Today: “The danger lies in complicating things.  Go back to basics and your original mind.  Relate with simplicity.” – from the I Ching

The danger lies in complicating things.  Go back to basics and your original mind.  Relate with simplicity.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for the day

Tao Te Ching – Verse 78 – “Nothing in the world is as soft and yielding as water. Yet for dissolving the hard and inflexible, nothing can surpass it.”

Meditation: Listening to Angelic Whispers – from the Mind

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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 in the fourth place means:

A simple meal of rice and wine, eaten from earthen bowls.
This is correct.

A jug of wine, a bowl of rice1 with it;
Earthen vessels
Simply handed in through the window.
There is certainly no blame in this.

Rice man

In times of danger ceremonious forms are dropped. What matters most is sincerity. Although as a rule it is customary for an official to present certain introductory gifts and recommendations before he is appointed, here everything is simplified to the utmost. The gifts are insignificant, there is no one to sponsor him, he introduces himself; yet all this need not be humiliating if only there is the honest intention of mutual help in danger. Still another idea is suggested. The window is the place through which light enters the room. If in difficult times we want to enlighten someone, we must begin with that which is in itself lucid and proceed quite simply from that point on.
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.

[/su_spoiler]

Today: “Nobody can speak the infinite truth until the plate of the mind is clear.” – Yogi Bhajan

“Nobody can speak the infinite truth until the plate of the mind is clear. And what we offer is technical know-how to rub the plate of the mind and make it shiny and clear.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation:  LA372 831212 Corruption and character

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What else Yogi Bhajan said

Tao Te Ching – Verse 41 – When a superior man hears of the Tao, he immediately begins to embody it

Today: “Come together in support of the leader who is just and compassionate. ” – from the I Ching

Come together in support of the leader who is just and compassionate.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for the day

Tao Te Ching – Verse 77 – As it acts in the world, the Tao is like the bending of a bow.

Meditation: LA112 – 790528 For Support From the Elements

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45 – Forty-Five. Ts’ui / Gathering

The Lake rises by welcoming and receiving Earth’s waters:
The King approaches his temple.
It is wise to seek audience with him there.

Success follows this course.
Making an offering will seal your good fortune.
A goal will be realized now.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

This is an important Convergence, and you must be part of it.
Look for the Center of this convergence.
Like waters running to the sea, like an astronomical convergence of planets revolving around the sun, you should let the gravity of this Center draw you near.
Others are also drawn to this Center, and among them you will find shared bonds and kindred spirits.
This tribal convergence will give you a clarity of purpose.
You will no longer be alone.

Nine in the fourth place means:

No one will begrudge you the good fortune ahead.

Great good fortune. No blame.

Rue Montorgueil - Paris

‘Rue Montorgueil, Paris’, Claude Monet, June, 30 1878

This describes a man who gathers people around him in the name of his ruler. Since he is not striving for any special advantages for himself but is working unselfishly to bring about general unity, his work is crowned with success, and everything becomes as it should be.
8 – Eight. Pi / Bonding

Deep Waters on the face of the Earth:
Surface waters flow together.
The Superior Person recognizes the situation calls for joining together.
Thus he cultivates friendly relations with all.

Good fortune is possible.
Cast the coins again to discover if you have the qualities needed to lead such a group.
Then there will be no error.
Those uncertain will gradually join.
Those who join too late will meet with misfortune.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

This is a time of connection with another or others — not just an alliance, but a melding of parts into a new whole.
Such a connection may be too close, too intense for some.
Consult the oracle again to see if you have the qualities needed to strengthen and withstand such an intense synthesis.

[/su_spoiler]

Today: “Who is powerful, God or you? When you do the japa, chanting repetitiously, then the result is tapa, the heat that burns the karma.” – Yogi Bhajan

“Who is powerful, God or you? When you do the japa, chanting repetitiously, then the result is tapa, the heat that burns the karma.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation: NM0425 – Breath of Life

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Tao Te Ching – Verse 40 – Return is the movement of the Tao. Yielding is the way of the Tao.

Today: “When good fortune comes, do not be greedy.  Do not fall into the familiar trap of shunning human connections in pursuit of material wealth.” – from the I Ching

When good fortune comes, do not be greedy.  Do not fall into the familiar trap of shunning human connections in pursuit of material wealth.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for the day

Tao Te Ching – Verse 76 – Men are born soft and supple; dead, they are stiff and hard. Plants are born tender and pliant; dead, they are brittle and dry.

Give this prayer with me…

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

55 – Fifty-Five. Fêng / Abundance

Thunder and Lightning from the dark heart of the storm:
The Superior Person judges fairly, so that consequences are just.

The leader reaches his peak and doesn’t lament the descent before him.
Be like the noonday sun at its zenith.
This is success.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

You are in a position of authority in this situation.
Archetypally, you are the New King, returned from your quest to claim your throne.
However, you are enlightened enough to realize that you are merely a part of a cycle, and that you must someday yield your throne to the new kid in town, the younger, faster gunslinger, the young turk, the next returning hero, the next New King.
Fretting about the inevitable descent is senseless.
For now you must play your role to the hilt and use this gift of power to govern your world as best you can.
You are the best person for the job.
That’s why you were chosen.
Give it your personal best.

Six at the top means:

His house is in a state of abundance.
He screens off his family.
He peers through the gate
And no longer perceives anyone.
For three years he sees nothing.
Misfortune.

Mansion

This describes a man who because of his arrogance and obstinacy attains the opposite of what he strives for. He seeks abundance and splendor for his dwelling. He wishes at all odds to be master in his house, which so alienates his family that in the end he finds himself completely isolated.

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.

[/su_spoiler]

Today: “Why find God? Where is God? Is He on holiday? Whatever happened to Him?” – Yogi Bhajan

“Why find God? Where is God? Is He on holiday? Whatever happened to Him? If you realize that God is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent, then you must forget finding Him. You have already found Him. He is in you and you are in Him. But if you have no real connection with Him in that way, then keep on searching and I can guarantee that you will never find Him.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation: NM0415 – 20010910 – Karma & Dharma

Here is an interesting story about finding God: “Silence” the Movie by Martin Scorsese

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Tao Te Ching – Verse 39 – In harmony with the Tao, the sky is clear and spacious

Today: “When things go better for you and you climb out of your hole, do not flaunt your newfound fortunes.  Keep your humility and your humanity.” – from the I Ching

When things go better for you and you climb out of your hole, do not flaunt your newfound fortunes.  Keep your humility and your humanity.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for the day

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

Meditation: Meditate on Nothing to Find Prosperity – 19930421

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40 – Forty. Hsieh / Liberation

A Thunderous Cloudburst shatters the oppressive humidity:
The Superior Person knows the release in forgiveness, pardoning the faults of others and dealing gently with those who sin against him.

It pays to accept things as they are for now.
If there is nothing else to be gained, a return brings good fortune.
If there is something yet to be gained, act on it at once.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

The relief you experience here is not your own personal pardon, but the release of others from your rigid expectations.
Like a hot air balloon, you will rise to new heights as you cast the heavy sandbags of resentments and restrictions away from you.
Feel the lightness of being that results from forgiving others and accepting them as they are.
Free yourself of the endless vigil of policing the behavior of others.
See them for who they are, not what they can or can’t do for you.

Six in the third place means:

If a man carries a burden on his back
And nonetheless rides in a carriage,
He thereby encourages robbers to draw near.
Perseverance leads to humiliation.

Chinese carriage

Chinese carriage

This refers to a man who has come out of needy circumstances into comfort and freedom from want. If now, in the manner of an upstart, he tries to take his ease in comfortable surroundings that do not suit his nature, he thereby attracts robbers. If he goes on thus he is sure to bring disgrace upon himself. Kongfu (Confucius) says about this line:

Carrying a burden on the back is the business of a common man; a carriage is the appurtenance of a man of rank. Now, when a common man uses the appurtenance of man of rank, robbers plot to take it away from him. If a man is insolent toward those above him and hard toward those below him, robbers plot to attack him. Carelessness in guarding things tempts thieves to steal. Sumptuous ornaments worn by a maiden are an enticement to rob her of her virtue.

[/su_spoiler]

Today: “A person who cannot discuss his higher self with his lower self and his lower self with his higher self has a great subconscious problem.” – Yogi Bhajan

“A person who cannot discuss his higher self with his lower self and his lower self with his higher self has a great subconscious problem.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation: LA935-980608- Connect the subconscious and intuition

See Meditation: LA935-980608- Connect the subconscious and intuition

What else Yogi Bhajan said

Tao Te Ching – Verse 37 – The Tao never does anything, yet through it all things are done

Today: “You can no longer depend on the things that have not served you.  Those dependencies brought you to this point.  It is imperative that you give up your various indulgences and compulsions.  Develop discipline.” – from the I Ching

You can no longer depend on the things that have not served you.  Those dependencies brought you to this point.  It is imperative that you give up your various indulgences and compulsions.  Develop discipline.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for the day

Tao Te Ching – Verse 74 – If you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to.

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

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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.

Six in the third place means:  

A man permits himself to be oppressed by stone,
And leans on thorns and thistles.
He enters the house and does not see his wife.
Misfortune.

Thorns and thistle

This shows a man who is restless and indecisive in times of adversity. At first he wants to push ahead, then he encounters obstructions that, it is true, mean oppression only when recklessly dealt with. He butts his head against a wall and in consequence feels himself oppressed by the wall. Then he leans on things that have in themselves no stability and that are merely a hazard for him who leans on them. Thereupon he turns back irresolutely and retires into his house, only to find, as a fresh disappointment, that his wife is not there. Kongfu (Confucius) says about this line:

If a man permits himself to be oppressed by something that ought not to oppress him, his name will certainly be disgraced. If he leans on things upon which one cannot lean, his life will certainly be endangered. For him who is in disgrace and danger, the hour of death draws near; how can he then still see his wife?

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.

[/su_spoiler]

Today: “The law of changes has to be understood. Everybody has to change, everybody changes in the consciousness.” – Yogi Bhajan

“The law of changes has to be understood. Everybody has to change, everybody changes in the consciousness. When the student changes he needs more and the teacher should give him more, and when the teacher finds he cannot give him more he should direct him to somewhere else where he can get more. Some teachers are leeches, they stick to their students.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation: LA057 780928 Change your frequency

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Tao Te Ching – Verse 36 – If you want to shrink something, you must first allow it to expand

Today: “In a time of darkness it is essential to be cautious and reserved.  Hide your outward influence rather than flaunting it. ” – from the I Ching

In a time of darkness it is essential to be cautious and reserved.  Hide your outward influence rather than flaunting it.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for the day

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

Meditation: LA769-19930415 – Development of Self Control

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36 – Thirty-Six. Ming I / Eclipsing the Light

Warmth and Light are swallowed by Deep Darkness:
The Superior Person shows his brilliance by keeping it veiled among the masses.

Stay true to your course, despite the visible obstacles ahead.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

This time calls for a saintly effort to turn the other cheek.
You have been deliberately injured.
Going blow-for-blow will only escalate this war.
Abstain from vengeance.
Show all watching that you are above it.
Sidestep your aggressor’s headlong charge, giving him the opportunity to fall on his face.

yin
yin above: K’un / The Receptive, Earth
yin
yang
yin below: Li / The Clinging, Fire
yang

 

 

Here the sun has sunk under the earth and is therefore darkened. The name of the hexagram means literally “wounding of the bright”; hence the individual lines contain frequent references to wounding. The situation is the exact opposite of that in the foregoing hexagram (35). In the latter a wise man at the head of affairs has able helpers, and in company with them makes progress; here a man of dark nature is in a position of authority and brings harm to the wise and able man.

THE JUDGEMENT

DARKENING OF THE LIGHT. In adversity
It furthers one to be persevering.

One must not unresistingly let himself be swept along by unfavorable circumstances, nor permit his steadfastness to be shaken. He can avoid this by maintaining his inner light, while remaining outwardly yielding and tractable. With this attitude he can overcome even the greatest adversities.
In some situations indeed a man must hide his light, in order to make his will prevail in spite of difficulties in his immediate environment. Perseverance must dwell in inmost consciousness and should not be discernible from without. Only thus is a man able to maintain his will in the face of difficulties.

Solar eclips 1999

Solar eclips 1999

THE IMAGE

The light has sunk into the earth:
The image of DARKENING OF THE LIGHT.
Thus does the superior man live with the great mass:
He veils his light, yet still shines.

In a time of darkness it is essential to be cautious and reserved. One should not needlessly awaken overwhelming enmity by inconsiderate behavior. In such times one ought not to fall in with the practices of others; neither should one drag them censoriously into the light. In social intercourse one should not try to be all-knowing. One should let many things pass, without being duped.

[/su_spoiler]

Today: “It’s very important for you to understand the game of the head and the heart.” – Yogi Bhajan

“It’s very important for you to understand the game of the head and the heart. When the heart is involved, the head must decide; when the head is involved, the heart must decide. If you miss either way you will miss the bus of life.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation: NM327-990930 Know Your Heart

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What else Yogi Bhajan said

Tao Te Ching – Verse 35 – She who is centered in the Tao can go where she wishes, without danger.

Today: “In these difficult times, just try not to make any mistakes.  Do not engage or support the powerful oppressors.  Their influence will soon wane and they will begin to vanish.” – from the I Ching

In these difficult times, just try not to make any mistakes.  Do not engage or support the powerful oppressors.  Their influence will soon wane and they will begin to vanish.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for the day

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:  LA958 A00413 Grace My Grace Is Me! 20000413

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12 – Twelve. P’i / Stagnation

Heaven and Earth move away from each other.
In the ensuing void, the small invade where the great have departed.
There is no common meeting ground, so the Superior Person must fall back on his inner worth and decline the rewards offered by the inferior invaders.

Difficult trials as you hold to your course.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

It is natural to assume that, if Earth above Heaven forms the hexagram for Peace and Paradise, then the opposite configuration, with Heaven over Earth would represent the antithesis of Paradise, Hell.
Not so.
This hexagram is actually the Dark side of Peace, its unsavory byproduct, Stagnation.
In a time when most of our wants are provided, there is little need for the heroes, the artists, the great thinkers and innovators.
As they recede into the shadows, Idleness, Apathy, and Lassitude come to the forefront.
Peace has become boring, bland, unchallenging — Stagnant.
Now our attention turns to the quick fix, the instant celebrity, the fad, the one-nighter, the current buzz.
There is no room for depth.
If you are a passionate soul, you must wait for a better time to find kindred spirits.
In these times, they are only curious legends, bas-relief, dead poets.

Nine at the beginning [yang at bottom] means:

Don’t search after the horses you’ve lost; They will return in seven days.
Acknowledge the presence of evil people: keep a close eye on them, but don’t be baited into dealing with them.

Remorse disappears.
If you lose your horse, do not run after it;
It will come back of its own accord.
When you see evil people,
Guard yourself against mistakes.

Chinese Horse

Even in times when oppositions prevail, mistakes can be avoided, so that remorse disappears. When opposition begins to manifest itself, a man must not try to bring about unity by force, for by so doing he would only achieve the contrary, just as a horse goes farther and farther away if one runs after it. If it is one’s own horse, one can safely let it go; it will come back of its own accord. So too when someone who belongs with us is momentarily estranged because of a misunderstanding, he will return of his own accord if we leave matters to him. On the other hand, it is well to be cautious when evil men who do not belong with us force themselves upon us, again as the result of a misunderstanding. Here the important thing is to avoid mistakes. We must not try to shake off these evil men by force; this would give rise to real hostility. We must simply endure them. They will eventually withdraw of their own accord.
64 – Sixty-Four. Wei Chi / The End In Sight

Fire ascends above the Water:
The Superior Person examines the nature of things and keeps each in its proper place.

Too anxious the young fox gets his tail wet, just as he completes his crossing.
To attain success, be like the man and not like the fox.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

Resist the rush to completion.
Anticipation of fulfillment may cause you to be careless before you have fully absorbed the lessons of the journey.
The endpoint of this Quest will only prove to be the threshold for another.
You are short steps from Mastery on this plane, yet you stride toward Ignorance of the challenges lying beyond.
Savor this accomplishment.
Fully Become.
Take full possession of your world before embarking to discover the next one.
That voyage begins soon enough, and you will reminisce about this one.
These are the Good Old Days.

[/su_spoiler]

Today: “What is the value of old age? Grace. Any old man who is graceful will be loved and respected.” – Yogi Bhajan

“What is the value of old age? Grace. Any old man who is graceful will be loved and respected. What is the value of childhood? Sharpness.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation:  LA958 A00413 Grace My Grace Is Me! 20000413

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Tao Te Ching – Verse 34 – The great Tao flows everywhere

Today: “Approach obstacles with the intention of letting go of your limitations and improving yourself rather than laying blame.” – from the I Ching

Approach obstacles with the intention of letting go of your limitations and improving yourself rather than laying blame.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for the day

Tao Te Ching – Verse 71 – Not-knowing is true knowledge. Presuming to know is a disease.

Meditation: LA907 – Kriya for Non-Reaction

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39 – Thirty-Nine. Chien / Obstacle

Ominous roiling in the Crater Lake atop the Volcano:
When meeting an impasse, the Superior Person turns his gaze within, and views the obstacle from a new perspective.

Offer your opponent nothing to resist.
Let a sage guide you in this.
Good fortune lies along this course.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

The Obstacle lies in obstinance.
An insistence on only one way of proceeding has brought things to an impasse.
You may either continue banging your head with irresistible force against this immovable object, or you might step back and survey this situation from a fresh perspective.
Which is immobile here — the obstruction or your attitude?

yin
yang above: K’an / The Abysmal, Water
yin
yang
yin below: Kên / Keeping Still, Mountain
yin

 

The hexagram pictures a dangerous abyss lying before us and a steep, inaccessible mountain rising behind us. We are surrounded by obstacles; at the same time, since the mountain has the attribute of keeping still, there is implicit a hint as to how we can extricate ourselves. The hexagram represents obstructions that appear in the course of time but that can and should be overcome. Therefore all the instruction given is directed to overcoming them.

THE JUDGEMENT

OBSTRUCTION. The southwest furthers.
The northeast does not further.
It furthers one to see the great man.
Perseverance brings good fortune.

The southwest is the region of retreat, the northeast that of advance. Here an individual is confronted by obstacles that cannot be overcome directly. In such a situation it is wise to pause in view of the danger and to retreat. However, this is merely a preparation for overcoming the obstructions. One must join forces with friends of like mind and put himself under the leadership of a man equal to the situation: then one will succeed in removing the obstacles. This requires the will to persevere just when one apparently must do something that leads away from his goal. This unswerving inner purpose brings good fortune in the end. An obstruction that lasts only for a time is useful for self-development. This is the value of adversity.

THE IMAGE

Water on the mountain:
The image of OBSTRUCTION.
Thus the superior man turns his attention to himself
And molds his character.

 

Heaven Lake - Baekdu Mountain

Heaven Lake, Baekdu Mountain – a crater lake on the border separating China and North Korea

Difficulties and obstructions throw a man back upon himself. While the inferior man seeks to put the blame on other persons, bewailing his fate, the superior man seeks the error within himself, and through this introspection the external obstacle becomes for him an occasion for inner enrichment and education.
[/su_spoiler]

Today: “There are two levels of communication: one, when the unit talks to Infinity, and two, when Infinity talks to the unit.” – Yogi Bhajan

“There are two levels of communication: one, when the unit talks to Infinity, and two, when Infinity talks to the unit.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation: LA010 – 19780210 – Gobinda – Project to the Infinite

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Tao Te Ching – Verse 33 – Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom.