Month: February 2022

Today: You alone can decide whether your efforts have been noble and worthy. Do not let anyone else tell you your worth.” – from the I Ching

You alone can decide whether your efforts have been noble and worthy. Do not let anyone else tell you your worth.

Meditation: Meditation: LA950 A00214 20000214 Develop Self-Reliance

Tao Te Ching – Verse 75 – When taxes are too high, people go hungry. When the government is too intrusive, people lose their spirit

Meditation: NM0390-20010320 – Provoke Your Higher Self

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's and subsequent translations of the I Ching

10 – Ten Lü / Worrying the Tiger

Heaven shines down on the Marsh which reflects it back imperfectly:
Though the Superior Man carefully discriminates between high and low, and acts in accord with the flow of the Tao, there are still situations where a risk must be taken.

You tread upon the tail of the tiger.
Not perceiving you as a threat, the startled tiger does not bite.
Success.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

You have reached a perilous point in your journey.
This is a real gamble — not a maneuver, not a calculated risk.
The outcome is uncertain.
If it goes as you hope, you will gain — but if it turns against you it will cause serious injury, at least to your plans.
The best tack is extreme caution and a healthy respect for the danger involved.

Nine at the top means:
Look to your conduct and weigh the favorable signs.
When everything is fulfilled, supreme good fortune comes.

‘Enjoying the Fruit of Labor’ – Keith Martin Johns

The work is ended. If we want to know whether good fortune will follow, we must look back on our conduct and its consequences. If the effects are good, then good fortune is certain. No one knows himself. It is only by the consequences of his actions, by the fruit of his labors, that a man can judge what he is to expect.

54 – Fifty-Four Kuei Mei / A Loveless Marriage

The Thunderstorm inseminates the swelling Lake, then moves on where the Lake cannot follow:
The Superior Person views passing trials in the light of Eternal Truths.
Any action will prove unfortunate.
Nothing furthers.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

This is at best a Marriage of Convenience.
You have found yourself in desperate straits, a position of weakness, and you are tempted to pay dearly for a remedy.
A drowning man isn’t picky about who throws him a rope.
The rescue offered to you now is undesirable.
It may pull you out of this sticky situation, but it will cause even greater predicaments down the road.
Don’t obligate yourself in this way.
You are selling your future for a quick fix today.

Today: “Consciously you must be conscious that nobody is wrong; therefore, you must not slander anybody.” – Yogi Bhajan

“Consciously you must be conscious that nobody is wrong; therefore, you must not slander anybody. When you slander other people, actually your consciousness goes from a higher level to a lower level.”
Yogi Bhajan

Today: Renounce the assumptions, preconceptions and prejudices that bind you to a dull existence without inspiration and prospects for growth. Look deep inside yourself to find the key to a more interesting life.” – from the I Ching

Renounce the assumptions, preconceptions and prejudices that bind you to a dull existence without inspiration and prospects for growth. Look deep inside yourself to find the key to a more interesting life.

Meditation: Meditation: LA135-19791029 Resolve Inner Conflict

Tao Te Ching – Verse 75 – When taxes are too high, people go hungry. When the government is too intrusive, people lose their spirit

Meditation: LA721-920325: for the Intuitive Intellect

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's and subsequent translations of the I Ching

29 – Twenty-Nine K’an / Dangerously Deep

Water follows Water, spilling over any cliff, flowing past all obstacles, no matter the depth or distance, to the Sea.
The Superior Person learns flexibility from the mistakes he has made, and grows strong from the obstacles he has overcome, pressing on to show others the Way.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

You are facing a crucial trial along your Journey.
The danger of this challenge is very real.
It is a test of your mettle.
If you can maintain your integrity and stay true to your convictions, you will overcome.
That’s not as easy as it seems when you are faced with the sacrifice of other things you’ve come to depend upon or hold dear.

Six at the top means:

Bound with ropes, thrown into a thorn-filled chasm.
For three years he is lost in this wasteland.
Misfortune.

Bound with cords and ropes,
Shut in between thorn-hedged prison walls:
For three years one does not find the way.
Misfortune.

A man who in the extremity of danger has lost the right way and is irremediably entangled in his sins has no prospect of escape. He is like a criminal who sits shackled behind thorn-hedged prison walls.

61 – Sixty-One Chung Fu / Inner Truth

The gentle Wind ripples the Lake’s surface:
The Superior Person finds common ground between points of contention, wearing away rigid perspectives that would lead to fatal error.

Pigs and fishes.
You may cross to the far shore.
Great fortune if you stay on course.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

The subject of this hexagram discovers a key to Tranquility by first gaining insight into his own nature, then turning that vision outward.
By resolving inner conflicts and being at peace with himself, he learns to gain insight into others.
In effect, he enters another, sees with the other’s eyes, listens with the other’s ears, feels with the other’s heart.
He then returns to his own center, with new perspective and understanding.

Today: “Group-consciousness is an intermediate stage.” Yogi Bhajan

“Group-consciousness is an intermediate stage. It is what you pass through in the journey from individual consciousness to universal consciousness.” Yogi Bhajan

Today: You are in a position to do a lot of good. Just make sure your intentions are pure. Strive for enduring results rather than quick fixes.” – from the I Ching

You are in a position to do a lot of good. Just make sure your intentions are pure. Strive for enduring results rather than quick fixes.

Meditation: Meditation: 760422 – Balancing Projection with Intention

Tao Te Ching – Verse 73 – The Tao is always at ease.

Meditation: NM0420-20011015 – The Power of Memories – Remember the Saint Within

Tell The Story of Mushkil Gusha over a meal with friends today.

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's and subsequent translations of the I Ching

19 – Nineteen Lin / Noble Calling

The rich, loamy Earth on the banks of the Marsh provides fertile soil for exceptional progress.
The Superior Person is inexhaustible in his willingness to teach, and without limit in his tolerance and support of others.

Supreme Success if you keep to your course.
But be aware that your time is limited; your power will wane, as Summer changes to Fall.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

You are in a position to help another.
This is a temporary situation, because your power is cyclical, seasonal.
Knowing this, you must perform your good deed without hope of reward.
You are not furthering your own process, but another’s.
Though you may cherish this other, you will never possess.
Touch without grasping.
Take comfort in becoming a fond memory.
Nurture, then let go.

Six in the fourth place means:

Successful or not, a sincere approach is the only course.

Complete approach.
No blame.

‘Dear Guest from Far Away’, 1888 – Freiwirth-Lutzow Oscar
Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg

While the three lower lines indicate rise to power and influence, the three upper lines show the attitude of persons in higher position toward those of lower rank for whom they procure influence. Here is shown the open-minded approach of a person of high rank to a man of ability whom he draws into his own circle, regardless of class prejudice. This is very favorable.

54 – Fifty-Four Kuei Mei / A Loveless Marriage

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

Today: “No two bodies are alike and no two minds are alike.” – Yogi Bhajan

“No two bodies are alike and no two minds are alike. What is alike? The spirit, the soul.”
Yogi Bhajan

Today: Things are getting easier for awhile. You can put aside stubbornness and hardness until they are needed.” – from the I Ching

Things are getting easier for awhile. You can put aside stubbornness and hardness until they are needed.

Meditation: Meditation: LA093-790319 – Pranic Energy – the Earth Element Balanced by Ether

Tao Te Ching – Verse 73 – The Tao is always at ease.

Meditation: NM132-940504-Pratyahar

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's and subsequent translations of the I Ching

34 – Thirty-Four Ta Chuang / Awesome Power

Thunder fills the Heavens with its awful roar, not out of pride, but with integrity; if it did less, it would not be Thunder:
Because of his Great Power, the Superior Person takes pains not to overstep his position, so that he will not seem intimidating or threatening to the Established Order.

Opportunity will arise along this course.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

The Awesome Power available in this hexagram stems from what the Taoists call your Te, a term not perfectly translated into English.
Roughly, it is your Integrity — not in the Western sense of honor — but more in the psychological definition of a full integration of Who You Are.
This Awesome Power is achieved only by fully embracing both the good and the bad, the strong and the weak, the masculine and the feminine — all polarities within you.
Such self-knowledge spawns a Mastery tempered with the humility necessary to rein in and harness this Awesome Power.

Six in the fifth place means:

There are no threats left before you.
You may set your ram free without regret.

Loses the goat with ease.
No remorse.

Feral goat

The goat is noted for hardness outwardly and weakness within. Now the situation is such that everything is easy; there is no more resistance. One can give up a belligerent, stubborn way of acting and will not have to regret it.

28 – Twenty-Eight Ta Kuo / Critical Mass

The Flood rises above the tallest Tree:
Amidst a rising tide of human folly, the Superior Person retires to higher ground, renouncing his world without looking back.

Any direction is better than where you now stand.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

Several high-priority concerns demand immediate attention.
All are crucial.
None will be denied.
Yet some demand the denial of others.
Like two atoms seeking to occupy the same space, these irresistible forces and immovable objects threaten to ignite a cataclysm that could irreversibly alter your world.
This is no time for fatal heroics.
You are at Ground Point Zero.
Remove yourself from this situation without delay.
Find sanctuary.
Later you may deal with these concerns on your own terms, from a position of strength.

Today: “There is no difference between you and me.” – Yogi Bhajan

“There is no difference between you and me. He is speaking and He is listening, and that is maya. If you understand this maya, you will understand this whole truth. He is speaking to me. He is listening to you, because He is the giver of the breath. He gives me breath to speak and he gives you breath to listen. If you understand this secret, you understand everything. In me, I have found only one reality—that I breathe in and I breathe out. And so anything that breathes in or out is reality. When I found this as a reality in everybody, I found myself in everybody and everybody in myself.”
Yogi Bhajan

Today: There is no need to impress with eloquent charm. Your sincerity is sufficient to bring your endeavors to fruition.” – from the I Ching

There is no need to impress with eloquent charm. Your sincerity is sufficient to bring your endeavors to fruition.

Meditation: Meditation: LA588 890411 Silver Grain Meditation

Tao Te Ching – Verse 72 – When they lose their sense of awe, people turn to religion. When they no longer trust themselves, they begin to depend upon authority.

Meditation: The Negative Mind

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's and subsequent translations of the I Ching

46 – Forty-Six Shêng / Upward Mobility

Beneath the Soil, the Seedling pushes upward toward the light:
To preserve his integrity, the Superior Person contents himself with small gains that eventually lead to great accomplishment.

Supreme Success.
Have no doubts.
Seek guidance from someone you respect.
A constant move toward greater clarity will bring reward.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:
You are progressing, rising inch-by-inch toward certain success.
What makes this assured is your refusal to tilt headlong toward your goal, slamming into obstacles and going mad with frustration.
You have a clear map before you of the steps necessary to reach your objective.
With faithful patience and a careful conservation of personal energy and resources, you will run this long, slow distance.

Nine in the second place means:

Even a small offering is appreciated, if it is sincere.

If one is sincere,
It furthers one to bring even a small offering.
No blame.

Chinese wanderer

Here a strong man is presupposed. It is true that he does not fit in with his environment, inasmuch as he is too brusque and pays too little attention to form. But as he is upright in character, he meets with response, and his lack of outward form does no harm. Here uprightness is the outcome of sound qualities of character, whereas in the corresponding line of the preceding hexagram 45 it is the result of innate humility.

63 – Sixty-Three Chi Chi / Aftermath

Boiling Water over open Flame, one might extinguish The other:
The Superior Person takes a 360 degree view of the situation and prepares for any contingency.

Success in small matters if you stay on course.
Early good fortune can end in disorder.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

Victory at the expense of another is a merciless taskmaster.
The precarious balance here is reflected in the lines of the hexagram: each of the yin lines rests upon a strong yang line — a seemingly perfect arrangement.
But the scales will be tipped with the change of any one line.
And there WILL be change.
Tireless vigilance and an answer to every challenge — that is the uneasy Seat of Power occupied by the conqueror.

Today: “Humility in action is universal consciousness.” – Yogi Bhajan

“Humility in action is universal consciousness.”
Yogi Bhajan

Today: Realize that you cannot control anything outside yourself. Prepare yourself to meet reality as it is.” – from the I Ching

Realize that you cannot control anything outside yourself. Prepare yourself to meet reality as it is.

Meditation: Meditation: NM190-19951031-Connect Yourself to the Reality

Tao Te Ching – Verse 69 – Rather than make the first move it is better to wait and see.

Meditation: Know the Psyche of the Other

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's and subsequent translations of the I Ching

33 – Thirty-Three Tun / Retreat

The tranquil Mountain towers overhead, yet remains this side of Heaven:
The Superior Person avoids the petty and superficial by keeping shallow men at a distance, not in anger but with dignity.

Such a retreat sweeps the path clear to Success.
Occupy yourself with minute detail.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

Retreat in this instance is not a desperate flight in disarray, but a conscious choice to distance yourself from forces that would rob you of your peace.
It is not a surrender, but a regrouping.
Retreat from this conflict is actually an advance toward your own center.
You move toward balance, and thus a much stronger position.

The power of the dark is ascending. The light retreats to security, so that the dark cannot encroach upon it. This retreat is a matter not of man’s will but of natural law. Therefore in this case withdrawal is proper; it is the correct way to behave in order not to exhaust one’s forces.¹
In the calendar this hexagram is linked with the sixth month (July-August), in which the forces of winter are already showing their influence.

THE JUDGEMENT

RETREAT. Success.
In what is small, perseverance furthers.

Conditions are such that the hostile forces favored by the time are advancing. In this case retreat is the right course, and it is through retreat that success is achieved. But success consists in being able to carry out retreat correctly. Retreat is not to be confused with flight. Flight means saving oneself under any circumstances, whereas retreat is a sign of strength. We must be careful not to miss the right moment while we’re in full possession of power and position. Then we shall be able to interpret the signs of the time before it is too late and to prepare for provisional retreat instead of being drawn into a desperate life-and-death struggle. Thus we do not simply abandon the field to the opponent; we make it difficult for him to advance by showing perseverance in single acts of resistance. In this way we prepare, while retreating, for the counter- movement. Understanding the laws of a constructive retreat of this sort is not easy. The meaning that lies hidden in such a time is important.

‘A Peaceful Retreat’ by Thomas Kinkade

THE IMAGE

Mountain under heaven: the image of RETREAT.
Thus the superior man keeps the inferior man at a distance,
Not angrily but with reserve.

The mountain rises up under heaven, but owing to its nature it finally comes to a stop. Heaven on the other hand retreats upward before it into the distance and remains out of reach. This symbolises the behavior of the superior man toward a climbing inferior; he retreats into his own thoughts as the inferior man comes forward. He does not hate him, for hatred is a form of subjective involvement by which we are bound to the hated object. The superior man shows strength (heaven) in that he brings the inferior man to a standstill (mountain) by his dignified reserve.

1. The idea expressed by this hexagram is similar to that in the saying of Jesus: “But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil” (Matt. 5:39).

Today: “Be enlightened that the other human being is you.” – Yogi Bhajan

“Be enlightened that the other human being is you. Understand through compassion that passion will make you misunderstand. Vibrate on the cosmos and the cosmos will clear your path. When fear and insecurity leave you, truth and spirit will be with you.”
Yogi Bhajan

Today: When you initiate a task, be sure that you have ample resources, time and commitment to complete it.” – from the I Ching

When you initiate a task, be sure that you have ample resources, time and commitment to complete it.

Meditation: Meditation: LA101 790419-Faith In Our Self And Our Own Discipline

Tao Te Ching – Verse 69 – Rather than make the first move it is better to wait and see.

M134 970325 Working on the Upper Chakras

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's and subsequent translations of the I Ching

5 – Five Hsü / Calculated Waiting

Deep Waters in the Heavens:
Thunderclouds approaching from the West, but no rain yet.
The Superior Person nourishes himself and remains of good cheer to condition himself for the moment of truth.

Great Success if you sincerely keep to your course.
You may cross to the far shore.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

You must now endure this Dangling — either a carrot before your nose, or a sword above your head.
This strange mix of apprehension and anticipation is a Purgatory.
There is nothing more you can do to affect the outcome.
You must now submit to the Fates.

Nine in the third place means:

Anxiety prods you to premature action.
Wading into the river, you become mired in the bed of mud.
Not only does the enemy realize you detect them, but they see your vulnerability as an opportunity to strike.

Waiting in the mud
Brings about the arrival of the enemy.

Mekong delta bank

Mud is no place for waiting, since it is already being washed by the water of the stream. Instead of having gathered strength to cross the stream at one try, one has made a premature start that has got him no farther than the muddy bank. Such an unfavorable position invites enemies from without, who naturally take advantage of it. Caution and a sense of the seriousness of the situation are all that can keep one from injury.

29 – Twenty-Nine K’an / Dangerously Deep

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

Today: “There are two kinds of protection, natural protection and individual protection.” – Yogi Bhajan

“There are two kinds of protection, natural protection and individual protection. Natural protection is when the God protects you and individual protection is by your own hands.”
Yogi Bhajan

Today: Possessing vast power is complicated. Any actions may lead to entanglement. Holding to core principles allows entanglements to sort themselves out.” – from the I Ching

Possessing vast power is complicated. Any actions may lead to entanglement. Holding to core principles allows entanglements to sort themselves out.

Meditation: Meditation: M061b-19901124 – Know the structure of the mind

Tao Te Ching – Verse 69 – Rather than make the first move it is better to wait and see.