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Posts tagged ‘pleasure’

The Greatest Pleasure

Spirit shares His understanding of timeless wisdom
expressed within the I Ching Hexagram 16 – Pleasure.

The call to “do what you love and love what you do”
has been used as an advertisement to enroll young
people in classes that claim to lead to a successful
career earning a rewarding income working at something
that brings them pleasure.

A call to pleasurable work also expresses the thought
that we’ll do best what we choose to do for self-
satisfaction and not for its dollar value, alone, nor
for social status.

That sounds great, but …

You do not agree?

I do agree.

And yet?

It isn’t always possible.

Why?

We must choose.

That’s what it’s all about.

What’s all about choosing?

Life.

Life may be about choosing …

Not may be. It is.

But, sometimes we choose whatever, not for
the most pleasure, but for the least pain.

Is there a difference?

Perhaps not in the final choice, but …

So, we sometimes sacrifice pleasure?

At least short term.

For delayed or postponed satisfaction?

Yes.

Why?

You’re testing me.

Yes.

Category:

A spirit teacher shares His I Ching Wisdom, applied philosophy to live by, I Ching as a path to enlightenment, initiation

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The Slippery Slope Of Small Excess

Spirit shares I Ching wisdom.

The experience we now focus on is represented by
the sixty-first Hexagram – Sincerity, expressing
self-awareness. This is not simplicity.

Awareness of oneself can only develop in harmony
with awareness of others, and to expect everything
and nothing of everyone other than self, but,
to expect from self the best that we have; that
we are.

And so, it makes sense that Sincerity follows
Discipline. Self-discipline is a necessary
prerequisite to a satisfied mind.

But, why does Sincerity lead to Small Excess
(Hexagram 62)?

What is small excess?

Brown sugar on my porridge.

Why is it so?

It’s not a nutritional necessity.

Then why do you do it?

A teaspoon of brown sugar seems to give
my cereal a more appealing taste.

Yes.

Then, simple personal pleasures are acceptable
forms of small excess?

Yes, until they become more than just a simple
pleasure.

Wouldn’t simple pleasures be different things
to different people?

How is that possible?

If I am used to a simple lifestyle, then
a small excess of whatever would not greatly
change my simple life.

But if I already enjoyed …

Would you enjoy more?

Who wouldn’t?

I wouldn’t.

Why?

Enough is enough.

And more than enough is excess?

Yes.

But, many never seem to get enough.

Yes, and some never seem satisfied with
however much of whatever they get.

Perhaps it’s in human nature to always
want a little more than we have of
whatever we seem to need.

To have?

Or to do or be.

Yes, our energy moves our mind in
whatever direction our mind desires to go.

You slipped in the word, desire.

Yes.

Why?

Anything we desire for our own pleasure
is excess; small or large, or somewhere
in between.

Then, small excess is as a direction –
as in going down the wrong road?

Or as a slippery slope.

Just a teaspoon of sugar can do that?

Yes, quantity is only a variable of
the addiction.

Addiction?

Yes. Anything unnecessary to life
can become an addiction.

Pleasure?

Even pleasure.

I’ll accept the risk.

And also accept responsibility for
any and all consequences?

Yes.

Category:

applied philosophy to live by, cause and effect, higher education, Potential consequences, The Way of I Ching

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Degeneration as a Universal Law

Spirit shares I Ching wisdom:

I Ching 17 – Following.
Lake is above Thunder.

Following follows Delight (16)
and leads to Degeneration (18).

The way of delight leading
to disaster?

Not necessarily so.

Please explain.

Delight in itself is neutral
as far as ethical outcome
is concerned.

Then it’s a matter of what
delights us?

Yes.

So, in the case of …

Yes?

I’m trying to express taking pleasure
or being pleased with activities
that bring pleasure to others
as well as to myself.

Go on.

In such a situation, how could
mutual pleasure lead to
degeneration?

Degeneration is a necessary part
of any outcome.

How?

It’s a Universal Law.

Then please explain how
this law works.

Everything changes.

When?

Continuously.

But, if shared pleasure is
an outcome then how can this
be considered as degenerating
anything or anybody?

When shared pleasure is increased
then displeasure or unhappiness
is decreased, or degenerated

The message?

That is the message.

Category:

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

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The greatest pleasure or the least pain?

Spirit shares I Ching wisdom.

16 – Pleasure

“Do what you love and love what you do” has been used
as an advertisement to enroll in classes that will lead
to a successful career earning an income working at
something that brings you pleasure.

It also expresses the thought that we will do best
what we choose to do for self-satisfaction and not
for its dollar value, alone, or for social status.

That sounds great, but ..

You do not agree?

I do agree.

And yet?

It isn’t always possible.

Why?

We must choose …

That’s what it’s all aobut.

What is all about choosing.

Life.

Life may be about choosing ..

Not may be. It is.

But, sometimes we choose, not for the most
pleasure, but for the least pain.

Is there a difference?

Perhaps not in the final choice, but ..

So, we sometimes sacrifice pleasure?

At least short-term.

For delayed or postponed satisfaction?

Yes.
Why? You’re testing me. Yes.

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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The Unknown; within and beyond

Spirit shares I Ching wisdom.

16 – Pleasure – Thunder over Earth

Pleasure develops out of Humility and becomes Following.

Humility does not require low self-esteem. We can recognize
and take pleasure in knowing how far we have come on our
journey through Life, and yet, still be in awe of how far
we still must travel to satisfy our Soul.

Where does pleasure come into that awareness?

Pleasure is a necessary food for the Soul. Without pleasure
there can be no incentive to move forward.

Why?

Pleasure provides meaning to Life.

How?

We must enjoy what we are doing or where our efforts
may lead us, or why do anything or move toward anything?

Fear of losing something?

What?

I don’t know.

Yes.

What does that mean?

The unknown will always be within us and beyond us.

How can it be within and beyond? Oh, no. Don’t tell me.

Yes. It is another Universal Law.

Category:

applied philosophy to live by, 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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Situations beyond our control

Spirit shares His understanting of Hexagram 16 . Tunder is over Earth; yin over yin.

“Delight means Pleasure. Delight/Pleasure follows Respectful (15) and leads to Following (17). We are attracted to like-minded people. If we can live and work together with an attitude of mutual respect then the work itself becomes a pleasure.”

“That sounds like an ideal situation, but many of us associate and work with people who seem determined not to develop an attitude of respect; mutual or otherwise.”

“Then why are we there?”

“Perhaps we feel trapped within conditions beyond our control, and must choose a situation that is the lesser of two or more evils.”

“Then, take control of the situation.”

“That’s easier said than done.”

“Yes.”

……………

Category:

applied philosophy to live by, I Ching as a path to enlightenment, Inspirational reading, Understanding life's struggles

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Spirit’s I Ching – 24 – Return

A spirit teacher shares His understanding of timeless wisdom

contained within the I Ching hexagram 24 – Return.

Earth is above and Thunder is below.

How is that possible?

Thunder can refer to earth-shattering noise; heard or not.

Emotions or thoughts?

Yes.

Does return suggest going back to an earlier way of life?

We can never return. The clutter we have created is from

an earlier lifestyle. Now, we must let go and move forward.

Stripping away is removing that which in unnecessary

and no longer serves us well.

.Excesses in our life usually develop gradually and are

best removed in that same manner, but with intent to

improve the quality of our life, not merely to reduce quantity.

Stripping away can be seen as intent to return to a state of

Balance that has lost sense of its goal.

The message?

It may be time to listen to our personal sense of comfort and

need. We each have physical, intellectual, emotional, and

spiritual needs that harmonize with each other, or they do not.

Harmony of our unique blend of energies is life-promoting.

disharmony is unhealthy.

Category:

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

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Spirit explains I Ching 16 – Delight

Delight follows Humility.

 

Spirit explains:

 

Delight is a spontaneous feeling of personal pleasure; a high point,

Not designed to last and, as a high note, must be released.

 

Humility expresses  the acceptance of the unsustainability of

Extremes.

 

Could a low note also be such an extreme?

 

No.

 

Why?

 

We grow and reach up, or we do not.

It’s as simple as that.

 

Category:

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

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Spirit’s I Ching 62 – Small Excess

Small Excess follows Sincerity.

 

Spirit explains:

 

Walking the Middle Way through life experiences allows for

Wandering off the path, now and then.

 

There can be no middle way without some deviation from a

Non-existent narrow path. There is always a danger of

Committing ourselves to a self-imposed and rigid structure of

Conformity 

 

How can anyone be a conformist while following a self-directed way?

 

Any self-directed way is a personal illusion of what the Middle Way means.

 

Pleasure is allowed?

 

Pleasure is necessary.

 

Category:

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

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Spirit explains I Ching 17 – Following

Following follows Delight.

 

We choose what and whom we follow, if we follow,

And we do, if only our own Way.

 

Delight suggests extreme pleasure; a light,

Personal pleasure, without much thought as to

Where it is leading us.

 

What’s wrong with pleasure?

 

Nothing, unless it becomes a Way of Life.

 

And then we’re doomed?

 

Yes.

Category:

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

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