his weapon, he only needed to confront himself, and learn about his dark side. He failed in the cave because of a "blind spot" in his thinking.
We all fail in the cave. We all fail in our darkness, because we have not yet allowed the light to shine in all parts of our own cave. We are underlings, and do not recognize it. In our ego we think we are mighty, indispensable, highly educated, smart, and cannot see our own darkness. It is only when we have done the work ourselves that we can teach others. If we think we have "arrived" we haven't. If we think we are ready, we probably aren't. If we think we understand, we probably don't. We must continue carrying on the work on our inner selves, before we can teach others. We must trust our master, if truly he or she is a master (and we must learn the difference). We think we are prepared, but we are not. Finally, the commentary on hexagram forty three line two says, "If a man develops his character, people submit to him of their own accord." You will know you are ready to be a teacher by when the students appear. The old adage is true. When the student is ready the master will appear, but it is also true, when the master is ready, the student will appear.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Expect the Unexpected
We are entering a new year now. For the Western world, it was entered of course on January 1st, but for China and parts of Southeast Asia the new year approached today, or yesterday, depending on what part of the world you are in.
Ironically, the first new moon for westerners, is in Aquarius. The Chinese new year starts off with the new moon in Aquarius. Aquarius is ruled by Uranus, and Uranus is known for eccentricity, and the unexpected happening. This new moon also touches off the Pluto Uranus square that has been in the sky for some time, and will be for some time to come. Expect the unexpected.
This paragraph deals a little more with conjecture, as I do not remember all the astrological rules for stock market timing. However, for the U.S. Market, especially the Dow Jones Average, if I remember right in my astrology training, when Venus has moved as far as it can ahead of the sun, and starts to go retrograde, that can mean a change in direction for the stock market as well. However, as a rule the stock market goes up from Aquarius to Leo, and down from Leo to Capricorn, (but there are several other factors as well, and it is only when they all converge that we see major changes.) Anyway, with things positioned as they are, expect major changes not just in the market, but in all aspects of life. The year 2012 is likely to be an extremely turbulent year. Now I am no prophet, but I do see certain trends, and I expect them to continue.
Sun spot activity is starting to become a major factor again, and last night, as major solar activity blasted through the protective shield of the earth, we had serious tornado activity in Alabama. Expect more. The sun is starting to get really active, and some of it is headed directly for earth.
Pluto in Capricorn, in my estimation, though I have never heard astrologers talk about this very much, is disruption, (corruption from deep within - Pluto) in the government (Capricorn) We have already seen revolutions spring around the world. Do not be surprised if we see major, and I mean major civil unrest in the U.S., especially as people become more and more aware of the true meaning of the National Defense Authorization Act, and as we start seeing people disappearing from society, and as well the civil unrest if the anti piracy laws go into effect on the internet, (which are really not just about antipiracy but also about shutting down information about what governments are really doing. The laws end free speech. We will very likely see civil unrest in the United States. It is likely to become more prevalent in many countries though, even those who are traditionally and presently locked into dictatorships. By the end of the year it is very possible too that there will be major wars, with huge losses of life on all sides.
Furthermore, 2012 if the Chinese year of the Dragon. Traditionally East is considered Dragon, west is Tiger. And the Dragon and the Tiger ultimately fight. It seems that there is all together a fear, a hatred, and a fascination one with the other. We each have our strengths and weaknesses.
But remember - the elite of this world know astrology. They teach us that it is unscientific and nonsense, yet they themselves practice it. They know the right times to create financial havoc, the right times to create wars, and the right places to create wars. Their motto is "Order out of Chaos." They create the chaos, then they submit the solutions, solutions in which they have complete control. The people are starting to wake up, and when they do, the elite will HAVE to find ways to eliminate the masses fast, or they will be destroyed. We will see at least the beginnings of this in 2012, if not more.
Ironically, the first new moon for westerners, is in Aquarius. The Chinese new year starts off with the new moon in Aquarius. Aquarius is ruled by Uranus, and Uranus is known for eccentricity, and the unexpected happening. This new moon also touches off the Pluto Uranus square that has been in the sky for some time, and will be for some time to come. Expect the unexpected.
This paragraph deals a little more with conjecture, as I do not remember all the astrological rules for stock market timing. However, for the U.S. Market, especially the Dow Jones Average, if I remember right in my astrology training, when Venus has moved as far as it can ahead of the sun, and starts to go retrograde, that can mean a change in direction for the stock market as well. However, as a rule the stock market goes up from Aquarius to Leo, and down from Leo to Capricorn, (but there are several other factors as well, and it is only when they all converge that we see major changes.) Anyway, with things positioned as they are, expect major changes not just in the market, but in all aspects of life. The year 2012 is likely to be an extremely turbulent year. Now I am no prophet, but I do see certain trends, and I expect them to continue.
Sun spot activity is starting to become a major factor again, and last night, as major solar activity blasted through the protective shield of the earth, we had serious tornado activity in Alabama. Expect more. The sun is starting to get really active, and some of it is headed directly for earth.
Pluto in Capricorn, in my estimation, though I have never heard astrologers talk about this very much, is disruption, (corruption from deep within - Pluto) in the government (Capricorn) We have already seen revolutions spring around the world. Do not be surprised if we see major, and I mean major civil unrest in the U.S., especially as people become more and more aware of the true meaning of the National Defense Authorization Act, and as we start seeing people disappearing from society, and as well the civil unrest if the anti piracy laws go into effect on the internet, (which are really not just about antipiracy but also about shutting down information about what governments are really doing. The laws end free speech. We will very likely see civil unrest in the United States. It is likely to become more prevalent in many countries though, even those who are traditionally and presently locked into dictatorships. By the end of the year it is very possible too that there will be major wars, with huge losses of life on all sides.
Furthermore, 2012 if the Chinese year of the Dragon. Traditionally East is considered Dragon, west is Tiger. And the Dragon and the Tiger ultimately fight. It seems that there is all together a fear, a hatred, and a fascination one with the other. We each have our strengths and weaknesses.
But remember - the elite of this world know astrology. They teach us that it is unscientific and nonsense, yet they themselves practice it. They know the right times to create financial havoc, the right times to create wars, and the right places to create wars. Their motto is "Order out of Chaos." They create the chaos, then they submit the solutions, solutions in which they have complete control. The people are starting to wake up, and when they do, the elite will HAVE to find ways to eliminate the masses fast, or they will be destroyed. We will see at least the beginnings of this in 2012, if not more.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Rests on Something
Hexagram thirty is key in our understanding of the nature of the cosmos, the nature of our inner self, and the nature of our relationships; for the commentary states, "By cultivating in himself an attitude of compliance and voluntary dependence, man acquires clarity and finds his place in the world." The key here is that everything "depends or rests upon something else." If there is no darkness the light does not appear. If there is no man it will not be long til there is no woman, and vice versa. If there is no high then there can be no low. If there is no "receptive," then there can be no "creative." The conscious mind cannot fully function correctly without the subconscious, nor can the subconscious make its mark on the world without the conscious. Just as fire clings to the wood, so life must cling to that which supports it or it will be quickly extinguished.
But humankind must decide upon what it is to cling. It can cling to the higher powers or it can cling to the lower. It can cling to the rulers (line five) or to the masses (line one). If we cling to the wrong thing, if we cling to that with which there is no or limited mutual support, (or the thorns and thistles in hexagram forty seven), just as in line four of thirty, we flare up, or rise to prominence quickly, but we cannot sustain our upward momentum. In the same way in our relationships, if we do not base them on that which endures, they soon die away and we will find our partner with another. Or in our spiritual life, if we do not cling to our higher spiritual awareness, we will soon find ourselves as equal to the "one eyed man" in hexagram fifty four, who is able to see, but not that far. We will be like the subject of hexagram four line four, who has a blind spot in his thinking. Without our proper partner, our proper correlate, (line one with four, line two with five, line three with six) we cannot function fully and with the greatest success. Our relationships become sterile, as does our businesses, our careers, or our forms of government. On any level of life this holds true.
If we wish to operate from the ego alone. If we think that is all there is, if we attempt to dominate and control, either by force or by manipulation, the end result will be the equivalent of line five in hexagram thirty that says, "Tears in floods, sighing and lamenting." We cannot control the world. We can only control ourselves. And when we learn that we become like the second part of line five, which says, "Good Fortune." It is only when we learn from our mistakes that we find good fortune. As the prodigal son who leaves his father's house, and goes out into the world of experience, so too, we must leave our mental house, go out into the world of experience, make our mistakes, until we learn the true meaning and value of what we had before, and return (hexagram twenty four) to our true spiritual home and heritage, being wiser and more self sufficient than we were before.
The commentary on hexagram thirty nine speaks of this as well, stating, "one must join forces with friends and...put himself under the leadership of a man equal to the situation." The man equal to the situation is our higher self. Without the higher self, we are like the "one eyed man," who can see only so far. We are like the subject of hexagram twenty line two, who can only see through the crack of the door. (A very limited form of awareness or understanding.) If we use just the ego, just the conscious mind, we are again like the "one eyed man." We do not have full use of our faculties, and are not taking advantage of the person in hexagram twenty line four who "understands the secrets to which a kingdom can be made to flourish." Our own personal kingdom will not flourish unless we use all of our faculties of mind, including intuition and deeper understanding, and can harmonize the two parts of ourselves. In the same way the king will not prosper, and the realm will not prosper, unless the ruler can put together the yin and the yang in harmony in all situations. In our relationships two, if we think only on the basis of how our same sex thinks, we are like the "one eyed man," who is half blind. We must think in terms of both yin and yang. We must understand the male form of mind as well as the female, or we will be crushed, (oppressed by stone, hexagram forty seven) upon the rocks that appear in our world from time to time.
more later
But humankind must decide upon what it is to cling. It can cling to the higher powers or it can cling to the lower. It can cling to the rulers (line five) or to the masses (line one). If we cling to the wrong thing, if we cling to that with which there is no or limited mutual support, (or the thorns and thistles in hexagram forty seven), just as in line four of thirty, we flare up, or rise to prominence quickly, but we cannot sustain our upward momentum. In the same way in our relationships, if we do not base them on that which endures, they soon die away and we will find our partner with another. Or in our spiritual life, if we do not cling to our higher spiritual awareness, we will soon find ourselves as equal to the "one eyed man" in hexagram fifty four, who is able to see, but not that far. We will be like the subject of hexagram four line four, who has a blind spot in his thinking. Without our proper partner, our proper correlate, (line one with four, line two with five, line three with six) we cannot function fully and with the greatest success. Our relationships become sterile, as does our businesses, our careers, or our forms of government. On any level of life this holds true.
If we wish to operate from the ego alone. If we think that is all there is, if we attempt to dominate and control, either by force or by manipulation, the end result will be the equivalent of line five in hexagram thirty that says, "Tears in floods, sighing and lamenting." We cannot control the world. We can only control ourselves. And when we learn that we become like the second part of line five, which says, "Good Fortune." It is only when we learn from our mistakes that we find good fortune. As the prodigal son who leaves his father's house, and goes out into the world of experience, so too, we must leave our mental house, go out into the world of experience, make our mistakes, until we learn the true meaning and value of what we had before, and return (hexagram twenty four) to our true spiritual home and heritage, being wiser and more self sufficient than we were before.
The commentary on hexagram thirty nine speaks of this as well, stating, "one must join forces with friends and...put himself under the leadership of a man equal to the situation." The man equal to the situation is our higher self. Without the higher self, we are like the "one eyed man," who can see only so far. We are like the subject of hexagram twenty line two, who can only see through the crack of the door. (A very limited form of awareness or understanding.) If we use just the ego, just the conscious mind, we are again like the "one eyed man." We do not have full use of our faculties, and are not taking advantage of the person in hexagram twenty line four who "understands the secrets to which a kingdom can be made to flourish." Our own personal kingdom will not flourish unless we use all of our faculties of mind, including intuition and deeper understanding, and can harmonize the two parts of ourselves. In the same way the king will not prosper, and the realm will not prosper, unless the ruler can put together the yin and the yang in harmony in all situations. In our relationships two, if we think only on the basis of how our same sex thinks, we are like the "one eyed man," who is half blind. We must think in terms of both yin and yang. We must understand the male form of mind as well as the female, or we will be crushed, (oppressed by stone, hexagram forty seven) upon the rocks that appear in our world from time to time.
more later
Friday, January 20, 2012
Inner Pressure Part II
When we let go and allow the other person to come or go as they choose, we release that "inner pressure." Often, however, we are not aware of our own psychological makeup or our hangups. We travel through life always seeking for something that is never found, because by seeking it, we create this "inner pressure" not just in other people, but in the actual thing that we seek. There is a psychological pressure created within ourselves that manifests in the material world.
We are not aware of doing this however, because we all have a "blind spot" within; a blind spot in our way of thinking. We filter out the data that would tell us of our own psychological makeup. As such, hexagram ten line six tells us that "no one knows himself. It is only by the consequences of his actions...that a man can judge what he is to expect." When we receive hexagram four line four in our personal readings for wisdom, it may very well be telling you that you have a "blind spot" in your thinking. You may have a blind spot in receiving the transmitted wisdom from the I Ching, or you may have a blind spot in your way of looking at yourself and/or the world. The commentary on the line speaks of "clinging to unreal fantasies." We cling to unreal fantasies when we have a distorted image of ourselves; and almost always we see ourselves differently than others see us. (That is not to say others usually do not have a distorted image of us as well.) We all see things based on our own inner psychology, and we believe what we believe about the world due to inner road maps of the territory that distort our conclusions when new facts become available to us. We all wear rose colored glasses, it is just different parts of our environment that are colored, according to a person's own psychological makeup. As such we "cannot know ourselves, but only can weigh the results of our actions to get to know ourselves better."
The wise man knows that he is clinging to fantasies. He does all he can to attach himself to the real, but as he uncovers more and more of himself, he recognizes more and more that he is living in an "unreal" world of his own making. When we live in an unreal world, we "are oppressed by stone, and lean on thorns and thistles." (Hexagram forty seven line two.) But the wise man, in order to secure for himself a more favorable journey through life, "Treads a smooth level course." Hexagram ten line two tells us that the wise man "seeks nothing, and asks nothing of anyone else, and is not dazzled by enticing goals. He is true to himself and travels through life unassailed..." When we simply stick to our business, simply keep ourselves to the business at hand, and do not interfere with others, we find that others respond to us more easily and more relaxed, and the things that we need for our life come to us of their own accord, without "forcing the issue," (hexagram thirty four) and without an inner dependency on our part or theirs. Simply said, as in hexagram sixty one, those who have an inner accord will find each other without "forcing the issue." It simply happens.
We are not aware of doing this however, because we all have a "blind spot" within; a blind spot in our way of thinking. We filter out the data that would tell us of our own psychological makeup. As such, hexagram ten line six tells us that "no one knows himself. It is only by the consequences of his actions...that a man can judge what he is to expect." When we receive hexagram four line four in our personal readings for wisdom, it may very well be telling you that you have a "blind spot" in your thinking. You may have a blind spot in receiving the transmitted wisdom from the I Ching, or you may have a blind spot in your way of looking at yourself and/or the world. The commentary on the line speaks of "clinging to unreal fantasies." We cling to unreal fantasies when we have a distorted image of ourselves; and almost always we see ourselves differently than others see us. (That is not to say others usually do not have a distorted image of us as well.) We all see things based on our own inner psychology, and we believe what we believe about the world due to inner road maps of the territory that distort our conclusions when new facts become available to us. We all wear rose colored glasses, it is just different parts of our environment that are colored, according to a person's own psychological makeup. As such we "cannot know ourselves, but only can weigh the results of our actions to get to know ourselves better."
The wise man knows that he is clinging to fantasies. He does all he can to attach himself to the real, but as he uncovers more and more of himself, he recognizes more and more that he is living in an "unreal" world of his own making. When we live in an unreal world, we "are oppressed by stone, and lean on thorns and thistles." (Hexagram forty seven line two.) But the wise man, in order to secure for himself a more favorable journey through life, "Treads a smooth level course." Hexagram ten line two tells us that the wise man "seeks nothing, and asks nothing of anyone else, and is not dazzled by enticing goals. He is true to himself and travels through life unassailed..." When we simply stick to our business, simply keep ourselves to the business at hand, and do not interfere with others, we find that others respond to us more easily and more relaxed, and the things that we need for our life come to us of their own accord, without "forcing the issue," (hexagram thirty four) and without an inner dependency on our part or theirs. Simply said, as in hexagram sixty one, those who have an inner accord will find each other without "forcing the issue." It simply happens.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Freed From Inner Pressure
Hexagram forty one teaches us "to control our anger and restrain our instincts." But it goes much deeper than that. A major message of the I Ching is that we must give up personal will and allow things to happen. The problem is we are often not even aware of personal will and do not know that as such we are putting a lot of pressure on our friends and in our relationships. The other person may not even consciously feel it, but it is there, under the surface. Often we are "angry" at our partner because he or she does not act the way we think they should. When we have preconceived notions about how another should act we are acting from an inner anger and raging instincts that we are not totally consciously aware of. The commentary on hexagram forty one line one says in effect that we must not give with the expectation of return. Often we give and give and give, and we think that something should be returned, but when we give with the expectation of return we are creating an inner pressure in our partners. It is only when there is "delicacy of feeling that we can give ourselves freely and without hesitation."
Line four is the proper correlate of line one. And line four carries this theme even further. The commentary says, "A man's faults often prevent even well-disposed people from coming closer to him. His faults are sometimes reinforced by the environment in which he lives. But if in humlity he can bring himself to the point of giving them up, he frees his well-disposed friends from an 'inner pressure' and causes them to approach more quickly, and there is mutual joy." Our faults can be construed as a symbol for our inner "wanting" for things to be a certain way. Often men chase women who are backing away from them because they think that to be successful they must pursue their desires. But this desire leaves an inner pressure on the woman who even if well-disposed, cannot tolerate the appearance of desperation. (Women can do this too, once they have fully accepted a man and feel chemistry.) It is only when it no longer matters how a person responds, and we feel an inner letting go, and acceptance of the other person regardless, without the inner rancor or frustration at their behavior, that we free them from this "inner pressure." When we let go and no longer care, in a possessive sense, that we allow people to choose to come to us.
Hexagram eight line five teaches this same message somewhat, albeit in a different way. The analogy is the king who hunts the animals, but only the ones who have chosen, so to speak, to come into his domain, and in essence are "offering themselves" as a sacrifice to the hunter. In the same way, we can only choose those who willingly come to us of their own free accord, those who willingly sacrifice of themselves to be our friend, mentor, and/or lover. When we do this, when we allow this "acceptance" to happen, we in effect, brace the ridgepole in hexagram twenty eight, so that it no longer sags, and our relationship returns to one of harmony and love. And as the commentary on line four says, "A responsible man becomes master of the situation." "But if he uses his connections for personal power...it would lead to humiliation." We must let the relationship have its own life, and demand nothing from it for personal aggrandizement at the sake of the relationship itself. We must allow people to be who they are, without any personal motivations, but only motivations of love and harmony.
More on this later
Line four is the proper correlate of line one. And line four carries this theme even further. The commentary says, "A man's faults often prevent even well-disposed people from coming closer to him. His faults are sometimes reinforced by the environment in which he lives. But if in humlity he can bring himself to the point of giving them up, he frees his well-disposed friends from an 'inner pressure' and causes them to approach more quickly, and there is mutual joy." Our faults can be construed as a symbol for our inner "wanting" for things to be a certain way. Often men chase women who are backing away from them because they think that to be successful they must pursue their desires. But this desire leaves an inner pressure on the woman who even if well-disposed, cannot tolerate the appearance of desperation. (Women can do this too, once they have fully accepted a man and feel chemistry.) It is only when it no longer matters how a person responds, and we feel an inner letting go, and acceptance of the other person regardless, without the inner rancor or frustration at their behavior, that we free them from this "inner pressure." When we let go and no longer care, in a possessive sense, that we allow people to choose to come to us.
Hexagram eight line five teaches this same message somewhat, albeit in a different way. The analogy is the king who hunts the animals, but only the ones who have chosen, so to speak, to come into his domain, and in essence are "offering themselves" as a sacrifice to the hunter. In the same way, we can only choose those who willingly come to us of their own free accord, those who willingly sacrifice of themselves to be our friend, mentor, and/or lover. When we do this, when we allow this "acceptance" to happen, we in effect, brace the ridgepole in hexagram twenty eight, so that it no longer sags, and our relationship returns to one of harmony and love. And as the commentary on line four says, "A responsible man becomes master of the situation." "But if he uses his connections for personal power...it would lead to humiliation." We must let the relationship have its own life, and demand nothing from it for personal aggrandizement at the sake of the relationship itself. We must allow people to be who they are, without any personal motivations, but only motivations of love and harmony.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
A Strong and Good Friend
Hexagram twenty four line four speaks of a person who finds themselves in an "inferior society." They do however, have a strong and good friend. In society many times we find ourselves surrounded by people who do not harmonize with us for whatever reason. As hexagram eleven line two says, we "bear with the uncultured." Not everyone was meant to be our friends. There are times in life when we have to choose who we are naturally drawn to and who we are not. Hexagram sixty one speaks of the natural tendency for those who belong together to find each other. Hexagram forty five has an element of this also. When we do not seem to fit in with our surroundings, it can be a lonely situation. We feel like the wanderer in hexagram fifty six who has no close circle of friends. We must be very accommodating and humble. Sometimes this can be a delicate situation.
But if we can only remember that we do truly have a strong and good friend, that being our own higher selves. When we recognize this, as the commentary on hexagram twenty four line four says, "We turn back alone." The world and all its comforts are not quite so meaningful to us. We realize that while we are a "wanderer" we are not truly alone. We go to that which supports us. We go to our own higher self. Therefore, though we are alone in the world, we are not concerned. While still in the world, we are no longer of it. We no longer enjoy the "lower pleasures" of hexagram fifty eight line four, but find pleasure in the higher forms of "joyousness." We no longer find ourselves "associating with inferior people in whose company we are tempted by pleasures that are inappropriate for the superior man" (hexagram fifty eight line two). But we find pleasure in the true company of our own higher self, who teaches us the way, the tao, of true life and happiness. There is no greater happiness than to know we have "unity" with the source of all wisdom and knowledge, oneness with the creator of all, our own higher selves.
But if we can only remember that we do truly have a strong and good friend, that being our own higher selves. When we recognize this, as the commentary on hexagram twenty four line four says, "We turn back alone." The world and all its comforts are not quite so meaningful to us. We realize that while we are a "wanderer" we are not truly alone. We go to that which supports us. We go to our own higher self. Therefore, though we are alone in the world, we are not concerned. While still in the world, we are no longer of it. We no longer enjoy the "lower pleasures" of hexagram fifty eight line four, but find pleasure in the higher forms of "joyousness." We no longer find ourselves "associating with inferior people in whose company we are tempted by pleasures that are inappropriate for the superior man" (hexagram fifty eight line two). But we find pleasure in the true company of our own higher self, who teaches us the way, the tao, of true life and happiness. There is no greater happiness than to know we have "unity" with the source of all wisdom and knowledge, oneness with the creator of all, our own higher selves.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Leaning on Thorns and Thistles
Hexagram forty seven line three tells us that we are "leaning on thorns and thistles." We lean on thorns and thistles when we depend on things that cannot truly support us. We lean on thorns and thistles in our relationships when we are not truly in touch with what is real in the relationship. We lean on thorns and thistles when we depend on superficial matters to prop up our relationships, and do not for whatever reason get to the real root of the problem. We also lean on thorns and thistles when we are not clear on what is pertinent or not pertinent in our relationships, or our businesses, or our personal lives. We count on an illusion.
But we also lean on thorns and thistles when we depend entirely upon the material world. The material world is an illusion, and if we trust solely on it, it cannot continue to prop us up. The man "permits himself to be oppressed by stone" when he adamantly refuses to give up on the premise that there is nothing beyond the physical world. The stone is a symbol of the physical with nothing behind it. When we trust in the physical world, of necessity our ego takes over and tries to control that physical world. For if there is only a physical world, then everything exists outside of ourselves, and there is no "unity" at all within the cosmos, because everything is an independent object.
But we know that is not true. We know it is the consciousness that unites all things that is the ultimate reality. And when we recognize this unity, when we recognize the interconnectedness of all things, (hexagram thirty) then we no longer are "oppressed by stone." We have a guide in the spiritual realm that can help us, and guide us. This helper in the spiritual realm is the "forester" in hexagram three line three, without which "we lose our way in the forest." The forest is a metaphor for a land we are not familiar with, where everything looks the same and as such we cannot find our way home. Without the "spiritual" knowledge given to us by the I Ching, we can never truly find our way home. We are wanderers, as in hexagram fifty six. When we wander through the physical world we have no guideline, no teacher, no forester, who can show us the way. Without knowledge of the true spiritual teacher, our higher self, we go nowhere, and find ourselves "oppressed by stone." The way of the world invariably leads to oppression, suppression, and depression, because devoid of spirit it is cold and lifeless.
When we are oppressed by the mundanity of our physical world, it is as if we "enter our house and do not see our wife." Our wife here can be on one level a metaphor for our spiritual guide in the unseen realms. Since it is an unseen realm, naturally, we do not see our wife, unless we can comprehend and experience the unseen realm.
Entering our house can also be a metaphor for going within, to a place deep within. But if we do not understand the nature of the cosmos, if we are still beset by the commonplaces of life, we do not meet our higher self. We "do not see our wife." Our wife is a metaphor for something that we should be in a sense "married to." In other words, it is a metaphor for that which is our highest purpose. If we are caught up in the material world, we are not following our "highest purpose," and in that sense cannot be truly "married" to that which is our destiny, our purpose. We are "oppressed by stone and lean on thorns and thistles."
But we also lean on thorns and thistles when we depend entirely upon the material world. The material world is an illusion, and if we trust solely on it, it cannot continue to prop us up. The man "permits himself to be oppressed by stone" when he adamantly refuses to give up on the premise that there is nothing beyond the physical world. The stone is a symbol of the physical with nothing behind it. When we trust in the physical world, of necessity our ego takes over and tries to control that physical world. For if there is only a physical world, then everything exists outside of ourselves, and there is no "unity" at all within the cosmos, because everything is an independent object.
But we know that is not true. We know it is the consciousness that unites all things that is the ultimate reality. And when we recognize this unity, when we recognize the interconnectedness of all things, (hexagram thirty) then we no longer are "oppressed by stone." We have a guide in the spiritual realm that can help us, and guide us. This helper in the spiritual realm is the "forester" in hexagram three line three, without which "we lose our way in the forest." The forest is a metaphor for a land we are not familiar with, where everything looks the same and as such we cannot find our way home. Without the "spiritual" knowledge given to us by the I Ching, we can never truly find our way home. We are wanderers, as in hexagram fifty six. When we wander through the physical world we have no guideline, no teacher, no forester, who can show us the way. Without knowledge of the true spiritual teacher, our higher self, we go nowhere, and find ourselves "oppressed by stone." The way of the world invariably leads to oppression, suppression, and depression, because devoid of spirit it is cold and lifeless.
When we are oppressed by the mundanity of our physical world, it is as if we "enter our house and do not see our wife." Our wife here can be on one level a metaphor for our spiritual guide in the unseen realms. Since it is an unseen realm, naturally, we do not see our wife, unless we can comprehend and experience the unseen realm.
Entering our house can also be a metaphor for going within, to a place deep within. But if we do not understand the nature of the cosmos, if we are still beset by the commonplaces of life, we do not meet our higher self. We "do not see our wife." Our wife is a metaphor for something that we should be in a sense "married to." In other words, it is a metaphor for that which is our highest purpose. If we are caught up in the material world, we are not following our "highest purpose," and in that sense cannot be truly "married" to that which is our destiny, our purpose. We are "oppressed by stone and lean on thorns and thistles."
Monday, January 16, 2012
The Superior Man Receives a Chariot
Hexagram twenty three line six shows the final hours of decay when the structure collapses upon itself. There are times in our relationships, in our businesses, in our personal lives, where, no matter how hard we have tried, we just can not shore up the structure of our lives, and things will not stand, but fall apart.
This is a law of nature. We find in hexagram eighteen that it is not simply a law of nature but the price we pay for negligence. But it is also the law of nature that everything in the universe ultimately breaks down. It does not maintain stability. Our relationships may indeed last a lifetime, and happily so, but given enough time, if we lived long enough, those too would eventually break down, unless an awful lot of care was placed in them, enough care that it would almost be a superhuman task.
But hexagrams twenty three and twenty four, as well as hexagrams sixty three and sixty four, and many other pairs, show the natural law of degeneration, regeneration, back to degeneration, then back to regeneration. The line teaches us that at the time of the greatest collapse, at the time when everything has failed, and there is nothing else we can do, we must simply trust and allow. As in hexagram forty seven line two we "overcome a disagreeable situation by patience of spirit." We understand that while when good times end they are met with bad times, so, when bad times end they are met with good times.
But it all depends ultimately on our poise and patience, our commitment, and our confidence in the higher self to work for our ultimate good. Only the superior man can do this. For this reason the superior man "receives a chariot." We is given a way out, and when the collapse is complete, he finds the good, the "fruit uneaten" in it all.
There is another reason and way the superior man receives a chariot as well. The superior man realizes through the circumstances of life that there is a deeper meaning, and is willing to work to discover that meaning, and find "purpose" out of misfortune. The chariot is a means by which the superior person finds a deeper meaning in the I Ching. The chariot is a tool whereby we can go from one place (intellectually) to another. We are given a tool whereby we can unlock deeper secrets of the I Ching. Fortune is found in misfortune, and misfortune in fortune. As well, there is no blessing without a curse, and no curse without a blessing. Have we found the chariot whereby we can unlock the secrets of the I Ching? Have we received the chariot whereby we can have a deeper understanding of our true selves, of how to make our lives work, to have more harmony in our relationships, and more power to mobilize ourselves and enrich our lives in every way?
This is a law of nature. We find in hexagram eighteen that it is not simply a law of nature but the price we pay for negligence. But it is also the law of nature that everything in the universe ultimately breaks down. It does not maintain stability. Our relationships may indeed last a lifetime, and happily so, but given enough time, if we lived long enough, those too would eventually break down, unless an awful lot of care was placed in them, enough care that it would almost be a superhuman task.
But hexagrams twenty three and twenty four, as well as hexagrams sixty three and sixty four, and many other pairs, show the natural law of degeneration, regeneration, back to degeneration, then back to regeneration. The line teaches us that at the time of the greatest collapse, at the time when everything has failed, and there is nothing else we can do, we must simply trust and allow. As in hexagram forty seven line two we "overcome a disagreeable situation by patience of spirit." We understand that while when good times end they are met with bad times, so, when bad times end they are met with good times.
But it all depends ultimately on our poise and patience, our commitment, and our confidence in the higher self to work for our ultimate good. Only the superior man can do this. For this reason the superior man "receives a chariot." We is given a way out, and when the collapse is complete, he finds the good, the "fruit uneaten" in it all.
There is another reason and way the superior man receives a chariot as well. The superior man realizes through the circumstances of life that there is a deeper meaning, and is willing to work to discover that meaning, and find "purpose" out of misfortune. The chariot is a means by which the superior person finds a deeper meaning in the I Ching. The chariot is a tool whereby we can go from one place (intellectually) to another. We are given a tool whereby we can unlock deeper secrets of the I Ching. Fortune is found in misfortune, and misfortune in fortune. As well, there is no blessing without a curse, and no curse without a blessing. Have we found the chariot whereby we can unlock the secrets of the I Ching? Have we received the chariot whereby we can have a deeper understanding of our true selves, of how to make our lives work, to have more harmony in our relationships, and more power to mobilize ourselves and enrich our lives in every way?
A Few Quick Notes
Primarily, it appears that the SOPA laws, the "internet kill switch" has been put on hold due to much resistance by "major web behemoths," (a quote from an article for today by Alex Jones), and free speech remains alive just a while longer, at least for the most part, (many videos have been removed from youtube by government request, despite the first amendment). There also seems to be some forward and backstepping on the possibility of war with Iran. This could be world war III, or it could be more minor for the time being. I do think something big is brewing here, it is just a matter of when the sidestepping will stop and action will begin. It may be some time down the road however.
We must take into consideration whether these events are just happening at this time in history, or whether they are really contrived. There may be those in power who wish to bring about the end times scenario predicted in the Bible. But why? Why bring about such death and destruction? The destruction caused by world war III in itself would be unimaginable. But suppose, and I submit to you there is, a group of people, who have a very slightly different genetic makeup that the common person, who for reasons we won't go into right now, absolutely hate the common man and are looking for ways to destroy mankind, making it look like it was the natural byproduct of war. If there is a war that destroys a large part of mankind in the works, in the process of that war, could not the genetically different elite on this planet use that same time to create extremely powerful superbugs to destroy our health? Destroy our crops? Use technologies such as HAARP to change our weather patterns, and wherever possible create mayhem?
There is a verse in the book of Revelations, (the most commonly used book of prophecy in the Christian Worlds Bible) that says, "hid themselves in the dens and the rocks of the mountains, And said to the rocks and mountains, fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne...." Do these people plan to use the underground bunkers as shelters during this time so that they can survive while the rest of mankind suffers? It is not as far fetched as some may think, for it is well known that the governments of the world have been rapidly creating underground shelters everywhere. I will leave it to the readers to decide what they think of this.
We must take into consideration whether these events are just happening at this time in history, or whether they are really contrived. There may be those in power who wish to bring about the end times scenario predicted in the Bible. But why? Why bring about such death and destruction? The destruction caused by world war III in itself would be unimaginable. But suppose, and I submit to you there is, a group of people, who have a very slightly different genetic makeup that the common person, who for reasons we won't go into right now, absolutely hate the common man and are looking for ways to destroy mankind, making it look like it was the natural byproduct of war. If there is a war that destroys a large part of mankind in the works, in the process of that war, could not the genetically different elite on this planet use that same time to create extremely powerful superbugs to destroy our health? Destroy our crops? Use technologies such as HAARP to change our weather patterns, and wherever possible create mayhem?
There is a verse in the book of Revelations, (the most commonly used book of prophecy in the Christian Worlds Bible) that says, "hid themselves in the dens and the rocks of the mountains, And said to the rocks and mountains, fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne...." Do these people plan to use the underground bunkers as shelters during this time so that they can survive while the rest of mankind suffers? It is not as far fetched as some may think, for it is well known that the governments of the world have been rapidly creating underground shelters everywhere. I will leave it to the readers to decide what they think of this.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Many Variances
One of the beautiful and key things about the I Ching and the concept of yin and yang is that it can be taken on so many levels. Hence an affirmaton of the old principle, as above so below. Albeit, in many cases, on different levels the principles seem to reverse themselves. As such, while on many occasions yin would appear to be "evil" while yang is "good," this is not really the case, except as the outside observer would emotionally attach those qualities to it. For whatever is cannot exist without its opposite. And this is key to the I Ching and the Tao Teh Ching. Therefore, while it often appears in the I Ching that yang is being given positive press, in the Tao Teh Ching it would appear yin is being given positive press. Nevertheless, when we understand that nothing can exist without its opposite, we understand that neither one pole nor the other can be evil or good in and of itself. It is only when yin and yang express themselves in opposition to each other rather than in complement to one another that "evil" appears (to the observer).
Therefore the permutations between the powers of yin and yang cannot be exhausted. And on one level yin and yang can refer to space and time, on another it can refer to the interaction of the sexes, hence we get information on relationships. On yet another level it can refer to the rulers in relationship to the masses, or it can refer to conscious in relationship to subconscious, or it can relate to the higher self in relationship to the lower self, ego to spirit, spirit to matter, and on and on and on.
In many societies matter is considered to be evil, being devoid of its spiritual nature. But matter is merely the manifestation of the interactions of interference waves which are in essence spirit. So if we call matter bad in essence we are calling spirit bad as well. (This does not negate or belittle the argument that matter is bad, it is all a matter of context and understanding the real intent behind the metaphor.)
Again, yin and yang can refer to the soul of man as in contrast to the spirit of man. Unfortunately a certain website no longer exists that discussed this concept in depth. The creator of the website, Peter Novak, has decided to invest his time elsewhere. His books however, are I believe still available. They speak of the division of soul and spirit after death, the spirit being consciousness and the soul being subconsciousness, and all that these concepts intail. After death, if a person has not properly integrated these two forces, then soul and spirit separate, and the conscious mind no longer has any memory of itself, and just goes back to the universal force from which it came. In Japanese understanding, the spirit goes back to its Kami, or God. The soul, losing its conscious reason and logic, goes into a tailspin of memory and emotion, replaying its life experiences over and over again, with no rational thought on how to interpret these experiences.
We have not discussed this concept of the i Ching much, I hope to do much better in the future about daily getting out material that covers different aspects, including relationship analysis, spiritual analysis, and cosmic analysis with also some interpretation relating to the death experiences. The multidimensionality of the I Ching is for all practical purposes without end, and it becomes impractical to try to cover or discuss them all, but as much as possible I hope to do it.
Therefore the permutations between the powers of yin and yang cannot be exhausted. And on one level yin and yang can refer to space and time, on another it can refer to the interaction of the sexes, hence we get information on relationships. On yet another level it can refer to the rulers in relationship to the masses, or it can refer to conscious in relationship to subconscious, or it can relate to the higher self in relationship to the lower self, ego to spirit, spirit to matter, and on and on and on.
In many societies matter is considered to be evil, being devoid of its spiritual nature. But matter is merely the manifestation of the interactions of interference waves which are in essence spirit. So if we call matter bad in essence we are calling spirit bad as well. (This does not negate or belittle the argument that matter is bad, it is all a matter of context and understanding the real intent behind the metaphor.)
Again, yin and yang can refer to the soul of man as in contrast to the spirit of man. Unfortunately a certain website no longer exists that discussed this concept in depth. The creator of the website, Peter Novak, has decided to invest his time elsewhere. His books however, are I believe still available. They speak of the division of soul and spirit after death, the spirit being consciousness and the soul being subconsciousness, and all that these concepts intail. After death, if a person has not properly integrated these two forces, then soul and spirit separate, and the conscious mind no longer has any memory of itself, and just goes back to the universal force from which it came. In Japanese understanding, the spirit goes back to its Kami, or God. The soul, losing its conscious reason and logic, goes into a tailspin of memory and emotion, replaying its life experiences over and over again, with no rational thought on how to interpret these experiences.
We have not discussed this concept of the i Ching much, I hope to do much better in the future about daily getting out material that covers different aspects, including relationship analysis, spiritual analysis, and cosmic analysis with also some interpretation relating to the death experiences. The multidimensionality of the I Ching is for all practical purposes without end, and it becomes impractical to try to cover or discuss them all, but as much as possible I hope to do it.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Not Striving for Advantage
The I Ching informs us in many different ways of the same subject, over and over again, so that if we are persistent we get it. One of those very important subjects, we have been contemplating consistently is that of unity. Hexagram forty five continues the subject of unity. The commentary in line four says, "Since he is not striving for any special advantages for himself but is working unselfishly to bring about general unity, his work is crowned with success, and everything becomes as it should be." Selfishness obstructs unity, selflessness embellishes it. The key here is that the subject is not working for himself alone, but is working for a higher power, in this case the king in line five; but the king so often is a symbol for the "higher self" or that part of us that is bigger than the individual self. It is only when we give up self aggrandizement, only when we give up seeking control and taking for ourselves only out of fear that there is only so much and we need to control everything to survive, that we have any real chance at self improvement. In striving for others we ultimately help ourselves as well as others because we bring about unity.
There was a time when the absolute one consciousness of the universe decided that in order to experience itself fully, it would have to splinter itself into many different parts, then forget that all those parts were all its own consciousness. So the big bang began, and each part of the universe that came to be came to believe it was separate from every other part. In order to experience itself in this way, it had to forget that all was one. But for us that leaves disaster, for in thinking we are separate, we tend to be fearful of that which is outside of us and therefore, feel the need to control everything and every one. But there was still deep within the unconscious the memory that all was one, and wise men of the ages discovered this by one means or another, and as they did, in that sense they became like the prodigal son and began their journey home. There were many pitfalls along the way, for the sense of separation does not die easily, and even when we know intellectually that we are all one, we still operate in many ways from the deeply seated belief that we are separate from everyone and everything else, so our journey is a tenuous one where, every day we must "invest in loss," in order to gain the truly deep wisdom that all is one. There is no end to this journey back home, but ironically, in many ways "The road is better than the inn," and eventually we do for all practical purposes, find our way back home.
The key though, is the unselfish aspect of the line, for unselfishness is very selfish ultimately, but only in the good sense of the word, for the key to truly helping ourselves is to help others. And we especially must help others when we can to find their way out of the darkness into the light of "unity." For there is ultimately only one sin, the sin of ignorance." Even then the sin is somewhat meaningless in terms of punishment except as we, when given the light, refuse to come to that light. Oh, that we might have that light, and have it more abundantly.
There was a time when the absolute one consciousness of the universe decided that in order to experience itself fully, it would have to splinter itself into many different parts, then forget that all those parts were all its own consciousness. So the big bang began, and each part of the universe that came to be came to believe it was separate from every other part. In order to experience itself in this way, it had to forget that all was one. But for us that leaves disaster, for in thinking we are separate, we tend to be fearful of that which is outside of us and therefore, feel the need to control everything and every one. But there was still deep within the unconscious the memory that all was one, and wise men of the ages discovered this by one means or another, and as they did, in that sense they became like the prodigal son and began their journey home. There were many pitfalls along the way, for the sense of separation does not die easily, and even when we know intellectually that we are all one, we still operate in many ways from the deeply seated belief that we are separate from everyone and everything else, so our journey is a tenuous one where, every day we must "invest in loss," in order to gain the truly deep wisdom that all is one. There is no end to this journey back home, but ironically, in many ways "The road is better than the inn," and eventually we do for all practical purposes, find our way back home.
The key though, is the unselfish aspect of the line, for unselfishness is very selfish ultimately, but only in the good sense of the word, for the key to truly helping ourselves is to help others. And we especially must help others when we can to find their way out of the darkness into the light of "unity." For there is ultimately only one sin, the sin of ignorance." Even then the sin is somewhat meaningless in terms of punishment except as we, when given the light, refuse to come to that light. Oh, that we might have that light, and have it more abundantly.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Counting the Cost Part II
Part two is added here in a short paragraph because "counting the cost," is also part of the message Lao T'zu gave out when he said that 'every day he invests in loss." Every day he loses a little bit more. What is it that he loses? He loses himself. He loses his pride, his ego, and becomes more modest, knowing that there is an even bigger power than that of his little, limited selfish ego. With that knowledge he gains immeasurably in the more spiritual aspects of his nature, and as he becomes more aligned with a higher power, while at the same time remaining modest, his powerful intention (which comes from deeper within) manifests itself in the material world. Therefore Lao T'zu says, "Ever desireless, one sees the mystery, ever desiring, one sees the manifestation." The words have multiple meanings here and operate on many different levels, but on one level he appears to be saying that by eliminating the desires (of the little self) daily, (practicing chariot driving) he becomes freer and freer to behold the mystery. Through desire, (of the higher self) one manifests one's desires on the material plane. (This is just one meaning, there is a contrary meaning here as well.)
When we let go and allow the universe to flow through us, then we find that the universe accomplishes our deeper (more spiritual) desires through us, but if we focus only on the materialization of those desires, we cannot see the true mystery from which all things emanate. And that emanation is from the "Universal Subconscious Mind," or, in other words, from the Tao. Jesus said, "you cannot serve God and Mammon." in other words you cannot serve both the belief system of a material world only and at the same time, the belief system that there is spirit as well. You must recognize the two as one; that there is no difference and yet the first cause is spirit, the material is only a manifestation of the mind of the "Divine," The Tao. And it will melt away from you if you put your faith totally in it not recognizing the reality behind it.
The "pearl of great price" is the mystery of what we seek. The "pearl" is that first cause, of which the material world is only a reflection, and the "pearl of great price" is that ability to be so connected that we truly create our own reality. Our desire should only be to spirit, if our desire is to the material world, our desire is based on an illusion, and it is foolish to serve an illusion.
When we let go and allow the universe to flow through us, then we find that the universe accomplishes our deeper (more spiritual) desires through us, but if we focus only on the materialization of those desires, we cannot see the true mystery from which all things emanate. And that emanation is from the "Universal Subconscious Mind," or, in other words, from the Tao. Jesus said, "you cannot serve God and Mammon." in other words you cannot serve both the belief system of a material world only and at the same time, the belief system that there is spirit as well. You must recognize the two as one; that there is no difference and yet the first cause is spirit, the material is only a manifestation of the mind of the "Divine," The Tao. And it will melt away from you if you put your faith totally in it not recognizing the reality behind it.
The "pearl of great price" is the mystery of what we seek. The "pearl" is that first cause, of which the material world is only a reflection, and the "pearl of great price" is that ability to be so connected that we truly create our own reality. Our desire should only be to spirit, if our desire is to the material world, our desire is based on an illusion, and it is foolish to serve an illusion.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Counting the Cost
In any study of any spiritual discipline, one must count the cost for seeking the "pearl of great price" that is to be found at the heart of all great spiritual scripture. St. Paul said, "The letter killeth, it is the spirit that giveth life." This is true in all sacred literature. If we look just at the surface meaning of a line or hexagram, we are looking as did the young person in line two of hexagram twenty. We see only from our own limited capacity, and do not realize anything more is possible.
But if we want the "large fruit still uneaten," we are going to have to pay a price for it. In western religious tradition, when Jesus said something to the effect of "if you want to be my disciple you must count the cost," the later church took this to mean that you would have to realize that you are going to be persecuted. But there is a deeper message here (there always is) It is not simply a matter of being persecuted for believing the truth, it is a matter of having to give up time, to give up energy, and to give up things that are important to us. There is no other way. To truly know the I Ching, to truly know the message of Christ, there is going to have to be a time away from the mundane things that we love in order to spend time in meditation and study. We study the words of the text then we meditate upon them to find the more esoteric meaning, and the meaning that applies to each of us in this place and time that the lesson be personalized, and becomes part of our inner being. There is no other way but through sacrifice. It does not matter which spiritual tradition you accept, the only way to find the "pearl of great price" is to do the work, "practice chariot driving daily." The real goal for each person is to "know him or herself," not just superficially, but to really know the deeper aspects of the subconscious, and to know, not just believe, not just know intellectually, but to experientially know that we are one with the cosmos, with the universe. When we know that we have taken significant steps toward knowing ourselves, experientially, and knowing that we are "one with God." Full atonement, at-one-ment. But if we choose this step, if we choose to be a discipline of the Tao, of the I Ching, of the Christ or of the Buddha, we are going to have to count the cost, and see if we are capable of paying that price, the price of the "pearl of great price," which is to know our own place in the universe, and with the Cosmic Christ.
But if we want the "large fruit still uneaten," we are going to have to pay a price for it. In western religious tradition, when Jesus said something to the effect of "if you want to be my disciple you must count the cost," the later church took this to mean that you would have to realize that you are going to be persecuted. But there is a deeper message here (there always is) It is not simply a matter of being persecuted for believing the truth, it is a matter of having to give up time, to give up energy, and to give up things that are important to us. There is no other way. To truly know the I Ching, to truly know the message of Christ, there is going to have to be a time away from the mundane things that we love in order to spend time in meditation and study. We study the words of the text then we meditate upon them to find the more esoteric meaning, and the meaning that applies to each of us in this place and time that the lesson be personalized, and becomes part of our inner being. There is no other way but through sacrifice. It does not matter which spiritual tradition you accept, the only way to find the "pearl of great price" is to do the work, "practice chariot driving daily." The real goal for each person is to "know him or herself," not just superficially, but to really know the deeper aspects of the subconscious, and to know, not just believe, not just know intellectually, but to experientially know that we are one with the cosmos, with the universe. When we know that we have taken significant steps toward knowing ourselves, experientially, and knowing that we are "one with God." Full atonement, at-one-ment. But if we choose this step, if we choose to be a discipline of the Tao, of the I Ching, of the Christ or of the Buddha, we are going to have to count the cost, and see if we are capable of paying that price, the price of the "pearl of great price," which is to know our own place in the universe, and with the Cosmic Christ.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)