An unspectacular life
may be a garden rich in delight,
in queer paths, perfumed herbs, and
marble cloisters. “I live a life of no major
accomplishments,” said the oldest man
alive. High living is ephemeral, quick
to change; the light soon dims
among tower peaks.
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
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disengage from negative feelings
Your ego
is unsatisfied with
the path of correctness.
However, to strive out of desire
or despair will bring misfortune.
Cling to what is calm and good
no matter what others do,
and allow the Creative
to work in its
own time.
first changing line
from The I Ching, or Book of Changes
Hexagram 36, Ming I / Darkening of the Light
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Yantou said, “Abandoning things is superior, pursuing things is inferior.” If your own state is empty and tranquil, perfectly illuminated and silently shining, then you will be able to confront whatever circumstances impinge on you with the indestructible sword of wisdom and cut everything off — everything from the myriad entangling objects to the verbal teachings of the past and present. Then your awesome, chilling spirit cuts off everything, and everything retreats of itself without having to be pushed away. Isn’t this what it means to be well endowed and have plenty to spare?
If the basis you establish is not clear, if you are the least bit bogged down in hesitation and doubt, then you will be dragged off by entangling conditions, and obviously you will not be able to separate yourself from them. How can you avoid being turned around by other things? When you are following other things, you will never have any freedom.
The Ultimate Path is simple and easy — it is just a matter of whether you abandon things or pursue them. Those who would experience the Path should think deeply on this.
People in ancient times gave up their whole bodies for the sake of this one matter. They stood out in the snow, worked as rice pounders, sold off their hearts and livers, burned their arms, threw themselves into roaring fires, got dismembered and cut to pieces, fed themselves to tigers and birds of prey, gave away their heads and eyes, endured a thousand kinds of pain and suffering.
In sum, if you do not suffer hardship, you will not arrive at deep realization. Those with the will for the Path must certainly consider the ancients as their comrades and aspire to equal their standard.
In order to learn forgiveness
man must learn tolerance first. And there
are people whom man cannot forgive. It is not that he
must not forgive, but it is difficult, beyond his power to forgive,
and in that case the first thing he can do is to forget. The first step
towards forgiveness is to forget. It is true that the finer the
man is the more he is subject to be hurt by the smallest
disturbance that can produce irritation and
inharmony in the atmosphere.
A person who gives
and takes hurts is capable of living
an easy and comfortable life in the world.
Life is difficult for the fine person, for he cannot
give back what he receives in the way of hurt, and he can
feel it more than the average person. Many seek protection from
all hurting influences by building some wall around themselves. But
the canopy over the earth is so high that a wall cannot be built high
enough, and the only thing one can do is to live in the midst of
all inharmonious influences, to strengthen his will power
and to bear all things, yet keeping the fineness of
character and a nobleness of manner together
with an ever-living heart.
To become cold
with the coldness of the world
is weakness, and to become broken
by the hardness of the world is feebleness,
but to live in the world and yet to keep above the world
is like walking on the water. There are two essential duties
for the man of wisdom and love; that is to keep the love
in our nature ever increasing and expanding and to
strengthen the will so that the heart may not be
easily broken. Balance is ideal in life;
man must be fine and yet strong,
man must be loving and
yet powerful.