CHANGE IS LIKE A RIVER THAT FLOWS THROUGH EACH OF OUR LIVES, AND WE NEED TO LEARN TO NAVIGATE ITS NUANCES.

BE A GOOD CHEER.  BE A GOOD COURAGE.

EXPLORE I-CHING

Understanding the I CHING, The Wilhelm lectures

By Hellmut Wilhelm and Richard Wilhelm

Princeton University Press, ISBN 0-691-00171-5

The book of Changes contains the measure of heaven and of earth; therefore it enables us to comprehend the Tao of heaven and earth and its order... Since in this way man comes to resemble heaven and earth, he is not in conflict with them.  His wisdom embraces all things, and his Tao brings order into the whole world; therefore he does not err… In it are included the forms and the scope of everything in the heavens and on the earth, so that nothing escapes it.  In it all things everywhere are completed, so that none is missing.  Therefore by means of it we can penetrate the Tao of day and night, and so understand it.  Therefore the spirit is bound to no one place, nor the Book of Changes to any one form. -- (page 30-31)                                                                       

For this very reason, Enthusiasm also contains the roots of prophecy, of holy madness.  What is holy madness? It is the universal emotion that pulls the individuals down into cosmic depths, where life and death are contained, one in the other…These are indeed high and great moments, as the individual rises to encompass humanity.  The barriers of personality fall, joy and sorrow of humanity accumulate within one’s own self, the individual, as it were, pours himself into the collectivity, and unreservedly experiences whatever is allotted humanity. -- (page 214) 

For such a person the well is his character’s sphere of activity.  Life thus obtained immediately from ultimate depths is not only his, but can be transferred to others.  Those who drew once from the spring of life are people who received the call.  They do not draw life for themselves.  They do not seek to keep it in their jug and drink from it alone.  Were this so life would become stale.  Here is a law that differs from the law of matters.  The law of matter is: the more I collect and the more I store up, the more I have.  But the law of life is: the more I distribute, the more I disseminate, and the more I contribute, the richer I am.  Therefore, it is important that those who once had contact with life become in turn the source to which other might come and go to satisfy their life requirements. --      (Page 248)