Overcoming divisiveness.
Spiritual influence nourishing all
The sage has a temple within.
Benefit from having a great purpose.
Benefit from turning toward the spirit.
Structure:
· Wind 6 above water 3.
· Gently penetrating danger.
Images: The wind disperses fog over water. A warm wind breaks up the rigidity of ice.
People become rigid when dominated by harsh and
judgmental feelings for others. These
structured and inflexible attitudes eclipse our openness to the spirit. Preference and prejudice separate one from
the other and harden into the willingness to profit from harming others.
In this situation, every step is on dangerous
ground. Self-cherishing and the pursuit of worldly concerns[1] have
dispersed the influence of the spirit. Through
ill-will and selfishness, our beliefs and attitudes become rigid, which
increases the separation into Us and Them.
When separation goes to the extreme, the plague of great inequality and divisiveness
inflicts the world.[2] People cannot face and resolve dangerous problems,
leaving them to fester and worsen. Within
times of extreme separation, the need to come back together is great.
Both separation and reunion depend upon our
intentions. Selfishness drives people
apart; holding together to benefit all brings us together. Through perseverance and gentleness, we can
overcome divisiveness. With the spirit
ever present and by adapting to situations as they arise, self-cherishing
passes away. Obeying the self separates
one from the other and disperses the spirit.
Obeying the ways of the spirit nurtures the reunion of self and
other.
The wise take quick and vigorous action to undo
the misunderstandings and mutual distrust.
As soon as we discern within ourselves a negative judgment or ill-will
for others, we must dissolve these self-cherishing feelings by holding them
within presence in a friendly, beneficial way.
The wise first break up the rigidity of self-cherishing and opposition
by gently penetrating their own the inner obstacles, delusions, and misunderstandings
that have caused opposition. Then they recover
knowing sameness with all by turning toward the spirit and opening to its
mystery.
When we can disperse and dissolve our willingness
to harm others for self-benefit, we can discern the way to gathering together
within the world. The sage turns away
from prejudice and partisanship. Spiritual forces overcome the selfishness that
divides people. Those who have practiced
sameness with all have capacities to adapt to changing conditions in ways that
benefit all.
Sages gently melt the blockages caused by the
self. The wise respond to the
selfishness of other with moderate and just judgment linked with good will,
never hatred. They regain an unobstructed
view of humanity and dissolve all misanthropy and ill-will, thus avoiding
difficulties for themselves and for others.
It takes a great effort to set aside
self-cherishing and ill-will. Only
through selflessness can we have the strength for this great achievement. The wise do this by setting a goal in a great
task outside themselves. The sage sees
through the delusions of self-cherishing and worldly concerns and sets a new
direction toward the Way of humanity. Sages
always have a shrine and refuge within, the spirit.
We overcome disunity and dissolve rigidity by awakening
to our sameness within a greater whole. This intuition is often experienced when
feelings of awe for the sacred arises.
When such strong feelings seize us, we can open to the intuition of the
mystery of being and sameness of all. Hearts
unite when centered on the spirit.
Also, cooperation in a great undertaking that sets
a high goal for the common good can overcome what divides people. In times of general dispersion, a great idea
provides a focal point to recover, a stimulating vision that gives people a
rallying point. In the realization of that
vision, what separates us dissolve as all unite in the joint task. We have renewed courage to rise above our
differences to achieve what will benefit all.
Those who practice transformation of their being
and cooperate with others have no danger in their hearts even though outwardly
dangers may surround them. As with any
practice, mistakes are made. We
falter. Yet any true virtuoso knows how
to learn from a mistake and focuses their energy upon moving through the
lessons that mistakes offer.
The sage preserves the connection between the
mystery and life, between earth and people, remedying the dispersal of people’s
hearts by transforming conditions. Only
those free of selfish ulterior designs and who persevere in justice and
steadfastness can dissolve the hardness of self-cherishing and hostility for
others. In this way, the upright and
steadfast can reunite correctly and firmly reverse the dispersal.
Line
1: Disunion should be overcome at
the very onset before it goes too far.
When hidden divergences in temper make themselves felt and lead to
mutual misunderstanding, we must vigorously act to penetrate and dissolve the
misunderstandings and mistrust.
Line
2: The line experiences alienation
from others and becomes aware of its misanthropy and ill-will. It dissolves these obstacles by hastening to
what supports it and provides refuge, the stability of the spirit. It turns away from preference and prejudice
and toward moderate and just judgment of others, linked with good-will. The sage remains secure even in dispersal by
abiding with the spirit and achieves its purpose.
Line 3: In this situation, the line’s works becomes so
difficult that it can no longer think of itself. It sets aside all personal desire and
disperses whatever the self gathers about it that acts as a barrier against
others. Only on the basis of great
renunciation can the line find the strength needed for great achievement. It sets a goal in a great task outside
itself.
Line 4: The line works at a task that affects the
general welfare, knowing that it cannot act to narrowly benefit itself or its
family, friends, or group. Only by rising
above personal and party interests can we achieve something beneficial. The wise have the courage to forego the near
to win the distant, a courage based on the wide but rare view of the
interrelationships of life.
Line
5: In times of general dispersion
and separation, a great vision provides a focal point for the organization of
recovery. Just as an illness reaches its
crisis in sweat, so a great and stimulating vision is a true salvation in times
of deadlock. It gives the people a
rallying point, a focus that can dispel misunderstandings.
Line 6: The line disperses its self-cherishing and
distances itself from worldly concerns.
It enters the world to selflessly to rescue others by helping them get
away from an existing danger or to find a way out of a danger already upon
them.
[1] Worldly concerns are the ways in which the selfish willingly harm others for self-benefit and then ignore the suffering they cause. Selfish individuals seek power and domination over others and willingly use violence to do so. The selfish accumulate wealth through the unlimited exploitation and ultimate destruction of people, other life forms, and the Earth. The selfish believe themselves superior to others and express their self-cherishing through patriarchy, discrimination, and subjugation, willing to use violence to protect their rung within the hierarchy and to support the powerful. The selfish consume as much as they can and seek constant distractions for the pleasures they derive from their addictions.
[2] World does not refer to nature but to how people live within nature. The world – civilization, culture, history, society, science, economy, education, technology – is embedded as a subsystem within the natural system. People create their world through the choices they make.
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