we all have the clear bright field
A horse strays
into a cave of lions. You move
deeper into your desire for sex, for art
and wealth. There will come a time when your
life is a blank, but has there ever really been a time
when human beings were not cared for? For thousands
of years we had no identity, yet we managed to arrive
in this amazing moment, this brightly conscious
lifespan. Who gave us such restlessness
to know and be?
The sixth ancestor
of zen said to someone who
had just been awakened, “What I tell
you is not a secret. The secret is in you.”
Another zen master said to a companion,
“Everything flows from your
own heart.”
We are all
wanderers in the Unknown.
Those who travel beside the Sage
are protected from
harm.
A person who travels as a stranger in a strange land is wise to display an attitude free of arrogance and belligerence. Otherwise he is liable to meet with trouble and find himself unable to survive it. With this hexagram the I Ching reminds us that we are all strangers in a strange land, wanderers in a vast and unknowable universe, obliged to act accordingly.
Think of how you would proceed if traveling alone in an unfamiliar country. You would be cautious and reserved, taking great care not to fall in with the wrong people or enter into dangerous places. You would be tolerant of others and generous toward them if a dispute arose, and you would be inclined to settle disagreements quickly to keep them from getting out of hand. You would rely on your attentiveness, your modest attitude, and your gentle manner to keep you out of harm’s way. The hexagram Lu comes to remind you that it is wise to travel through your entire life in this fashion.
Seek now to stay in quiet harmony with the Higher Power and to embody caution, modesty, and generosity in your actions. Do not drag out disagreements with others; conflict is a poison that grows more dangerous every minute you are in it. Do not depart from the path of humility and correct conduct; in doing so, you lose the protection of the Deity and risk misfortune. By continually seeking to serve the innocent and the good, you stay in step with the Sage and never wander alone in the world.
The I Ching, or Book of Changes
Hexagram 56, Lü / The Wanderer
ebooks & apps of the Tao the Ching, I Ching,
Hua hu Ching, and Art of War for
You
can now buy
Tao te Ching as part of a
five-app bundle of Taoist classics
for iPhone or iPad for less than
the cost of one hardcover
book.
Good fortune unfolds for those who
remain on guard against
inferior influences.
This hexagram indicates that the movement from chaos to order is complete. The time is extremely favorable and you are likely to enjoy much success as long as you heed the warning of Chi Chi: remain on guard against incorrect thoughts, attitudes, and actions, both in yourself and in others.
…You are also counseled to remain alert to inferior influences in others. You can only prevent misfortunes by anticipating them in advance, and this is achieved through watchfulness.
The image of Chi Chi is that of a kettle of water boiling over a fire. There is great power here, but it is lost if one allows the water to boil over or evaporate through carelessness and indifference. Alertness and conscientious adherence to what is correct are called for if you wish to prolong your good fortune now.
from The I Ching, or Book of Changes
Hexagram 63 / Chi Chi (After Completion)
ebooks & apps of the Tao the Ching, I Ching,
Wei wu Wei Ching, Hua hu Ching, and
Art of War for iPad/Phone, Kindle,
You
can now buy
the I Ching as part of a
five-app bundle of Taoist classics
for iPhone or iPad for less than
the cost of one hardcover
book.
Causes are complex
and have different time scales.
The efforts of the individual are not
the sole determining factor in the individual’s
condition in life, because everyone is part of the
nexus of society and nature and the continuum
of time. It is common for people to attribute
causes wrongly because of misperception
of real relationships.
Every cause is the effect of
something else, and every effect is
the cause of something else. What may seem
like a curse may be a blessing, and what may seem
a blessing may be a curse. Hardship is a blessing
when it spurs effort and development; ease is
a curse when it increases complacency
and self-indulgence.
