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Posts tagged ‘explain’

Truth is Appropriate in Any and All Instances

Spirit explains I Ching 58 – Pleasing:

As the text expresses, pleasing is beneficial
if correct.

How can we ever know ahead of time how correct
our pleasing is?

Your purpose in trying to please is a clue.

I want everyone to be happy.

Why?

Why would I not want everyone to be happy?

Even if they have caused you to feel
unhappy?

Then, pleasing them, or attempting to,
would seem to reward them for their
unpleasing behaviour?

Exactly.

Then, please explain the purpose of
pleasing.

Pleasing should have no purpose.

Then, why do I seem to need to please.

Whom do you seem to need to please?

You, among others.

How have I, among others, rewarded
your attempts to please?

Negatively, it seems.

Why do you suppose that is, or seems
to be?

I don’t know.

Perhaps you know more than you pretend
to know.

What does that mean?

You and many others have been socially
conditioned to fear displeasing some
others, and so you have developed
a pattern of pretending to attempt
to please.

Why?

As a defensive strategy, to attempt
to reduce or escape confrontation.

Then, you approve?

No.

Why?

Confrontation is necessary and
an honest expression of one’s truth.

Truth is a powerful word.

Yes.

How is it appropriate in this instance?

Truth is appropriate in any instance.
Whether we choose to express it or not,
we should always be aware of it.

Is that possible?

Yes.

Category:

applied philosophy to live by, I Ching as a path to enlightenment, mystery schools, Spirit shares I Ching wisdom

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Receptivity to Inspiration Provides Opportunities

Spirit explains I Ching Hexagram 4 – Immaturity.

The journey of our life begins with creation;
individual and collective.

Creativity (hexagram 1) is an essential attribute
of our unique essence.

Receptivity (hexagram 2) to inspiration, both from
without and within, provides us with opportunities
to express our individual uniqueness.

Difficulty (hexagram 3) in the early stages of
our development is to be expected.

Immaturity (hexagram 4) never lasts forever.
Sooner or later we each progress in our
chosen direction.

Who chooses our direction, and to where?

Our chosen direction chooses itself.

How is that possible?

It is the only way possible.

Please explain.

Why did you not ask about the role of
so-called free will?

I have learned enough from you to accept
that free will is limited to available
options and that even then we my not be
aware of future choices each option
may require of us.

Yes.

So, please explain how our chosen direction
chooses itself.

The future is as the past in that it develops
from how we live here and now.

There always was a here and now?

Yes.

Then, the direction we think we are choosing,
if we do consider the choices we make, are
a direct result of how we got to where
we now are?

Yes.

Then, how can we begin to intentionally choose
where we want to go?

First, by intentionally choosing to be where
you now are.

What choice is there to make?

Accepting responsibility for how you arrived
where you are.

Then, what?

Determine to develop a more mature outlook
on life in general, and your own life,
in particular.

And, to let go of all that we know
holds us back?

Yes.

And those who seem to hold us back?

No, never.

Why?

Unhealthy relationships hold us back,
not unhealthy people. They need us
to accept them as they seem to be,
without pretending that we are where
they are or that they are where
we are, or need and intend to go.

How does one do that?

Release your hold on the past;
not the people in your past.

Then, we move on without necessarily
rejecting them?

Yes.

It doesn’t sound too easy.

Life isn’t meant to be too easy.

Category:

applied philosophy to live by, I Ching as a path to enlightenment, Spirit shares I Ching wisdom, Understanding life's struggles

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The Road Ahead is Only in Your Mind

Spirit explains the I Ching hexagram 61 – Sincerity.

Sincerity follows Discipline in the sequential order
of events and situations experienced along the I Ching
Way to enlightenment.

When discipline and sincerity travel together within
the mind of the seeker of wisdom and truth, then
progress is certain.

What if they’re both going down the wrong road?

Then, progress is still assured.

Then, discipline and sincerity are not sufficient
to progress in the desired direction?

Yes, they are not.

What else is required?

Awareness.

Of what?

Not of what?

Where?

Yes.

Then, a map and a guide are required?

Yes.

My mind would resist.

Why?

A certain sense of personal responsibility for choices
of directions taken or forms of discipline accepted
and followed would require me to question myself and
any teacher, regardless of how much I might admire her
or him.

Yes, and that is as it should be.

Then, why do I regret not being able to completely
accept your way as my own.

My way should never be accepted as your way.

Why?

It would not be unique.

Must it be?

Yes.

Then, how can all ways merge into one and still
remain unique?

They merge into the one that is beyond uniqueness.

How can anything be beyond uniqueness?

We each are a unique aspect of Life and each are
contained within Life.

Then, what is the purpose of my struggle along
a unique way if I am already within what would be
the destination of my unique way?

A simple purpose; to develop awareness of what you are.

And then?

And then to expand your awareness.

To include what?

To include the awareness of all otherwise unique
aspects of Life.

Otherwise unique aspects?

Yes. They are only unique until you absorb their
awareness into your own.

Then your way becomes mine?

Yes.

It looks like a long road ahead.

Yes, but that’s just the bad news.

There’s good news?

Yes. The road ahead is only in your mind.

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at jeanw5.wordpress.com where Spirit shares more of his wisdom in a different format.

Category:

I Ching as a path to enlightenment, Spirit shares I Ching wisdom, Understanding life's struggles, Universal laws apply even today

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There are no Future Lives

A spirit teacher shares His understanding of timeless
wisdom expressed within the I Ching Hexagram 56 – Travel.
Fire is over Mountain. Fire is Yin and Mountain is Yang.
Fire will move when it can but Mountain is usually stable.

Travel builds on Abundance (55) and prepares a foundation
for Wind (57), in keeping with the endless progression of
life experiences of cause followed by effect, followed by
cause …

Abundance risks developing into stagnation or restlessness.
What does one do with one’s life after one has achieved
enough and has accumulated enough of society’s rewards to
almost satisfy one’s soul, and yet feel that something is
missing.

Perhaps it’s time to dare to open our eyes and to dare to
allow ourselves to accept that material wealth and even
physical health can become as a trap that limits our growth
and our incentive to move beyond the confines of conventional
limits of awareness

We seem to intuitively know that if we will allow ourselves
to see, there are worlds beyond worlds waiting for us to
discover them.

Wow! Are we talking about possible future lives?

There are no future lives. There is, was, and always will
be only one life to live and to liveor.

Category:

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

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Contention is denial of reality

Spirit shares His understanding of I Ching Wisdom

“Today’s lesson is related to the life situation expressed by Hexagram 6 – Contention.

Contention requires differences of opinion.Since everyone experiences Life from a unique perspective, differences in what and how anyone views whatever situation must necessarily be different, or at least seem to be so.”

“That would seem to explain …”

“It does explain …”

“But, explanation alone does not resolve the problem of different perspectives.”

“There is no essential problem with differences of perspective. It is as it is.”

“Then, how to explain and resolve contention?”

“Contention is refusal to accept, or denial of the reality that any particular perspective can ever only be one of countless possible perspectives.”

……………………

Category:

A wide (33%) middle way., applied philosophy to live by, I Ching as a path to enlightenment, Spirit shares I Ching wisdom

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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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I Ching – 40 – Solution

Today’s I Ching – 40 – Solution

Thunder over Water

 

Solution follows Halting.

 

Spirit explains:

 

Halting suggests not moving, as a sailboat

On a lake, without a breeze.

Thunder stirs the air.

 

We need to make a noise?

 

Sometimes that’s the best solution.

Ask a child.

 

Category:

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

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I Ching 43 – Removal

Today’s I Ching – 43 – Removal

Lake above. Heaven below.

Removal follows Increase.

 

Spirit explains:

 

Spring rain raises the level of a lake to overflowing.

Visualize a lake held high by Heaven. The emotion,

Love, is as such a lake, overflowing and pouring

Blessings on everyone and everything below Heaven.

 

The message?

 

Where are you?

 

 

Category:

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

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