The Tasmanian Devil, The I Ching and The Well

I have noticed that, even in “so-called” normal times, I can drift away from the connected center of myself and soon be at the effect of circumstances, feeling both off-balance and powerless. A skipped meditation here, a moment of unconscious phone scrolling there, and the rationalization that “things seem to be ok” so I can skip that journaling, and I sacrifice that meditation time.

There are several metaphors I can use here. so why not have some fun?

1. I really didn’t notice that the drain was plugged up until the water and the muck completely overflowed.

2. I didn’t really notice I hadn’t eaten until I become so cranky and angry it suddenly dawned on me that I was lacking sustenance (there’s a reason they call it that).

3. Like steering a ship, in life you need to make a series of small course adjustments along the way, i.e. pay attention, or that journey to Hawaii might just turn into a trip to Antarctica.

Yes, sure I exaggerate, but if you have gotten so far away from yourself, you might feel frozen out from the lifeline and the grace that spirit provides.

Even more challenging might be when you get signs both from within and without and don’t read them. For example, two weeks ago I discovered a Praying Mantis on the inside of my living room windowpane. I carefully put a jar over it and slipped a piece of cardboard under the opening and took Mr. or Ms. out the front door to freedom. (First analogy — that of being trapped in the house.) I have believed for years and years that animals, insects, rodents, and lizards don’t just cross your path (either in real life or in dreams) by accident. So I went online to https://www.spirit-animals.com, my trusty resource for an explanation.

“IF PRAYING MANTIS HAS CRAWLED INTO YOUR SPACE Usually the Praying Mantis makes an appearance when we’ve flooded our lives with so much business, activity, or chaos that we can no longer hear the still small voice within us. Taking a step back and some simple meditation would be in order here because the external din we’ve created needs to be quieted so that we can come back to our own truth. She will always come to us when we need peace, quiet and calm in our lives.

 I can only hope that, back in her free life, she would take a moment to “mantisly” pray for me because I certainly wasn’t listening. There were more signs and signals, but I either missed them or ignored them. Rather than re-establish my “connection” through what I refer to as earnest mediation and contemplation, I would do what I call the quick “Hollywood” mediation- primarily because, when I was a teenage driver and we barely stopped at a stop sign, we called it a “Hollywood” stop. Meanwhile, I was watching the world around me — all of the Zoom chats, live-streaming music shows, the ceaseless posts on social media of opinions, pets, politics, and, unfortunately, death, and a more-than-mild obsession with the news. Of course, I had judgments about that. Here are some of them –

“What is it with people? Don’t they know they have an opportunity for stillness here?”

“The entire country is in grief at the loss of life and the loss of our way of life, and they are avoiding it through over-activity!”

“If I see one more TV or online show that adds ‘at home’ to the title of their show, I’ll spit (but only in isolation).”

Well… judge, not lest ye be judged. I had thrown myself into a cooking and baking frenzy and, to be honest, it was all pretty delicious and looked as much on my Instagram stories and Facebook. Heck, I even made it to “Rising Star” status in the Quarantine Cuisine group and had a few pounds to prove it.

I surmise that this was my way of dealing with the stress of being homebound and fear of the unknown. Yet, in times like these, there is always the opportunity to innovate, to reinvent, to discover something wonderful. You just can’t do it with your pants down around your ankles, running around in search of toilet paper. Not that I have done that — it’s just an analogy. But the truth is this — in fear and reaction, I certainly won’t find the best version of me who may, in stillness, discover a whole new path since the one that I was on may be “tempermanently” closed. Still, I’m human, and I was more frantic than I realized -not just losing patience with myself, but snapping at the person who I love and who loves me more than anyone ever has. Two cats in what might have to be an N95 sack.

I can tell you that spinning around like the Tasmanian Devil, the Warner Bros. cartoon character, is exhausting. And, as you know, one should never get in the way of the Tasmanian Devil. (Second analogy — if someone approaches you to tell you to slow down, you’ll just take the roof of their house off, or at the very least a loosely-attached toupee or mask.) By the way, the Wikipedia entry describes the character, created by Bob McKimson as having “a notoriously short temper and little patience.” Perfect. Clearly Taz didn’t know the joys and benefits of meditation.

I began to notice that the end of the business day felt like midnight, and at around 5 PM I would enter the land of Catatonia. (It’s a small country that borders the state of Sanity, but it’s easy to spin right over that border.)

So…time to figuratively and literally take a breath. Today, I decided to consult the I Ching also known as The Book Of Change, with which I have had a long and deep relationship. I have much the same relationship with the ancient Chinese text, the Tao Te Ching. For those of you unfamiliar with the I Ching, it is a remarkable tool for gaining objectivity and guidance on one’s current circumstances. It consists of 64 Hexagrams, each representing a different principle or stage of change. When you cast the coins or the sticks there are 4,096 possible combinations, representing the current situation, or sometimes the current and future situation. While many see it as a divination device, I also see it as a wise companion.

I am on my second copy of “The I Ching Workbook” by R.L Wing, after having worn out my 1979 copy. The wonderful thing about the Wing workbook is that, before even beginning to use it, you have a comprehensive explanation of the origins, purpose, and functioning of the I Ching, followed by a set of instructions for its wise use. I’ll leave it to you to discover the wonder and applications of the I Ching. There are many other translations — books, apps, and even a wonderful online version presented by The Divination Foundation. I note that, over the last 35 or so years, I have learned to consult the I Ching with both reverence and respect. Over the last 5 years, I have had the great experience of doing business in China, and I have had many a deep discussion about the Tao Te Ching and the I Ching with my Chinese colleagues, who find it fascinating that an American would even venture into its pages. So, what did The Book of Change have to tell me?

Number 48. The Source. (The Well)

I quote here first from Wing’s The I Ching Workbook and then an alternate translation of “The Well” from the Divination Foundation. I share this with you now, not just because it’s personal but also because I see its global application — the opportunity for all of us to take that moment to return to Source.

“This hexagram represents the deep, inexhaustible, divinely centered source of nourishment and meaning for humanity. Although people may journey from the spiritual discipline to the political discipline, explore various philosophies and scholarly pursuits, alter their awareness in myriad ways — they must always return to THE SOURCE of their true nature for fulfillment.” Later in the text it states, “Confucius, China’s great philosopher, said ‘If you set your mind on humanity, you will be free from evil.’” — “The I Ching Workbook” by R.L. Wing

The text from the Divination Foundation translation reads:

“Throughout all the cultures of the world, the well has served as a symbol for that which sustains life and provides a constant, inexhaustible source of nourishment. Human nature is basically the same: the passage of time cannot add to its dimensions, nor take anything away. Still, just as the well can be deepened to produce clearer water, we can enrich our lives by delving deeply within, to tap our essential nature and reach the true source of spiritual nourishment.”

B R E A T H E

AHHHHHHH

Message Received.

I’m off to earnestly meditate. Perhaps I’ll see you on the astral plane. I’ll be seated over the wing. No social distancing required.

Brian Seth Hurst is part successful entertainment executive and part metaphysician. A multi-disciplinary producer, writer, and strategist, he has spent his career at the forefront of innovation and storytelling. His work enables the building and extension of story worlds and brands. Hurst is co-author with Olivia Newton-John of the best selling children’s book “A Pig Tale” from Simon & Schuster and the book “WHOLE,” a collection of essays on life’s challenges.

Medium Link