Our simple seeker was enjoying, admiring,
and envying Dan Millman and his “The Law
of Spirit”.

He obviously shared a high quality
relationship with an awakened spirit
being.

Are we jealous?

Perhaps a little.

Wh?

He is so much more …

Intelligent?

I can’t know that for sure, but ..

Then, what?

He seems to be so much more
comfortable with openly sharing
his relationship with a spirit
teacher than I am.

Why?

Perhaps he has more self-confidence.
After all, he is …

Male?

That helps, but also he earned
general admiration and respect
in his personal life.

Is his relationship with spirit
not also personal?

Yes, of course, but he was a
world class athlete before
he shared his spiritual wisdom.

His?

Well, it is his now.

How so?

Anything we learn from whomever
or whatever personal experience
becomes our own wisdom or
understanding, at least until we
begin…

Spirit shares I Ching wisdom:

I Ching 17 – Following.
Lake is above Thunder.

Following follows Delight (16)
and leads to Degeneration (18).

The way of delight leading
to disaster?

Not necessarily so.

Please explain.

Delight in itself is neutral
as far as ethical outcome
is concerned.

Then it’s a matter of what
delights us?

Yes.

So, in the case of …

Yes?

I’m trying to express taking pleasure
or being pleased with activities
that bring pleasure to others
as well as to myself.

Go on.

In such a situation, how could
mutual pleasure lead to
degeneration?

Degeneration is a necessary part
of any outcome.

How?

It’s a Universal Law.

Then please explain how
this law works.

Everything changes.

When?

Continuously.

But, if shared pleasure is
an outcome then how can this
be considered as degenerating
anything or anybody?

When shared pleasure is increased
then displeasure or unhappiness
is decreased…

Our simple seeker was meditating on the concept
of projection and rejection as being one and
the same.

One and the same what?

Perhaps not exactly one and the same, but ..

But, what?

Perhaps they are the same whatever, from
a different perspective.

What different perspective?

You’re asking me?

Yes. If you have an idea then you owe it
to yourself to at least attempt
to express it, if only to yourself.

But, isn’t just toying with an idea
the same as expressing it?

Not as long as it is too vague
to take any recognizable shape.

Then, rejection as a form of projection.

Yes?

With photography we necessarily
reject what we do not plan
to project our focus on.

Yes, but that wasn’t ..

I may have forgotten …

I don’t think so.

Then, what?

You were stepping into thoughts
too deep for your comfort zone.

About rejection…

Spirit shares I Ching Wisdom.

Hexagram 28 – Great Surpassing follows
Nourishment.

That makes sense.

What makes sense?

When and if we are well nourished,
the better we are able to develop
our physical potentials.

What about our intellectual,
emotional, and spiritual potentials?

Those, too. If parents have the means
to care for their children
as most surely would if they could,
then each new generation would have
the opportunity to develop beyond
where they might otherwise have gone.

How far back does it go?

What does that mean?

We can only do for our children
and our community what we are
able to do, now.

But …

Yes?

What if we are unaware of what
we can do for others, or might have
done for ourselves?

Then what?

Yes.

We each are responsible for how
we live our lives and the choices
we make, here and now.

Yesterday has…

Our simple seeker was recalling a confusing dream
of being lost in traffic and intensive construction
on her way to Church to celebrate a festival of
harvest.

She could hear the service begin. A loudspeaker
was being used, and yet it didn’t seem to cause
her to wonder why, even though it had never
been part of any previous experience.

Perhaps, during a dream, we are unaware of
any previous experience.

Then why was I aware of where I was trying
to go, to a church that I once attended?

Yes. There is always a blend of the reality
we are familiar with and that we are not.

Anyway, I was lost.

Where you alone?

No. I was lost, together with a friend.
But, I was not totally lost. I was aware
of being close to our destination.

But something was different with the
landscape?

Yes. Traffic was incredibly intensive,

Spirit explains I Ching 22 – Adornment

Mountain above and Fire below.

Society is as a fire that brings people
together; first, for survival and then
for other mutually beneficial purposes,
beyond, but never excluding survival.

Culture is as a volcanic mountain
that can only develop, as an adornment,
around a more-or-less stable society.

Culture cannot develop without
generally accepted social rules of relating
to different people in different ways.

A teacher is not a cook or a bus driver.

That’s curious that you would choose
a cook and a bus driver
to distinguish yourself
as other than.

Why?

A cook prepares food for eating and
a bus driver takes one to his or her
chosen destination.

Yes.

But, you do neither.

That is correct.

You seem to neither prepare food
nor offer transportation. Perhaps
the spiritual teachings you share,
after I struggle to digest them
and walk the path…

Spirit explains I Ching 51 – Thunder

Thunder above and Thunder below, or
As above, so below.

Thunder makes a loud noise. It does not
present itself graciously or even politely.
but on its own terms, and in its own way,
forcefully, so as not to be ignored.

Why does it have to let the world know
that it’s here, when it is here.

Perhaps it is as a messenger being sent
from a high authority, to announce
an immanent arrival.

A storm?

Yes.

That makes sense, weather wise.

It makes sense and is a reality
in any situation.

How is it possible to be warned
ahead of time in situations of
emotional, social, political, or
environmental disasters?

It is a law of life or, as some
prefer, a universal law.

What law?

Causation, or Karma.

Are they both the same law?

Yes and no.

How do they differ?

Cause…

Our simple seeker was meditating on the duality
and yet the necessary connectedness of all
relationships.

How is it possible not to be attached to
what one is connected with?

Be specific.

Relationships in general and you in particular.

There are at least two separate issues involved
within your problem.

Issues of what?

Issues of discussion.

Okay, then, relationships in general.

What about them?

If each is as all the others, which,
of course they are not, except in essence …

No. You were and are vague in your vision.
I was and am, clear in mine.

I’m not going there.

Where?

Into one of your intellectual traps.

You will.

How can we be in a relationship
to anyone or anything without
attachment?

It is not possible.

And, how can we not be interconnected
with who or what we relate to?

It is not possible.

Then, why do the wise…

Spirit explains I Ching 58 – Pleasing:

As the text expresses, pleasing is beneficial
if correct.

How can we ever know ahead of time how correct
our pleasing is?

Your purpose in trying to please is a clue.

I want everyone to be happy.

Why?

Why would I not want everyone to be happy?

Even if they have caused you to feel
unhappy?

Then, pleasing them, or attempting to,
would seem to reward them for their
unpleasing behaviour?

Exactly.

Then, please explain the purpose of
pleasing.

Pleasing should have no purpose.

Then, why do I seem to need to please.

Whom do you seem to need to please?

You, among others.

How have I, among others, rewarded
your attempts to please?

Negatively, it seems.

Why do you suppose that is, or seems
to be?

I don’t know.

Perhaps you know more than you pretend
to know.

What does that mean?

Our simple seeker was meditating on the lesson
Krishna gave to Arjuna on Karma Yoga.

Can you accept that all output of time and
energy is an investment in some future event?

Yes. I’ve recently been there and done that.

Was it worth it?

Very much so, looking back from a safe
distance from the disastrous outcome.

Krishna spoke of sacrificing the results.
Was that part of your experience.

Krishna would have meant in advance.
I didn’t do that. I’m not that noble.
Besides, I think in today’s world,
the very concept of sacrifice is
considered sanctimonious and exhibiting
a holier than thou attitude.

Or, in simple terms, an ego trip?

Yes.

Then, in today’s language, how would you
describe the final outcome?

I was able to let go.

Of the outcome?

Much more than that.

Then, what?

Are we reversing roles?

We have no iron-clad roles.

That realization was…