Spirit shares I Ching wisdom.

Today’s message relates to Travel, hexagram 57.
Life experiences develop out of previous life
experiences and lead to future life experiences,
within an endless loop that expands.

We never return to an earlier experience,
even when we do, if we do. Something has
changed and so have we.

Our understanding of ourselves grows, as does
our understanding of the world we live in,
and everyone and everything within that world,
within our world.

The problem arises or, rather, problems arise
when we resist our own awareness of the changes
in our relationship to the changing world
we call our way of life.

We stumble when we fail to notice detour signs.
Things are never as they never were.

We see with an inner eye, while safe travel
requires looking ahead with an outer focus
of attention.

Illusion is created, self-created. It does not
exist in…

Our simple seeker was practicing slow and deep breathing,
to calm her overly charged emotions, after reading
a passionate post of a patriotic soul concerning
her homeland, or, at least, the land of her birth.

The young journalist (or did it require youth to care
so deeply?) was obviously very agitated by what had happened,
was happening now, and what might yet happen; all of it
seemingly beyond her power to control.

How did her energy affect your own in such a way?

I don’t know how that was possible. Perhaps we’re kindred spirits.

Yes. We each resonate at a frequency that magnetically attracts
and connects with others resonating with the same or similar
vibration.

Through a computer?

No.

Then, how?

Thoughts have power to resonate whether written, spoken, or
reflected upon in one’s own mind.

Then, the computer …

Or a book …

I’m not going there.

Where?

You…

Spirit shares I Ching wisdom.

Today’s situation on our journey through human
existence is designed to develop the attributes
of Hexagram 2 – The Receptive.

Earth is both above and below, represents
Mother Nature, or for those who see nature
is disconnected from themselves, the environment.

Nature is both flexible and firm. Though it
generally accepts directions from Universal Laws,
and both adapts and contributes to the needs
of other life forms, it also maintains its own
personal essence, and lives to express its own
purpose and desires, resisting any form of abuse.

It sounds like me.

It is you, and everyone else, both individually
and collectively.

But, Nature is surely much more than people.

As in kind, or power?

Both.

How?

We each are part of Nature and yet Nature is
much more than all of us together.

Yes.

What is the message?

What could Nature teach you about…

Our simple seeker had rediscovered Jack Schwartz
somewhere in her personal collection of books
that crowded together in a distressingly
disorganized way, in a bookcase designed
to hold far fewer books than she seemed unable
to let go of.

How did she come to hold it in her hands, now?
It had obviously been cherished by her at
some time in the past, beyond her current
memory. It was full of underlining and
highlighting – her personal signature
statement of interest, though sneered at
by some who claim closeness to her.

If you care for me then accept my ways?

Yes. But, “Human Energy Systems” was still
with her, even though it had been written
more than thirty years ago.

What has that to do with anything?

Of lasting value?

Yes.

That would depend ..

On what?

Our understanding develops over time.

Not necessarily.

Sudden insight?

Yes.

Then, as if…

Spirit shares I Ching wisdom.

First, He explains to me that the purpose
of using the 64 I Ching hexagrams
to share ancient wisdom is to enable
seekers to learn to accept that
nothing happens totally separated from
what has or what might yet happen.

Life and all situations we experience
are intricately connected together.
Before and following are relative terms
that have no separately existing
meaning but are always and must be
part of what is happening now.

The finger that points back to where
we have been is the same finger
that can point ahead to where we are
or may go, unless we choose to follow
another path, or another way of life.

Hexagram 46 – Rising represents today’s
I Ching situation. Rising follows
Gathering and leads, or can lead to
Exhaustion, unless we choose to travel
in a different direction.

We gather what we value, at…

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…