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Archive for March, 2014

Acceptance of an imperfect world

Today’s I Ching – 50 – The Cauldron

Fire over Wind. The Cauldron follows Revolution.

Spirit explains: Revolutions are never an end of problems.
War does not cause peace.

But, the most violent…?

If they lose…

So, what is the answer?

Life goes on.

But, surely that is not enough.

What more do you want?

A good life.

What is a good life?

Where people help each other.

People have always helped each other.

But, not everyone. So, what is the answer?

Life goes on.

What inspirational message can come from such a picture of life?

A personal one.

What?

Acceptance of an imperfect world.

Category:

A wide (33%) middle way., applied philosophy to live by, enlightenment

Unconditional love expresses care

A Spirit Teacher explains I Ching 9 – Small Development.

Small Development follows Closeness in the order of life experiences represented by the sixty-four hexagrams. The
exact number of personal life experiences necessarily varies
from individual to individual, but the reality that each
experience develops out of a previous one, does not.

Closeness expresses a sense of community with people, places,
or things; a feeling of attachment, connectedness, and
relationship.

Small Development suggests gradual and steady progress. Each
stage or step in our development of integrity, skill,
knowledge, or awareness builds on the step or stage we have
moved forward from.

Closeness, as an awareness of oneness with others, reminds
us that we are not alone. Both seen and unseen energies
share our progress and care for us with unconditional love.

Category:

A wide (33%) middle way., applied philosophy to live by, enlightenment, Inspirational reading

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Today Could not Exist Without Yesterday

Spirit shares His understanding of Hexagram 18 – Degeneration,

“Degeneration follows Following (17) in the order of life experiences represented by the hexagrams, and leads to Overseeing (19)”. Mountain is over Lake;  yin is over yang.

Degeneration suggests loss of quality or value, whether due to neglect, obsolescence, change in fashion, or whatever. Society seems almost eager to discard what is not shiny and new. Following expresses faithfulness to traditional lifestyles. This preservation of past traditions can create difficulties in adjusting to change.”

“How do we blend progress and tradition? Or, must we choose?”

“There can be no future without a past. When a branch becomes disconnected from its tree then it must be rooted or grafted on to another tree that has its roots firmly planted in the Earth. To completely disconnect from our past, if it was possible, would endanger our future. The past is the foundation of the present, and the present is the foundation of the future. Today could not exist without yesterday. It’s as simple as that.

…………….

Category:

applied philosophy to live by, I Ching as a path to enlightenment, Inspirational reading

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Be grateful for blessings received

A Spirit teacher explains I Ching 26 – Great Accumulation.

Mountain over Heaven. Great Accumulation follows No Error.

This hexagram expresses a mountain of blessings received,
not unconditionally, but as a result of steady effort to build on a firm foundation, as suggested by No Error.

Nothing happens of itself. All situations, event, actions, thoughts or emotions develop out of earlier effects, which then caused, or contributed to the present and will extend their influence into the future.

No Error refers to a conscious effort to return to following a plan, a trusted way to success.

Is there a personal message? If so, please explain.

You have learned much by listening to me. Yes?

Yes.

There is always danger to humility not to be aware that there is much more to learn.

And to be grateful for blessings received?

Yes.

Category:

applied philosophy to live by, enlightenment, Inspirational reading

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Minor characters in a Universal story

A Spirit Teacher explains I Ching 28 – Great Surpassing.

Surpassing follows Nourishment for the simple reason that nourishment is necessary to sustain physical life, whereas Spirit is Self-sustaining.

Nourishment includes physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual necessities of well-being. This provides us with a foundation to develop beyond mere survival.

We each have a destiny that will greatly surpass anything we can imagine. The good news is that we have eternity to complete our mission. Physical lifetimes come and go, but we go on forever.

In the meantime?

We are each only a minor actor in a universal play, but, even so, we each have a role that only we can perform, once we learn what it is.

Then, to do all that we can is enough, for now. Others will come, or they will not. In any event the play goes on. It’s as simple as that.

Category:

applied philosophy to live by, enlightenment, I Ching as a path to enlightenment, Inspirational reading

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Obedience is not co-operation

A spirit wisdom teacher explains I Ching 12 – Obstruction.

Obstruction follows Tranquility, or might, if might rules.

The construction of the hexagrams for Obstruction and tranquility
Both presents both yang and yin energies as concentrated and opposed.

Tranquility expresses followers as being seemingly held in high
Status. But, the power remains concentrated in the leadership.
Obstruction is a more-or-less reversed order. Leadership is on top
But only by suppression, which invites resistance.

Obedience is not co-operation. There is no sense of trust, and
Each side feels alienated from the other. There must be a
Blending of energies for each to feel part of the solution.

Is this a political situation or one of relationship?

Yes, and an attitude one.

Why attitude?

Attitudes direct how we perceive whatever situation and how
We perceive directs our action, or reluctance to act.

Could the situation apply to teacher and student …

Yes.

Then what is the solution?

Can we find common ground?

Some.

Yes, and some is a beginning.

Category:

A wide (33%) middle way., applied philosophy to live by, Inspirational reading

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My Spirit Teachers explains I Ching 36 – Reduced Light

Reduced Light follows Advance in the order of the hexagrams.
Fire over Earth follows Earth over Fire.
The Sun appears to be above the Earth by day, and
Below the Earth by night.

A wisdom traditions tells us that to everything there is
A time and a season.

How does the reading apply to me?

Be patient.

Category:

applied philosophy to live by, enlightenment, I Ching as a path to enlightenment

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Free will and community

Today’s I Ching is 60 – Discipline.

Water over Lake.
Discipline follows Dispersal in a continuous order of events.

Spirit explains: When a river flows into a lake the water overflows onto surrounding land, unless it is restricted
from doing so.

Dispersal suggests an unorganized scattering, such as seeds
or dry leaves by a wind.

There is no free will choice, no sense of freedom involved
when we have no self-control concerning where we are going
with our life.

Self-discipline determines what we will do with our potential; how it will be directed. Without self-control we risk being controlled by others.

How to have it both ways? I need to be free and still be a contributing member of a community. I need to think for myself and still learn from You and others.

Yes, we need both.

Then how do we work both sides of the street?

We don’t.

Then what?

We compromise; we find an acceptable middle ground between the extremes of individualism and group control. But, we must always be aware of the price we choose to pay, or we risk losing choosing.

Category:

A wide (33%) middle way., applied philosophy to live by, enlightenment, I Ching as a path to enlightenment, Inspirational reading, Understanding life's struggles

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Now what?

Today’s I Ching is 39 – Halting.
Water over Mountain.
Halting follows Disharmony.

Spirit explains: Disharmony expresses lack of general
Consensus, disagreement, perhaps even different world
Views, different goals or needs.

Whatever; a way forward has been halted, brought to a
Stand-still. A mental road block can halt co-operation
And progress as effectively as one made of stone.

Now what?

Yes.

Category:

enlightenment, I Ching as a path to enlightenment, Inspirational reading, Understanding life's struggles

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We Find Our Own Level.

Spirit shares His understanding of I Ching wisdom as it relates to the life situation expressed in Hexagram 48 – The Well.

Water is over Wind; yin is over yang. The Well follows Exhaustion (47) in the continuous cycle of life experiences and leads to  Revolution (49).

Spirit explains:  The water level in a well is as the water level in the surrounding land. They rise and fall together, according to laws of Nature, which are Universal Laws.

Exhaustion suggests depletion; a need for recovery of energy, or whatever.  Neither water level nor exhaustion is a necessarily permanent condition.

The message?

You didn’t ask if the message was a personal one.

It usually is, even when it isn’t.

Yes.

…………

Category:

enlightenment, I Ching as a path to enlightenment, Inspirational reading, Understanding life's struggles

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