Whatever I do,
the responsibility is mine,
but like one who plants an orchard,
whatever comes of what I do,
the fruit, will be for
others.
I offer the actions
of this life to the God within,
and wherever I go, the
way is blessed.
Whatever I do,
the responsibility is mine,
but like one who plants an orchard,
whatever comes of what I do,
the fruit, will be for
others.
I offer the actions
of this life to the God within,
and wherever I go, the
way is blessed.
It is
a fact of life that
times of decrease come upon us:
our resources are limited, difficulty surrounds us,
and our egos generate angry and unhappy emotions. Nonetheless,
such times are good for us. If we respond to them by quieting
our egos and turning sincerely to the Higher Power
for help, we emerge from the period of
decrease stronger, healthier,
and wiser.
When
we discover that we
are unable to achieve our goals,
our egos become infuriated. We are tempted
to harden into anger and bitterness, to lash out, to
desperately and aggressively grab for control
over the situation. If we do this,
however, we only push our
own salvation further
away.
The I Ching
counsels a withdrawal
into stillness now. The image is that
of a spring reverting to the inside of the mountain
during a time of drought. By returning to its quiet center
during the time of decrease, it avoids evaporating and exhausting
itself in vain. You would be wise to follow this example. To try
to force progress by arguing, manipulating, or making
excuses will only bring your own downfall. Instead,
disengage from your inferior elements —
however passionately they seek
expression – and turn to the
Sage for guidance and
assistance.
The
hexagram Sun
issues a call to sacrifice
negative feelings, accept the
powerlessness of the ego against the
currents of life, and return to contemplation
of the principles of the Sage. In stillness and
meditation we enrich the higher parts
of ourselves and thus bring
an end to the time of
decrease.
from The I Ching, or Book of Changes
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Whenever we
indulge in judgements about others,
we obstruct our own peace of mind and progress.
We should choose instead to see the best in others,
allow them to come and go as they will, and
turn our energies inward, toward
self-improvement.
from The I Ching, or Book of Changes
Hexagram 39 / Chien (Obstruction)
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book.
The sea is
king of the valleys
and streams because it
is willing to be beneath them.
One who wishes to guide people
should be humble in her speech
toward them. One who wishes
to lead people must learn
the art of following
them.
The sage
is above the people,
but they don’t feel her weight.
She stays ahead of the people,
and no harm comes to them. She has
the affection of the whole world.
Because she contends with
no one, no one can
contend with
her.
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book.
Be a lamp,
a lifeboat, a ladder.
Help someone’s soul heal.
Walk out of your house
like a shepherd.