The ultimate freedom of spirit requires spontaneity and discipline from within us.
Freedom isn’t free unless you can reconcile the present with your past. Gaining freedom to travel, in my case on the wind with dragons, was at first simply seeing events occur outside myself that were speaking to me. Following this thing called the Tao meant that I was first to do the right thing by all. Understanding my role and my inner nature to resolve issues and problems came to the forefront.
At first, I thought moving to Massachusetts and working for a city less that twelve miles from my family’s original homestead in South Dartmouth was something I saw as coming home. But events were to play out that tore me away from this place with the I Ching playing a leading role conveying in the strongest possible terms that it is not where you are that is important, it is who you are. Who I was yet to become was slowly being revealed.
Now looking back I am reminded of Chuang Tzu’s teaching that “you never find happiness until you stop looking for it”. He is saying happiness can only be found by non-seeking and non-action and rests in spirit.
Number 9 of the I Ching
Prospects For Rain
New beginnings can often bring a sense of insecurity, apprehension and conflict. Lack of communication brings one to quarrelling, misunderstandings and misfortune.
Waiting for dragons to bring forth good fortune and rain is tenuous at best and can lead to anxiety and false expectations if one is not prepared to venture out. Maintaining and forging trust and integrity within oneself determines both direction and one’s fate. In either rain or drought, or in sickness and health. All good things come to those who carry no guilt.
How one deals with misfortune reveals one’s true self and integrity. Punishments can be expected by those who exploit others. Keeping to false self-interests thereby causing others misfortune will also lead to disaster.
Keep an eternal sense of oneself by understanding clarity found in your inner chi and know peace and come to know the way of virtue. Step back and know the outcome of your actions. Nature will always find the true course. Anticipate and rely on the coming rain. New beginnings require it, integrity trusts it, and so it shall be.
An original composition and interpretation of the Chinese Classic the I Ching (9 SMALL CATTLE / Wind over Heaven). 2/9/94
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