A hand
shifts our birdcages around.
Some are brought closer. Some move
apart. Do not try to reason it out.
Be conscious of who draws
you and who
not.
A hand
shifts our birdcages around.
Some are brought closer. Some move
apart. Do not try to reason it out.
Be conscious of who draws
you and who
not.
the mind unconcerned with name or gain
You
should therefore cease
from practice based on intellectual
understanding, pursuing words and following
after speech, and learn the backward step that turns
your light inwardly to illuminate your self. Body and mind
of themselves will drop away, and your original face
will be manifest. If you want to attain
suchness you should practice
suchness without
delay.
An
unavoidable time of adversity.
Quiet strength insures a
later success.
It is a time
of oppression and exhaustion.
None of us escapes such moments; they are simply
a part of living. By meeting them in the correct spirit and
cheerfully bending instead of breaking, you weather
the adversity and meet with success
at a later time.
Inferior elements,
either in one’s self, another,
or the larger world, interfere now to
restrain the superior person. It is foolish to fight
against the restraint; success is simply not possible now.
Rid yourself of the desire to progress and return
to neutrality and acceptance. The stubborn
pursuit of results will bring
misfortune.
With others,
quietness and equanimity are
the watchwords of the moment. Say little,
and say it gently. A similar reticence and gentleness
should be applied to yourself. Do not lapse into
impatience or mistrust of the Deity. Accept
that the Creative often works in a way
that we cannot see or
understand.
A feeling of
despair or depression is a sign
that you are holding a false belief.
To perpetuate an untruth about yourself,
another, or the Sage is to block your own
happiness. Root out and remove any
idea or attitude which
causes negative
feelings.
By opening
your mind, quieting your heart,
and calmly holding to proper principles,
you make it possible for the Creative
to eliminate the oppression
that currently
exists.
from The I Ching, or Book of Changes
Hexagram 47, K’un / Oppression (Exhaustion)
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It isn’t difficult to
become one with the Way.
How hard was it to be a baby?
But returning to innocence requires
intention. Drop your dark habits, your
ideas, your emotions, and allow an
opening for virtue and wisdom
to return. Do non-doing, and
goodness will inform
all you do.
i ching hexagram 54 ☯️ the marrying maiden
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The transition
from chaos to order depends
upon your achieving true
inner calm.
The image of this hexagram is that of spring, a time when the darkness and decay of winter are about to give way to the light and plenty of summer. The transition is not yet complete; here it depends upon you strengthening your clarity, calm, and conscientiousness.
Wei Chi often comes as an indication that we have not yet achieved a genuine inner equanimity. As long as we respond to outer pressures with our egos—by worrying, desiring, or becoming aggressive—we cannot attain a successful repose. The I Ching reminds us now to abandon the hysterics of the ego in favor of acceptance, modesty, and inner balance.
Wei Chi denotes a time of great responsibility. In a very real sense it can be said that the state of the world depends upon your thoughts and conduct now. The external world will only come into order if the inner world has done so. Therefore, seek now to correct whatever in your self is at odds with the principles of the Sage.
Quiet your ego, make humility and acceptance your primary goals, and move forward like a fox walking on ice: cautiously, deliberately, and gently. By persevering in what is true and good you build the foundation upon which good fortune can come to rest.
from The I Ching, or Book of Changes
Hexagram 64, Wei Chi / Before Completion
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