Test Me

I had a good test of my patience today in various ways.

First one was a haircut. This usually takes an hour, outside, alternating between standing up and sitting down. Sometimes I get feverish standing up so long and my knees lock, which is right before my blood pressure drips WAY too low and I faint. I managed not to, and had a lot of water. The cats were meandering around, meowing, it was windy and delicious.I thought of my friends. I always do when wind blows.I hope my hugs and love to them goes with the wind and finds them.

The other test was my Uncle Steve coming over. Well what bugs me about him is that he is the epitome of a human being wasting his life on NOTHING, limiting himself so much, he just stays in his apartment and watches television (the evil box) all day long. It's really sad ,he is such a funny and interesting person with a lot to share but he won't. So when I see that happening it irks me. And he irks me back. Last time I talked to him for a long time about at least volunteering, and I asked him briefly about it today.

"Oh, I don't volunteer" he said lackadaisically.

So I just let it rest.

I have so many more motives in myself from meditating and exploring Buddhism, also reading I Me Mine by George Harrison. And today when I was reading I Me Mine a verse from the I Ching was mentioned, I remembered Kevin's copy of it sitting a room away, so I started it! AGAIN.

The first time it didn't go so well. I thought it was about math being philosophized and theorized. But that was before I read The Soul of Rumi, and started actively meditating and pursuing Buddhism. It's totally different now, not repetitive at all.

Here are some great quotes

THE JUDGMENT

THE RECEPTIVE brings about sublime success,

Furthering through the perseverance of a mare.

IF the superior man undertakes something and tries

to lead,

He goes astray;

But if he follows, he finds guidance.

It is favorable to find friends in the west and south,

To forego friends in the east and north.

Quiet perseverance brings good fortune.

The four fundamental aspects of the Creative-"sublime success, furthering through perseverance"-are also attributed to the Receptive. Here, however, the perseverance is more closely defined: it is that of a mare. The Receptive connotes spatial reality in contrast to the spiritual potentiality of the Creative. The potential becomes real and the spiritual becomes spatial through a specifically qualifying definition.

Thus the qualification, "of a mare", is here added to the idea of perseverance. The horse belongs to earth just as the dragon belongs to heaven. Its tireless roaming over the plains is taken as a symbol of the vast expanse of the earth. This is the symbol chosen because the mare combines the strength and swiftness of the horse with the gentleness and devotion of the cow.

Nature creates all beings without erring: this is its straightness. It is calm and still: this is its foursquareness. It tolerates all creatures equally: this is its greatness. Therefore it attains what is right for all without artifice or special intentions. Man achieves the height of wisdom when all that he does is as self-evident as what nature does.

If a man is free of vanity he is able to conceal his abilities and keep them from attracting attention too soon; thus he can mature undisturbed. If conditions demand it, he can also enter public life, but that too he does with restraint. The wise man gladly leaves fame to others. He does not seek to have credited himself things that stand accomplished, but hopes to release active forces; that is, he completes his works in such a manner that they may bear fruit for the future.

I find so many answers and relief in these texts.