why prophets were given hardship

this whole universe is the Beloved

 

Soul guides and prophets

have an innate innocence, but they are

subject to the same consequences as everyone.

If a donkey veers off-course, he will be hit with a stick.

If you do wrong, you will be punished. Abu Bakr said

that steadiness is the central virtue. From the

mind’s stability comes right action

which in turn balances the

intelligence.

 

They asked me why

prophets were given hardship.

I said it helps to have clear indications.

And I added silently to myself, Be more

humble like someone help captive.

Bow to the one who

can free you.

 

Bahauddin, father of Rumi

the drowned book

 

hold to the good at every turn

adrienne kammerer

 

Don’t rely on

others to direct your

conduct. Be determined in

holding to the good

at every turn.

 

third changing line

from The I Ching, or Book of Changes

Hexagram 16, Yü / Enthusiasm

 

☯️

 

Keep yourself simple,

good, guileless, dignified, unpretentious,

devoted to justice, pious, kind, affectionate to others,

and resolute in carrying out your proper tasks. Strive to be and

remain the kind of person philosophy would have you be.

Revere the gods and keep men safe. Life is short.

There’s only one crop to be reaped from your

time on earth, and that is a reverential

disposition and socially

useful actions.

 

Marcus Aurelius

the annotated marcus

 

aware of life’s purity

i ching / hexagram 10

 

By seeing

all the way through

things we are able to perceive

the perfection of existence. The

foreground of mind is noisy chatter,

but by simply watching that with

discipline and perseverance, we

see it quiet. In its place arises

a vast, silent, illuminated

emptiness.

 

So

also with life.

The foreground is rife

with suffering and difficulty,

but by doing non-doing and

quietly observing, we

become aware of

its purity.

 

Wei wu Wei Ching, Chapter 10

Paperback / Kindle here

iPad/iPhone

iBooks

 

brian browne walker taoist app bundle ios ipad iphone

You

can now buy

Wei wu Wei Ching as part of a

five-app bundle of Taoist classics 

for iPhone or iPad for less than

the cost of one hardcover

book.