I am going to write about my time social and physical distancing from people. This is something I already practice somewhat as I live in a rural area. So hopefully I can inspire ideas or routines that help people. Or help people to avoid things that do not help. There isn’t anything groundbreaking in here. But I think that’s the idea I want to convey. Living in simplicity can be beautiful. You notice things you might not otherwise. You appreciate things you wouldn’t if you are always on the go. Enjoy and feel free to comment. 

Day 3

This morning I awoke later than usual. I made coffee and played guitar. Then I decided to meditate. I opened the I Ching to have a focus on my meditation. The page I randomly picked was Hexagram 29.

Hexagram 29

Repeating Chasms

Key Questions

What are you sure of in your heart when nothing else is sure?

How can you flow on and through the dark?

Oracle

Repeating chasms.

There is truth and confidence,

Holding your heart fast creates success

Movement brings honor

“These are pits, where you fall into deep dark waters, flowing on into the swirling unknowable dark. The chasms repeat: there is no detour that would take you round them, so you must practice and learn the way of these deep places.

First, there must be truth and confidence: truth to the present, with an unshakable grasp on the essential core. In these deep waters, there is nothing solid out there to hold on to. No external security, no way to orient yourself. And so you hold fast to your heart. This is a way to create success, staying in communication with the creative source even in the chasm.

In movement, you find a different kind of security- one that depends on your heart, courage and commitment. This is the truest test of your convictions, when you have no way of knowing where your leaps of faith might land. Sitting in the bottom of the chasm does not bring honour; action does. Also, it’s a way to be sure of yourself as an individual after everything else has fallen away. You act, and you become skilled in flowing through the steep sided chasms.

Water flows on and reach the end: Repeating chasms. A noble one acts with constant character and teaches things by repeating.

Many small tributaries flow together to create a broad river; many small commitments flow together to create a powerful character. A noble one understands that just one extraordinary leap of faith is not enough; by acting consistently he creates a continuity of principles that people can depend on when all else is in flux.”

 

—————————————————–

Yesterday after work I went for a walk. I took the same hike I have been taking recently. It is by the Saint George River and goes in a loop through a forest and marsh. A friend of mine said that he doesn’t like going the same way twice. I think I am the opposite. I love going on the same hikes because I think there are endless things to notice.  Until I have seen every leaf, every tree, every beaver establishment, there is room to look deeper. Walking along I think how quickly change happens, even in one day.

The snow that topped the bridge I crossed over just yesterday was completely melted. The bridge was bone dry, as if the snow had never existed in the first place. Even when we feel stuck, nature moves forward. The seasons change and the sunshine comes. I hear birds singing away.  I use my imagination to see a different way, one where things change. Although I am not in control of most of the external world, I am in control of what is in my heart. Writing, music, friendship, and love. Cookies are also very consistent in my heart.

The chasm is deep, but our hearts will lead us to the light.