We’ve heard that phrase “just be” or “be here now”. What does that actually mean though? A book that greatly impacted me on this subject is the I Ching. I read the version by Hannah Moog. The I Ching is a Daoist text, perhaps the earliest such text. I like the raw wisdom and intimacy to life’s essence. I get the same feeling when I read Rumi. It’s a wisdom that predates any sort of dogma that conflates ideas and confuses people.
The I Ching is divided into 64 hexagrams which can be read by asking a question and then tossing coins or using yarrow stalks to determine which hexagram speaks to your question. My preferred way of reading the I Ching is to flip randomly to a page and start reading. Each hexagram has deep wisdom and commonality with other hexagrams. The theme shared across many of the interpretations is to not force things and to live in harmony with the universe. It stresses to not deny our true natures because that goes against the way of the universe. Any work of art, any thing that we do is actually through the universe’s helpers and guide. Our power comes from them. When we resist the natural flow of the universe, we become stuck. Stuckness becomes spells. Spells bind us when we internalize programming from society that goes against our true nature. It happens when we accept mistaken beliefs that tell us to be less or more of ourselves, or completley different. Spells can make us sick emotionally and also physically. Only a few years ago, modern science discovered the effect of trauma and mental health on our physical health. So this is pretty advanced stuff from before the 4th century BCE.
I’ve found comfort in reading the I Ching. It’s guided me through many moments. But sometimes it still confuses me because I find myself struggling to intuit the path that harmonizes with the universe. Sometimes to be in harmony with the universe I invalidate parts of myself. Sometimes when I am in harmony with myself, I negate parts of the universe. Or what about within myself? If I am in harmony with one part of myself I might ignore another part. For example, I may be in harmony with my thoughts but totally disconnected from my emotions. How do I solve this dilemma?
The best way to interpret the I Ching for me is to find harmony within myself first. Harmony with the universe is out of our control. But, if we can let our emotions, thoughts, will, and energy flow as they need to, that is enough. This is the most important because it allows us to be our true selves. Harmony outside of us is will naturally follow. The way that we can accept the way things are is to accept how we are first.
If you ever feel confused about who you are and what you are doing in life, find the harmony within yourself. Let all that is you exist as it was designed to. Even the strange thoughts and judgements. Don’t stop yourself from being. To be is a sensitive and delicate state of letting it all exist. Remember that this includes thoughts as well, not just emotions, feelings, and energy. Thoughts are a part of it.. Go along with your natural evolution. You’re doing well. This is meditation. This is connection with god.
Trust that your thoughts, emotions, will, and energy will balance each other out.
To give you an example of how we can err in finding harmony within ourselves.. Last week I was trying to live in non-judgemental awareness aka loving awareness. I felt myself stopping the emergence of my judgemental thoughts and it felt like pushing against an intruder at the door. It was tiring and I didn’t feel any loving awareness. It was tiring battling myself. Do not battle yourself. Let all things flow within you, inluding your thoughts. That is true loving awareness. They are all a part of. Everything exists for a reason inside of us. Embrace your will and your thoughts. Let them flow and play with your emotions and sensations. The art of internal harmony will bring external harmony.