A spirit teacher shares His understanding of timeless wisdom
contained within the I Ching Hexagram 61 – Settled.

Water is over Fire.

It’s curious to me that Water is Yang and Fire is Yin.

Why?

I would consider Fire to be more powerful than Water.

How so?

Fire can rage out of control.

Water seems to be able to control Fire more easily
than can Fire control Water.

Fire can heat Water.

Not without human help to control it.

I’ve distracted you from the reading.

No. You’ve distracted yourself, alone.

So, Water over Fire settles or calms Fire?

Settled refers to closed, as in, this issue has been …

What issue?

Whatever issue.

Our discussion?

Yes.

A spirit teacher shares His understanding of timeless wisdom
contained within the I Ching Hexagram 61 – Sincerity.

Sincerity follows Discipline (60) in the sequential order of
events and situations experienced by everyone during each of
our human lifetimes, as we move toward enlightenment, and we
do, each in our own way and in our own time.

Wind is over Lake and affects the water in a way that the
water cannot but respond, by releasing its moisture into
the air above it. This is a universal law affecting all
life. We each affect whomever affects us, but not
necessarily in the same way.

What has that to do with discipline and sincerity?

When discipline and sincerity travel together and
interact with each other, within the mind of a seeker
of wisdom and truth, then progress is certain.

What if they’re both going down the wrong road?

Then, progress is…

A spirit teacher shares His understanding of timeless wisdom contained within
the symbolic structure of the 64 I Ching hexagrams, which expresses an endless
series of events and situations that each of us will necessarily experience
during our human lifetimes, until we have learned to become aware of our own
self-directed role in creating the illusion of permanence and of our seeming
resistance to accept what is, and to respond without unproductive emotional
or intellectual analysis. When milk is spilled, by whatever cause, we mop it up.

How does cause and effect or chicken and egg fit into such a philosophy of life?

I Ching hexagram 50 – The Cauldron, answers that question.

Then, please explain.

Fire is over Wind. Each are yin and each is receptive to the other, at least
in this situation.

The separate energies of Fire and Wind, in their extremes, can create destruction.
Together, they…

Spirit shares words of wisdom.

Spirit tells me that when a pendulum has moved as far
as it can in any direction, then it has no choice but
to turn back and move toward …

But …

But what?

Doesn’t the extreme of the movement in any direction
more or less match the extreme …

Yes.

So, wouldn’t the reduced …

The wrong analogy?

Yes.

No.

Please explain.

Extremes are extremes.

And those whose thinking is extreme in one direction
could become just as extreme in another?

Yes.

So, how to be dedicated to one path without risking
being pulled to an opposite way?

There are no opposite ways.

Then, to a different path?

Awareness.

Of what?

Of the many ways …

How is that possible while moving along a chosen way?

How did your so-called chosen way become chosen?

It seemed to make more sense, for me, than the…

A simple seeker was relaxing, or at least trying to relax
in her new patio recliner that seemed many sizes too big
for her to feel comfortable in, just yet. It reminded her
of the children’s story of The Three Ears and a young
intruder.

But, today was a glorious day in spite of, or perhaps
because of the sensation of feeling dry and yet breathing
in moist and fresh air, scented with leaves, flowers and
grass. She felt a sense of simple pleasure by her closeness
to one thousand shades of dripping green leaves, weighted
down by the soft but steadily falling rain, just beyond
her partially protected patio.

She noticed that raindrops seemed to slide from some leaves
more willingly than from some others. Why?

For many more reasons than one, perhaps.

How can that be?

Shapes, textures, angles of incline, location …

Yes, some are more exposed…

A spirit teacher shares His understanding of timeless wisdom
concealed within the I Ching hexagram 7 – The Army.

The Army necessarily develops out of Contention (6) and then
establishes a foundation for Closeness (8). Earth is above
and water is below.

Why is Water yang when Lake is yin?

Is feminism rising?

Perhaps, but it is curious, since in essence they each are
water.

Lake is usually more submissive and receptive than is the
free-flowing water of rivers. Now, can we return to discussing
The Army?

Please do.

As today follows yesterday into the past, so The Army follows
Contention; and as today reaches toward tomorrow, so does
The Army reach toward Closeness.

I can understand The Army and Contention acting on each other,
but what possible relationship can The Army have with Closeness?

When reason alone fails to solve contention, then power is a
necessary organizing force. It…

A simple seeker had adjusted to, or rather,
accepted the reality of dialogue with a spirit
teacher or guru.

Is there a difference?

I don’t know.

You could ask me.

Okay, is there a difference?

Between what?

Between a teacher and a guru.

Yes and no.

What does that mean?

The both share knowledge as a means
to an end.

What end?

To enlighten the student and to promote
their teaching.

How do they differ?

A guru specializes.

In what?

Spiritual enlightenment.

Then, you’re a guru?

No.

Why not?

There can’t be any spiritual enlightenment
without intellectual and emotional development.
They each must contribute to the others, as is
expressed on the Kabbalah Tree of Life.

That would explain the diversity of areas of study
that you seem to guide me into, but when will I
complete my studies?

We never complete our studies.

It goes on forever?

Yes, that’s…

Spirit shares His understanding of timeless wisdom
expressed within the I Ching hexagram 21 – Biting Through.

Fire (yin) is over Thunder (yang) Only the top line of Fire
has a complement within Thunder; not a strong union.

Biting Through develops out of Observing (20) and, with
effort, contributes to the situation called Adornment (22).

Not all food, and not all problems, can be easily digested,
or otherwise dealt with. The more fiber food contains, and
the more dense the structure of problems, the more they
require sharp teeth or determination, for biting through and
reducing the food or problem into ever smaller segments.

Divide and conquer may be used as a military or political
strategy, but it is also a natural process.

Is this reading about nutrition or war?

It’s about Life.

Please explain.

Whatever we choose to do with our life, day by day,
we consciously or otherwise…

A spirit teacher shares His understanding of timeless wisdom
with me. Why? I don’t know, but I’m very grateful that He does.
I’ve always enjoyed studying but I’ve usually chosen my own
time to do it. Now it seems to begin and end with Spirit.

What do Kabbalah and Taoism have in common with today’s
education system?

A transmission of knowledge.

Knowledge of what?

Wow? You expect me to explain that?

Yes, and explain it simply and clearly.

Now?

Now.

Well, the Kabbalah Tree of Life represents seeking ever higher
levels of integration and transformation of an individual’s
intellectual, emotional, and spiritual development.

A basic understanding. Now, Taoism.

Lao Tzu explained the core structure of all life as Tao,
The One that divides itself into two and then the two
together create the three, and from the three come the
ten thousand things, meaning everything else.

How are these two…

A simple seeker was meditating on the Kabbalah Tree of Life
and the many unique and yet mutually dependent energy centres
that comprise the Tree. Together they co-create an ever-higher
quality of consciousness for the benefit of all and to the one
that they each are part of.

It reminded her of the human body and its many interconnecting
and mutually supportive networks of nerves, arteries, veins,
lymph system, digestive tract, respiratory system, and the
elimination system which was designed with built-in recycling
throughout its length, so as to reabsorb all that could be
redirected to useful ends.

She had done completed primary studies in human physiology
in preparation for one of her many would-be lifetime careers
that never seemed to manifest, but almost did. For whatever
reason, each had become just one more anti-climax, in her life
dedicated to a search for stability.

There isn’t any.

Then why do…