they see the divine in all forms

he did

In the East,

when we speak of saints

or sages, it is not because of their

miracles, it is because of their presence

and their countenance which radiate vibrations

of love. How does this love express itself? In tolerance,

in forgiveness, in respect, in overlooking the faults of others.

Their sympathy covers the defects of others as if they were

their own; they forget their own interest in the interest

of others. They do not mind what conditions they are

in; be they high or humble, their foreheads are

smiling. To their eyes everyone is the

expression of the Beloved, whose

name they repeat. They see the

divine in all forms and

in all beings.

Hazrat Inayat Khan

what will you take?

apod

You are

like the yellow leaf. The

messengers of death are at hand.

You are to travel far away.

What will you take

with you?

Buddha

begin all over again

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Before the awakening, man with his little knowledge thinks he knows so much, but now his pride is broken. He finds that all he has known hitherto is useless, that he has to begin all over again. But this is the very time when inspiration and power come. The power of concentration is the means by which to acquire not only the power of telepathy, but will power, moral power, inspirational power, moral courage, mental strength, physical strength, and all the different kinds of development in life. It is the first stage, and maybe it is the last stage, when a person’s eyes open to real light.

There are three different steps in concentration: observation, concentration, and vision. Observation is developed by singleness of glance. For instance, if I look at a person I can see that one person much better than if I look at many people and it is thus with everything in life. The first step in learning mysticism is just this: to develop our observation. We are always looking at a hundred things around us, and hardly ever study one thing properly at all. To understand and know a thing better we must keep looking at it; if we keep looking at everything we look at nothing. Such is the law of observation.

The next step, concentration, implies steadiness of mind. We cannot concentrate until we have made the external part steady. Just think: can we keep our eye fixed on one spot for some time without moving it? Can we sit in one posture without fidgeting? Why, many people cannot sit still even for a photographer! This shows us that the vehicle given us to control and utilize is not completely in our power, and if the lowest vehicle we have is not in our power, though this is the simplest thing to control, how then can our mind be in our control? How can we acquire more pure and more powerful thoughts?

Various postures have been recommended to enable us to acquire control. The body has to be made our obedient servant first, and when the body has been subdued the mind will learn obedience from it, for order teaches order. The inner self cannot be in order if the external self is not in order, for our mind is always affected by the body. In order to learn to control the mind we must therefore first learn to control the body.

The third step is vision. When concentration has been mastered the vision becomes clear, and when the vision is clear we can aim clearly, like one who has learned to aim a ball at a certain spot and hit it. If he does not throw the ball properly how can it reach the goal? To hold the ball in our hand and aim it at and hit the desired goal we must master three things: observation, concentration, and vision.

Hazrat Inayat Khan

all the myriad things make one whole

it’s gonna be okay honey bunny

All the myriad things

are neither opposed to nor contrary

to your true self. Directly pass through to

freedom and they make one whole.

It has been this way from time

without beginning.

The only problem

is when people put themselves

in opposition to it and spurn it and impose

orientations of grasping or rejecting, creating a

concern where there is none. This is

precisely why they are not

joyfully alive.

Yuanwu

zen letters

hexagram 38 ䷥ opposition

michael dumontier / neil farber

There are many occasions in life which tempt us into negative thoughts. Anxiety about the future, mistrust of another person, bodily pain, fear of failure or even success—all of these tempt us into mistrusting life and believing that life is against us. When we fall into this trap, we are in opposition to the workings of the Creative and success becomes impossible.

The simple truth is that every moment in every person’s life contains the teaching he or she most needs at the time. It is not always immediately apparent why a thing is happening because the Sage is often inclined to work in a roundabout fashion. Nonetheless, whatever is happening now is what must happen. Our only task is to trust the process and allow the lesson to seep in.

This hexagram comes as a signal that you are resisting life and preventing your own progress. Nonetheless, success is still possible, for every opposition carries within it the seeds of agreement. Cease resisting yourself, others, life, the Sage. Let go of dark thoughts and aggressive actions. By returning to acceptance, neutrality, and devotion to the way of the Sage, you dissolve the opposition within yourself and open the way for understanding and good fortune to arrive.

from The I Ching, or Book of Changes

Hexagram 38 / K’uei (Opposition)

fourth changing line:

Mistrust of fate

leaves you isolated and alone.

By rejoining the path of the Sage,

you return to joy.

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