Perfection of character
lies in this: to live each day as though
it were your last, without turmoil,
without listlessness, and
without pretense.
Posts Tagged → Book of Changes
a change in attitude delivers you
A change in attitude
delivers you from
difficulties.
The hexagram Hsieh signals the beginning of a deliverance from danger, tensions, and difficulty. The I Ching instructs you here on both the cause of deliverance and how you must act in order to fully benefit from it.
Deliverance is always caused by a change in our attitude. The Higher Power uses conflicts and obstacles to teach us lessons that we refuse to learn in an easier way, but they only darken our doorstep until we have acknowledged the lesson. So long as we ignore or resist difficulty it remains our constant companion; as soon as we accept its presence as a sign that some self-correction is needed, our deliverance begins. Truly, the only way to dispel trouble and regain peace of mind is to change our attitude.
The I Ching also teaches us that we have several responsibilities once our deliverance begins. The first is to forgive the misdeeds of others. The image of the hexagram is that of a powerful rainstorm washing away what is unclean. This, then, is a time to clean every slate and begin anew, meeting others halfway with gentleness and patience.
Next, we are advised to restore our inner balance and see that it is maintained. Deliverance offers us a return to equanimity, and we must avail ourselves of the opportunity conscientiously.
Finally, we are counseled not to try to force progress, even though the time is beneficial. If we have truly changed our attitude, we have become detached, innocent, modest, and accepting. In this state we allow progress to unfold naturally according to the will of the Sage.
The I Ching, or Book of Changes
Hexagram 40, Hsieh / Deliverance
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trying to take the place of god
If people don’t love life,
they won’t fear death, and threatening
them with it won’t work. If people have lives worth
living, then the threat of death is meaningful,
and they’ll do what is right
to avoid it.
Killing
should be the province
of the great executioner alone.
Trying to take his place and kill is like
cutting wood in the place of the
master carpenter: chances
are you’ll hurt your
own hand.
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there is nothing that is impure
There
is nothing that
is impure, nothing in need of
elimination, no place to go, not a thing to
obtain. Shed the duality that you are a seeker
in search of some attainment. Just be
as you are, without attachment
to anything, anyone,
any state, any
ideal.
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a power greater than any other
Inside,
the strength of
simplicity and self-knowledge.
Outside, the beauty of
acceptance and
gentleness.
This hexagram encourages you to cultivate a quality of grace in your relationships and in your general way of being. In this way you gain a power greater than any other to open a way through obstructions in your dealings with others. Good fortune is yours if you concentrate on bringing more grace to your thoughts and actions now.
It is human nature to want to use forceful ways to try to get what we want from others and from life. Our egos encourage us to act aggressively, to speak boldly, to intimidate others, to “buffalo” our way through difficult situations. This false power can be momentarily satisfying to our ego, and temporary victories can be won in this way, but genuine power and lasting progress come from a different kind of strength altogether.
They come from inner strength, which is characterized by a steadfast devotion to the principles of humility, simplicity, equanimity, and acceptance. By gradually letting go of the vain, bullying energy of the ego and accepting the quiet guidance of the Higher Power, one acquires the substance that makes ongoing good fortune a possibility.
This is a time to relinquish self-important maneuvering. Instead, return to stillness and contemplate the inherent wisdom of the principles of the Sage. By practicing quiet strength within and gentle acceptance without, you acquire a grace that dissolves all barriers to progress.
The I Ching, or Book of Changes
ebooks & apps of the Tao the Ching, I Ching,
Hua hu Ching, Wei wu Wei Ching,
You
can now buy
the I Ching as part of a
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for iPhone or iPad for less than
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book.