I, Lalla,
entered the jasmine garden,
where Shiva and Shakti where making love.
I dissolved into them, and what is this to me, now?
I seem to be here, but really I’m walking
in the jasmine garden.
I, Lalla,
entered the jasmine garden,
where Shiva and Shakti where making love.
I dissolved into them, and what is this to me, now?
I seem to be here, but really I’m walking
in the jasmine garden.
Friend,
please tell me what
I can do about this world I hold to,
and keep spinning out! I gave up sewn clothes,
and wore a robe, but I noticed one day the cloth was
well woven. So I bought some burlap, but I still throw it
elegantly over my shoulder. I pulled back my sexual longings,
and now I discover that I’m angry a lot. I gave up rage, and
now I notice that I am greedy all day. I worked hard at
dissolving my greed, and now I am proud of myself.
When the mind wants to break its link with
the world it still holds on to one thing.
Kabir says: Listen, my friend,
there are very few that
find the path!
Only when you’ve
seen the Way do you practice
the Way — if you don’t see, what do you
practice? The emergence of the Way is like space —
what is there to cultivate in space? Those who practice
the Way by all kinds of contemplation are fire
stirring fire looking for foam. Just observe
the manipulation of the puppets —
when the strings are cut, it
all stops at once.
treasury of the eye of true teaching
be the same all the way through
Just
do not give birth
to a single thought: let go
and become crystal clear. As soon
as any notions of right and wrong and self
and other and gain and loss are present,
do not follow them off. Then you
will be personally studying
with your own true
enlightened
teacher.
If we persevere a great success is at hand.
The literal translation of “chun” is “a blade of grass pushing against an obstacle as it sprouts out of the earth.” Receiving this hexagram is a sign that beyond the difficulties and pressures that surround you, a success lies waiting. In order to bring it fully into the light, you must be patient and persevere in nonaction.
No matter how fervently one desires to resolve a situation, to intervene impatiently now will only hinder the progress of good fortune. Accept and bear with the discomfort of chaos without attempting to push it away. Allowing it to clear of its own accord, in its own time, is the only way of insuring a subsequent blossoming of success.
Hold to proper principles. In your actions, seek and respect the counsel of the Sage. Allow those whose hearts are true to assist you wherever possible; be tolerant of all others. In this way the blessing that now lies hidden will come into the open.
from The I Ching, or Book of Changes
Hexagram 3, Chun / Difficulty at the Beginning
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