Month: December 2023

Tao Te Ching – Verse 67 – Some say that my teaching is nonsense.

LA309-19820515-Last Resort Meditation

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

32 – Thirty-Two. Hêng / Durability

Arousing Thunder and penetrating Wind.
Close companions in any storm:
The Superior Person possesses a resiliency and durability that lets him remain firmly and faithfully on course.

Such constancy deserves success.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

Endurance is the key to success in this situation.
However, durability is not synonymous with stone-like rigidity.
True resilience requires a flexibility that allows adaptation to any adverse condition, while still remaining true to the core.
Can you maintain your integrity under any circumstance?
Can you influence the situation without giving opposing forces anything to resist?
Then you will endure to reach your goal.


		above: Chên / The Arousing, Thunder
		above: Chên / The Arousing, Thunder


		below: Sun / The Gentle, Wind
		below: Sun / The Gentle, Wind

The strong trigram Chên is above, the weak trigram Sun below. This hexagram is the inverse of the preceding one (31). In the latter we have influence, here we have union as an enduring condition. The two images are thunder and wind, which are likewise constantly paired phenomena. The lower trigram indicates gentleness within; the upper, movement without.
In the sphere of social relationships, the hexagram represents the institution of marriage as the enduring union of the sexes. During courtship the young man subordinates himself to the girl, but in marriage, which is represented by the coming together of the eldest son and the eldest daughter, the husband is the directing and moving force outside, while the wife, inside, is gentle and submissive.

THE JUDGEMENT

DURATION. Success. No blame.
Perseverance furthers.
It furthers one to have somewhere to go.

Duration is a state whose movement is not worn down by hindrances. It is not a state of rest, for mere standstill is regression. Duration is rather the self- contained and therefore self-renewing movement of an organised, firmly integrated whole, taking place in accordance with immutable laws and beginning anew at every ending. The end is reached by an inward movement, by inhalation, systole, contraction, and this movement turns into a new beginning, in which the movement is directed outward, in exhalation, diastole, expansion.
Heavenly bodies exemplify duration. They move in their fixed orbits, and because of this their light-giving power endures. The seasons of the year follow a fixed law of change and transformation, hence can produce effects that endure.
So likewise the dedicated man embodies an enduring meaning in his way of life, and thereby the world is formed. In that which gives things their duration, we can come to understand the nature of all beings in heaven and on earth.

Thunder and wind

THE IMAGE

Thunder and wind: the image of DURATION.
Thus the superior man stands firm
And does not change his direction.

Thunder rolls, and the wind blows; both are examples of extreme mobility and so are seemingly the very opposite of duration, but the laws governing their appearance and subsidence, their coming and going, endure. In the same way the independence of the superior man is not based on rigidity and immobility of character. He always keeps abreast of the time and changes with it. What endures is the unswerving directive, the inner law of his being, which determines all his actions.

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LA309-19820515-Last Resort Meditation

YOU WILL WIPE OUT A LOT OF NEGATIVITY
The center of the palate and that is where the central nerve 32° degree meridian: the Christ meridian, in the west we call it the Sat ka Buddha Bindu

Instructions

Sit in Easy Pose with spine straight. Have the hands in the lap, palms up, right hand resting in left, thumb tips touching.
Eyes are closed.
Chant the Wahe Guru Wahe Jio mantra 8 times on one breath. Chant in a monotone: Wahe Guru, Wahe Guru, Wahe Guru, Wahe Jio.
Breathe very deeply in order to complete the cycle, which will take approximately 45 seconds.
Release the breath very slowly as you chant. If at first the breath doesn’t hold for the full 8 repetitions, stop, breathe, and begin again.
Build up your capacity.

See lecture in Library of Teachings

See video in Library of Teachings

“Don’t go crazy” — Yogi Bhajan

Today: “You are true now, you were true then, and you shall ever be true—that is all you have to know, and you will be free.” – Yogi Bhajan

“You are true now, you were true then, and you shall ever be true—that is all you have to know, and you will be free.” Yogi Bhajan

Today: the Tao Te Ching

Today: “Accept things as they happen without trying to change the external forces that control the flow of existence. Change yourself instead. You can write your own destiny.” – from the I Ching

Accept things as they happen without trying to change the external forces that control the flow of existence. Change yourself instead. You can write your own destiny.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 66 – If you want to govern the people, you must place yourself below them.

Meditation: Breath to Conquer Time Space and Destiny

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

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.

Six in the fifth place means:

The princess bride dresses humbly, out of respect for her commoner groom.
Her bridesmaids outshine her by far.
She is a treasure.

The sovereign I gave his daughter in marriage.
The embroidered garments of the princess
Were not as gorgeous
As those of the serving maid.
The moon that is nearly full
Brings good fortune.

Waxing gibbous moon

The sovereign I is T’ang the Completer. This ruler decreed that the imperial princesses should be subordinated to their husbands in the same manner as other women (cf. Hexagram 11, six in the fifth place). The emperor does not wait for a suitor to woo his daughter but gives her in marriage when he sees fit. Therefore it is in accord with custom for the girl’s family to take the initiative here.
We see here a girl of aristocratic birth who marries a man of modest circumstances and understands how to adapt herself with grace to the new situation. She is free of all vanity of outer adornment, and forgetting her rank in her marriage, takes a place below that of her husband, just as the moon, before it is quite full, does not directly face the sun.

60 – Sixty. Chieh / Limitations

Waters difficult to keep within the Lake’s banks:
The Superior Person examines the nature of virtue and makes himself a standard that can be followed.

Self-discipline brings success; but restraints too binding bring self-defeat.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

Cultivating the proper disciplines and the proper degree of discipline are the concerns of this hexagram.
By limiting options, you may give more attention to priorities.
One who is all over the map is no less lost than one without a map.
Avoid asceticism, however.
Deprivation is not wise discipline.
The key here is regulation, not restriction.

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Today: “Live as royal saints. Nobody shall walk over you, but nobody who needs you shall be deprived of your strength.” – Yogi Bhajan

“Live as royal saints. Nobody shall walk over you, but nobody who needs you shall be deprived of your strength.” Yogi Bhajan

Today: The Tao Te Ching

Today: “Leave behind petty vanities. Cultivate in yourself what really counts.” – from the I Ching

Leave behind petty vanities. Cultivate in yourself what really counts.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 65 – The ancient Masters didn’t try to educate the people, but kindly taught them to not-know.

Meditation: NM0383-20010213 – Culturing the Self

Meditation: M0512-19890312 – For Mastery of Time and Space

22 – Twenty-Two. Pi / Grace

Fire illuminates the base of the Mountain:
The Superior Person realizes he has not the wisdom to move the course of the world, except by attending to each day’s affairs as they come.

Success in small matters.
This is a good time to begin something.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

The emphasis now is on form, not function — on the sizzle and not the steak.
The environment around you is not one of depth, and you are appreciated now for your image, not your essence.
You perfectly fill a role, and no one is seeing the genuine you.
Still, you are being listened to and watched.
Use this influence to further your goals as much as possible.
Even if you don’t feel understood, you can perhaps connect with a few isolated hearts.
Relax and enjoy the attention.

Six in the second place means:

Adorning the beard to the detriment of the chin.

Lends grace to the beard on his chin.

The beard is not an independent thing; it moves only with the chin. The image therefore means that form is to be considered only as a result and attribute of content. The beard is a superfluous ornament. To devote care to it for its own sake, without regard for the inner content of which it is an ornament, would bespeak a certain vanity.

17 – Seventeen. Sui / Following

Thunder beneath the Lake’s surface.
The Superior Person allows himself plenty of sheltered rest and recuperation while awaiting a clear sign to follow.

Supreme success.
No mistakes if you keep to your course.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

Thunder from the Lake — the lulling, rhythmic roar of the faithful tide, eternally wearing away the stone of the shoreline, forever obedient to the phases of the moon.
The pull of the moon on the tide is the Following called for now.
As mighty as the tide is in its own right, it is ever the puppet of the invisible, irresistible gravity of the moon.
What cyclical forces pull you along?
Are you futilely attempting to resist a natural attraction?

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Today: “The mind is not subject to time and place. The mind cannot be subject to time and place, but there is a relationship of mind and body.” – Yogi Bhajan

“The mind is not subject to time and place. The mind cannot be subject to time and place, but there is a relationship of mind and body. If you have the technical know-how and you use that technique, mind and body can become one. The moment you can bring mind and body into one, then there is only one alternative left. When mind and body become one, then universality and creativity of the self can be recognized. This is very important.” Yogi Bhajan

See Today: Tao Te Ching

Today: “You have gathered all the wisdom and power you need. You can choose how to use them. Hello the world and repair the damage, or follow the path of a monastic.” – from the I Ching

You have gathered all the wisdom and power you need. You can choose how to use them. Hello the world and repair the damage, or follow the path of a monastic.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 64 – Prevent trouble before it arises. Put things in order before they exist.

Meditation: Meditate on Nothing to Find Prosperity – 19930421

Meditation: LA041-780525- Control the Mind

1 – One Ch’ien / Creative Activity

Heaven above and Heaven below:
Heaven in constant motion.
With the strength of the dragon, the Superior Person steels himself for ceaseless activity.

Productive Activity.
Potent Influence.
Sublime Success if you keep to your course.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

The time for action has come.
You now have the focus and the stamina necessary for accomplishing great tasks.
The path before you is being cleared and reward lies ahead.

Nine in the fourth place means:

The flying dragon hovers over the chasm from which he was born.

Wavering flight over the depths.
No blame.

Nils Holgersson

A place of transition has been reached, and free choice can enter in. A twofold possibility is presented to the great man: he can soar to the heights and play an important part in the world, or he can withdraw into solitude and develop himself. He can go the way of the hero or that of the holy sage who seeks seclusion. There is no general law to say which of the two is the right way. Each one in this situation must make a free choice according to the inner law of his being. If the individual acts consistently and is true to himself, he will find the way that is appropriate for him. This way is right for him and without blame.

18 – Eighteen. Ku / Repairing the Damage

Winds sweep through the Mountain valley:
The Superior Person sweeps away corruption and stagnation by stirring up the people and strengthening their spirit.

Supreme success.
Before crossing to the far shore, consider the move for three days.
After crossing, devote three days of hard labor to damage control.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

You are blessed with an opportunity to resuscitate that which others have abandoned as beyond repair.
This ruin wasn’t caused by evil intention, but by indifference to decay.
Just by addressing yourself to the problem, you exhibit a new awareness, a fresh perspective.
This is a time of recovery, renewal, regeneration.

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Today: “Commanding the mind is only the art of survival in a state of bliss.” – Yogi Bhajan

“Commanding the mind is only the art of survival in a state of bliss.” Yogi Bhajan

Today: Tao Te Ching

Today: “What is broken must be remade; darkness replaced by light, hatred by love.” – from the I Ching

What is broken must be remade; darkness replaced by light, hatred by love.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 62 – The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man’s treasure, the bad man’s refuge.

Meditation: LA015 780227 – To Bring Swift and Powerful Change

Meditation: LA907 970311 burn the subconscious “Life is Love”

49 – Forty-Nine. Ko / Revolution

Fire ignites within the Lake, defying conditions that would deny it birth or survival:
The Superior Person reads the Signs of the Times and makes the Season apparent to all.

The support you need will come only after the deed is done.
Renewed forces, however, will provide fresh energy for exceptional progress.
Persevere.
All differences vanish.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

A revolutionary Change must be made forcibly.
There is no negotiating with the Established Order.
Perfect timing is essential.
Let the abuse of power become apparent and oppressive to those around you before making your move.
Lay the groundwork, sow the seeds for Revolution without tipping your hand prematurely.
You will need a strong foundation, because you will have to bring about this necessary change alone.
You cannot count on popular support, so you must wait until there is massive dissent.
Then the avenue for your assault will be cleared.


		above: Tui / The Joyous, Lake
		above: Tui / The Joyous, Lake


		below: Li / The Clinging, Fire
		below: Li / The Clinging, Fire

The Chinese character for this hexagram means in its original sense an animal’s pelt, which is changed in the course of the year by molting. From this the word is carried over to apply to the “moltings” in political life, the great revolutions connected with changes of governments.
The two trigrams making up the hexagram are the same two that appear in Kuei, OPPOSITION (38), that is, the two younger daughters, Li and Tui. But while there the elder of the two daughters is above, and what results is essentially only an opposition of tendencies, here the younger daughter is above. The influences are in actual conflict, and the forces combat each other like fire and water (lake), each trying to destroy the other. Hence the idea of revolution.

THE JUDGEMENT

REVOLUTION. On your own day
You are believed.
Supreme success,
Furthering through perseverance.
Remorse disappears.

Political revolutions are extremely grave matters. They should be undertaken only under stress of direst necessity, when there is no other way out. Not everyone is called to this task, but only the man who has the confidence of the people, and even he only when the time is ripe. He must then proceed in the right way, so that he gladdens the people and, by enlightening them, prevents excesses. Furthermore, he must be quite free of selfish aims and must really relieve the need of the people. Only then does he have nothing to regret.
Times change, and with them their demands. Thus the seasons change in the course of the year. In the world cycle also there are spring and autumn in the life of peoples and nations, and these call for social transformations.

THE IMAGE

Fire in the lake: the image of REVOLUTION.
Thus the superior man
Sets the calendar in order
And makes the seasons clear.

Fire below and the lake above combat and destroy each other. So too in the course of the year a combat takes place between the forces of light and the forces of darkness, eventuating in the revolution of the seasons. Man masters these changes in nature by noting their regularity and marking off the passage of time accordingly. In this way order and clarity appear in the apparently chaotic changes of the seasons, and man is able to adjust himself in advance to the demands of the different times.

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Today: “A woman who is capable of giving birth must give birth to a saint, a hero, or a giver.” – Yogi Bhajan

“A woman who is capable of giving birth must give birth to a saint, a hero, or a giver.” Yogi Bhajan

See today’s Tao Te Ching verse

See related posts

Today: “You are free to enjoy Harmony and quiet words; Joyous contentment; Good fortune.” – from the I Ching

You are free to enjoy Harmony and quiet words; Joyous contentment; Good fortune.

A quiet, wordless, self-contained joy, desiring nothing from without and resting content with everything, remains free of all egotistic likes and dislikes. In this freedom lies good fortune, because it harbours the quiet security of a heart fortified within itself.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 62 – The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man’s treasure, the bad man’s refuge.

Meditation: KWTC7-19910705 – Self Hypnotic Trance – Self Bliss

Meditation: LA721-920325: for the Intuitive Intellect

58 – Fifty-Eight. Tui / Empowering

The joyous Lake spans on and on to the horizon:
The Superior Person renews and expands his Spirit through heart-to-heart exchanges with others.

Success if you stay on course.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

This is the sign of true companionship.
The principals in this situation exchange energy, ideas and feelings, constantly invigorating and encouraging each other to new heights of Spiritual achievement and Self-discovery.
This exchange is not for the glory of the Team, but for furthering the process of each individual’s ‘Te’, or pure potentiality.

Nine at the beginning [yang at bottom] means:

Harmony and quiet words.
Joyous contentment.
Good fortune.

Contented joyousness. Good fortune.

Bliss

47 – Forty-Seven. K’un / Exhaustion

A Dead Sea, its Waters spent eons ago, more deadly than the desert surrounding it:
The Superior Person will stake his life and fortune on what he deeply believes.

Triumph belongs to those who endure.
Trial and tribulation can hone exceptional character to a razor edge that slices deftly through every challenge.
Action prevails where words will fail.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

This is the realm of the Shaman.
You have exhausted every alternative, spent yourself completely, taxed body and mind beyond your former limits.
Survival and salvation lie beyond your reach now.
Only transcendence to a new existence — a higher plane of being — will see you through.
The Old You is just a dry husk.
You can’t return to it.
Metamorphosis is the only grace offered.
You can only return to your homeland as a New You.

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Today: “The mind has to be focused in creativity to generate adaptability to total universe. That is what we mean by creative meditation.” – Yogi Bhajan

“The mind has to be focused in creativity to generate adaptability to total universe. That is what we mean by creative meditation.” Yogi Bhajan

See todays verse from the Tao Te Ching

Today: “You have developed everything you need in your understanding of your chosen path. It is time to engage.” – from the I Ching

You have developed everything you need in your understanding of your chosen path. It is time to engage.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 61 – When a country obtains great power, it becomes like the sea: all streams run downward into it.

Meditation: NM091 – 19921110 – Self Emboldenment, Engagement, Vision

Meditation: LA007-780117-Sadhana Yojina-To Infinity Upon Death

1 – One Ch’ien / Creative Activity

Heaven above and Heaven below:
Heaven in constant motion.
With the strength of the dragon, the Superior Person steels himself for ceaseless activity.

Productive Activity.
Potent Influence.
Sublime Success if you keep to your course.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

The time for action has come.
You now have the focus and the stamina necessary for accomplishing great tasks.
The path before you is being cleared and reward lies ahead.

Nine in the second place means:

The dragon climbs to the surface.
Seek advice from an authority you respect.

Dragon appearing in the field.
It furthers one to see the great man.

La Palma Lizard (Gallotia galloti palmae), La Palma – Canary Islands, May 2013
photo Lex van den Bos

Here the effects of the light-giving power begin to manifest themselves. In terms of human affairs, this means that the great man makes his appearance in his chosen field of activity. As yet he has no commanding position but is still with his peers. However, what distinguishes him from the others is his seriousness of purpose, his unqualified reliability, and the influence he exerts on his environment without conscious effort. Such a man is destined to gain great influence and to set the world in order. Therefore it is favorable to see him.

13 – Thirteen. T’ung Jên / Social Mechanism

Heaven reflects the Flame of clarity:
The Superior Person analyzes the various levels and working parts of the social structure, and uses them to advantage.

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

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

This is a matter of Positioning — not only yourself, but others as well.
There are niches to be filled, potentials to be realized, right livelihoods to be found.
You are not building a new organization, but shoring up an existing infrastructure.
It’s worth the effort, because it will provide union, community, and an ironclad alliance.

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Today: “The moment the physical collapses and the soul turns from its physical structure to its astral structure, then the mind says “Okay, good-bye. I’ve had enough.”” – Yogi Bhajan

“The moment the physical collapses and the soul turns from its physical structure to its astral structure, then the mind says “Okay, good-bye. I’ve had enough.” Then at that time, if the mind has the power toward infinity, it grabs the soul toward infinity. If it has a finite part, then it leads the soul to that extent. You must remember that the personality is based on your mental self.” Yogi Bhajan

Today: “However you grow and support your body, mind and spirit, keep up. Remain flexible while holding your direction.” – from the I Ching

However you grow and support your body, mind and spirit, keep up. Remain flexible while holding your direction.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 60 – Governing a large country is like frying a small fish. You spoil it with too much poking.

Today: “Sa Ta Na Ma is the compound of a particular sound. When you put your physical energy into creating a particular sound, what happens?” Yogi Bhajan