The gateway to the I Ching

I have been talking for a while about how hexagram one and two are a prototype for everything that follows in the I Ching, and I thought I would digress shortly to talk about these two hexagrams and then get back to hexagram fifty three. Hopefully these posts will go into my I Ching in sequential order sequence also a little later, and eventually become part of a book. I noticed today in Alfred Huang's book on the I Ching that in his writeup about hexagram one and two, he calls these two hexagrams "the gateway to the I Ching." This is a somewhat different way of saying the same thing. I will go into this a little tomorrow and more in depth later. For today I will say this. The I Ching is a spiritual book which contains within its pages the method of developing spiritual power, only the surface will be available to you if you do not understand the depth of this book, and granted, that is all many people want. But the real depth is very profound, even within the context of an English translation, there is much material to be absorbed. If you do not believe this you are going to miss out on a lot, and will not be able to accept much of what I have to say. That is okay, you can still get something out of it on your own level. But understand, there is a spiritual world, and it is very real, and it is in fact one and the same as the material world, the only thing that needs to be understood is that this material world has consciousness, and therein lies the depth of its teaching. Once you grasp this, you grasp an understanding of the cosmos, until you do, you will still be freaking out over things that happen to you day to day. That being said, tomorrow I hope to begin a series more in depth than anything in the past.

Gene

Financial Armageddon

It is coming, it really is, and that is not just vain talk of conspiracy theorists. Mainstream media is talking about this. Of course, it all boils down to the budget problems in Washington D.C. but the point is it doesn't matter who wins the debate. We have gotten ourselves into a debacle. If we borrow more we will have to pay higher interest rates. If we do not, many parts of government will have to shut down.

This is far more serious than most people think. I suspect we are going to see crisis, real crisis, within one to three months. I could be wrong, but only about the date. It is coming and it has been planned. It is too hard to maintain control over billions of people if they are financially well off. That is why we have 9% or worse unemployment. That is why we have allowed ourselves to go $14 trillion into debt. We expect the government to fix all of our problems, but forget there is a cost to it. We have to fix our own problems....

And if that isn't enough, next year it is expected that the greenhouse light bulb laws will go into effect. These bulbs are very costly if broken, and cost $50 apiece. Also there is talk of a tax per mile driven in your private car. There is also pending regulation allowing the government to go into your home at any time, and check the thermometer in your house to see if you are using too much heat,(supposedly causing global warming) and they will have the right to turn the thermostat down, and possibly fine you. There is the strong likelihood of, due to the deficit problem, a serious devaluation of the dollar, and if people think they are hurting at the gas pump and the grocery store now, just wait.

On other fronts, there are serious weather problems causing flooding in the Midwest and South. This is not over yet, and is going to get much worse. You will see for yourself soon. The sun is preparing for another massive burst of solar radiation that will no doubt have an affect on earth, a serious one, if it comes directly toward us.

I am not talking about end of the world here, but our world is on the verge of very, very serious disruption. Our way of life will be forceably changed, and it would be wise for everyone to start looking for ways to protect themselves and their families in any way they can. Most people right now are still in the dark about the serious situation they and the United States are in. It is gong to hit a lot of people by surprise. But a lot of people on the financial market already know that it is armageddon time at least on the financial markets. I expect, though I do not know that there will be a major stock market crash sometime this year, probably earlier rather than later, when it becomes apparent there is no real solution to this problem. We have been asleep and have not been informed by the leaders of our nation until now.

Incidentally, this problem will soon affect the entire world.

Gene

Hexagram fifty three and keeping still

In several ways we are taught in the book of changes that gradual progress is based on "keeping still," or on meditation. One way is that hexagram fifty three comes immediately after hexagram fifty two which is "keeping still." Another way is that the lower trigram in "gradual progress" is k'en, or keeping still, (the mountain). A third way is that when line five, the ruler of the hexagram changes we have hexagram fifty two, keeping still.

This is the basis for everything. Without times in meditation, quietness, and keeping still we can never get in touch with our deeper, or our higher self, and therefore never really know ourselves. Many people today, especially young people, have the attitude that silence is oppressive. That is because through silence they are forced to come to terms with themselves which they do NOT want to do, at all costs. It is too frightening.

And speak of frightening, look at hexagram fifty one. This hexagram is the very opposite of keeping still, it refers to shocking movement. Yet it says that, "The shock terrifies for a hundred miles, And he does not let fall the sacrificial spoon and chalice. In otherwords, he or she is so accomplished in meditation and keeping still that even the greatest shock, the greatest unexpected event of epic proportions, does not cause him or her to lose their inner peace of mind. We would all like to have that inner tranquility, yet we do everything in our power to keep from having it. We must set aside time each day to go within. Without that time our electromagnetic field degenerates faster and we die at an earlier date, or manifest disease which was not meant for us in our life times. Without that we become unstable, and unable to deal with the perplexities of life. And we are unable to gradually develop into better and more accomplished people in our lives.

At the same time we must not let stillness become such a mainstay in our lives that we forget to do our work. If we become lazy, if we become indulgent, and do not apply ourselves, then things tend to spoil, and the opposite of development is experienced. When lines two and five change, the upper trigram becomes the lower, and the lower becomes the higher, which results in hexagram eighteen, which implies decay. Then we must take action. Lao T'zu said, "The way to overcome coldness, is through movement, and the way to overcome heat, is through stillness." There must be a moderation in all things. When we are heated, or when we are angry, we must maintain stillness. Stillness will overcome the anger. When we are cold, or when we are inactive, lazy, we must produce activity within ourselves. Activity will overcome depression. Activity will overcome laziness. We just get out and do it. If we try to accomplish too much all at once, we become like line four in hexagram thirty. We "flame up, die down, and get thrown away," We must progress just a little bit each day, with a consistency that never slackens. Then we achieve our goals, and our achievement makes us happy.

Gene

Hexagram fifty three line three

In hexagram fifty three line three it is said, "It furthers one to fight off robbers." The third line is almost always in a position of relative danger. It is yang and properly yang so the prototype for it is in hexagram one line three. Here it is said, "Danger. No blame." Yang lines tend to rise, and the third line, being properly a yang line, tends to rise, or wants to rise into the upper trigram. The upper trigram relates to heaven or a place of power. In order to rise to this position one must be careful of his actions and attitudes, or it can be struck down in its attempt to rise. (See hexagram sixty two line three) But if it does get struck down it is because it has acted in a way that is "contrary to the law of development." Line three does not have a correlation with line six, and line two is already taken by line five. Line four is its only connection, but this line is not appropriate for it. (That can give you a hint as to the meaning of the reading if you get line three and four changing.) Therefore, it is said, "The woman carries a child but does not bring it forth." In other words, speaking in terms of relationships, though the relationship is there, it really carries no weight. Nothing comes of the relationship. Not being a proper match, the best that can be hoped for is minor satisfaction. ("A safe place in which life can go on, although he may be surrounded by danger.")

In other terms, it is also said, "The man goes forth and does not return." This normally can be translated into, he tried to enter the higher realms,(of the king or whatever,) and did not make it. Perhaps he was struck down. But the reason is this: He tried to enter rashly through struggle. He did not heed the meaning of the timing, and did not wait for the proper time. He tried to do it on his own without acceding to the wisdom and planning of the deeper self. The conscious mind does not have the resources to know all of the "hidden lines," (Hidden dragon, do not act) and plunges in of his own choice. We must always wait for the right timing. We do this through preparation, but in all things being aware that our conscious powers are not enough, we must have the humility to wait for that inner prompting, for only it knows the right timing for an event to occur.

There is a theme here, in all the pages of the I Ching, that teaches us that all things depend on a higher power of which we are not fully aware. The key is to tap into that higher power and open a connection. This is normally done through meditation, combined with understanding the spiritual power inherent in sacred literature, including the I Ching, the Bible, the Tao Teh Ching, and multiple other sources. All of these sources should be consulted in relationship to one another. They should not be taken alone, or literally, or at face value. Their deeper messages are not meant for the masses or the unready. They are only meant for those who are ready to concede to a higher power in their lives and allow that higher power to be their guidance systems.

Gene

Off topic, but important

This film is long, but full of information, right or wrong. You decide if you wish to view it. You can agree or disagree as you choose.

http://www.forbiddenknowledgetv.com/videos/war/arsenal-of-hypocrisy-documentary-feature-film.html

Gene

More still on hexagram fifty three

In line two of hexagram fifty three we have a sign of initial progress, with a temporary stillness, as the young person in line one takes a break. Notice here the correlation with hexagram five line five. This happens because the I Ching is more than just an oracle. It is a designator of a way of life, and there is a spiritual philosophy that emanates from its pages. Line two of hexagram fifty three says, "...Eating and drinking in peace and concord." In hexagram five line five it is said, "Waiting at meat and drink." (We should be, when we receive oracles from the I Ching, noticing the correlation with other lines and judgments in order to get a broader view of the message of the I Ching, not just for a reading but for personal growth.) There are times when we can and should do nothing. That doesn't mean nothing is happening. But we must wait for the right time to act. The commentary on line five in five says, "It is not possible to achieve everything at once." We must understand this, and allow it to reflect in our lives. There are times when the clouds seem to cover the sun, (see hexagram fifty five) and our way seems darkened. We do not know which way to go. But if we just allow ourselves to wait, the way eventually shows itself out of the darkness. (Hexagram five line six, among many.) It often seems as if we are in a pit. We stray into a gloomy valley, and all seems lost. But that is just a preparation. We cannot do everything ourselves. There is a deeper subconscious part of us that is working when we are not. It fills in the missing pieces while it seems nothing is happening. It is necessary to let go of the ego in order to allow this deeper level to do its work behind the scenes. The prototype for this line is found in hexagram two line two. (A yin line in one of the two primary hexagrams defining yin and yang.) The line says, "...without purpose, yet nothing remains unfurthered. (The second hexagram lends itself well to the functioning and nature of the subconscious mind.) And hexagram one line two says, "Dragon appearing in the field." The dragon arises from the depths of the unconscious and it does so only when it is time (hexagram one is about time, hexagram two is about space) for it to do so. It cannot be called forth by the conscious mind, but acts in its own time and on its own terms.

So... line two commentary says, "This first success, opening up a path to activity...." It is only when the dragon appears that the time is ripe. Line one of hexagram one says, "Hidden dragon, do not act." Line two says the dragon appears, and here is our opportunity. We must wait for the time to reveal itself. This is true in relationships as well. We cannot force the issue, it must happen in its own time, when the "dragon" has appeared in the field. When it does, then we can "Eat and drink in peace and concord."

And one more thing. Notice how this line relates to line two in hexagram sixty one. "A crane calling in the shade. Its young answers it. I have a good goblet. I will share it with you." This line is not correct, but it doesn't have to be in this case, because hexagram sixty one speaks of the uniting of two people who are inwardly alike. When we do what we are supposed to do, and act in a way that is in accord with the time, peace prevails, at least eventually, when the time is right, and we can renew ourselves and prepare for futures struggles.

Gene

New website planned

I hope soon, hopefully less than two months, to have a full website offering services such as readings. There are some administrative difficulties in the moment.

But I also highly recommend Hilary's onlineclarity.co.uk. There you will have the opportunity to have readers look at your readings and offer answers. You will also have the opportunity to contact Hilary about more detailed and professional readings by her terms. I highly recommend the site as a source of information about the I Ching and a place to discuss anything.

Gene

Prayers for those going through the floods after the tornadoes

My heart goes out, and I'm sure all of America's do too, for the families and individuals of the south and midwest and elsewhere who are presently going through the horrible flooding after the recent spate of storms. May you receive comfort from God or whoever or whatever you believe in, or let's say, May you receive comfort, and help.

Gene

First steps

In a way, hexagram fifty three is a mirror or a microcosmic view of the message of the I Ching overall. The I Ching is a guidebook on how to make our lives work, and is a teacher to help us through life. In that way hexagram fifty three and hexagram four and hexagram twenty nine have a lot in common. In hexagram four the young person has a teacher. There is someone there to guide him. In our cases that is the I Ching itself. It is a guide post to help us through life. In hexagram twenty nine, life itself is the teacher and in hexagram fifty three line one, experience is the teacher. For an actual teacher outside of ourselves can only take us so far. He or she can give us a framework to go on, but it is experience that teaches us how to apply the lessons learned. So, in hexagram fifty three line one it says, "The young son is in danger. There is talk. No blame." The young son is in danger because he does not yet know how to apply the principles taught him by the sage in hexagram four. Since others more experienced do not remember the stumbles they took in applying the teaching, they tend to be critical of the mistakes of youth. The sage him or her self, however, is not so critical, except as a teaching tool.

Since hexagrams one and two are the prototype for all that follow, the first line of hexagram one says, "Hidden dragon, do not act." This fits in well with the principles of hexagram fifty three, twenty five, and all other hexagrams as well, since it is never wise to act in a contrived manner. Attempts at manipulation will always come back to bite us sooner or later. When we are inexperienced we cannot apply the lessons of the teacher in the right way. We have misunderstood the context in which the sage presents each lesson. Therefore, upon going out alone, as is spoken of in hexagram fifty three line one, it is necessary that we be cautious in the beginning, like the little fox in hexagram sixty four, who cautiously checks the ice on the stream he is trying to cross. (Life itself is a stream as if of flowing water.) We must learn to pay attention to the promptings of the sage, (our own higher selves) in order to rehear the messages and begin to apply them in the right way. As it says in hexagram four, line four, "Often the teacher... has no other course, but to leave the young person to himself for a time..." For life itself makes it necessary that we eventually step out on our own, and make our own way, hesitantly following the course as best we can in the way that is presented to us.

The commentary on hexagram fifty three, line one says, "Since no one comes to help him, his first steps are slow and hesitant..." This teaching is presented over and over in the I Ching, that everything begins with the first step, but it is nearly impossible to originally apply the principles of life correctly in the early stages of our life. Therefore we receive criticism, but by "practicing chariot driving and armed defense daily," (hexagram twenty six line three) we begin to understand how to properly apply the principles that the teacher has taught us, and though at first the progress is very slow, after years of studying we start making gains in our life faster and faster. Finally, hexagram fifty three line one commentary says, "but these very difficulties keep him from being too hasty, and his progress is successful." Life is the true teacher. Any other teacher can only take us so far, then it is up to us. No one comes out to help us because it would only be counterproductive anyway. We must make life's teachings our own in our own individual way. In this way the sage teaches us in a personal manner, and our life's lessons are not the same as someone else's.

Gene

More on hexagram fifty three

Another statement in the commentary on hexagram fifty three is as: "...within is tranquility, which guards against precipitous actions, and without is penetration, which makes development and progress possible." Here there is some afinity with hexagram sixty one, which speaks of "inner truth," or the way that people who naturally belong with each other attract each other, or find each other. It is through tranquility that the natural truths of the universe come to rest within the individual mind. Only when we have tranquility do we receive "inner truths" from the universe. It is then that we are able to contact spirit and have communication lines open between spirit and person. Line two of hexagram sixty one says, "A crane calling in the shade. Its young answer it." The one's who hear the call are the ones that truly belong to us. The shade can be a metaphor for that time in which we are quiet, and undistracted by the calls of the world. When we focus on that which belongs to us, we hear the call of our own. The young can be a metaphor for the individual person and the crane for our higher selves. It is only through meditation that we can receive communication from the deeper part of ourselves.

This is a gradual process. We do not get in touch with our deeper self, at least not normally, through one meditation practice no matter how exceptional we may be. We must practice. Those who have natural ability will still fall behind those who practice daily. (In hexagram twenty six line three it says, "Practice chariot driving and armed defense daily.") It is tranquility which guides us in actions such that we do not make precipitous mistakes. In other words, we are not hasty. Tranquility comes from an inner confidence that can be derived only from daily contact with our higher self, and with a modesty, (hexagram fifteen) that comes from knowing there is a higher self, something greater than the ego.
When we open the doors of communication with the higher self, through tranquility, and we trust that communication with the higher self, which is a very high form of self confidence, then we are not subject to precipitous actions, or actions that are taken on the basis of limited or inadequate knowledge of the situation. Instead, our actions work properly with the right timing, in accordance with the nature of the teachings in hexagram twenty five which tells us that our actions should come from innocence, not contrived manipulation.
Hexagram twenty five, sixty three and fifty three all have a definite correlation, as do to a certain extent all of the hexagrams in the book of changes. More on this later

Gene

Hexagram Fifty Three and relationships

On onlineclarity.co.uk, I was doing a series on relationships in hexagrams that have the second line yin and the fifth line yang. The principle of the I Ching is that the first third and fifth lines of the hexagram are more properly yang, and the second, fourth, and six lines of a hexagram are more properly yin. It is not necessary at this point to go into that any deeper.

I have just discussed, minimally, hexagram twenty five, and was asked if I could talk about hexagram fifty three. There are a few things I can about that. Hexagram fifty three is another hexagram that contains a yin line in the lower central point of the lower trigram, and a yang line in the central line of the upper trigram. Therefore, it tends to lend itself to instruction about relationships as well. (Of course, it's usefulness is infinite, not just about relationships).

One of the first things that jumps out at mean while reading the Wilhelm/Baynes commentary on the I Ching is as quoted, "The development must be allowed to take its proper course." Is it clear how the message here has an afinity with the message in hexagram 25? Hexagram twenty tells us that we are not to take "contrived" action. That we must simply do the work and allow things to follow naturally. Here we see a related message in the sense that "we cannot force the issue." We must simply do the work, and from that point wait for the proper time. We can plant a tree and cultivate it, but the fruit ripens at its own rate and we cannot force it.

In relationships, this principle is applicable for both men and women, but men in general have a harder time with it, as it is natural for them to be goal oriented. When a more immature man sees an attractive women he is immediately interested, and he will do thing to test the waters or try to create some action. This is natural for men because it seems they must do something or nothing happens. In a way this is true, but it is important that they be very careful about what they do do, and make sure it doesn't appear as an unnatural attempt at seduction. Even more mature men will do the same thing, just more subtley. Unfortunately women pick up on this mannerism much more quickly than men would. Men are activators and go getters. They must learn to allow things to mature at their own rate just as a fruit ripens on the tree. Men must be able to allow things to happen in their own course, and not to move too quickly in a relationship. At the same time, it would be wise for women not to interpret every friendly gesture as meaning something that would create sexual tension. (Sexual tension seems to be a term women understand but men have no clue what it is, they don't feel it. And since they don't, they often do not know how they are coming across.)

I think that is enough for the moment. I will try to get more on this subject in the next day or so.

Gene

The nature of innocence, hexagram 25

The commentary on hexagram twenty five line two says, "We should do every task for its own sake as time and place demand and with an eye to the results. Then each task turns out well and anything we undertake succeeds." In one way this is a continuation of the theme in line one. Line one speaks of innocent action. Line two defines this as doing things for the sake of doing them, and not to contrive an outcome. This goes back again to Lao t'su's principle of nonaction. Manipulation and subterfuge might work for a while, but eventually the actions will boomerang back on the perpetrator. It would be wise to stay away from such activities. When we simply do what is right because it is right, without worrying about the outcome, we find that normally things turn out well. Ths is a universal principle and this principle applies at all times, not just when we receive this hexagram.

In relationships we must apply principles consistently, and follow these principles even when it seems counterproductive. We do what is right. Even if it seems not to be going well, in the long run it will, because we do not always realize what is best for us in the long run. We go by the initial perception only, and do not recognize the longer term outcome of our actions. We have ideas about the rightness or wrongness of the outcome, but we are limited in our perspective, and what appears to be disaster is often a good thing.

These principles will only appeal, and make sense, to those who have a deeper understanding of the nature of the universe. It will be a requirement to understand that the universe has a consciousness, and an intelligence. Without this understanding the deeper elements of the I Ching will make no sense and will be indecipherable. We look for answers from what appears to us to be nothing more than a machine which will automatically give us the answers we want. It doesn't work that way. We are leaving out the spiritual aspect of its nature. If we do so, we will not be able to gain spiritual knowledge that helps us to know and understand ourself and grow spiritually. It is absolutely essential that one understand this principle of universal consciousness. Without this knowledge you will never truly understand the I Ching, and will not be able to tap its true richness. It will be like the well, (hexagram 48) that has not been lined, and/or is not being used. You may get some good answers to many of your questions, but you will continue to live your life in frustration, and will continue to feel like a victim of circumstances even when you get good answers. The I Ching is meant to teach you, especially about yourself, not just inform you about the next course of action. As Confucius says in the commentary on the image, "He who departs from innocence, what does he come to? Heaven's will and blessings do not go with his deeds."

Hexagram fifteen tells us that we are a part of the greater whole, and in order to access that greater part of us, we must have humility. Cunning and manipulation do not form any part of humility, and that greater knowledge, that greater awareness, the higher self within each of us cannot be accessed if we have the wrong attitudes or the wrong desires. Without humility we are cut off from universal circuits; we cannot access our higher selves. We cannot make our relationships, or our careers work, we cannot accomplish tasks in a way that they turn out to be a blessing. We must become aware of this greater consciousness that is aware of all things. and has more information and more access to "hidden lines" than we do.

A short note about timing...and hexagram 7 line one.

Hello

Hexagram 7 line one was mentioned which goes to hexagram 19 as well. Just a quick mention about timing. It is apparent that the I Ching is very much about timing. We can see it in the sequence of the hexagrams, and we can see it in the progression of the lines. The first line relates to the beginning of a time sequence. In hexagram one, line one, we see that there is "a hidden dragon," and we are couselled not to act. In hexagram 2 line two, we see that it is the time when things begin to freeze over, and we must make note of the seasons. Since hexagram seven line one is yin, we look especially to hexagram two line one to understand its meaning. Line one of hexagram two says, "...solid ice is not far off." in other words, we are seeing the beginning of the forces of decay. In hexagram 7 line one, we are once again required to "look to the order of things." If the order is not good, disaster strikes. We cannot move forward until the fundamentals for union and for discipline are setup, so to speak. In a relationship, this could mean that we need to look at the signs of the relationship to determine where it is going. And in determining where it is going, we can look to the requirements for making that relationship stronger, for until the basis for unity is assured, we can make no progress in attempting to "close the deal" so to speak. We must "get our act together." Until we have unity and discipline within ourselves, we cannot expect it in relationships. It is only when we have taken control of ourselves, and controlled the hidden dragon that lines within, that we can have any success. "An army must set forth in proper order.

Hexagram eight

There was a question asked me about hexagram 8, lines 1,2, and 5. It sounds like a reading. I will try to discuss it here, although I am not sure what the context is for the question. As a rule, I only do readings minimally except for situations of spiritual growth. However, there is a place for them. But to answer, I really need to know what the question is. Nevertheless, I will discuss the context in these lines just a little bit.

Hexagram 7 and 8 are both about unity and forming relationships. But in hexagram 7 the context is forming relationships at least partially through coercion, as the context requires for an enforced unity for the good of all. Hexagram 8 is about developing unity too, but only among those who have a common quest. In hexagram 7 unity is developed through coercion, in hexagram 8 it is developed by common interest. Both require a strong leader. But the leadership in seven is different than eight because the context and the requirements for unity are different. In hexagram 8, we join because we want to join. We see a commonality of interest in a time of peace, and a goal that can be reached through WILLFULLY working together.

Hexagram eight deals with multiple types of relationships, hexagram 7 more with relationships formed to overcome an obstacle, relationships that might well break about once the job is done.

With that in mind, the various lines develop the concept of relationship more fully. Both of these hexagrams show some elemental promise for individual relationships, but hexagram 8 has greater validity in this area. This is because, while in both hexagrams, the two central lines correspond, in hexagram 8 the central lines are correct.

Since, in hexagram 8, the first line is yin, we take as the cornerstone of our interpretation, the first line in hexagram 2. Hexagram two line one says that "When hoarfrost is underfoot, solid ice is not far off." This means that the situation is just beginning to develop, and line one in hexagram 8 tells us how to make it develop properly. Line 1 in hexagram 2, again, also tells us that we must pay particular attention to the signposts along the way, to see that we are following our course properly. In hexzgram 8 line one, as well, we must follow the signs within ourselves to make sure we are properly pursuing our relationship with the utmost fundamental sincerity. Sincerity is less important, although still valuable in enforced relationships such as in hexagram 7, but here, it is of the utmost importance. We must check ourselves daily, to find any trace of an ulterior motive, or any form of selfishness, for that motive will eventually wreak havoc on the best of relationships. It is that lack of selfishness, and coming together for the common good, that brings people together in an unenforced union. This is a natural thing, unlike the arbitrary and contrived unity in hexagram 7.

There is a principle here, an undying, eternal principle that is given to us in these verses of the I Ching so that we might come to a greater understanding, and a deeper appreciation of the role, and of our purpose in the universe. The universe is governed by principles, principles that some might say amounts to "God." I prefer to look at it as the natural laws that are not made by a creator, but are one and the same as that creator. All existence has life, and all existence has awareness, therefore, it is impossible in the long run, to get away with anything, for here we are compromising ourselves with universal law, which is both totally impersonal, and yet totally personal, at the same time. This principle, in the I Ching is called "The Sage," in the Bible it is called "God." Call it what you will it is law, and it is awareness. If we violate this law, we automatically pay a penalty for doing so. The Wilhelm Baynes commentary says of this principle that it has the power to attract good fortune to all those who abide by it.

Line two goes deeper into the meaning of principle, and which principles we should follow in the pursuit of developing relationships. (This hexagram should be read in context with hexagrams 61, 31, 32, 53, and 54 at the least.) It is important that we do not pursue relationships to the point that we lose our dignity. (See the image in hexagram 28 and 36.) We must not throw ourselves away. This is true in all forms of relationships, but in personal relationships, it is important that one does not, in order to please the other person, do things that one would not normally do, or feel comfortable with, or even with the motive of impressing unduly the other person.)

Finally, the fifth line, the upper central line, and the ruler of the hexagram, hint to us how to properly choose who belongs with us. Ultimately, in a free society, as opposed to the situation in hexagram 7, it is the other person's choice, whether they join you or not. It is like that old saying, "if you love someone, set them free, if they come back..." (See hexagram 38 line 1) We must choose those who choose us, and let the others go their own way.

When these three lines change, we have hexagram 19, which speaks of approach. When we follow the instructions given to us in the book of Changes, we are more readily willing and able to approach others in a spirit of harmony. When we prove ourselves worthy, the universal sage approaches us, assuming we have approach in the right spirit. Not only do we approach, but the text speaks of "joint approach," for those we have harmonized with are themselves capable of a deeper unity, a deeper understanding and a commonality of relationship. And together we approach the universal sage, and become one with the spirit of light, or the universal light. We are deeper, happier, and more mature individuals when we have developed the relationships that are proper for us. (See the Wilhelm/Baynes commentary on hexagram forty five, line 2.) "There are secret forces at work, bringing those together who belong together." This isn't mindless commentary, this is how the universe works, and this is how the Sage reaches us, and brings us into fellowship with him/her. There are always, always, secret forces bringing people together, and separating others who do not belong, (See hexagram 59.)

Gene

The end times are not the end times

What I am really trying to say here, despite the catchy little title, is that there is an end time in creation, and we are apparently experiencing the start of that now, but there is also an end time for each and everyone of us, as we leave behind our earthly bodies, and return to the stars in a body of light. The things that apply to end times as a whole, also apply to the individual. For apocalypse originally came from a Greek word meaning, to reveal. Hence the apocalypse of Jesus Christ is also the Revelation of Jesus Christ, or more specifically, the revelation of "the Christ within." Readers may or may not find that a tantalyzing statement, but more will be said on it later.

Gene

A copy of my post at onlineclarity.co.uk

A copy of something written in response to questions on onlineclarity.co.uk about what the year 2012 and the new age is all about.

What happens will depend on the level of understanding of the people on this planet. People talk about a thing to fear, and that is not it at all. There is nothing to fear. There is no death, it is an illusion, as are all things. What happens depends a lot on what our governments, and its institutions, the military industrial complex, and everyone involved, other governments as well, does to uplift humanity rather than sacrifice it. Actually this is a very exciting time, one when we get to see the culminating of one age, and the start of another. A most excellent age I might add.

I must say, there are those in positions of power, and not everyone in power, but some of those in positions of power, who do not wish the best for mankind. If there is any kind of destruction, it will be in response to the war making machines on this planet who's intent it is to wipe out most of humanity.

I have been preaching for a long time that we are all one. No one wants to hear it. But how you hear it, and how much of it you hear, will position you for better or worse in the new age. Not because of some angry God, but because of natural law and karma.

This runs counter intuitive to everything we see and hear. To the natural mind, it doesn't make sense, because we see diversity and separate objects all around us. But believe me, and this is very, very important. When we recognize the oneness of all things, we recognize that sunspot activity is only a natural result of the energy we put out. If we put energy into war, we have sunspots, and vice versa, because it all acts in a form of singularity. If we have governments that are trying to enslave people, as governments around the world are doing, the natural environment picks up on that energy, and mother nature begins to act up.

The new age can come peacefully or not. It doesn't have to bring within it the strain of negativity and disaster. It depends on how we recognize our oneness, and when we carpet bomb entire nations, we are doing it to ourselves because we are all one.

Any changes that happen within the earth are not meant to hurt individuals within the earth, it is the natural outcome of the type of energy produced by man.

We were just missed today by an asteroid that came as close to us as one and one half times the distance of the moon. A few days ago, there were some scientist who thought it might hit us. There was a fifty fifty chance. It didn't. Is that by chance? Or because millions of people visualized it bouncing off an imaginary circle around the earth? I don't know. It could have been both. But I have seen mass consciousness make many differences in people's lives and the life of the planet. We are thinking positive thoughts, but I can guarantee you there are many people who are not. They want death, the want destruction, and the want the earth cleansed of the people the call, "useless eaters."

Why is this happening? it all goes back several thousand years ago, when "the gods" interfered genetically with human dna, and created what amounted to a master and a slave race. The dna is slightly different. The so caled master race was denied their prize of the enslavement of mankind by various means, but they never gave up. They are still among us, some of them know exactly who they are, and they are still trying to enslave us. They will stop at nothing, including mass murder, but they will be foiled again, because of the coming earth changes, If they don't change their ways. That is what it all depends on, is the thoughts of men.

The whole idea of a 2012 is not for destruction, it is not meant to be destructive. It is happening because the minds of men are being evolutionarily modernized, we are becoming aware of our oneness, and our place in the universe. We are becoming enlightened.The new age is a wonderful thing, not a bad thing.

Gene

An invitation from the sage

In hexagram 35, it is said that the ruler "invites him to a greater intimacy." When we learn our lessons in life, when we do the things that are right, when we love and act in harmony, these things are noticed by the intelligence of the cosmos. When these things are noticed, we are invited by the cosmos to a greater intimacy, and there is thereby sharing a greater wisdom, a greater teaching, and a greater understanding of the orders and laws, and the general nature of the workings of the universe. We get this hexagram when we have done well. The conditions that are noted in the W/B version of the I Ching are that the leader is uniting others together in the name of his Lord. This can mean that we are integrating different parts of ourself, and that we are acting in accordance with the nature and laws of the universe. When we receive this hexagram it normally can be assumed that we have done a good job in some way.

Gene

Help from above

The I Ching is replete with promise of help up above. We do not see that if we are only concerned with the material realm. We read "helper" as some friend, or some such, and in strict divination, this is often the meaning. But there is a deeper level here, and let me tell you, one would be wise to always look for a deeper level. "Seek and ye shall find." But we must seek with the right attitude and the right heart.

Throughout the I Ching, we are being told of this divine help. We often think, "I am not getting any divine help, I must do it myself." Yes, you do have to do it yourself, there is no other way, but we must also be "receptive" (hexagram 2) to the will of heaven. To the "energy" of heaven. For it is through the divine "intake" of heavenly energy, (chi) that we improve ourselves. This is a major part of being spiritual, being open to a divine energy that replenishes us. This energy is stored in the "Tan Tien," which is not something we will go into detail about now.

Needless to say, we are reminded of how the sage, the spiritual advisor relates to us, in passage after passage. Some are more clear than others of course, but we see it in hexagram after hexagram. In hexagram one, the spiritual advisor is tireless in his work to help us. In hexagram two the advisor is receptive to our needs and our desires. In hexagram 3 the advisor helps us to separate the wheat from the chaff and to make sense of things that are initially disorderly, and on and on and on. Hopefully I will get into this later. For here I will just finish up saying, that in hexagram 8 line 5 we learn that the sage is receptive to those who are receptive to him. The sage is open to those who are open, and he exerts no pressure, to get people to join him or learn from him. He simply makes himself available, as the sage is available in hexagram 48, all one has to do is to draw the water.

More later,
Gene

Being spiritual

My mother used to think being spiritual meant teaching a sunday school class, God rest her soul. A very well meaning and devout woman, but naive in some ways. Being spiritual has nothing to do with going to church or teaching sunday school class or even reading the Bible, but starts with an understanding that we are all connected, and that there is a higher metaphysical level, still physical in a sense, just a level that vibrates at a much higher frequency. We become accustomed to that level when we let go of fear and anxiety and learn to just trust in a higher principle - not in a God that is out there, but a God that is "There." And "Here," within our hearts. If he is not within our hearts then it is true that there is no "room for him in the inn."

I don't have time to get wordy here, so, suffice it to say, I hope people will take a look at hyperdimensional physics, and you can find something about it through Richard Hoagland's work, he talks about it in his latest book, "Dark Mission," and there is more, you could go to his website www.enterprisemission.com or look it up in google, or your favorite search engine. Anyway, I have to go, will write more later.

Gene

Hope everyone is doing well for the holidays

Well, I hope everyone is doing well for the holidays, and again I say I have to get back into posting.

The new year is a time for new beginnings, and new for each of us. At the same time we are facing the end of the age. This isn't mere new age speculation, it is factual and without question. The road ahead is rocky, but the end is sure. And a new age is coming with new hope for mankind.

In light of that, I propose to start writing again, (yes, I know I have said that a hundred times, but this time I mean i), and I hope to put a lot of effort into the more metaphysical aspects of the I Ching. I just get so busy, I can't stand it. I am interested in too many things, all of it seeming very important, but there are only so many hours in a day. Even if I didn't have to work, I couldn't keep up with it all.

But as Jesus was (supposedly) born in Bethlehem, let us, (not so supposedly) let the Christ light shine in our hearts, and renew us daily so that we may become Christ beings, building a body of light, indestructible, and immortal.

Best wishes for everyone this coming new year

Gene

Not in the mainstream news, but...

Here is the deal. Proceedings for impeachment of Dick Cheney.
http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/199.html

I really believe, but cannot absolutely confirm, that the year 2008 is the year that "the crap hits the fan." People will see our leaders for what they really are, except those who are die hard unwilling to face the truth. Not necessarily a civil war, but a war over the minds of men and women will become ever more open and clear. It in a way is the year of destiny, and the year of decision. Get ready now for what is coming.

Gene

A new conference in Tempe

Next week I am going to a conference in Tempe. It will be I am sure a fascinating experience. William Henry will be there, as will many other great speakers.

When I get back, I hope to start writing again, at least to a certain extent, about the I Ching, and esoteric Christianity. It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it.

Anyway, maybe I will have some great new info when I get back.

Gene

Conference in Nashville

On October 5th this year I am going away for three days to be a part of William Henry's conference in Nashville. You can find out about it at http://williamhenry.net/ It is the "light body effect" conference. This man has unearthed some amazing information about ancient mythology and scripture. I highly recommend his website.

Gene

Conference in Nashville

On October 5th this year I am going away for three days to be a part of William Henry's conference in Nashville. You can find out about it at http://williamhenry.net/ It is the "light body effect" conference. This man has unearthed some amazing information about ancient mythology and scripture. I highly recommend his website.

Gene

What is going on

Just taking time here, as I am very, very busy, to pass on an executive order of what I consider to be extreme incidence. This, following on the heels of an executive order a couple months ago that gives G W almost unlimited power, there is strong, very strong evidence, not that I need more, that we are in the last days of this age. I am trying to decide my best courses of action right now in terms of where I live, how I survive, etc.

Here is a link to the executive order.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/07/20070717-3.html

Gene

I noticed today that William Henry's website is presently not available. I hope that is fixed soon. I can't recommend this site enough, because it is about sacred scripture, but not from a religious viewpoint, in fact, from a scientific and technological viewpoint. I highly, highly recommend people getting involved with this website, get some of his material. Find out something about the "light body immortal." (Tai Chi was a form meant to produce immortality, as were all original eastern martial arts and qigong systems.)

Did you know that when you read the gospels in the original Greek and Aramaic it sounds more like a modern quantum physics manual? There is a big, and immensely exciting world out there. But to explore it, it takes discipline. Would to God that I had more discipline!

Gene

I may start this again, post more on a limited basis. Time has always been crucial for me though. Nothing discouraging me more than to see my time off from work dissipate into the night, and little has been accomplished. I am just interested in far too many things, but at least those things are all related. Most people wouldn't agree with me, and they seem to get a lot done in their lives, whereas I never seem to get anything accomplished. But to accomplish what I want, I would have to spend several hours a day practicing Tai Chi, then three to five hours meditating. then three to five studying the I Ching, then three to five studying esoteric spirituality. By the way, I ran into an interesting site the other day, which I think I will list here, that speaks of how the Bible is not to be taken literally. Check this website out, for example. http://www.hiddenmeanings.com/crucifixion.html

I haven't finished reading it by the way, but it looks like it has a lot of potential.

Well, anyway. Time! How it disgusts me. I wish I had a button, I could push the button and the work day would be suddenly over, all the work done, and I would be home or wherever doing my real work. The work that is important but you don't get paid for. Then when I am doing my real work, I could press the button, and time would stop, except that I could still do things, like study and practice.

What is life really all about anyway? I am listening right now to a near death experience researcher on coast to coast who is talking about life reviews and a learning immediately after death, (clinical death) just what our life purpose really is. This goes back to my earlier posts in which I discussed repeatedly that we are all one. I am you and you are me, and there is no getting away from it. So whatever I do to you, I do to myself. Yes, I know, many people are not convinced, but, well, you WILL be. Sooner or later. Why are we here on earth? Jesus said, "and this is my commandment, that ye love one another."

Gene

you seek me, you seek me not

Jesus said to the crowd, "you seek me not because you saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled."

This is ever true, yet today. We are still like the crowd. We hear about the I Ching, and about the gnostic gospels, and we are awestruck, but only in a superficial way. People flock to the sites that can give them minor insights, that cure their curiosity for a little while, the flock to the opportunity to learn a new keyword, or a little bit more about the meaning of a particular paragraph, how they can use it for divination, but when it comes to the real meat of the word, nobody wants it. This is why people do not come to my website. They want the crumbs that fall from the master's table, but they do not want the real meat. That would be asking too much. Why, they might even have to shape up their lives a little bit. Like the multitude by the sea of Galilee, they want the physical substance, but not the real food. They don't want food for the soul, only for the body. They do not think beyond this level and in fact, are not even capable of doing so. Before that happens, they must be shaken out of their lethargy, they must get a rude shock, and in hexagram 51, or as in the Tower card in the Tarot. "Give us this day our daily bread," is the disciples prayer, but most do not realize what it means to have that true bread which comes out of heaven. I suspect no one is reading this blog, but if you have been, I recommend you get down to business, quit playing, and find the meaning of "the manna that came down from heaven." Bite through to the true meaning of the word, (hexagram 21 line 4) and stop playing. Get serious.

Biting Through

And speaking of union, or unity, there are often times when we have to break through barriers to unity. Hexagram twenty one relates a time when one needs to take action, strong action, but in regard to what? In one respect, this refers to breaking through to the barriers that keep us from our true inner work. We must always be ready and willing to take action to work on ourselves, and especially, to come to know our inner selves, as is often called the Sage, or the Superior Man in the I Ching. In the writings of Paul this is referred to as "putting on the mind of Christ." But always and ever we must be on guard for wrongful or innacurate ways of thinking and responding. We must be on guard that the ego does not take over. Hexagram twenty one tells us of our need to break through the barriers that keep us from union with our inner self. It also refers to barriers that keep us from uniting our inner yin and yang, our male and female. Again, it can refer to barriers that keep us from meeting and uniting with our true soul mate, or as some would say, twin ray. The Wilhelm/Baynes commentary says that this is always due to a slanderer and a talebearer. On the physical level this is true. But on another level our ego selves operate in this same manner, always telling us that the ego must keep control, or else bad things might happen to us. But the ego cannot save us. It is too small. It is only the still small voice, from within, that can show us the way.

Computers

Well, I recently installed windows Vista, and to a certain extent I love it, but it has created problems, my printer no longer works, and some of my programs aren't working right.

Anyway, getting back to the subject at hand, the I Ching, and esoteric material, the lady in the third chapter of the I Ching, waits ten years before accepting a man.

If anybody thinks men and women think, or react to things alike, they are barking up the wrong tree. Most men are totally unsuccessful with women, because they haven't got a clue about the opposite sex's mental and emotional makeup. And yes, women, though you don't think so, you have total, complete and total control over social relationships. Many men slip on the rocks of social interaction because they do not know. And often, their social life is damaged, sometimes even their career, beyond repair all because they do not understand the different way in which the female mind works. It does not work to be nice to a woman. (I'm not talking about being rude either, although that is better than being too nice.) At first this seems very strange, and yet, in some odd way, I have over the years eventually discovered a rational for this. And for men, I do recommend the work of David DeAngelo in this matter. He's not spiritually oriented at all, but in terms of yin and yang, male and female, one can see a whole new perspective. Men who are not nice, often seem to a woman to just be playing with them, and how much better that than some guy who just gushes over them, showing no self control at all. Unfortunately for men, something as simple as a hello can be taken by some women as a come on. Many men falter on this level alone.

Well, back to the I Ching, hexagram 31 gives us some general guidelines to follow, and if we understood the original language, I am sure we would have more to go by, but there is something available to us anyway. The general gist of the hexagram is that we should not "rush in where angels fear to tread." Or, in other words, take your time, be careful about how you go about approaching someone. We should not just follow our inclinations at any given time, but be able to hold back. And this works not just in male female relationships, but is a life principle in general. Sometimes it is much better to take our time about things, and develop good relationships, or in other cases, a good working model, before we go on with anything.

A new contribution

I have added just a touch to my blog http://genessequentialiching.blogspot.com/ There will be more coming shortly.

Oracles

I have been reading a fascinating book by William Henry called, "Oracle of the illuminati." I recommed it to everyone for a fascinating new, and probably very alien to most, definition and viewpoint of esoteric Christianity and near eastern, (and far eastern too) thought. Check out his web page that I have listed.

Union

All through the I Ching we have the message of union or unity and how it can be brought about. We see this right at the beginning: And in hexagram three the first attempts at union are made, for here is the beginning of all things. When yin and yang split, there is at once an attempt to reunite. Was it "Peaches and Cream"? who sang, "Reunited and it feels so good, reunited cause we understood..." This is one of the deepest messages of the I Ching. How we can reunite. This issue involves many levels but the principles are basically the same on each level. On one level we reunite the yin and the yang within ourselves, on another we reunite with our soul mate, on another we reunite with the family we belong with, and on another we reunite with our leaders, and society as a whole. Finally we reunite with the sage and then reunite with the eternal one, the source of all. The I Ching, as well as all other truly sacred scriptures is an oracle that in metaphorical and allegorical terms teaches us how to do that.

So in hexagram three we see this evolution taking place on a core level. From mistrust to "hitching the wagon." Or getting hitched, to our soul mate, to our divine inner self, on each level. The first line tells us we cannot do it alone. We need a helper. That helper on one level can be our true spiritual guide, the Sage that is so often talked about in the I Ching, or the superior man, the I Ching itself. The inner part of us that is the real I, that is what I am talking about. The problem in line two is that we have learned to distrust others. But why do we mistrust others? Because when our minds are not clear and we are walking about in the dark, in the illusion of a materiTal world, we cannot trust even ourselves. From here we walk about as if "in a dark forest" thinking to ourselves all the time that we are not blind, hence we do not need any helper, especially not from some mystical inner world. But because of allowing ourselves that illusion, we reincarnate over and over again, never remembering who we are. But the fourth line says, "an opportunity to make connections offers itself. Neither false pride nor false reserve should deter us." The third line sees no need for a teacher. In its arrogance it says, "We are not blind." We need no teacher. The fourth line, in contradistinction, says, "Strive for union." The fourth line sees the potential for a connection, especially with the fifth line, the one in authority. The fifth line recognizes the problems, but here, although he has good will toward others, unity is still not fully achieved, because now, although he no longer has to deal with his/her own distrust, he/she must deal with the mistrust of others. He realizes the rational behind this, thus does not attack full force, but works toward developing mutual confidence.

The same thing happens, in respect to the fifth line, in the way the Sage, the I Ching, the eternal Father/Mother, teaches us. It realizes our lack of faith and understanding. It recognizes the blind spots in our thinking, and rather than forcing its brand of teaching on us, allows for the life experiences offered an individual according to one's own karma, to allow us to be brought to a place of acceptance and humility in life, so that we may be taught.

Unhitching the wagon

Hello everyone

In continuance with hexagram three...

The issue here is one of a struggle. When spirit falls into matter, (or Adam and Eve falls into sin, or onto the material plain, or duality becomes part of our psyche) there is by nature at this point a struggle to find oneself. The fall, as it can be called, entails a bit of amnesia. We do not remember who we truly are, or what our true spiritual heritage is because we fall become as a result of the fall, esoterically speaking, separated from our true spirit. This is the meaning in the book of Genesis when God says, "in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." The serpent says, "Yeah, does God say... Ye shall not surely die for in the day... Your eyes shall be opened to know good and evil." And every since then esotericists, and literalists have been arguing over the true meaning. For obviously man did not die on that day, in fact, his eyes were opened, so who was lying and who was telling the truth? It would appear at first glance that God was the one that was really lying. But was he? Perhaps there is a different meaning to the death that he was talking about. The death, perhaps, entailed a bit of amnesia. Man forgot his true spiritual heritage, where yin and yang are not separate, and now live in separation, not only from God, but from one another, being split in two. (The esoteric meaning of the taking of a rib from Adam.

Well, we could discourse about this for a while, but let's get back to the I Ching. In hexagram three, the split has occurred. Man now sees himself as separate. Separate from God, separate from the observed universe, and separate from his female counterpart. Since he has forgotten who he is, now there is a sense of urgency in the sense that he needs to find his way in the world. (We will shortly be discussing this concept in a discussion of hexagram 53 also, and then later from all the first lines in the I Ching,) More than this, we see not only the story of the fall of man in hexagram three, but also a hidden discussion of the separation of man from woman. When we seek (unconsciously) to reunite our male and female side, we run into confusion for some time. As a result of the fall, or the separation, there is a natural tendency to be wary of our fellow man, as well as even our own soul mate. The first impression is that the other is a robber. The other has come to steal from us or take something away from us if even only our virtue. It is only in the course of deep events and incarnations full of experience, that we begin to see others in their more positive form. (For it is the way we ((inwardly)) see others that ultimately shapes the experience that we have with others.) For a more detailed discussion of this, see hexagram thirty eight.

Since we tend for the most part, and pretty readily, to misperceive the intentions of others, it is often in our own best interests not to immediately except the help that is offered until we have matured enough to recognize the good in others. In a discussion I remember, there was a question presented to the I Ching about a woman's relationship with a man, and hexagram 3 line 2 was at least part of the answer. Some said she should not accept that man but wait on another. This depends a great deal on the situation, for though there is a hint of this in the Wilhelm/Baynes commentary, the real question is, have conditions settled down? Have they settled down enough that we see clearly? Are we now in a position where we can make proper judgments?

More on hexagram 3 later

Affirmations

By the way, I hope that anyone reading this will realize they need to be on Hilary's website, reading and contributing to the conversations. They are very helpful, especially for beginners, but others too.

http://onlineclarity.co.uk/

She recently recommended a book about "Why affirmations don't work." I don't know what the book said, I haven't read it, but I do have something to say in this regard. Well, this is built right into the I Ching. The first two hexagrams relate to the division of yin and yang. In hexagram three, the division of yin and yang lead to "the fall" or the situation of the descent of spirit into matter. Then the I Ching actually starts with hexagram three which tells us of the fall and the confusion that follows the descent. Because there is confusion, the fledgling needs a teacher. (Hexagram four) It is not until the end of the book that yin and yang find their proper places, hexagram 63, and lead to harmony, 63 and 64. When yin and yang separate the mind becomes confused because it is torn into two parts. It no longer recognizes unity, but now recognizes duality. As such, an attempt to recognize the positive, as in an affirmation, automatically brings into mind the possibility of its opposite. Therefore if we affirm that we are beautiful, the exact opposite is brought to mind as well. We may not be immediately aware of this. When we do an affirmation, we are normally thinking what we want to be. When we think of what we want to be, we are affirming that we are not that now. The best way is not to affirm that we are beautiful, but to simply see ourselves joyfully in the present, not in the future, as being that. This is what we are already, it is not a future event to be attained, it is now. When we simply joyfully recognize what we already are, we are not bringing into mind the possibility of the opposite. We can have anything we want. The trick is knowing what we want. The old addage, if that works then why aren't you rich is unfair. There are a multitude of things to be and accomplish besides being rich. Best to recognize that richness in the other, as well as ourselves, once again as here and now, not in the future. In this way we create wealth for all, not just ourselves. Whatever "type" of wealth we wish for, that is. Physical, spiritual, emotional, what have you.

Thank you Carlos

Carlos was kind enough to comment on his website, which is in Spanish. I do not speak Spanish well, but I can give a hint of what his website is about, and I believe, there are websites out there that can do translations for us.

Carlos's website is

http://www.personal.able.es/cm.perez/

The headline says something to the effect of "The Art of Strategy." Which I think is in effect, "The Art of War." The website is, in effect about that. Next is a quote from Sun Tzu who wrote "The Art of War." The quote is: "He who wins a battle is strong. He who wins before a battle is powerful. The highest wisdom is to win without a fight." Some of you might enjoy this website.

Gene

Relationships

Good grief Charlie Brown

There just isn't enough time for anything. I just bought a new book (my subconscious complexes are having a hey day, One belief system is saying you don't have money, time, or the need for a new book. The other is saying, you do, you do, and you do.) To make matters worse, I bought one just yesterday that is a combination of relationships, science looking at consciousness, and the male and female approach to relationships.

(I said I would do more on hexagram three, and I will, but this is as you might say, breaking news.)

Why relationships? Because it is something every one is interested in, and hopefully there are a number of people out there reading this. (Hopefully more than I think are reading it.) Once again, I do not feel qualified to talk about relationships. I have been alone most of my life, with few exceptions. I have problems carrying on a discussion if it is outside the field of metaphysics. And in order to get into relationships, a man has to be capable of not appearing interested, which is just not my style. I am what I am. (See Sun Tzu's classic, "The Art of War," and apply it to relationships.

The problem with relationships boils down, to a large extent to this. Both sexes feel they are being misunderstood, and dominated by the other sex. This is due to the fact that women feel like their emotions are not validated, and men feel like they are overwhelmed and swamped by a woman's emotions. It is a yin and yang situation, my friends, pure and simple. Yes, women, men feel dominated just as you do. Why? because women being more yin, network much more, are not so much rugged individualists, and with their feelings they cower us into a corner, afraid to come out because he will be shouted down by the collective voice of women? Are men and women both dominated? In a way, yes, and in a way no. We are because we have certain mental predispositions that lead us in certain directions without our ever realizing there is another choice. We live according to our tendencies.

Let me put it this way. A fully integrated person, a Chuang Tzu, will have integrated yin with yang. And on the personal level, he/she thinks, but thinks with feeling. Pure rationalism might work in working out a mathematical formula, but in order to conceive of the possibility of a mathematical formula, intuition and feeling must be integrated into the process. Rationalism can only carry us so far. But becoming immersed in emotionalism can lead us off the track as well. It behoves both sexes to understand this. A man needs to listen to a woman's feelings, and accept them for what they are, whether he sees the logic in them or not. This is very, very difficult, for often a woman will, when pressed to the limit fight back with extreme emotion, anger, what have you, and a man, in accordance with the laws that we live with, can do nothing, but move away from the situation. On the same level, a man must understand, and find the rationality of the emotional argument. For, for her, there is a rationality to it. It is just hard to cut to the chase sometimes, and understand what that is.

While it is true that thoughts are things, thoughts by themselves cannot create. In order to create, one must infuse the magnetic power of attraction found only, or at least much more so in emotion, (In actuality, all thoughts have some emotion attached to them.) It is emotion that creates, we just need to be careful what we create, (rationalism.) Jesus made this clear in the book of Thomas, when some of the men were upset because a woman seemingly ranked higher than them; but Jesus said, "When the male becomes female, and the male female." And in the beginning of the book of Thomas it is said, something to the effect, When one can make the inner outer, and the outer inner..." And again, "Whoever discovers the meaning of these words shall not taste of death."

Compare with the Tao Teh Ching, where it is said in chapter ten:

Comparing body and soul, and embracing the one, can you avoid separation?

Opening an closing the gates of heaven, can you play the role of women?

And they tell me Christianity is a unique religion!!!

The beginning, Hexagram 3

The things I might pose about hexagram three are not obvious, and some might take issue, but those truly schooled in Eastern thought, and/or esoteric Christianity, might recognize the full potential of these ideas. Hexagram three is really the first hexagram. Hexagram one and two are merely archetypes for that perennial energy that has always existed. In reality it exists as one. There is no separation of yin and yang. The separation is merely a necessary illusion so that life may have experience. When the one becomes two, there is division and separation.

The book of Changes, or the Yi Jing, is really a story of the prodigal son. In the 3rd hexagram, the son leaves his father's home. In essence, yin and yang is divided and the son recognizes both joy and sorrow. In hexagram sixty one, the son finds inner truth, and in hexagram sixty two he returns to his home base. Hexagram 63 and 64, however, show us the cyclical nature of time and space, and that there is nothing new under the sun. In other words, what has happened before will happen again, and the son will once again leave his heavenly home. In the same way, spirit enters into, and becomes matter. However, matter is not dead solidity, as we have believed in our illusion for so long, for it is infused with spirit, which has awareness. All matter is spirit, and therefore aware. The nuclear hexagram in hexagram three tells us of this fall from grace, Adam from the Garden, spirit into matter. The prodigal son leaves his home. (Hexagram fifty six tells us something of the wonderings of the prodigal son in the material realm. The realm of illusion. Hexagram 47 tells us of the dreariness of this "world of illusion." A gloomy place.) The prodigal son goes through the dark night of the soul, and once again, decides to return to his fathers home, where he can find his true spirit, his true home, his true life, his riches, his inheritance.

Since the way back home involves the reintegration of yin and yang, in their proper places and matches, (hexagram sixty three is the only one that is totally correct) then the image of a marriage of soul mates is presented in this hexagram. In order to properly integrate yin and yang, we must have a proper match with our inner psyche with our outer consciousness. Without this we just wonder in the wilderness. (hexagram fifty six, as well as others.) On a societal level, the integration comes about by finding our true soul mate. (There is much discussion of this, much longing for this in society today, but one must realize, one will never be integrated with his or her true soul mate until such time as a full ripening of the individual comes about. Before this time, even though we more than occassionally meet and marry our soul mate, it does not appear to be so, and divorce or trouble happens because we do not have the true inner integration.)

And one more point for tonight, before we go on about this hexagram, on a third level, the integration is between the individual and the sage. Hexagram three says we cannot do it alone, we need helpers. Line three says something to the effect, "If we hunt in the forest without a guide, we only get lost in the forest. To integrate yin and yang, we need spiritual teachers. True teachers who have proven themselves. We cannot integrate without a teacher. And hexagram four is about the teacher.

More on this later.

That which endures

Hexagram 32 teaches us that it is that which changes which is that which endures. This is because what changes is what is cyclic in its progression. What has happened will happen again. But within the individual it is an unswerving direction that endures. This is what counts. It goes without saying that that direction should be positive. Different people, however, will have different opinions on what is positive and what is not. Often peoples intentions seem very negative to others but very positive to those who are carrying them out. This is why we need a guide. Hexagram three line four says, "Whoever hunts deer without the forester only loses his way in the forest." To most of us it seems that we come into life without a guide for living. That is not true however, we do have guides. We have the sacred literature. We have the I Ching, the Tao Teh Ching, and the Bible. Often though, we unknowingly trivialize them and do not recognize them for what they are. Even when we recognize the power of the literature, we often think of it as only a trinket, useful for divination, or for some knotty question, but never as a true guide for ourselves. There was some discussion some time back on online clarity about whether there is even such thing as a sage. Mark my words, those who think there is not a sage, do not have a very deep understanding about what spirituality is all about. The sage is there to guide us and to teach us. He is at our disposal, as long as we approach him/her with the proper respect, and dignity. The Sage is the forester, who shows us the way through the wilderness. The Sage is the one who is discussed constantly in the words of the text, and in the judgments and images. The Sage is the one with the keys to the kiingdom. (See hexagram 20 line 4.) The Sage shows us where we are on the ever changing cycle of time. When we are in the peak of a time or energy wave, when we are in a valley, or when we are on an even keel. He/she is the one who sees us through the gloomy valley of hexagram 47, who helps us with our deliverance from karma in hexagram 40, the one who abides in the deep ravine of knowledge and wisdom in hexagram 29. The Sage teaches us when to advance, and when to retreat. (Hexagram 33 and 34) The Sage teaches us to look at the positive potential in times of darkness, (hexagram 12) and the inherent dangers that lurk in times of peace. The Sage teaches us that all things ebb and flow, and we must learn to read the signs of the times. This is what never changes, is that ebb and flow. As Sun Tzu said, "it is not enough to know that when the leaves change color winter is approaching, or to know that when the ice thaws spring approaches, one must read the signs before the obvious signs, and in time will come to not just know, but be reconciled and one with the ebb and flow of all things, and therefore, always prepared. Do we prepare ourselves for what lies ahead, with the right understanding of the signs of the times?

A copy of my review

This is a review of a book I have admittedly only partially read by Ben Witherington III, regarding the church and the Da Vinci code. The name of the book is, The Gospel Code: Novel Claims About Jesus, Mary Magdalene and Da Vinci (Paperback)

But I do want to bring up the importance of the meaning of history in terms of whether one believes in the more literal or more allegorical meaning of the gospels.

"I am not going to say a lot because in all honesty, I need to finish the book. But there is an important statement here I would like to make. So much boils down to what an individual believes is the history of the church. Ben Witherington the III seems to be of the opinion that the gnostic scriptures do not come until later. This is certainly not my understanding of history. And in order to take this view, this stance, of history one must be somewhat apologetic of the Roman Catholic Church, even if one is a protestant. It is stated in the book something to the effect that Constantine became a Christian and presided in a kindly manner over the council of Nicaea. It is certainly questionable whether Constantine ever was a convert in anything more than name. His only conversion was one of convenience to keep Rome from falling apart. It is my understanding of history, that in presiding over the council, Constantine consistently used the power of the sword whenever his view of what Christianity should be was challenged, and Bishops who opposed his point of view were removed from the council by force, and a revote was taken. Can I prove this? No. Not any more than I think anyone can prove otherwise, but the weight of the actions of the church over a 1000 year reign, I think, proves incontroversably, that the church was not interested in truth, but in control. It is without question, over the next 1000 years of the reign of Rome via the church, that multitudes of individuals who questioned the church in any way were tortured horribly and killed. They were furthermore, tortured and killed even if they recanted and admitted they were in error. I don't think anyone can deny this aspect of history. It is too well documented. So why would the church care about preserving the truth? It is also, without question, that the church over the next thousand years, sought out any documents they considered detrimental to the churches rule, and burned those documents. It has been well established that the church added and deleted text from the supposedly cannonical scriptures. Can anyone therefore, affirm incontrovertibly, that the scriptures that have come down to us are the inerrant words of God regardless? I think this is a very dangerous position to take.

It is also questionable whether the gnostic documents came earlier or later. Throughout history there have been God man saviors who were surrounded by a mythology, so to speak, almost identical to the story of Jesus. Is it still therefore reasonable to believe in a literal and only literal interpretation of the Bible? Why then did Jesus speak in parables? Why was it that even when he interpreted the parables, he claimed that the disciples still did not understand? Even without gnostic texts it becomes apparent that there was a secret doctrine. And when one delves into the secret doctrine, they find they can no longer go back to that literalness, it is no longer of import to them, not because they are ignorant or deceived, but because they now have the "inner light" of gnosis, something Ben Witherington apparently knows nothing about. When one attains a deeper understanding, one realizes unquestionably the futility in believing in a literal god man savior. It, folks, just aint so. But prove it? Each person will have to decide for themselves.

At any rate, if one is of a fundamentalist disposition, one will tend to believe the so called scholars who are also of that persuasion. If not, one is more inclined to believe those scholars that are more critical of the church. There is no proof one way or another that one set of doctrines came earlier than another. To many of us who study these things it appears very strongly that both sets of doctrines were preached at the same time. The more literal set was preached for those who were not ready for the higher mysteries. There is ample evidence in the cannonical gospels themselves that there was a set of doctrine for the masses and another for the elite.

So which version of history do you believe in? It is up to each individual to decide. But I am very unattracted, though I once found refuge in, a literalist church that in one way or another was created and/or strongly influenced by Roman Catholicism. I find it very, very hard to believe in a God whose attitude is that those that don't believe the way he prefers they do should be burned at the stake as heretics. Even as the book of Revelations says, "Mystery Bablyon,(Roman Catholicism) mother of harlots, (protestant churches) and abominations in the earth."

When you wear Rose colored glasses, you tend to see religion, as well as everything else, in a perverted way. Is there a savior outside of ourselves? A deeper understanding of the hidden meanings of the parables and sayings of Jesus, with the alternate and deeper meanings of the Greek and other language words, would indicate there is not. In fact, the gospels begin to sound a lot, and I mean a lot more like a Bhuddist or Taoist text than a god savior manuscript. I will even go further. A deeper understanding shows a text full of meanings that mirror and parallel quantum physics, and the way we can related to the "Divine Matrix," as some would call it.

Nothing more at this time, but I do feel that Ben Witherington, not to critisize, he has written and excellent book, needs to look deeper into the material that he himself presents, unprejudiced by a fundamentalist eye."

Overcoming the world

There is much in sacred scriptures, Eastern and Western, that relates to the "overcoming of the world." As we become spiritual, we attain less interest in worldly matters. But perhaps there is a deeper meaning here. If we think of the world as meaning "the illusion" maya, the materialization of the "Divine Matrix," then we can understand "overcoming the world" in a whole different light. Many mystics and saints, many deeply spiritual monks, priests, and what have you, have sought refuge in temples away from the world, to complete their meditation, their yogic practices, and their transforming of the mind. And this is not wrong, but we can look at this in a deeper way. Jesus said, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." We can look at this without being wrong in the same sense we think of this as becoming "superior" to the world. But let's take a paradigm shift, or a perception shift and look at this as a matter of overcoming the tendency to look at the world as an object that exists outside of ourselves. Let's look at this as meaning one who no longer looks upon the world as a real entity separate from oneself, but now understands that the world is an illusion created by the mind, and can just as easily be dispelled by the mind. Such a person has overcome the world in the sense that he/she is no longer under its power and subjugation, but realizes that since he/she is one with this world, and that it is just an illusion of the mind, that the world becomes a malleable instrument through which he can communicate with the universal subconscious mind behind it, and that the world bends to his will. In essence he/she becomes a co creator, with God. He/she understands the meaning in quantum phsyics of "spooky action at a distance," because the world is not really physical, it is immaterial, and is subject to the will of the creator, and the co creator.

In the gospel of Thomas it is stated, "he that has found the world has found a corpse." The world as we know it is just that, a dead piece of material that has no intelligence, and is simply hard matter, nothing more. This is indeed a corpse. But in a different sense, finding the world is finding a corpse because it is not real. It simply appears real to us. It is Maya, it is an illusion. It is as we perceive it. Jesus said to the rulers of his day, "ye are from below, I am from above. Below is the world, the illusion that we believe to be real. He was from above; he operated from a set of principles that recognized the unreality of the physical dimension. He was above the world in the sense that he did not operate from Newtonian scientific principles, but from Quantum principles, the metaphysical reality that no one really yet understands. The world is truly subject to our will, if we really understand the principles behind it. Can we overcome the world? Can we say like Jesus, "I and my father our one." The father is that divine matrix, from which we all are born, and from which we all return. Both the organic and the inorganic, all part of that divine matrix.

Hexagram seventeen speaks to us of conforming. But what do we conform to? The essence of the hexagram is a matter of recognizing what is right and following it. The secret is recognizing what is right. When we see with a higher vision, (hexagram 20) we understand better what is right. We also gain a deeper understanding of the principles of life, of the matrix. In another sense, hexagram seventeen gives us another view of our relationship with the Sage, with the I Ching, with the Christ, with the Buddha, with the Tao. For we must conform to the divine father/mother's will. This is our proper attitude toward the I Ching, is that of a student willingly following a proven correct teacher; a master. We must know how to adapt to the yardstick that is set before us, adapting to the time, to the way, to the teacher. In so doing, the standard changes, (line one). When we have a "second birth, a spiritual birth, the standard of our perception changes to an understanding that the world is merely an illusion. Are we willing to be "born again?" Are we willing to change our perspective, and see the world for what it is, a dead corpse?

A possibly interesting biofeedback site

Some of you might find this meditation/biofeedback site interesting.

http://www.biocybernaut.com/

Pointing at the moon

When one attempts to teach a lesson, in a sense, he is pointing at the moon. One must remember, the finger pointing is not the moon. In many different ways, an instructor points at the moon, but it is too easy for the student to get caught up in the meaning of the finger and not look at the moon. I myself, in presenting this material, have never figured out a way to adequately or accurately point at the moon. Even when all the pointers are taken together, the message is still not clear, and I am not sure how to deal with this. Jesus, or the Sage in the I Ching, had no problem presenting their meaning, albeit in allegorical form, in a way that could by those most adept at understanding the symbolical forms, and "pulling down the kingdom."

It is to be remembered, though, that even the disciples of Jesus, of the Buddha, of Mohammed, of Lao Tzu, or whoever, could not fully fathom the message that was being taught. They needed to break through their world view of a material world, and even when doing that, it is in a superficial way. A few of Jesus' disciples understood better than others, but did any really get it? I don't know. Do I? Probably not on a really truly deeply level. You see, we have all bought into a viewpoint of an existing material world, where things outside of us need to be controlled. Some have bought into it deeper and more powerfully than others. As such, many of us have bought into the idea of the Jesus story being a religious thing. The same is true of the Confucian model and the Taoist model. Actually, it is not religion at all, and is in fact, a higher level science than the science that exists in our classrooms today. For the true teaching of Jesus and Lao Tzu, and the Buddha, was that of a way that our souls, our deeper psychological being could interact with the "Divine Matrix," as Greg Braden would call it, that "web that has no weaver." The deeper teachings of Christianity, Buddhism, and Taoism are not concerned with religion, they are not concerned with a "we approach God this way, not that way, mentality," but are concerned with the way, the only way, that a human being, male, or female, can interact with the "Divine Matrix." This Matrix is now starting to be very seriously taken by quantum physicists, and believe me, the parables of Jesus are quantum physics at its finest. The parables, eastern, and/or western, are concerned with one thing. The way reality works, the maleability of reality according to our inner belief systems, and the way to approach and become one with this underlying unity. When Einstein first learned about the strange world of quantum physics, he could not accept it, calling it quantum spookiness at a distance. ( Because information packets, or quantum packets, photons, what have you seemed in some cases to arrive at their destinations before they left.) Every particle in the universe seems to interact with every other particle in the universe, and it does so immediately. The Chinese have been saying this in their own way for centuries. They have said something to the effect that, "the wave of a hand changes particles throughout the universe, and it does so instantaneously." Think of the implications of this. Think for a moment what that and the following really mean." The following being that, it appears that all particles/waves, are nonlocal. In other words, they exist everywhere at the same time. People have questioned, "If there is a God, where is he? Is he in this solar system? Maybe over there, maybe over here, or maybe he is in another galaxy." Their point is that there can be no God. Well, when you talk about that kind of God, they are right. There is no God. But there is that. There is this. When talking to Moses, Yahweh says, "I am that I am." In other words, there is nothing that he is not, and there is nothing that he is. He/She is the "Divine Matrix." The web that has no weaver, the Tao. When we understand that, and when we understand all that that entails, that we are all one, the scriptures, east and west, begin to take on a new significance. We understand why Jesus must have spoken in riddles. As such, the apostle Paul says, "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery..." Why? There are at least two reasons, one, understanding the laws of the universe by those who are not purified could lead to dire consequences, and we can see that in the present when mankind, for example, now has access to nuclear weapons, but is not on a sufficiently high moral plain to be able to use them wisely. The second reason is, most of the mysteries of the kingdom would not be understood by the masses anyway, who, in their minds, cannot help but notice that all the objects in the world are separate from each other. What utter nonsense to think otherwise. As Paul again said, "Which none of the princes of this world knew,,," And unfortunately, to a large extent, neither do we know, for we have not been yet accepted the offer of the kingdom, even though Jesus said, "It is the father's good will to give you the kingdom." How it behooves us to understand the deeper message. Rather, as Jesus said, "ye have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear, but do not hear." For when the gospel of the kingdom is given unto us, we do not enter in ourselves, nor do we allow others to enter in.

A hidden mystery

In the East it is reported that the old Chi Kung, or Tai Chi masters, or Kung Fu masters, were really looking for a way to mortality. However, the few that found it, were very careful about who was the recipient of their secrets. In the West, it is somewhat the same way, although the methodologies to gain the "fountain of youth" in the west have been all but lost. In the East the masters closely guarded their secrets. In the west, this too, in a way is true, albeit in a different way.

Alah, the story of Jesus. Much has been in the news lately about the finding of the burial ground of Jesus, the story has been developed by Mr. Cameron, the Cameron that created the latest story about the Titanic. This creates a furor in Christian circles because western Christianity is founded on the believe that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day. Paul says, "if Christ be not raised from the dead, then our faith is in vain." As William Henry says, a deep researcher into the hidden meanings of the gospels, "the beliefs of the average Christian are so superficial..." And that, I must declare, is true. For the true esoteric Christian, or gnostic Christian believer, it makes little if any difference whether Jesus actually rose from the dead or not. The important part of the story is the allegorical.

A hidden mystery abounds. In this world, we have a cache of men, and I suppose women, who are deadly serious about enslaving mankind. They have wanted this through the ages, and have not ceased in their efforts to enslave mankind. Since there are much more of the average good person around, they must use deceit excessively to reach their goals. There is also a small group of people on this planet who wish for the upliftment of mankind. These work for the most part in the dark also. Not because they are of the dark, but because they realize mankind as a whole is not ready for the deeper teachings. So while the enslavers purposely perpetrate religious systems that are for a large extent false, the liberators allow it and even to a certain extent encourage it so that those who are not ready will not receive the deeper teachings.

As such the darker side of the Roman Catholic Church, in their attempt to use the Church to unify Rome, enforced an incorrect and superficial doctrine of literality to be followed by the laity. But the deeper teachings of Jesus have not been totally confused. In the gospels, where it talks about Mary coming to see the empty tomb, she sees Jesus. At first she doesn't recognize him, but she recognizes his voice. (My sheep hear my voice.) The Jesus says, do not touch me, for I have not yet risen to my father. The vast majority of Christiandom has not a single clue as to why that pasage has survived in there. The Roman Church didn't bother deleting it from the "Holy" scriptures, because they too, knew no one would have a clue as to why it was there. But a few do understand the greater impact of the verse. The verse, as most verses are, is an allegory regarding the building of a light body, a body that is incorruptible: Not something we get in some far off heaven, but something we get here and now when we do the work. This is the deeper meaning, and/or the deeper aspect of the second birth. The birth of the spiritual body. In developing his light body, Jesus needed for a time the opportunity to allow the full body of light to develop without being touched, for the touching of real flesh would indeed stop the process.

The Roman Catholic Church teaches the literal, if anything, to the masses, but they themselves admit there is a deeper doctrine. Well, did Jesus say of the Pharisees, as well as those who would come later in sheep's clothing, "You do not enter the kingdom of heaven yourselves, and you do not allow anyone else to do so either." They demanded strict adherence to the literalness of the law, though they did not obey it themselves, and they refused to follow and teach others the following of the deeper allegorical meanings. The churches for the most part today are guilty of the same thing.

I am not saying there is no value in the literal understanding. but there is something much deeper, and that in early Christianity required the "second initiation." As the book of Hebrews would say, "For the time that you ought to become teachers... and have become as such that need milk, and not of strong meat." The milk is the literal interpretation, the meat is the deeper, allegorical meaning. The story of Jesus is an allegory of the birth of the Christ Child within, the light body, that is, the immortal spirit, called the immortal fetus in China, the death of Jesus is an allegory of the death of the ego, the resurrection is an allegory of the newness of life in the light body. Is the light body tough to create? You bet it is, and for most of us it is no longer an option, but the point I make here is that we need to look deeper, to understand the spiritual meaning of the verses in all the sacred scriptures; to come to a deeper understanding of the nature of love, of reality, of the spiritual laws, of the meaning of prayer and meditation, and how it can benefit us. So that one day we too, even if we can't in this present life, may reach nirvana, or in western terms, the kingdom of heaven.