Today: “The hammer and chisel have to carve the stone. If the stone can carve the chisel, there’s no need of a chisel.” Yogi Bhajan

“The hammer and chisel have to carve the stone. If the stone can carve the chisel, there’s no need of a chisel. Then the stone is the chisel. If a teacher depends upon the student, he’s not a teacher to begin with. Then it’s a commercial situation.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation:  LA588 890411 Silver Grain Meditation 

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

Tao Te Ching – Verse 74

If you realize that all things change,
there is nothing you will try to hold on to.
If you aren’t afraid of dying,
there is nothing you can’t achieve.

Trying to control the future
is like trying to take the master carpenter’s place.
When you handle the master carpenter’s tools,
chances are that you’ll cut your hand.
Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 74 – If you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to.”

“Keep the relations that have sustained rather than pursuing new ones that promise favor.” – Today’s Reading

Keep the relations that have sustained rather than pursuing new ones that promise favor.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for today

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

Try these meditations:

LA097 790327 Yoni Kriya The Unknown Fear Complex Of The Unknown

Meditation: NM0380 – Ecstasy and Joy

Today: I Ching – Previous Reading – “The main thing is to remain safe from the danger around us without panic. Follow the path of least resistance toward safety in your affairs and you will be OK.”

Today: I Ching – Previous previous reading – “Stay true to your path regardless of the folly, chaos and insanity presented by those around you.”

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Meditation: LA088 790222 Egyptian Meditation

A letter to a friend

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's, Thomas Cleary's, Brian Arnold's and other translations of the I Ching
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.

Nine in the fifth place means:

The withered willow blossoms.
An older woman takes a young husband.
No blame, no praise.

A withered poplar puts forth flowers.
An older woman takes a husband.
No blame. No praise.

Poplar forest

Poplar forest

A withered poplar that flowers exhausts its energies thereby and only hastens its end. An older woman may marry once more, but no renewal takes place. Everything remains barren. Thus, though all the amenities are observed, the net result is only the anomaly of the situation.

Applied to politics, the metaphor means that if in times of insecurity we give up alliance with those below us and keep up only the relationships we have with people of higher rank, an unstable situation is created.

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.

Today: “Be straight, talk straight, and live straight.” Yogi Bhajan

“Be straight, talk straight, and live straight.” Yogi Bhajan

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

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

Tao Te Ching – Verse 73

The Tao is always at ease.
It overcomes without competing,
answers without speaking a word,
arrives without being summoned,
accomplishes without a plan.

Its net covers the whole universe.
And though its meshes are wide,
it doesn’t let a thing slip through.
Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 73 – The Tao is always at ease.”

“The main thing is to remain safe from the danger around us without panic.  Follow the path of least resistance toward safety in your affairs and you will be OK.” – Today’s Reading

The main thing is to remain safe from the danger around us without panic.  Follow the path of least resistance toward safety in your affairs and you will be OK.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for today

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.

Try these meditations:

Meditation: LA860-960131-Increase the Flow of Earth Within You

Meditation: LA741 – 921125 – Dance of Shiva

Today: I Ching – Previous Reading – “Stay true to your path regardless of the folly, chaos and insanity presented by those around you.”

Today: I Ching – Previous previous reading – “Beware of cult like behavior. The leader disdains the follower and the follower seeks favors. Both will fail.”

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Meditation: LA088 790222 Egyptian Meditation

A letter to a friend

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's, Thomas Cleary's, Brian Arnold's and other translations of the I Ching
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.

Nine in the fifth place means:

The dark waters of this pit will rise no higher.
Your greatest danger now lies in panic.
Keep your wits and you will escape.

The abyss is not filled to overflowing,
It is filled only to the rim.
No blame.

Abyss Pool

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 labors cannot be accomplished in such times; it is enough to get out of the danger.

Abyss Pool

Abyss Pool is the deepest hot spring in Yellowstone, at 53 feet.
It was named because this great depth makes it seem like the pool has no bottom… like an abyss…

2 – Two   K’un / Receptive Force

Earth above and Earth below:
The Earth contains and sustains.
In this situation, the Superior Person should not take the initiative; he should follow the initiative of another.
He should seek receptive allies in the southwest; he should break ties with immovable allies in the northeast.

Responsive devotion.
Receptive influence.
Sublime Success if you keep to your course.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

This is a time for dealing with reality as it is, not as you would have it be.
If you realize that in this situation you are the receptor, not the transmitter of the stimulus, you will find yourself reaching goals that seemed unattainable under your own steam.
If you persist in futile efforts to be the Shaper rather than the Shaped, you will completely miss this unique opportunity.

Today: “Whatever you are, you’re a piece of garbage if you have not awakened your own dormant power to become totally excellent.” – Yogi Bhajan

“I hope you fully understand. If you see you are rich, you are rich. If you see you are poor, you are poor. If you see you are great, you are great. If you see you are not, you are not. If you are a pimp and a prostitute, bless you. And if you are very saintly and divine and humble and great, fine. Whatever you are, you’re a piece of garbage if you have not awakened your own dormant power to become totally excellent. By rowing a boat you can reach the ocean, but you will never know the power of swimming through it. That is what it is.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation: NM0413 – Intuition and the Strength of Excellence

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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.

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.

Therefore the Master steps back
so that people won’t be confused.
He teaches without a teaching,
so that people will have nothing to learn.
Continue reading “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.”

“Stay true to your path regardless of the folly, chaos and insanity  presented by those around you.” – Today’s Reading

Stay true to your path regardless of the folly, chaos and insanity  presented by those around you.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for today

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

Try these meditations:

https://www.harinam.com/la907/

Today: I Ching – Previous Reading – “Beware of cult like behavior. The leader disdains the follower and the follower seeks favors. Both will fail.”

Today: I Ching – Previous previous reading – “This is a momentous time where you must make a choice to do something. Doing nothing is a perilous option. ”

See related posts.

Meditation: LA088 790222 Egyptian Meditation

A letter to a friend

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's, Thomas Cleary's, Brian Arnold's and other translations of the I Ching
50 – Fifty.  Ting / The Caldron

Fire rises hot and bright from the Wood beneath the sacrificial caldron:
The Superior Person positions himself correctly within the flow of Cosmic forces.

Supreme Accomplishment.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

Your needs are coming into harmony with the requirements of the Cosmos.
Blending brilliantly with the Dance of Life, you are becoming an actual element of Cosmic Law.
Your goals will now be realized because you no longer cut against the Cosmic grain; you are no longer swimming against the flow of the Tao.
You are acquiring an intuitive sense of what can and cannot be, and aligning your efforts accordingly.

Six in the fifth place means:

The caldron you cook in has yellow handles and golden carrying rings.
Good fortune if you keep to this course.

The ting has yellow handles, golden carrying rings.
Perseverance furthers.

Bronze cauldron

Bronze cauldron

Here we have, in a ruling position, a man who is approachable and modest in nature. As a result of this attitude he succeeds in finding strong and able helpers who complement and aid him in his work. Having achieved this attitude, which requires constant self-abnegation, it is important for him to hold to it and not to let himself be led astray.
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.

Today: “The one who practices Kundalini Yoga commands the five tattvas, the three gunas, the seven chakras, and all 108 elements in the universe” – Yogi Bhajan

“Kundalini Yoga is not a yoga for everybody or anybody. The one who practices Kundalini Yoga commands the five tattvas, the three gunas, the seven chakras, and all 108 elements in the universe, including a conscious creation of the Creator. Let’s be clear about it. Kundalini Yoga is not a religion. Religions came out of it. Kundalini Yoga is not a fad, and it’s not a cult. It’s a practice of experience of a person’s own excellence which is dormant and which is awakened.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation: KYB117-19860822 – Achieve an Experience of God

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

Tao Te Ching – Verse 71

Not-knowing is true knowledge.
Presuming to know is a disease.
First realize that you are sick;
then you can move toward health.

The Master is her own physician.
She has healed herself of all knowing.
Thus she is truly whole.
Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 71 – Not-knowing is true knowledge. Presuming to know is a disease.”

Today: “I am not, folks, tying a turban because I’m a Sikh, and I’m not tying a turban because I’m running a boutique business.” – Yogi Bhajan

“I am not, folks, tying a turban because I’m a Sikh, and I’m not tying a turban because I’m running a boutique business. Not at all. I’m not teaching a religion, minus reality. I’m a scientist. I came to these United States to be in the United States. I am not seeking students. I don’t initiate. But I am obligated. Somebody touched me and taught me. I’m willing to touch somebody.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation: 760422 – Balancing Projection with Intention

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Tao Te Ching – Verse 70 – My teachings are easy to understand and easy to put into practice.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 70

My teachings are easy to understand
and easy to put into practice.
Yet your intellect will never grasp them,
and if you try to practice them, you’ll fail.

My teachings are older than the world.
How can you grasp their meaning?

If you want to know me,
look inside your heart. Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 70 – My teachings are easy to understand and easy to put into practice.”

“Beware of cult like behavior.  The leader disdains the follower and the follower seeks favors.  Both will fail.” – Today’s Reading

Beware of cult like behavior.  The leader disdains the follower and the follower seeks favors.  Both will fail.

It often happens, when a man exerts a certain amount of influence, that he obtains a following by condescension toward inferiors. But the people who attach themselves to him are not honest in their intentions. They seek personal advantage and try to make themselves indispensable through flattery and subservience. If one becomes accustomed to such satellites and cannot do without them, it brings misfortune. Only when a man is completely free from his ego, and intent, by conviction, upon what is right and essential, does he acquire the clarity that enables him to see through such people, and become free of blame.

See Yogi Bhajan’s quote for today

Tao Te Ching – Verse 69 – Rather than make the first move it is better to wait and see.

Meditation: NM0413 – Intuition and the Strength of Excellence

Today: I Ching – Previous Reading – “This is a momentous time where you must make a choice to do something. Doing nothing is a perilous option. ”

Today: I Ching – Previous previous reading – “Transcend the tribal formations that separate you. Grow together with the connections and aspirations you share.”

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Meditation: LA088 790222 Egyptian Meditation

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

A letter to a friend

Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's, Thomas Cleary's, Brian Arnold's and other translations of the I Ching
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?

Nine in the fourth place means:

Following for dishonorable reasons.
Pause for clarity and a return to integrity.
Once actions are sincere, you may move forward blamelessly.

Following creates success.
Perseverance brings misfortune.
To go one’s way with sincerity brings clarity.
How could there be blame in this?

Flattery

‘Flattery’ – Juan Gris, 1908 – Pencil, color pencil and watercolor on paper

It often happens, when a man exerts a certain amount of influence, that he obtains a following by condescension toward inferiors. But the people who attach themselves to him are not honest in their intentions. They seek personal advantage and try to make themselves indispensable through flattery and subservience. If one becomes accustomed to such satellites and cannot do without them, it brings misfortune. Only when a man is completely free from his ego, and intent, by conviction, upon what is right and essential, does he acquire the clarity that enables him to see through such people, and become free of blame.
3 – Three.  Chun / Difficulty at the Beginning

Thunder from the Deep:
The Superior Person carefully weaves order out of confusion.

Supreme Success if you keep to your course.
Carefully consider the first move.
Seek help.

SITUATION ANALYSIS:

New ventures always pack along their inherent chaos.
Though this is an annoyance at best, and can even imperil or downright doom an endeavor, it is also the friction needed to polish your project to jewel brilliance.
Learn from these early obstacles.

Today: “You must understand. Ten percent of you is projection and ten percent of you is object and subject. You can’t be more than that.” – Yogi Bhajan

“You must understand. Ten percent of you is projection and ten percent of you is object and subject. You can’t be more than that. There’s no way. Eighty percent is unknown. The idea of intuition is not to not know. The idea of the development of intuition is that you have to know that eighty percent. You are missing eighty percent.” Yogi Bhajan

Meditation: M074 – 920423 – Balance the Pineal and Pituitary

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Tao Te Ching – Verse 69 – Rather than make the first move it is better to wait and see.

Tao Te Ching – Verse 69

The generals have a saying:
“Rather than make the first move
it is better to wait and see.
Rather than advance an inch
it is better to retreat a yard.”

This is called
going forward without advancing,
pushing back without using weapons. Continue reading “Tao Te Ching – Verse 69 – Rather than make the first move it is better to wait and see.”