Shock reverberates far and wide. People react in terror. Those are external effects. The proper internal response is to be filled with reverence at the manifestation of God. Nonreactive. Then you are not touched by the calamities happening around you and you can relate with any situation with clarity and effective purpose. Continue reading “Today: Shock and awe and mindful purpose – from the I Ching”
Category: Today: I Ching
Today: Handling conflict – from the I Ching
Conflict is largely a result of differing views that seem irreconcilable. Walls have been built that separate them into sides. The first step to resolving conflict is to reconcile the inner conflict that you experience. Continue reading “Today: Handling conflict – from the I Ching”
Today: Ally yourself with kindred spirits for the benefit of others – from the I Ching
Choose carefully with whom you will ally yourself to assist with providing help to those in need. Be on the lookout with a zealous purpose for the right people. Together, with unwavering perseverance and clarity, your army will right a profound wrong. Continue reading “Today: Ally yourself with kindred spirits for the benefit of others – from the I Ching”
Today: Self awareness through discipline – from the I Ching
Imposing limitations through discipline can help you to focus on what is important. Excessive limitation is self destructive. You, your body, or anyone else will rebel against too much discipline. Continue reading “Today: Self awareness through discipline – from the I Ching”
Today: Work on repairing the corruption caused by apathy and neglect – from the I Ching
Prolonged weakness has given rise to profound corruption. Opportunistic forces have seized on apathy and neglect.
Today: Align yourself with the natural attraction of the tides of our time – from the I Ching
Align yourself with the natural attraction of the tides of our time. These are forces that come from deep within the earth and the collective psyche. Don’t resist. You can help ease the path to destiny by parting company with inferior and superficial people as your models and advisors.
Today: Nourish your aspirations – from the I Ching
Stay on track with your aspirations. Keep purifying your intentions. You will be rewarded with success. Be mindful of your differences with kindred spirits. Use them as a polarities within a whole. Keep you eye on the prize.
Today: Be humble and discrete; use your discipline and kindness to be a strong leader – from the I Ching
Remain humble and discrete. Do not fly too high too soon. Be modest and cautious. Do not be deluded by your confidence. Prepare for unforeseen attacks by paying attention to details.
Today: Look to history and tradition – from the I Ching
For advice on moving forward, look to history and tradition which illuminates circumstances that have happened and have been handled. Wild forces that challenge your well-being appear as very menacing. Do not combat them directly. Work instead on changing the nature of those forces, disarming them at their root. When the wild boar is neutered, its sharp tusks will do no damage.
Use your nature and sustained firm inner determination to influence gently the physical world. It will produce gradual, lasting effects.
Today: Prioritize and focus on what is important – from the I Ching
With limited means, prioritize and focus on what is important. Others of modest means will be inspired to follow your example. Recruit your allies and set your armies marching.
Today: Commit yourself to eradicating evil – from the I Ching
It is a time when inferior people gradually begin to disappear. Their influence is on the wane; as a result of resolute action, a change in conditions occurs, a break-through. Form a clear goal and organize. You will be successful if you act now to discredit evil and restore goodness to our society.
The text reads:
“Even if only one inferior man is occupying a ruling position, he is able to oppress superior men. Even a single passion still lurking in the heart has power to obscure reason. Passion and reason cannot exist side by side- therefore fight without quarter is necessary if the good is to prevail.
In a resolute struggle of the good against evil, there are, however, definite rules that must not be disregarded, if it is to succeed. First, resolution must be based on a union of strength and friendliness. Second, a compromise with evil is not possible; evil must under all circumstances be openly discredited. Nor must our own passions and shortcomings be glossed over. Third, the struggle must not be carried on directly by force. If evil is branded, it thinks of weapons, and if we do it the favour of fighting against it blow for blow, we lose in the end because thus we ourselves get entangled in hatred and passion. Therefore it is important to begin at home, to be on guard in our own persons against the faults we have branded. In this way, finding no opponent, the sharp edges of the weapons of evil become dulled. For the same reasons we should not combat our own faults directly. As long as we wrestle with them, they continue victorious. Finally, the best way to fight evil is to make energetic progress in the good.”
Today: Strive for great fortune and success – from the I Ching
Strive for great fortune and success. The prerequisite is the cultivation of harmonious relations others and with nature. We are advised not to fix what is broken by force, but rather through peaceful means.
The text reads:
“The hour of doom is at hand. When matters have come to this pass, we should submit to fate and not try to stave it off by violent resistance. The one recourse left us is to hold our own within our intimate circle. Should we persevere in trying to resist the evil in the usual way, our collapse would only be more complete, and humiliation would be the result.” Continue reading “Today: Strive for great fortune and success – from the I Ching”
Today: Permeate the social structure – from the I Ching
Understand the social structure. If you know how its elements interrelate, you can use them to advantage. Avoid joining or supporting factions that subvert the integrity of the structure, which must function as a whole. Use your understanding to support and strengthen the structure and help your fellow citizens.
If you can do this, your communications will permeate far and wide and reach many people.
Today: Stagnation – from the I Ching
Stagnation. Things are upside down. Hold to your inner principles and your inner light. Refrain from intervening. Stay safe. Your light will still shine brightly in this dark time.
The text reads:
“Heaven and earth are out of communion and all things are benumbed. What is above has no relation to what is below, and on earth confusion and disorder prevail. The dark power is within, the light power is without. Weakness is within, harshness without. Within are the inferior, and without are the superior. The way of inferior people is in ascent; the way of superior people is on the decline. But the superior people do not allow themselves to be turned from their principles. If the possibility of exerting influence is closed to them, they nevertheless remain faithful to their principles and withdraw into seclusion.”
Today: A stranger in a strange land – from the I Ching
As a stranger in a strange land it is important to keep moving forward. As you dwell impermanently here and there use every opportunity for growth. Be careful to protect your resources as you carry them with you and not squander them. Use everything at your disposal to channel the flow of wealth in the world to those in need. Allow this to happen by adopting saintly behavior as you encounter it and by fixing faults within yourself.
Today: The path to justice and fulfillment is long – from the I Ching
The path to justice and fulfillment is long and fraught with obstacles. One must expect that rather than assign blame for the delays. True power lies in unity and a common purpose. Only when the bond is based on what is right, on steadfastness, will it remain so firm that it triumphs over everything. In time, criminals will be held to account, even when we forgive them.