On Reality

Each generation offers its own interpretation of reality.  Each contributes bits of wisdom and pieces of confusion born of experience and imagination, observation and creativity, fact and fiction to the ever-accumulating puzzle that constitutes our shared reality.  The artist’s interpretation helps us to see from a different perspective, another angle, another dimension.  The scientist applies observations of the past and present to codify and document measurements in support of new applications and theories.  Combined, they help to define what is real.

Meanwhile, the seasons continue to change, the tides continue to ebb and flow, the sun continues to burn, the galaxies continue to spiral.

We seek meaning in that awesome puzzle through our unique experiential perspectives.  The moment passes and we turn to our wakes, contrails, footprints, and memories for understanding. 

We ask: 

Why did that happen?

What have I accomplished?

Were those good decisions?

Have I made a difference?

Why did I do that?

What was I thinking?

Who cares?

“How did I get here?”

Naturally, our individual perceptions temper all subsequent interpretations, but each individual construction of reality is by definition limited.  Not even by assimilating and deciphering all human perspectives could one completely comprehend this reality.  The overwhelming magnitude of the incomprehensible forces us to focus on the pieces we can grasp.  We empathize, we celebrate, we laugh, we love, and we engage in the dynamic process within which we’re all inextricably entwined.  We find meaning in these shared experiences and then we might ask: 

Who will I help?

How will I help?

What shall I do now?

Where will I go?

How will I do more?

How can I do better?

When I find meaning, I don’t ask why, I just bask in the glory of a clear mind, a passionate heart, and an active body.  I “just do it” with confidence.

Our reality is defined by the limits of our senses and our ability to manipulate the world around us to deepen and broaden that awareness.  The senses filter our perception to a finite suite of inputs that we have the capacity to assimilate and apply.  Most of us do not understand the spiritual or psychic dimensions of reality so, despite evidence and intuition of their power and importance, we focus on the material plane of existence – objects, experiences, places, and feelings.  With the aid of technology, we augment our limited human perceptions with subatomic, intergalactic, and mathematical explanations.

Is a subatomic particle real to me?  No.  Quarks and such are abstractions that are "real" to Fritjof Capra and his ilk (although he's noted that "subatomic particle do not exist but rather show 'tendencies to exist,' and atomic events do not occur with certainty at definite times and in definite ways, but rather show 'tendencies to occur.'" (The Tao of Physics)

Well then, how about the Horsehead Nebula?  Sure – we’ve seen the photos:

There it is, thanks to the Hubble Telescope for us all to see.  It’s out there in the cosmos and a part of our vernacular along with quasars and supernovae.  And, they influence our world by simply being a part of it – by being pieces of that multi-dimensional puzzle we build moment by moment, day by day from the myriad fragments, tidbits, and morsels that we stumble across, intentionally seek out, or have thrust upon us day in and day out. 

How are you interpreting this reality?  What pieces do you fit into your puzzle today?  Do you collect them through song, dance, athletic achievement, innovation, discovery, love or pain, through cooperation or competition?  What lens do you use? 

I find meaning in the laughter of my children, the caress of my wife, a hug from my mother, the memory of my father.  These provide sustenance and are indeed real and essential ingredients of my reality.

I experience the breath of cool autumn wind on my cheek, the ache of sore muscles after a bike ride, the aroma of hot coffee in the morning, the smell of freshly cut grass in the summer, the squeak of sub-zero snow under foot, the bliss of freshly-baked Christmas stöllen in my mouth.

I find meaning in the balance of night and day; the aging of my children; the graying of my mother’s hair; the spreading of the oak tree’s branches; the deterioration of my driveway’s concrete; the release of a Frisbee from my fingertips and its graceful arc to the hands of my running friend; the warmth of my child’s embrace and the ache in my throat that missing it produces.

What trajectory will your life follow?  What echoes will your life reflect?  Will they be consonant or dissonant?  Yes.

Will they reinforce or cancel?  Yes.

Will they produce cheer or dread?  Sorry to say, yes – even a saint crushes a blade of grass every now and then.

Unfortunate though it is, we cannot control how our actions may be interpreted – either in the near term or distant future.  Spouses of 27 years miscommunicate.  Families are unable to find common ground.  Friends are alienated by misunderstandings.

How then can we expect to confine the interpretation of one’s actions and words to that narrow intent from which they originated?

We can’t.  But you usually get more than one chance so keep trying.

Will we recognize all the opportunities?

Will we take all the chances?

Will we learn from our mistakes?

Which paths will we follow?

Where will those paths lead?

When will we step from one path to another and why?

Does it really matter?

Each choice we make sets us along another dimension of this reality – toward unchartered territory as an individual and a member of the community.

When do your actions influence those of your fellows?

When do they not?

Is it possible to have no influence?  Or, is that called death?

No, not even in death will we have no influence - we will continue to have profound influences for simply having lived.  Having lived, we have altered the course of history.  Imperceptible though that alteration may be today, the compounding ripples of one’s life will continue to resound through the ages in profound, subtle, and untraceable ways.  No wake, no contrail, no footprint, and no memory can define the influence of a lifetime.

Life – it’s a huge responsibility.

7th 8 Recap

I Ching explorations - Interlude 2

Not that it’s possible or proper to do so, but if one sought to compress these eight hexagrams into 4 pairs of phrases as an aid to remembering, one might consider something such as these:

In 49, Revolution leads us in a clearly different way,

while The Caldron nourishes the cultural soul in 50.

In 51, The Arousing leaves giddy awe in its wake,

            while the tranquil soul observes from the mountaintop while Keeping Still in 52.

In 53, despite Gradual Progress one may be ineffective unless parties reconcile, as shown by

The Marrying Maiden free of vanity who adapts to the situation in 54.

In 55, a modest leader achieves Abundance by remaining open to the counsel of able helpers,

            while a steadfast and humble Wanderer finds friends and activity in 56.

Or, perhaps even more rarified, one might consider that:

• Violent revolution is balanced by cultural evolution;
• Terror and frenzy are balanced by tranquil meditation;
• Steady development of a relationship is balanced by spontaneous affection; and
• Times of abundance are balanced by times of wandering.

And symbolically of course, we have:

REVOLUTION becomes THE CALDRON

 

THE AROUSING becomes KEEPING STILL

 

GRADUAL PROGRESS becomes THE MARRYING MAIDEN

 

ABUNDANCE becomes THE WANDERER

 

Peace!

49 - Ko (Revolution) and 50 - Ting (Caldron)

I Ching explorations, Parts 49 and 50 of 64

#49 Ko / Revolution - Lake over Fire 

Student:  Lake over fire makes me think of #63, Before Completion which also consists of water over fire.  In that hexagram we talked about how the two elements remained in balance as long as the fire didn’t boil the water away.  How does Lake over Fire differ?

Professor:  In this case, the water boils over and evaporates!

A reason for the difference can be found in the familial relationships represented by the eight primary trigrams.  Let’s take a quick look:

1. Ch’ien:  Heaven - Father
2. Tui:  Lake – Youngest Daughter
3. Li:  Fire – Middle Daughter
4. Chên:  Thunder – Eldest Son
5. K’un:  Earth - Mother
6. Kên:  Mountain – Youngest Son
7. K’an:  Water – Middle Son
8. Sun:  Wind/Wood – Eldest Daughter

 So while Water and Lake are elementally the same, their symbolism is very different.  Water corresponds to the middle son while Lake is the youngest daughter.  Additional attributes of Water are The Abysmal and “danger” while Lake is The Joyous and “pleasure.”

Then too – while the elemental relationships may be the same, the nuclear trigrams that are within hexagrams #49 and #63 are very different.  #49 contains Ch’ien (Heaven) and Sun (Wind/Wood) while #63 contains Li (Fire) and K’an (Water).  Finally, a lake occupies a limited space as we discussed in #60 (Chieh/Limitation) while water in its various forms is effectively boundless.

Let’s return to this hexagram with its finite body of water over a fire - the Joyous over the Clinging - and perhaps most importantly, the youngest daughter above the middle daughter.

S:  Why is that important?

P:  Because the younger daughter is in a superior position to her older sister which in ancient China, and even today, is a recipe for disaster.  Confucius’ Commentary reads,

“Abolishing the Old,

Water and Fire destroy each other.

Two daughters live together,

But their minds are not in chorus.

This is called revolution.”

The image of two elemental forces – lake (water) and fire in opposition to one another as personified by two sibling girls with an opposition of tendencies, suggests upheaval, the stripping away of a protective covering, of molting, and revolutionary change.

As molting follows fixed temporal laws and must be prepared for in advance, the same is true for revolutionary societal change – the I Ching advises that it must proceed in accord with the proper preparation and timing.  The Wilhelm/Baynes translation contains the following assessment of the laws dictating the formation of political revolutions:

• First, timing is essential.
• Second, one must proceed with the sympathy of the people and avoidance of excess.
• Third, one must be free of selfish motives.
• Fourth, the change must respond to a true need.

S:  And there is a parallel between the elemental battle of these two sisters, Lake and Fire, and the annual battle between the forces of light and dark that produce the seasons.

P:  Right, and by marking the regular progression of the seasons we make sense of these changes and can anticipate the changes that are appropriate to the changing times.  The individual lines of the hexagram continue the timing theme by describing different times in the development of a revolution.  From the bottom up they are:

1. It is not time yet – take no action.
2. The time is right if the way has been carefully prepared and leadership is accepted by the people
3. It is time, but be neither haste nor hesitant – when talk of change has been heard three times and considered well, proceed.
4. Change occurs but the new must be founded on correctness of purpose, sincerity, and truth.
5. A leader of great change gains the support of many
6. Large-scale reform has been achieved but don’t expect everyone to be uniformly changed – molting is only skin deep.  Be satisfied with the attainable.

S:  As I understand it then, this hexagram offers four tips for political revolutions and the potential for six pieces of oracular advice to help one determine the temporal context of events.

P:  Yes, but keep in mind that Ko corresponds to the conflict and struggle that occur when old layers of society are stripped away like a molting skin to reveal a new and improved version.  In contrast, #50 – Caldron deals with the cultivation of civilization through physical and spiritual nourishment of society.

#50 Ting / Caldron – Fire over Wood

S:  Where does the idea of a caldron come from the relationship of fire over wood?

P:  According to the I Ching, the arrangement of lines depicts a caldron with the legs at the bottom, the belly formed by three solid lines, the handles or opening at the 5^th line and the carrying handle or lid on top (squint your eyes and use your imagination).  Figuratively, the idea of wood (or wind) nourishing a fire leads to the idea of cooking and nourishment in general.  It’s not so much about the object itself as it is about the sustenance a caldron represents.

 S:  I see that the middle daughter (Li) is back in this hexagram although this time she’s in the superior position to the eldest daughter (Sun).  Despite the younger of the two being again in a superior position, this time they work together – why is that?

P:  Perhaps it’s the clarity of mind reflected in Li (Fire) or the gentleness and adaptability of the eldest sister reflected in Sun (Wind/Wood).

S:  So while the youngest and middle sisters created a violent revolution that tore down the old in #49, here the middle sister works constructively with her elder sister to nourish.  While Ko talked of violent uprising causing change from the ground up, Ting speaks of social reorganization and change from the top down.  While in Ko, the trigrams were opposed, here they are mutually reinforcing.

P:  That’s correct.  Ting speaks to the nourishment of a civilization’s spark or spirit and the highest earthly values that find consecration in sacred festivities, often using an ornate caldron to serve the ceremonial banquet.  By honoring wise and virtuous members of the community with the ceremonial ting, we endear ourselves to them and they in turn further the cultural development of the community.  Ting indicates that through proper relationships and attitudes, we can establish a new and better order following the overthrow of the old.  The lines further illustrate this:

1.      No matter how lowly, a person of good will can succeed in a developed civilization

2.      If one concentrates on achieving something significant, the envious can inflict less harm

3.      One’s contributions are not recognized – be patient and focus on spiritual development

4.      Weak character in an honored place; meager knowledge but large plans; limited power with huge responsibility – all recipes for disaster

5.      A humble leader attracts helpers

6.      The sage imparts his teachings.

S:  It seems then that collectively, Ting offers a path for the spiritual nourishment of a civilization as the desired sequel to a violent upheaval.  Individually though, it seems that much depends on “assigning the right place to life and to fate, thus bringing the two into harmony” (W/B).

P:  According to the I Ching, as the wood sustains the fire, so too positions of virtue and leadership in the community nurture a whole community and in turn, deserve to be honored, respected, and supported. 

51 - Chên and 52 - Kên

I Ching explorations – Parts 51 and 52 of 64

51 (Chên) and 52 (Kên) are two inverse hexagrams each formed from the doubling of a trigram.  51 is The Arousing (Double Thunder) while 52 is Keeping Still (Double  Mountain).

 

51 “thunder repeated,” denotes initial fear and trembling followed by action.  The Arousing is movement - the action that is triggered by the shock of a terrifying event.

The I Ching advises that when we understand fear we are protected from the terrors produced by outside influences.  Ideally, if we have been shocked and frightened before, then future disruptions won’t disturb us even if we’re engaged in meditation.  When extreme events occur, the chün tzu (“superior person”) is able to maintain composure and attention without being distracted.

Fear caused by an elemental force on Nature such as the BOOM of thunder helps us to appreciate how small we are in the grand scheme of things.  The I Ching considers that reverence and respect for elemental forces of Nature to be a foundation of culture.

The actions, whether physical or mental, that follow after one’s initial shock passes are discussed in the individual lines.

1 – When the initial shock is over there is relief and lessons to be learned

2 – Accept your loss and retreat, in time possessions will be restored

3 – If shock induces thought, external blows will be overcome with little effort

4 – One is stuck in the mud, neither combative nor yielding, movement is hindered

5 – When repeated shocks occur, stay calm in the center to avoid being tossed about

6 – When shock is everywhere, keep still until clarity is restored

The individual lines offer little in the way of constructive advice on appropriate actions when one is faced with intense alarm.  To the extent we are able to learn from the shocks we experience throughout our lives, we are better able to react the next time – assuming we can recall the lessons.  Unfortunately, when terror strikes, most of us will get caught up in the frenzy of the situation and be unable to think clearly.  We are counseled that if clear thought is lost, it is best to wait for the storm to pass when we can see clearly again.

When we hear of martial arts masters faced with daunting odds, we don’t believe that they are able to think through the best course of action as the situation changes from moment to moment.  As with training for other athletic endeavors, we recognize that muscle memory and instinct take over for those who have devoted sufficient study to their respective skills.  As with spiritual training too then, I would suggest that the chün tzu who has trained to remain unperturbed in the face of extreme hardships will indeed remain calm and level-headed in extreme situations.  That person will recognize the situation for what it is and act accordingly, or go on blissfully meditating while chaos whirls about.  On the one hand, the response is action – the other valid course is the inverse:  inaction or keeping still.

#52 – Kên / Keeping Still – Mountain

52 is Keeping Still (Double Mountain). Starting with the trigram Earth (three yin lines), a solid (yang) line enters at the bottom to form Thunder – its attribute is “taking action.”  When the solid line progresses one more position to the center we get Water – its attribute is flowing (continuous action).  When the solid line reached the top, it becomes Mountain – its attribute is “keeping still.”  The flow of action stops and we wait for the cycle to repeat.

Seated in meditation, one’s body reflects the shape of a mountain.  Holding the back still, one quiets the ego and with it the restless mind.  The still body and mind promote introspection.  Introspection helps one to objectively evaluate one’s weaknesses and to cultivate inner strength and virtue.  With greater virtue one has the potential to see beyond the struggles of individuals to better understand the laws of the universe and how to act in harmony with them.  Whoever acts from these deep levels is a chün tzu.

While Keeping Still is the meaning of the hexagram, movement is the meaning of both nuclear trigrams (Chên – thunder and K’an - water).  As such, “movement and stopping, each at the right time, are both features of rest” one would not exist without the other.  They are inverse and complementary, but the key to success is to know when to advance and when to stop as every action (and non-action) should be in accordance with the time and situation. 

The individual lines (from the bottom) correspond to different parts of the body to depict different times and situations.

1 – toes:  knowing when to stop before going too far

2 – calves:  unable to save others from wrongdoing, she follows along

3 – hips:  Let calmness develop naturally from inner composure

4 – torso:  One has achieved a quiet heart and has almost forgotten the ego

5 – jaws:  Being reserved in speech, one’s words acquire more definite form

6 – mind:  One is at tranquil rest which confers peace and good fortune to matters

Quoting Confucius from “The Great Learning,”

            The way of the Great Learning is to illustrate brilliant virtue, to love people, and to rest in conduct that is perfectly good.

            By knowing how to keep still, one is able to determine what objects he should pursue.

            By knowing what objects he should pursue, one is able to attain calmness of mind.

            By knowing how to attain calmness of mind, one is able to succeed in tranquil repose.

            By knowing how to succeed in tranquil repose, one is able to obtain careful deliberation.

            By knowing how to obtain careful deliberation, one is able to harvest what he really wants to pursue.

Inherent to all stillness is action.

Each behavior has its proper time and place.

Action must eventually return to stillness.

Stillness and action nourish and sustain one another.

Before action - careful deliberation in stillness.

Before stillness - calmness of mind in action.