To See the Future, Look to the Past?

To See the Future, Look to the Past?

Original hexagram is Water over Water; 29
The Expansion hexagram is Lake over Water; 47
The Kernel is Earth over Earth; 2 BY WAY OF Mountain over Thunder; 27

The text indicates that we live again and again because “Through repetition of danger we grow accustomed to it.” Further, that “…danger is due to a subjective attitude.” We are locked in our prisons and must be held accountable for actions of the past.  If we want to know what lies ahead, then looking back will give us an idea.  If we want to know how we lived in the past, then look at our lives now. The text speaks to our hearts being locked in the confines of reason, and that essentially in times of danger, “all that counts is really carrying out all that has to be done, thoroughness, and going forward, in order not to perish through tarrying in the danger.”

The text uses the analogy of water, indicating that water flows, filling all the depressions and cracks and crevices as it moves along. Further, “…it does not shrink from any dangerous spot nor from any plunge, and nothing can make it lose its own essential nature.”  It reaches it goal by “…flowing continually.”  Just as we grow accustomed to the “dangers” we can grow accustomed to what will enable us to escape the dangers. By being concerned about goodness and establishing attributes to carry out goodness, and through the power of repetition we can create better habits, thus creating lasting virtue. We have to start where we are, so no need to dwell on age or longevity of bad habits, rather, start today with sincerity and honest intention with consistency.

Remember that times of adversity “…are the reverse of times of success.”  Maintaining joy in one’s heart through the most difficult of times enables one to persevere and the source of success.  It also provides stability.  “He who let’s his spirit be broken by exhaustion certainly has no success.  But if adversity only bends a man, it creates in him a power to react that is bound in time to manifest itself.”   (sounds like boot camp) It is important to take care of oneself, nourish the soul and focus on strengths. Taking care of oneself helps in taking care of others.

It’s important to cultivate good spiritual practices and friends.  This helps one further through the hardest of times, and in the end builds the character that allows sustainability so that one is able to bear all things.  It furthers one to comply with the laws of fate, and remain true to oneself.  In other words, there is no power in resisting or arguing your karma.  Accepting your karma, and pushing forward with virtuous activity, cultivating habits of sincerity, honesty and love through repetition and consistency is key to one’s progress.

Go forth today with a new outlook on life, and an attitude to persevere through the most difficult of times with breadth.  Cultivate new habits that lead to virtue and remember, you are in training for the future