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Hexagram 52

silver_jaguar

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I'm sorta new to the I Ching,and I have a question for the more advanced diviners here.

My question to the yee was."What should I meditate on concerning my spiritual path?"

I received #52 (no lines).I'm a little confused,I was asking about what to meditate on but received the hexagram that speaks on the subject of meditation itself.I don't understand the advice given :\

Any 'clarity' on this reading would be appreciated
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Silver Jaguar
 
C

candid

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Hi Silver,

Which translation/interpretation are you using?

If you read the six change lines you will note the six progressions toward the meditative state. Note also the danger involved in line 3.

Please do ask further questions concerning specifics as they arise.

C
 

bradford_h

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SJ

If you could just sit still it might become clear.
Zazen for instance doesn't meditate ON anything, it is just being still.
The same with Vipassana, about the purest form of traditional Buddhist meditation.
52 is perfect for these two.
b
 

yonathan

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Yes Candid, I thing that Silver went directly - are governing by -, these line 3 and not so much because a trouble of the translation book he has adopted.
What I can see, or seems to me, is that Silver did not yet sit down quiet and relaxed to read the text; So Silver, sit down totaly relax, take a pen and paper and begin making slowly a copy of the text of the hexagram, observe all trigrams (nuclears also)... use the text for, in a concentrated basis, to go inside at the level of meditation. Be carefull with the line number five for that can conduct You allways, during these processe, to the line 3.

Friendly
Yonathan
 

dobro p

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"My question to the yee was."What should I meditate on concerning my spiritual path?"

The Yi's telling you to familiarize yourself with meditation.
 
D

dharma

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first meditate in the traditional sense on nothing but calm awareness, as Bradford pointed out. a time of rest quiets the emotions and ultimately rejuvenates your creative process, which i believe is what you are after
 

chrislofting

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52 is about the overall qualities of mountain. In the lower position mountain deals with self-restraint, blocking, being stopped. Emotionally gets into issues of sadness, grief, guilt, mourning, loss etc.

When refined mountain gets into quality control, discernment - all learnt by all of the experiences in blocking, being blocked and in into issues of self-restraint - you learn to be selective as to what you block and what you allow to block you. From there comes discernment.

Meditate on the REACTIVE state and its transition to a PROACTIVE state where what once opposed us we use cooperatively to aid in our enlightenment.

Chris.
 

jte

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MHO - Stillness, restfulness, don't meditate ON anything, just be.

If it was me personally, I'd visualize a nice mountain (like Fuji or Kilamanjaro) but I suspect that that's not what the Yi is saying to you.

Contemplating how the qualities of a mountain reflect the qualities you cultivate as you follow your spiritual path might also be instructive.

- Jeff
 

silver_jaguar

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Bradford wrote...>>If you could just sit still it might become clear.
Zazen for instance doesn't meditate ON anything, it is just being still.
The same with Vipassana, about the purest form of traditional Buddhist meditation.
52 is perfect for these two.<<

This really hit me,because I once practiced Zen for several years..I joined a Sangha,bought the mat and zafu,attended talks regularly etc.
But,there was always a problem with "stilling the mind",so I thought it wasn't for me,and I stopped.
I really believe that I'am being told that it "is" for me,and to try again..But,this time put more effort into it.

Any thoughts on this,could I be correct?

Thanks for all your responses
happy.gif


Silver
 

bradford_h

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Well, my thoughts would be these:

Don't "practice" Zen
Don't join a sangha
Don't buy a mat
Or a zafu
Don't attend talks
Don't think it's not you
Just sit still

:)
 
D

dharma

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know that, even when "just sitting still" the thought process will continue to surface... what you are after is a peaceful awareness of the process

keep your focus on the in and out of your breathing -when you catch yourself making "judgments" about the surfacing thoughts, gently redirect yourself back to your breathing- above all, patience

there is absolutely no "effort" in stilling the mind... merely awareness...
 

bradford_h

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And you're neither trying to meditate nor trying not to think. Thoughts rise to the surface, like gas bubbles, they pop and blow away. It's ok to let them through.
There is a proper state, not relaxation, not anticipation. I just call it readiness. Our teacher has these huge hands (he's 6'6") which he'll clap loudly together when someone in the room has "gone to the movies". If you're in the right state it just washes through you. If you're not you'll jump out of your skin.
Also, if you're really good at it, you can "just sit still" by the river sipping a beer. But six beers is not being good at it.
 
C

candid

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Trying to meditate is like trying to breathe (or trying to have sex), it only inhibits the affect. For me, counting breaths, observing the ebb and flow, allowing their coming and going with no resistance, is the simplest and most gratifying method. In counting, it isn't a contest to see how high I can count; if I lose count I simply start again from one. No failure, no success, just sitting and counting, passively observing the river of thoughts come and go.

On occassion I'll take it a step further and focus on the source of breaths and thoughts, but I'm not able to do that for long yet and still remain focused/awake.

Brad, funny that when I read about the powerful hand clap, I actually did feel a wave wash over me. Cleansing.

C
 

dobro p

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Brad and Dharma have got it - just sitting still in peaceful awareness.

However, there's also the element of directing attention inward rather than outward. And then there's the whole issue of how long you do this, cuz the longer you do it, the more your ego dissolves and you're left with just awareness.

Sitting still in peaceful awareness is a really healthy counterbalance to a busy, outward-focussed mind. Going deep inside is a different issue, and depends on what you're trying to achieve with meditation. It's good to have support or back-up for the deep stuff too.
 

jte

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Brad, every zendo should have that "just sit still" posted up on a wall somewhere. MHO. :)

- Jeff
 

Frankelmick

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Silver,

You wrote, "... I once practiced Zen for several years..I joined a Sangha,bought the mat and zafu,attended talks regularly etc.
But,there was always a problem with "stilling the mind",so I thought it wasn't for me,and I stopped.
I really believe that I'am being told that it "is" for me,and to try again..But,this time put more effort into it."

Have you ever done any martial arts?

Please let me know if this idea appeals to you.

Best wishes,

Mick
 

silver_jaguar

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>>Have you ever done any martial arts? <<

Well only if Yoga and Chi Gong fall under the caregory of martial arts :\

Yoga was recommended by my doctor for a back problem.A teacher assigned "Vibhradasana Warrior Pose2". It's been very effective.

If you're talking about Kung Fu and Karate,then the answer is, No
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)

Silver
 
D

dharma

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ohhh! bradford that brings back memories. made my way up and down the white-water rapids of rive-rouge some 20 years ago. never did it again - let's say i found it too "exciting" for my blood
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8 people in the boat + a guide -everyone fell out of the boat at least once, except for me (too pertrified to let loose - the jagged rocks weren't enticing even for a moment).

in my sincere search for meaning i used to try out everything at least once. then i discovered tranquillity, harmony, serenity, & peace
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and the rest, as they say, is history. because everything pales by comparison
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deanna

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hi folks,
i'm still here lurking and learning, i'll break out of my shyness to post more, eventually. until then, only occasional helpful links i guess. I have received 52 a few times recently, I think i'm always running around busy, not stilling myself enough......even the busy-ness of seeking out ways to be still. I found this about a year ago.....The Non-Meditation Meditation Gonna try it as soon as i'm through compiling 'effective ways to be still' and decide that it's the most effective. LOL it's amazing the way we all complicate, procrastinate, being still and accepting that everything you need is available in source awareness and could probably naturally occur if one could just be still enough.

anyways, hope that helps. I'm gonna try it........Really ;-)
 

bradford_h

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H Deanna-
Doncha just think it's fascinationg how we go to such great roundabout lengths to accomplish the simplest of tasks?
Like working 4,000 hours to earn the tuition that gives you the excuse to do 2,000 hours worth of reading.
Or commuting through an hour of hectic traffic to sit for an hour at meditation class.
Or paying hundreds of dollars and reading half a dozen books to lose fifteen pounds, when all it takes is eating less.
Stillness still has so much to teach us.
 
C

candid

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Jag, there's a secret in the open room downstairs on meditation, but be careful.. its some heavy chit man.

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