the kongdan foundation

(on top of Yellow Mountain in Anhui Province in China)

What is it that defines us as being human and friends of what we find in our environment. Rather man (or woman), animals, even all we find in nature. How we look to find our role that fits. To someplace where we can find greatness for ourselves. Not in the sense of ego. Finding a sense of self…  finding the virtue that resides in each of us, from where we sometimes get sidetracked. It is in nourishing compassion and empathy we learn to know who we are and begin to like us first.

It is often said that life is a journey and climbing the mountain within us always seems the first step to greatness. Being great is not how others see us, but how we see ourselves. I have climbed many mountains in China that for thousands of years have been seen as the closest we can get here on earth to the divine. Even traveling to the Himalayas and Tibet. To become one with the divine becomes the reason for the ultimate trip to the mountaintop. Having experienced it, what changes upon our return? The mountains could have easily been here in America, but for me, and fulfilling my own passion visiting the five sacred mountains in China (which I have done) has taken me to a place of greater understanding of our role and the propriety found in becoming universal.

Being on the mountaintop gives us a sense of the infinity of the universe from which we originated, and to which we belong. The majesty of mountains become symbols of our own highest aspirations we seek for both humanities sake and everything we find in nature. The mountaintop experience is where we seek to end the slumber of self-complacency and a longing for greater things that can come only from within us. It is from here the voice of eternity speaks to us when we are ready to listen and to endeavor not to be the same person you were when you began the climb.

Number 25 of the I Ching  

Following the Voice Within 

Anxiety and trepidation at the start. Shoes beating down a well-worn path with great excitement and a clear mind.  

The voice within valuing accountability and painstaking conscientiousness. Reminding you that what has been learned, retained and lost again only to re-learn once more is the true essence of all learning. Precautions should be taken however, to learn from past mistakes and not repeat them.  

Bring forth only insight and experience and be a teacher to all for all to know and follow. Be simplistic in your approach and use paradox to illustrate differences to be found in all things. 

Find emptiness in thought and decrease your routine daily to that which is only basic. Know the good and bad of all things and comprehend the coming change to your advantage and be prepared.  

Concepts written without understanding have no focus.  Remain loyal to the effort to be made. Be mature in your approach and know diligence, discipline and direction and do not procrastinate.  

Remain self-supportive, but free of material things. Do not be exploitative taking advantage of others. Do not become obsessed with yourself or your daydreams. 

Simply stay within reality.  Keep to all you have learned and practice all the above faithfully and know that the journey is just underway. Know propriety and see yourself in the mirror. 

An original composition and interpretation of the Chinese Classic the I Ching (25 PROPRIETY / Heaven over Thunder). 2/20/94    Note: I wrote this entry in February 1994. My introduction to the I Ching and Taoism had only been for a little over two months while still in Massachusetts. Long before I had any inkling that I would ever make it to either China or Tibet.  I went on to form The Kongdan Foundation in 2007 while in Florida.