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Posts tagged ‘struggle’

How High is High Enough?

Spirit’s lesson for today relates to I Ching Hexagram 47 – Exhaustion.

The yin trigram Lake is above yang Water.

 

“They say the road of love is rocky and it’s rough, but if this road

don’t start to get smooth, then I’ve traveled it long enough”

is part of an old song that I can relate to regarding my ongoing

struggle with my spirit teacher as he guides me along the way

to enlightenment. But, what if He’s just luring me down

a garden path that never ends?

 

That’s exactly what my intentions are.

 

But, why?

 

You were ready.

As in “when the student …”

 

Yes.

 

Why didn’t I know there would be so much painful,

experiential content to the lessons?

 

Struggle is necessary.

 

But, I’m exhausted. Can’t we rest a little.

 

No. To rest is to lose ground.

 

I’m losing touch with ground moving.

 

That’s not possible.

 

Why?

 

The ground beneath us will always be there.

 

Where?

 

Within you, in one form or another.

 

Please explain.

 

Matter is an expression of energy …

 

And where I’m at in my mind determines the density?

 

Yes. It’s as simple as that.

Category:

A spirit teacher shares His I Ching Wisdom, applied philosophy to live by, cause and effect, Potential consequences, Power comes from within

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Rainbows Appear After Storms

A spirit teacher shares His understanding of timeless wisdom
contained within the I Ching Hexagram 12 – Obstruction.

Heaven is the most powerful yang trigram and is above Earth,
which is the most powerful yin trigram.

Obstruction usually suggests something blocking the way, and
yet the way is usually forward; not up or down.

The way up or down also makes sense.

But, in speaking of enlightenment, surely up and ahead sounds
more like progress than would down or back.

That would depend upon how one defined progress.

I’ve distracted you from the reading.

No; only yourself.

Then, please explain what situation or experience Obstruction refers to.

It can refer to someone interrupting me.

Other than that, and in the context of I Ching.

Obstruction emerges out of the peaceful relationship expressed
by Tranquility (11) and necessarily contributes to Association
with Others (13).

There can be no obstruction unless there is someone or something blocking our way?

Yes.

So, where does a rainbow come into the picture?

What picture?

The scenario that you seem to be presenting about a calm before
a storm, and then a gathering, or celebration.

When do rainbows appear?

After a storm, if they appear at all.

Yes.

What does that mean?

It means we can sit around and do nothing or we can struggle
toward a desired future that may never come.

But, our desired future is much less likely to come without
struggle?

Yes.

Category:

A spirit teacher shares His I Ching Wisdom, applied philosophy to live by, higher education, spirituality without intelligence is not intelligent spirituali5y

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Rewards Relate To The Past

A Spirit Teacher shares His understanding of
I Ching 22 – Adornment.

Mountain is above and Fire is below.

Adornment develops out of Biting Through (21)
and will transform itself, or be transformed
into Stripping Away (23).

Adornment expresses excess that will reach
a limit and then be reduced, one way or another.

No situation in life begins or ends on its own.
Each is interconnected with what came before
and with whatever will follow or develop
out of what now is, or seems to be.

Biting Through suggests successful struggle.
Perhaps adornment was or is a reward?

Yes.

Then, how and why would a well-earned
(if it was) reward be reduced?

Everything is relevant to everything else.
We may reward ourselves for past battles
fought and won, but, the future
is not the past, and past success
does not guarantee future success.

Then struggle is forever?

Challenge is forever.

What is the difference?

How we perceive the situation.

Please explain.

To struggle is to seek to control
outcome, whereas a challenge is
seen as an opportunity to test
our own ability to meet whatever
difficulty we face, regardless
of the possibility of failure.

To do our best; win, lose, or draw?

Yes.

Category:

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

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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.

Dear readers, if you enjoy witnessing my struggle with Spirit on this blog, we invite you to join us
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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Today’s I Ching – 41 – Reduction

Today’s I Ching reading by Spirit.

Reduction follows Solution.

 

Spirit explains:

 

Solution expresses an ending of struggle. There is a way out.

A light turns on. A puzzle has been solved. Finding a solution

reduces built-up stress, at least temporarily.

 

Why only temporarily?

 

Struggle is necessary for growth and strengthens self-confidence.

 

How?

 

We learn through experience that we can find a solution to

Whatever challenges Life presents us with.

 

Is it a game?

 

Yes, and the game is a gift of Life.

 

 

 

 

Category:

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

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Today’s I Ching – 4 – Immaturity

Mountain over Water.

Immaturity follows Difficulty.

 

Spirit explains:

 

As mountains can rise up out of water, we can and will,

Each in our own time and in our own way, rise out of

Immaturity.

 

Is there a personal meaning for me?

 

Yes.

 

It isn’t easy.

 

Spiritual struggles, and in essence, all struggles are spiritual,

Are designed to be difficult.

 

Why?

 

To give value to the goals.

 

Which is?

 

Awareness of their value.

 

 

 

 

Category:

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

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