True fellowship is what’s needed. Not driven by ego. Leaders without ulterior motives are needed. Those who can bring people together.
Divisions and tears in the social fabric have reached a point where even the means for fighting have become paralyzed. This is actually a good thing. Impotent in their aggression, the players will begin to come to their senses: Why? What’s the point? There is no need to point fingers. They know who they are.
In this way, the business of supporting one another and providing for the commonwealth can be restored. That is what has been forgotten.
Read the text from Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching
“True fellowship among men must be based on a concern that is universal. It is not the private interests of the individual that create lasting fellowship among men, but rather the goals of humanity. That is why it is said that fellowship with men in the open succeeds. If unity of this kind prevails, even difficult and dangerous tasks, such as crossing the great water, can be accomplished. But in order to bring about this sort of fellowship, a persevering and enlightened leader is needed – a man with clear, convincing, and inspiring aims and the strength to carry them out.
Here the reconciliation that follows quarrel moves nearer. It is true that there are still dividing walls on which we stand confronting one another. But the difficulties are too great. We get into straits, and this brings us to our senses. We cannot fight, and therein lies our good fortune.
In bestowing care and nourishment, it is important that the right people should be taken care of and that we should attend to our own nourishment in the right way. If we wish to know what anyone is like, we have only to observe on whom he bestows his care and what sides of his own nature he cultivates and nourishes. Nature nourishes all creatures. The great man fosters and takes care of superior men, in order to take care of all men through them. Mencius says about this:
If we wish to know whether anyone is superior or not, we need only observe what part of his being he regards as especially important. The body has superior and inferior, important and unimportant parts. We must not injure important parts for the sake of the unimportant, nor must we injure the superior parts for the sake of the inferior. He who cultivates the inferior parts of his nature is an inferior man. He who cultivates the superior parts of his nature is a superior man. “
Meditation
Previous readings
Today: I Ching
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
