Today: Possession in great measure – from the I Ching

Possession in great measure.  Be modest with what the heavens bestow upon you.  Walk in truth and be devoted to what is right and true.  Base all your relationships on spontaneous affection.  Beware of passing distractions and avoid empty associations of convenience.

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching
“
The sun in heaven above, shedding light over everything on earth, is the image of possession on a grand scale. But a possession of this sort must be administered properly. The sun brings both evil and good into the light of day. Man must combat and curb the evil, and must favor and promote the good. Only in this way does he fulfil the benevolent will of God, who desires only good and not evil.
In the fullness of possession and at the height of power, one remains modest and gives honour to the sage who stands outside the affairs of the world. By this means one puts oneself under the beneficent influence descending form heaven, and all goes well. Kongfu (Confucius) says of this line:
To bless means to help. Heaven helps the man who is devoted; men help the man who is true. He who walks in truth and is devoted in his thinking, and furthermore reveres the worthy, is blessed by heaven. He has good fortune, and there is nothing that would not further.
Affection as the essential principle of relatedness is of the greatest importance in all relationships in the world. For the union of heaven and earth is the origin of the whole of nature. Among human beings likewise, spontaneous affection is the all-inclusive principle of union.

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Today: “…the earth would be a heaven” Yogi Bhajan

“If bitching mouths were stitched, The earth would be a heaven. If the rich were compassionate, The earth would be a heaven. If the holy men of the world unite, The earth would be a heaven. If all could see the one God in all, The earth would be a heaven.” Yogi Bhajan
(via Ram Anand)

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Today: Be flexible and don’t panic – from the I Ching

Be flexible and don’t panic.  Simplify rather than struggle against the tide in times of slender means.

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching
“
Water reaches its goal by flowing continually. It fills up every depression before it flows on. The superior man follows its example; he is concerned that goodness should be an established attribute of character rather than an accidental and isolated occurrence. So likewise in teaching others everything depends on consistency, for it is only through repetition that the pupil makes the material his own.
Danger comes because one is too ambitious. In order to flow out of a ravine, water does not rise higher than the lowest point of the rim. So likewise a man when in danger has only to proceed along the line of least resistance; thus he reaches the goal. Great labours cannot be accomplished in such times; it is enough to get out of the danger.
Decrease does not under all circumstances mean something bad. Increase and decrease come in their own time. What matters here is to understand the time and not to try to cover up poverty with empty pretence. If a time of scanty resources brings out an inner truth, one must not feel ashamed of simplicity. For simplicity is then the very thing needed to provide inner strength for further undertakings. Indeed, there need be no concern if the outward beauty of the civilisation, even the elaboration of religious forms, should have to suffer because of simplicity. One must draw on the strength of the inner attitude to compensate for what is lacking in externals; then the power of the content makes up for the simplicity of form. There is no need of presenting false appearances to God. Even with slender means, the sentiment of the heart can be expressed.

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Today: “Slow and steady wins the race” Yogi Bhajan

“Slow and steady wins the race. Attitude and manners bring the grace. Identity and dignity give the self face. Nobility and reality open every space.” Yogi Bhajan
(via Ram Anand)

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Today: In conflict remain flexible – from the I Ching

Meet conflict with a willingness to negotiate rather than with intransigence.  A victory in war waged to the bitter end will require a constant defense of what was won.  A triumph of diplomacy will allow everyone to move on.  It lays a path for conduct in future disagreements.

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching
“
CONFLICT DEVELOPS when one feels himself to be in the right and runs into opposition. If one is not convinced of being in the right, opposition leads to craftiness or high-handed encroachment but not to open conflict.
If a man is entangled in a conflict, his only salvation lies in being so clear- headed and inwardly strong that he is always ready to come to terms by meeting the opponent halfway. To carry on the conflict to the bitter end has evil effects even when one is the right, because the enmity is then perpetuated. It is important to see the great man, that is, an impartial man whose authority is great enough to terminate the conflict amicably or assure a just decision. In times of strife, crossing the great water is to be avoided, that is, dangerous enterprises are not to be begun, because in order to be successful they require concerted unity of focus. Conflict within weakens the power to conquer danger without.
Here we have someone who has carried a conflict to the bitter end and has triumphed. He is granted a decoration, but his happiness does not last. He is attacked again and again, and the result is conflict without end.
Water reaches its goal by flowing continually. It fills up every depression before it flows on. The superior man follows its example; he is concerned that goodness should be an established attribute of character rather than an accidental and isolated occurrence. So likewise in teaching others everything depends on consistency, for it is only through repetition that the pupil makes the material his own.

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Today: “When the candle is lit there’s no darkness” Yogi Bhajan

“When the candle is lit there’s no darkness. When life is in love there’s no harshness. As the breath of life flows, so the life goes.” Yogi Bhajan
(via Ram Anand)

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Today: Share your blessings – from the I Ching

Share your blessings.

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching
“
Sacrifice on the part of those above for the increase of those below fills the people with a sense of joy and gratitude that is extremely valuable for the flowering of the commonwealth. When people are thus devoted to their leaders, undertakings are possible, and even difficult and dangerous enterprises will succeed. Therefore in such times of progress and successful development it is necessary to work and make the best use of the time.
While observing how thunder and wind increase and strengthen each other, a man can note the way to self-increase and self-improvement. When he discovers good in others, he should imitate it and thus make everything on earth his own. If he perceives something bad in himself, let him rid himself of it. In this way he becomes free of evil. This ethical change represents the most important increase of personality.
It is important that there should be men who mediate between leaders and followers. These should be disinterested people, especially in times of increase, since the benefit is to spread from the leader to the people. Nothing of this benefit should be held back in a selfish way; it should really reach those for whom it is intended. This sort of intermediary, who also exercises a good influence on the leader, is especially important in times when it is a matter of great undertakings, decisive for the future and requiring the inner assent of all concerned.
Man has received from heaven a nature innately good, to guide him in all his movements. By devotion to this divine spirit within himself, he attains an unsullied innocence that leads him to do right with instinctive sureness and without any ulterior thought of reward and personal advantage. This instinctive certainty brings about supreme success and “furthers through perseverance”. However, not everything instinctive is nature in this higher sense of the word, but only that which is right and in accord with the will of heaven. Without this quality of rightness, an unreflecting, instinctive way of acting brings only misfortune. Confucius says about this:
“He who departs from innocence, what does he come to? Heaven’s will and blessing do not go with his deeds.”

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Today: “If you are in love” Yogi Bhajan

“If you are in love, you have the strength to trust. If you can’t trust, you can’t find where the love is. You can’t be a common person and hope for uncommon achievements.” Yogi Bhajan
(via Ram Anand)

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Today: Be as the wanderer who begins at zero – from the I Ching

Be as the wanderer who begins at zero knowing no one and owning nothing.  Practicality demands that you remain upright and steadfast, modest and reserved.  In all your social interactions be in touch with your inner being.  Be real.  This will attract good people who together will participate in helping you increase your influence and amass great power.

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching
“
WHEN A man is a wanderer and stranger, he should not be gruff nor overbearing. He has no large circle of acquaintances, therefore he should not give himself airs. He must be cautious and reserved; in this way he protects himself from evil. If he is obliging toward others, he wins success.
A wanderer has no fixed abode; his home is the road. Therefore he must take care to remain upright and steadfast, so that he sojourns only in the proper places, associating only with good people. Then he has good fortune and can go his way unmolested.
The wanderer here described is modest and reserved. He does not lose touch with his inner being, hence he finds a resting place. In the outside world he does not lose the liking of other people, hence all persons further him, so that he can acquire property. Moreover, he wins the allegiance of a faithful and trustworthy servant – a thing of inestimable value to a wanderer.
The hexagram points to a time when inner worth mounts with great force and comes to power…truly great power which does not degenerate into mere force but remains inwardly united with the fundamental principles of right and of justice. When we understand this point – namely, that greatness and justice must be indissolubly united – we understand the true meaning of all that happens in heaven and on earth.

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Today: “Any talk which is not from the heart…” Yogi Bhajan

“Any talk which is not from the heart will hurt. Any scheme with the head will lead nowhere. Life is a mutual concept. Nobody can do it alone.” Yogi Bhajan
(via Ram Anand)

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Today: “Cheap behavior jeopardizes your happiness” Yogi Bhajan

“Cheap behavior, direct and indirect, jeopardizes your happiness. Jealousy is your own enemy. Blame is your own snag. Nagging is your own misdemeanor. Complaining is your felony. In the court of the Universe. This is the way of the Law.” Yogi Bhajan
(via Ram Anand)

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Today: Know your impact, relate with all as family – from the I Ching

Count on nothing for the long term.  We are all just sojourners on this planet.  What is there for us now may not be later, and vice versa.
Everything and everyone changes and evolves.  You are an agent of those changes.  Be aware of your impact and relate with everyone as family.  Take care of yourself.  As you change, so will others.  In the end it is only the scope of the sphere of your acquaintances and influence that determines the size of the family.

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching
“
WHEN A man is a wanderer and stranger, he should not be gruff nor overbearing. He has no large circle of acquaintances, therefore he should not give himself airs. He must be cautious and reserved; in this way he protects himself from evil. If he is obliging toward others, he wins success.
A wanderer has no fixed abode; his home is the road. Therefore he must take care to remain upright and steadfast, so that he sojourns only in the proper places, associating only with good people. Then he has good fortune and can go his way unmolested.
This describes a wanderer who knows how to limit his desires outwardly, though he is inwardly strong and aspiring. Therefore he finds at least a place of shelter in which he can stay. He also succeeds in acquiring property, but even with this he is not secure. He must be always on guard, ready to defend himself with arms. Hence he is not at ease. He is persistently conscious of being a stranger in a strange land.
One in this situation must be keenly aware of his influence on others.
Maintain a healthy respect for the ripple effect of your words and deeds.
To some you serve as a role model.
You can either help shape their world or tilt them into chaos.
Show temperance and consideration to all.
The family is society in embryo; it is the native soil on which performance of moral duty is made easy through natural affection, so that within a small circle a basis of moral practice is created, and this is later widened to include human relationships in general.

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Today: The message carried on the wind is clear – from the I Ching

The message carried on the wind is clear.

It cries for reform in human behavior.  Without reform, we are doomed to experiencing the same message over and over.
The beginning has not been good, but the moment has been reached when a new direction can be taken. Change and improvement are called for.
What has been spoiled through man’s fault can be made good again through man’s work. It is not immutable fate that has caused the state of corruption, but rather the abuse of human freedom. Work toward improving conditions promises well…
We must identify the causes of corruption, eradicate them, and never return to that state of neglect and apathy.

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching
“
The penetrating quality of the wind depends on its ceaselessness. This is what makes it so powerful; time is its instrument. In the same way the ruler’s thought should penetrate the soul of the people. This too requires a lasting influence brought about by enlightenment and command. Only when the command has been assimilated by the people is action in accordance with it possible. Action without preparation of the ground only frightens and repels.
An entirely new point of departure must be set up, whereas here it is only a question of reforms. The beginning has not been good, but the moment has been reached when a new direction can be taken. Change and improvement are called for. Such steps must be undertaken with steadfastness, that is, with a firm and correct attitude of mind; then they will succeed, and remorse will disappear. But it must be remembered that such improvements require careful consideration. Before a change is made, it must be pondered over again and again. After the change is made, it is necessary to note carefully for some time after how the improvements bear the test of actuality. Such careful work is accompanied by good fortune.
What has been spoiled through man’s fault can be made good again through man’s work. It is not immutable fate that has caused the state of corruption, but rather the abuse of human freedom. Work toward improving conditions promises well, because it accords the possibilities of the time. We must not recoil from work and danger- symbolised by crossing of the great water-but must take hold energetically. Success depends, however, on proper deliberation. This is expressed by the lines, “Before the starting point, three days. After the starting point, three days.”
We must first know the causes of corruption before we can do away with them; hence it is necessary to be cautious during the time before the start. Then we must see to it that the new way is safely entered on, so that a relapse may be avoided; therefore we must pay attention to the time after the start. Decisiveness and energy must take the place of inertia and indifference that have led to decay, in order that the ending may be followed by a new beginning.

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Today: “Wisdom has no criteria” Yogi Bhajan

“Wisdom has no criteria. Stupidity has no age. Woman has one defense. Which is a crossbow between her humility and her grace. Beyond that she has no armor.” Yogi Bhajan
(via Ram Anand)

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Today: wait for the time when you will have a real influence – from the I Ching

Store up your powers and wait for the right time when you will have a real influence in applying all that you know and all that you are in effective service.

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching
“
Force of habit helps to keep order in quiet times; but in periods when there is a great storing up of energy, everything depends on the power of the personality. However, since the worthy are honoured, as in the case of the strong personality entrusted with leadership by the ruler, it is an advantage not to eat at home but rather to earn one’s bread by entering upon public office. Such a man is in harmony with heaven; therefore even great and difficult undertakings, such as crossing the great water, succeed.
Heaven within the mountain points to hidden treasures. In the words and deeds of the past there lies hidden a treasure that men may use to strengthen and elevate their own characters. The way to study the past is not to confine oneself to mere knowledge of history but, through application of this knowledge, to give actuality to the past.
Here a man is suffering from inner restlessness and cannot abide in his place. He would like to push forward under any circumstances, but encounters insuperable obstacles. Thus his situation entails an inner conflict. This is due to the obstinacy with which he seeks to enforce his will. If he would desist from this obstinacy, everything would go well. But this advice, like so much other good counsel, will be ignored. For obstinacy makes a man unable to hear, for all that he has ears.
Heat creates energy: this is signified by the wind stirred up by the fire and issuing forth from it. This represents influence working from within outward. The same thing is needed in the regulation of the family. Here too the influence on others must proceed form one’s own person. In order to be capable of producing such an influence, one’s words must have power, and this they can have only if they are based on something real, just as flame depends on its fuel. Words have influence only when they are pertinent and clearly related to definite circumstances. General discourses and admonitions have no effect whatsoever. Furthermore, the words must be supported by one’s entire conduct, just as the wind is made effective by its duration. Only firm and consistent conduct will make such an impression on others that they can adapt and conform to it. If words and conduct are not in accord and not consistent, they will have no effect.

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Today: “If you are not already one step ahead of the work” Yogi Bhajan

“If you are not already one step ahead of the work, The work shall walk one step ahead to someone else.” Yogi Bhajan
(via Ram Anand)

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