Let
your mind wander
in the pure and simple. Be one
with the infinite. Let all
things take their
course.
Posts Tagged → mastery
being in harmony is the true way
You disciples and apostles,
you all do the same work, yet you try
to determine who’s above and who’s below.
Each of you thinks you’re special, and in that
vanity you irritate each other mightily.
You think there will not be enough,
so you fight for your portion
like dogs in the street.
Being in harmony
is the true way, not this itch
of greed, this constricted stall where
you and other donkeys get beaten with a stick.
Move instead to the praise-place, inside the
mystery, where prayer is unlimited,
and you feel the delight of
giving homage.
serene and free at all times
Those people
who actually realize it just
keep serene and free at all times,
without cravings, without
dependence.
the guardian spirit lodged within
If you find anything
better in human life than justice,
honesty, moderation and courage — if,
to put it generally, you find anything better
than the self-sufficiency of your mind on those
occasions that your actions are compatible with
right reason, as well as when something is allotted
to you by fate without your having chosen it —
if, I say, you’re aware of anything better
than this, turn to it with all your heart
and enjoy the supreme good
you’ve discovered.
But if you find
nothing better than the
guardian spirit lodged within you,
which has brought all your particular
impulses under its control, which scrutinizes
your thoughts, which, as Socrates used to say, has
withdrawn itself from sensations, which has put itself
in the gods’ hands, and which cared providentially for
other people — if everything else turns out to be
trivial and worthless by comparison,
then make room for
nothing else.
a time for creating union
Seek union with others
and with the Sage.
“Holding together”
denotes a time for creating union
with others in order to complement and assist
one another, just as the rain complements and assists
the earth, which is an image often associated with
this hexagram. In order for your unions to bear
the greatest possible fruit, certain
requirements must
be met.
The first
requirement for holding
together with others is that we hold
together with our own inner truth. This means
that we adhere to proper principles as a matter of habit,
striving always to remain innocent, balanced, and
correct. In short, marry the Sage first and
faithfully, and good fortune will
come to all subsequent
marriages.
The second
requirement for holding
together with others is that we
steadfastly resist the clamoring of
the emotional inferiors within. Every union
meets with challenges, and if we are not resolute
against the effects of fear, doubt, despair, and anger,
no lasting success will be possible in any relationship.
This is a good time to ask yourself if you are
displaying the steadfast correctness and
strength of character that are
at the heart of all great
unions.
Finally,
it is the responsibility
of one who would unite to see
that it is possible for others to enjoy union
as well. The desire for community is deeply felt by
all humans, and it is the shared responsibility of all those
on the higher path to make some sort of “family”
available to those in need. In doing this,
we pay homage to
the Sage.
from The I Ching, or Book of Changes
Hexagram 8, Pi / Holding Together
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