Musings on Grace and Gratitude

The more that we bring up gratitude, the more that seems to be the only important thing about our relating with life — not belief, not comfort.  The greatest grace that we have received as humans is exactly that capacity for gratitude. We have been blessed with the best teachers and the most sacred teachings…all just to realize that quality of gratitude in us.  Gratitude promotes the alchemical transformation of our experience into compassion, which does not have any limit, which is Infinite.

How could we be intolerant of anyone who is limited by ignorance?  refuse people the grace that they lack? cling tightly to what we have in unlimited abundance?  begrudge people their limited existence?

Everything we see and everyone we look at reminds us of how we do not suffer and shows us the grace that we can share.  Freedom is internal, not circumstantial. We are bound in this life to our karma, as is everyone.  At least we can experience and savor every moment and every thing that are the gifts of time and space.

Look at people who are walking in the street.  Where are they going? What is important? It all depends.  That’s grace.

Remember the saying: “There, but for the grace of God, go I”?

You are a product of God’s Grace to the world.  Remember that.

“The Power of Memories – Remember the Saint Within” Meditation

hns

Today: Be flexible in your associations, particularly new ones.  Enjoy small successes that relate to your immediate situation.  Do not overstep.” from the I Ching

Be flexible in your associations, particularly new ones.  Enjoy small successes that relate to your immediate situation.  Do not overstep.  Be wary of projections coming at you from all directions.  Obscurity in the particular is better than provoking attack.

Meditation: LA046 – 780614 – Hari Shabad Meditation – Use the Wind to Produce Trance and Dissolve Negativity

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Today: I Ching – Previous Readings

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

#56, line 5, #44

You are a stranger to this situation.
It is your attraction to the exotic that has led you here, but you will move on to a new vista when this one has lost its mystique.
Because much of this environment is foreign to you, you must exercise only the best judgement.
You don’t know the custom here, and it’s too easy to cross a line you don’t know is there.
Because you are the foreigner in this setting, you have no history to acquit you.
Watch, listen, study, contemplate, then step lightly but decisively on.
The traveler kills a pheasant with his first shot.
For the price of one arrow, he has bought himself praise and high office.
You are ignoring a clear and present danger to your well-being.
If this threat emanated from a heavy-handed oppressor, you would see it coming.
But this danger comes to you in the form of a seduction, an amusement, a diversion, an indulgence that is eating away at the fiber of your secure little world.
You are too cocksure.
You underestimate the tribute this dalliance will demand.

Today: “Ego is nothing but a committed consciousness and when your existence is a committed consciousness and your activity is not committed, then there is a duality.” Yogi Bhajan

“Ego is nothing but a committed consciousness and when your existence is a committed consciousness and your activity is not committed, then there is a duality.” Yogi Bhajan

Sat Nam!
Ram Anand

Meditation: LA714-19920219

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Today: Adversity is a healthy thing that promises personal transformation.  That is the way out.” from the I Ching

Adversity is a healthy thing that promises personal transformation.  That is the way out.  In one’s view, then, what seemed to be insurmountable opposition becomes opportunity.
Do not lash out, look inward.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for today

Meditation: The Positive Mind

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Today: I Ching – Previous Readings

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

#47, line 3, #28

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.
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.
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?
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.
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: “If you want to grow, you must face opposition.” Yogi Bhajan

“If you want to grow, you must face opposition. If you say there will not be people to negate you and not to oppose you and not to put you down, you can never progress. You must have equal opposition to the amount you have to increase.” Yogi Bhajan

Sat Nam!
Ram Anand

Meditation: The Positive Mind

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Today: The time for action is approaching.  Until then, be patient and hold true to your principles.” from the I Ching

The time for action is approaching.  Until then, be patient and hold true to your principles.

Meditation: NM374 – 20001128 – Patience and Intuition

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Today: I Ching – Previous Readings

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

#33, line 2, #1

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.

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.
Yellow is the color of the middle. It indicates that which is correct and in line with duty. Oxhide is strong and not to be torn.
While the superior men retreat and the inferior press after them, the inferior man represented here holds on so firmly and tightly to the superior men that the latter cannot shake him off. And because he is in quest of what is right and so strong in purpose, he reaches his goal.

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.

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.

Today: “Some people think that a holy man is a skinny man with a stick in his hand and a bowl of rice which he eats once a month, that he lives anywhere, he is never angry.” Yogi Bhajan

“Some people think that a holy man is a skinny man with a stick in his hand and a bowl of rice which he eats once a month, that he lives anywhere, he is never angry. That’s not true. A holy man is a wholesome, compassionate person.” Yogi Bhajan

Sat Nam!
Ram Anand

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

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Today: Purify yourself with what you consume.” from the I Ching

Purify yourself with what you consume.

Meditation: Listening to Angelic Whispers – from the Mind

Yesterday’s reading

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Today: I Ching – Previous Readings

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

#27

You are a conduit in this instance, able to provide the sustenance needed by others.
Position yourself to nourish the truly needy and worthy.
Avoid situations where you might be coerced into supporting the parasites and vermin who deprive your true charges.
Your own nourishment is an issue here, too.
Remember Lao Tzu’s three Great Treasures:
Only the person possessed of Compassion, Modesty and Frugality can remain fit enough to stay free of desperation and keep control of the situation.

.

Today: “What causes pain in our life is that we do not know how to live as relaxed beings.” Yogi Bhajan

“What causes pain in our life is that we do not know how to live as relaxed beings. When you are not relaxed, the spirit will not prevail through you. If you are not relaxed, you are unable to communicate and you cannot understand, so you don’t live. There are two ways of living: living and existing. When you exist, you don’t live; when you live, then you exist in a graceful manner.” Yogi Bhajan

Sat Nam!
Ram Anand

Yogi’s De-Stress And Sleep Routine.

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Today: Consume only what furthers your highest self.  Offer the same for others. ” from the I Ching

Consume only what furthers your highest self.  Offer the same for others.  Show your grace.

Meditation: LA958 A00413 Grace My Grace Is Me! 20000413

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Today: I Ching – Previous Readings

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

#27, line 3, #22

You are a conduit in this instance, able to provide the sustenance needed by others.
Position yourself to nourish the truly needy and worthy.
Avoid situations where you might be coerced into supporting the parasites and vermin who deprive your true charges.
Your own nourishment is an issue here, too.
Remember Lao Tzu’s three Great Treasures:
Only the person possessed of Compassion, Modesty and Frugality can remain fit enough to stay free of desperation and keep control of the situation.
You gorge yourself on tempting sweets, devoid of nutritional value.
Such heedless compulsiveness carries longlasting consequences.
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.

.

Meditation:  LA958 A00413 Grace My Grace Is Me! 20000413

Yogi Bhajan – LA958 A00413 Grace My Grace Is Me!
April 13th, 2000 – Los Angeles, CA, USA #LA0958

MEDITATION – For Grace Sit straight in a cross-legged position. Place the left hand around the top of the right arm/shoulder. Raise the right hand in front of the right shoulder, palm facing forward, elbow relaxed down. Eyes are closed. Make an “o” of your mouth and breathe powerfully through it. Inhale with 3 strokes and exhale with 1 stroke. Continue for 11 minutes, breathing strongly during the last 2 minutes. To end, inhale deeply. Hold, stretch the spine, pull the chest out and stretch the arms straight overhead, spreading the fingers tight like steel. Exhale. Repeat 2 more times. Relax. Alternate holding the right shoulder with holding the left shoulder (posture reversed) in your day-to-day practice.

#LA958 A00413 Grace My Grace Is Me

Lecture
T
he most precious thing you have as a human being is your own grace. The only difference between people—from a prostitute to royalty, from a saint to a pimp—is in their degree of grace. Your real power, your spiritual power, is your grace. There is nothing comparable to it. If you have your grace with you, and you only deal with your own grace, the world will bow to you, the world will seek you. And if you love your grace, the Almighty, Omnipresent, Omniscient God will love you. You will never find a dearth of anything in your life. Grace is when you are meditatively innocent. And when you are meditatively graceful, the Hand of God will protect you. You will never fall short. Your consciousness, knowledge and understanding, your body, mind and spirit, your tomorrow, today and yesterday, are all balanced—your grace on one side, you on the other. If you make a promise that you will not lose your grace, no matter what, God will not leave you alone, no matter what. The only path to happiness is to be a human being, a graceful human being. If you are a graceful human being, the entire Prakirti, all the Creativity of God, will come to you.You will excel, you will vibrate, without uttering a word. Anybody can provoke you. Do not be provoked, do not cross the line of your grace. Sit down and assess yourself, “Where is my grace? My grace is me!” You do not need to learn—your grace can attract the entire divinity of God to you. It is your privilege. The most precious things you love and want to have: Prosperity, beauty, bounty, bliss and happiness—will work for you. Nothing is free. The price has to be paid—you must live your grace. A man won the lottery two times. Ten years later he said, “I was content and happy before I won the lottery. When I won the lottery, I was very happy. I thought, ‘God has been kind and merciful to me. Whatever I want to do, I will do it.’Today I think that I am cursed.” Energy has to be digested, controlled, contained. You have energy but you do not care for it. You waste it on feelings, emotions, sensuality, sexuality, fantasies, imaginations, desires and dreams. And when you need energy you say, “Give me a vitamin B12 injection,” or “Let us have a Turkish coffee.” Is that life? You want something to feel that you exist—to be, to be. You never learned that you are “To be, to be.”“To be or not to be,” is not an option. People call themselves lovers and end up fighting each other. You think, “It’s not going to happen to me.” Without grace, there is no life. We give energy to our passions and we call it love. Our love is fantastic, it is gold plated. When the gold plating comes off, you see the real metal and you cry, “It hurts!” There is no progressive power to see where the line of grace lies between two people and to what extent they can carry their grace. A graceful person remains graceful. It does not matter if you love or hate him—the pair of opposites does not affect him. No matter which occupation you might choose—grace is grace. Enjoy your life by your own grace.

 

Today: “Trust only comes when you trust yourself.” Yogi Bhajan

“Trust only comes when you trust yourself. When you trust your dignity, you will always be dignified. When you trust your love, you will always be lovable. When you trust your beauty, you will always be beautiful. When you trust your greatness, you will always be great.” Yogi Bhajan

Sat Nam!
Ram Anand

The Tao Te Ching speaks to this

Meditation: LA950 A00214 20000214 Develop Self-Reliance

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Today: Resistance to the light is softening.  Stick to your guiding principles and others will follow.”- a reading from the I Ching

Resistance to the light is softening.  Stick to your guiding principles and others will follow.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote

Meditation: NM0347-20000502-Guru Kriya

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Today: I Ching – Previous Readings

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

#53, line 5, #23

…in this situation, oppressors are violently seizing power.
Pay special heed when you receive this hexagram, because the oracle is often warning you of a situation of which you are totally unaware.
You are about to be blindsided.
Others follow you like fish on a line.
The tide turns as you bring order from the chaos.
Here, in immediate proximity to the strong, light-giving principle at the top, the nature of the dark force undergoes a change. It no longer opposes the strong principle by means of intrigues but submits to its guidance.

The situation marks a rising to new heights.
As you climb for a better view of the panorama, you make yourself more conspicuous to those below.

.

Today: “There is nothing before commitment, there is nothing beyond commitment, because commitment is complete within itself.” Yogi Bhajan

“There is nothing before commitment, there is nothing beyond commitment, because commitment is complete within itself.” Yogi Bhajan

Sat Nam!
Ram Anand

Yogi Bhajan’s Seven Steps to Happiness

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Today: Trust that there will be slow, gradual progress toward peace and justice.”- a reading from the I Ching

Trust that there will be slow, gradual progress toward peace and justice.  Through misunderstanding, deception and misdirection, the qualities of righteous people have been suppressed and ignored.  That will change.  The dark forces have not disappeared, but now there is a general awareness of their sinister intent and tactics.
It isn’t hope, rather it is your unwavering devotion to truth that will prevail.

Meditation: NM345- Strengthen and enhance the radiant body

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Today: I Ching – Previous Readings

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

#53, line 5, #23

The Superior Person clings faithfully to dignity and integrity, thus elevating the Collective Spirit of Man in his own small way.
Development.
The maiden is given in marriage.
Good fortune if you stay on course.
Adaptability mixed with integrity will bring a calm, steady progress.
Move from your center, always faithful to your principles, yet with the flexibility to weather any tempest.
Yours is not a meteoric rise to the top, but the solid, confident footing of one who has a clear vision of what can be, and who is willing to climb the distance to reach it.
The oracle foresees companionship along the way — a Divine comfort on any journey.
The summit is a high place. In a high position one easily becomes isolated. One is misjudged by the very person on whom one is dependent – the woman by her husband, the official by his superior. This is the work of deceitful persons who have wormed their way in. The result is that relationships remain sterile, and nothing is accomplished. But in the course of further development, such misunderstandings are cleared away, and reconciliation is achieved after all.
in this situation, oppressors are violently seizing power.
Pay special heed when you receive this hexagram, because the oracle is often warning you of a situation of which you are totally unaware.
You are about to be blindsided.

.

Today: “Life has a message for everyone. Life provides an opportunity for everyone.” Yogi Bhajan

“Life has a message for everyone. Life provides an opportunity for everyone. Fortunate are those who avail themselves of it, unfortunate are those who miss it.” Yogi Bhajan

Sat Nam!
Ram Anand

Meditation: LA721-920325: for the Intuitive Intellect

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