Our simple seeker was fascinated in what
she had discovered in a Book Warehouse
store. She seemed to know she was meant
to find something of special interest
to her, if to no other.

What is Feng-Shui?

Yes. That’s the title of this incredibly
interesting, nineteenth century classic
interpretation by Ernest J. Eitel.
And it was marked down to $3.99.
It hardly seems fair.

Did you want to pay more?

Perhaps, if I had know how interesting
it would be to me, but that would mess
up their bookkeeping. People don’t do that.

You do.

Not in a book store. And not often.
But there are times when waiters
seem to go out of there way to be
helpful that I would not feel
comfortable not expressing thanks
with a higher tip than usual.
It’s just too easy to simply say,
thank you.

Don’t tell me; show me?

Yes.

What…

Spirit shares I Ching wisdom.

Today’s situation is expressed and explained
in Hexagram 26 – Great Accumulation

Continuous movement is a fundamental principle
of the way of I Ching and way of Life.
There is no stagnation in the sense of
non-movement.

Situations are always either improving
or they are deteriorating. Energy moves,
one way or another, even when that
movement is happening beneath
the surface of human perception.
Energy moves, and all life is energy.

In Great Accumulation, Mountain
is rising above Heaven. Mountain
represents an accumulation of power,
such as knowledge, and wisdom
applying that power.

Heaven represents a different kind of
power – one that is available to all
of nature, not just to mountains
or people of special status.

Why has Heaven permitted Mountain
to dominate?

Perhaps the rest of nature is
intimidated by it’s height,
without awareness that mountains
can crumble and be shaken from

Our simple seeker was discouraged.
She had done all she could to learn
the lessons of life that her Spirit
Teacher seemed intent on instilling
into her mind.

That’s it. My mind is full and I
don’t want to learn any more.

Any more of what?

Any more of anything. I need time out.

That’s something.

What’s something.

Knowing that you have a specific need
is a beginning.

A beginning of what?

Awareness.

Awareness of what?

Awareness of human needs.

I thought we were discussing
my needs.

Are you human?

So, all humans may need time out?

Time out from what?

From whatever they need time out
from.

Yes.

And that’s it?

Should there be more?

What am I supposed to learn from
this discussion?

That you are not that unique
in your needs.

Does that mean I’ll get time out?

No.

Spirit shares I Ching Wisdom.

Today’s I Ching situation is 10 – Treading.

Treading follows Small Development and
Leads to Tranquility.

Small Development refers to building
community with others.

This is not possible without each member
understanding and accepting certain rules
of relating to others within the community.

We share responsibilities and work
according to our individual nature and
abilities, and yet everyone requires
as sense of dignity and self respect,
knowing she or he is valued for who
they are and for their contribution
to the harmony and productivity of
the group.

Treading is the outcome of not doing
our own thing but serving our unique
role within the community.

How could one relate to oneself in such
a community?

In what way?

Surely we each need to develop our own
ideas and create our own vision
of what and who we want to become.

It would require an…

Our simple seeker was studying with intent to learn more
about Neo-Confucianism.

How does it differ from reading?

Learning, or seeking to learn, something.

Intentionally?

Yes, and expecting to learn. I am learning
and I am aware that I have learned
something of value, to me, if to no other.

In such a short time?

Yes and no.

Isn’t that my line?

If it fits.

Yes. If what we are studying now is built
upon a solid foundation of earlier studies
then we can absorb our new learning
into an expanding and deeper understanding
of earlier studies.

Formal educations is, or should be,
built on these same principles.

Principles?

Yes.

One step at a time?

It doesn’t work that way.

Why?

Expanding, integrating, and transcending.
How did the concept of transcending
come into your study of Confucianism?

Neo-Confucianism.

Would Confucius be impressed?

He might be horrified.

Perhaps not.

Why do…

Our simple seeker was puzzled with the
seemingly contradictory and mutually
exclusive (from her albeit limited
understanding) terms of evolutionary
Buddhism rolled in together.

What seems to be the problem?

Buddhism and evolution together?

Everything is together.

But, spirituality should be forever.

It is.

But not necessarily as it was
or may yet be?

Exactly.

Then how can anyone …

Which anyone?

This anyone, me. How can I ever understand
something that keeps developing, when it
isn’t what it was and may not be what it is?
I need stability.

There isn’t any.

Then what is there to hold onto?

In what way?

In thinking.

You could try holding onto the concept of
endless change.

That would be easy if I was looking
out of a high window at traffic below.

We are doing just that.