When your mind is troubled, it is still not enough

Words of Lao-zi  - Chapter 43

My interpretation:

A man who obtains a flexible mind can live in a society and still be himself. He is not influenced or trapped by the organizations. He will move like the water and adapt to any shape to any environment. I would say that the most efficient way to live a life is “to be in the natural flow.” It is difficult to explain this in words. The benefit of being in the natural flow is rarely seen in this world.


Original words:「天下之至柔、馳騁天下之至堅. 無有入無間. 吾是以知無爲之有益. 不言之教、無爲之益、天下希及之.」



(my thoughts)

   I want to change my job, I want to move to another place, I want a divorce…. For thousands of years, people have troubled their minds. At times, when you are having a problem, Lao-zi is saying, “keep a flexible mind. Think objectively. Be in the natural flow.” He says that this is the best way and the most efficient way. In other words, when you are troubled by your problem, it means that you are still not there to make a new move. It means that there is still something you could do about it. Your innate god is telling you that you shouldn’t come to a conclusion just yet. When you think about it objectively, it is rather funny to be in a state of “distress.” It means that your imagination on what may happen after you changed your job or your place..divorce is not yet enough.

   When it’s really time to move, to make the change, you will NOT be in distress anymore. It is because your core being is convinced. Whether it is not the right decision or not, it would all feel right in that moment.

   The issue lies here. Whether you will make the right decision or not would dramatically change the course of your life. And those decisions are made upon your thought habits. It depends on how you have been living your life until that point. If you hadn’t work hard enough or you have been unfaithful to yourself, you will not be able to make the right decision. You won’t know what you’re really meant to do. And you will float like a falling leaf. If you live by making enough efforts and being honest with yourself at all times, your innate god and your ancestors are able to guide you easily towards the right direction. The more ego you have the less you are able to listen to your sacred and true being. In addition, even though your ancestors are trying to help you and guide you, you cannot accept it. Your ego will be disturbing the connection.

   To conclude, Lao-zi is suggesting that the best way to live and to bring luck is to 1) Make enough efforts by yourself, be honest to yourself and keep a flexible mind. 2) Feel the natural flow in your life.

   Don’ t let other people guide you. Listen to your own innate being. I believe this is the most important thing in life. That is because I sense that life is about convincing yourself. Keep honesty and keep making efforts. And at the end of your life, you will be convinced that you made the right path.

Ikashite-itadaite arigato-gozaimasu

Thank you for letting us live

Accepting both the positive and the negative

    The national highway Route 41 that connects Nagoya city and Toyama city runs in a line crossing Japan from one west end to one east end. And the area around Route 41 has given birth to eight Nobel Prize winners in the field of natural science.

     This links to what I had written four years ago. The line that ties Mt.Haku (Hakusan) and Ise Jingu (The Grand Shrine of Ise) has a very strong special kind of vibrational energy. And it’s continuing to increase its power.  Mt.Haku is the ultimate point of ying energy. And Ise Jingu is the ultimate point of yang energy. Thus energetically just like the symbol of ying&yang can be seen in the middle of Japan.

    The important thing here is for everyone to start to see this idea within him/herself. Like the Chinese philosopher Lao-zi used to say, go the natural way. By doing so, you will be able to unite your ying&yang. When your two sides unite, you will become the pillar of light standing tall on your homeland.

     It may sound difficult to you. How could I unite my ying&yang energy? I am talking about the negative side and the positive side of oneself. The negative side is your negative emotions such as anxiety and sufferings. And at the same time, we all have our positive sides as well. If you try to eliminate one side, it doesn’t work well and life becomes stressful. The important thing is to accept both and have a good balance in life. And then your mind will start to circulate vitally. Like this symbol of ying&yang, your dark side also has it’s small bright part. Even things are going very well and looking bright, leave a small part with concern (the dark dot). By accepting both your bright side and your dark side, you are uniting yourself. And your spirit body will become a light pillar standing tall in your home ground. 

    The center of the ying&yang 
force would be in Japan on the line that connects Ise and Mt.Haku. And there will me more intelligence coming out from the people in this area. It is a miracle to have such power place at this time in Japan. There are many problems in Japan pilling up too. But this is just like this symbol. So don’t worry. It is all meant to be there. The personal concerns and the national concerns… it’s all part of the whole… like the small dot in the dark and the small dot in the white.


  Just take a deep breathe, relax and accept the wholeness of self.

Ikashite-itadaite arigato-gozaimasu

Thank you for letting us live

Sliding and shifting

(written Oct 31rd)

     The damage caused by Hurricane Sandy was worse than predicted.  The Manhattan power plant explosion, tons of garbage washed down to the subway along with the flood, severe damages of roads, vast area of flood… … more details to be revealed. The total estimate caused by this hurricane is said to be 20 billion US$. The flooded scenes of New York reminded me of the story that Bill told me during my visit to the US last year (http://isehakusando-eng-version.blogspot.jp/2011/05/business-trip-to-us.html). It is just like the movie “The Day After Tomorrow”.  If this happens in the mids of winter, the flood could turn into ice. Yet the US government was aware of this climate change disasters and have been preparing. The majority of NASA has already moved to Dayton, Ohio. And all the Military bases near the shoreline have moved to the inland. In my psychic vision, I could see Chicago being the next center of financial district after New York. In Japan, we are also experiencing larger typhoons, extreme strong rain in one spot at a short period of time, hail size getting larger…. 

    This summer, there has been a report about the north and south poles’ ice rapid melt. In addition, what I am concerned is about the geo-magnetic field becoming weaker. When the geo-magnetic field is weakened, it means that the barrier protecting us from all kinds of radiations from space is weakened. To prove this, aurora has started to appear even in Japan. Rainbow color clouds are seen often and the night sky doesn’t look so dark as it used to be.

     With such phenomenon, I would assume that we are already showered by the cosmic-ray. This means that the airplane pilots are exposed to more radiation than before. And we will be less resistant to infectious diseases. All kind of virus infection may expand. Adding to it, 1) due to the north and south poles’ ice melting, the pole shift is occurring. 2) The pole shift may have to do with the lowering of the geo-magnetic field. The electro-magnetic energy from the sun may be affecting the poles strongly because of this. 3) From the shifting of the pole, geographically the north and south poles will change drastically. There is a theory that the south pole once used to be a warm climate. 4) Another possibility is that the north and south magnetic field may turn around to the complete opposite. Therefore, the study of feng shui no longer applies. It will become the complete opposite.

    The problem is how long would it take for this drastic change to occur? In my opinion, next year 2013 would be the key year. The Ise Jingu (Amatsu-kami/ the heavenly god) and the Izumo Taisha (Kunitsu-kami the earthly god) are both having the sengū* ceremony in 2013. Historically, this is very rare to have the two in the same year. The bipolar gods’ shrine is renewed at the same year. And here I hear the old Japanese folk song …  “At dawn, in the dark night, a crane and a turtle had slipped …” The crane signifies the Amatsu-kami, the heavenly one= Ise Shrine = north pole. And the turtle signifies the Kunitsu-kami, the earthly one = Izumo Shrine = south pole. These two poles would slide in 2013… this is what I am sensing. Therefore, the drastic pole shift would start from 2013. At the same time, from 2013 to 2014 there will be many natural phenomenon and other drastic changes within countries.

    In order to pass through this critical time, many of us human beings must become awaken to the sense of gratitude. The electro-magnetic energy emanated from the sense of gratitude is most powerful.

Ikashite-itadaite arigato-gozaimasu

Thank you for letting us live

*sengū 遷宮 : The transfer of the deity to a newly constructed shrine. The whole shrine structures are renewed every 20 years.

Maintain your originality

Lao zi : Chapter 33

(my interpretation)

    One who knows a lot about other people is a knowledgeable person. But one who knows about himself is a wise person. One who could win over another is a powerful person. But one who could win over himself is truly a strong person. One who could be satisfied in any kind of situation is a truly blissful person. When one has strong desires, one will tend to overdo. One who could keep his own pace will have the tolerance to continue one thing for a long period. In addition, one who lives his own path will live in eternity.

 


Original 
words:「知人者智。自知者明。
勝人者有力。自勝者強。
知足者富。強行者有志。
不失其所者久。死而不亡者壽。」



    My thoughts: Lao zi is saying:

 1. Learn about yourself. 

 2. Win over yourself. 

 3. Learn about enough. 

 4. Be yourself and then you will live an eternal life. 

    You might think you are living YOU. But often times, it is coated by other people’s perspective. You might be conscious about what others think of you. That is why you buy designers clothes, bags, shoes.. And you suffer from paying off your credit card bills. You think that your house looks old from the outside. And you make a loan and suffer from paying back. You might also hit your child’s head in front of others, because you thought it was the right thing to do. But the idea of the “right thing” may be coming from “what others might think of me.” And your whole life becomes an act of trying to become someone else. It is a good thing to look nice and have the etiquettes. But some people might even kill himself because they worry so much about the other people’s reaction. Did these people live his own life? Didn’t he create a whole imaginative drama through colored glasses of other people? Even in very poor countries, the eyes of the children are shinning. Once they become adults, they loose the shine. Isn’t it because they worry so much about what others are doing and thinking?  In the Japanese train during the rush hours, I see many people with gloomy eyes…

    So how can we change? What can we do to make our eyes shine again?  The solution is to become consciously aware on the four points mentioned above. Then you will get hints of how to maintain yourself. And once you will master these four, you will have an eternal life says Lao zi. In this chapter, Lao zi is talking about span of life and life after death. This is very rare. He became known as a person who wrote about the passage to become a mystic (an immortal). I think it was a false understanding. Some people had mistakenly read this chapter as a way to become an immortal. He did not explain such superficial idea. It is a bigger and more realistic meaning about life.

    We are capable of maintaining our own original magnetic energy field. And we are capable of nurturing our originality in all kind of situations in our lives. All unpleasant events that occur in our lives are also a place to learn and train ourselves in order to grow. When you truly know who you are, then all of the sudden you will understand the whole universe.  There are no steps. You will suddenly understand the whole.  When you buy other people’s energy and try to bring it into your body, your original energy will age faster and you no longer will live an eternal life. You will be stuck in a limited world. That's because you are not living your own life with your own will power and strength. Simply live your life with joy and gratitude. This is the only right answer and fastest way to reach the awake.

Ikashite-itadaite arigato-gozaimasu

Thank you for letting us live

Don’t worry what others think of you

Words of Lao zi - Chapter 24 (my original interpretation)

   Those who try to stand with theirs heels up will not be able to stand for a long time. Those who walk with very big steps will not be able to walk long distance. Others will not approve those who try to self-justify everything. Others will not appreciate those who self-praise. People who brag about themselves do it because they actually haven’t achieved much. No matter where they go and what they do, they won’t last long. When I talk about these unnecessary human behaviors, I call it “needless food” or “excessive action.” Anyone would despise someone like this.  Those who live under his/her good will would never behave in such manner.

Original words:
「跂者不立、跨者不行。自見者不明、自是者不彰。自伐者無功、自矜者不長。
其於道也、曰餘食贅行。物或惡之。故有道者不處。」



    My thoughts: To sum it up, it means that if you try too hard things won’t last long. Look at the big picture. Know your own pace. This is the most efficient way to achieve your purpose. For example, you studied excessively to enter a high level high school oriented toward entering a high level university. You succeeded in entering the high school. But you have a nervous breakdown for the high standard environment and end up dropping out. If you hadn’t tried so hard and choose the second high level school, you might have enjoyed life more and end up entering the university you desired.

   Did he/she choose this school to compare him/herself with other classmates? Did he/she try to meet up with his/her parents’ expectation? Was it really his/her wish to enter that school?

    Another example. A woman marries a rich and handsome man without true love. After the marriage, she is constantly worried about whether he is cheating or not. The family of the husband gives her a hard time. Is this true happiness?   How will she look like after thirty years?  Did she think rich=happiness? Did she find that concept in the society looking at other people’s life?

    These examples can be applied to many other situations in life. Life is not a 100m race. It’s a marathon. Even if you had won the first 100m, you still have the rest of the 30km run. If you retire early, you will not able to reach the goal. Many of us worry when people are running faster than you. You think you are left behind. But at the end, those who maintained his/her own pace would reach the goal.

Lao zi’s original words says,

1)           If you try to stand out, no one will pay attention to you.

2)           If you impose an idea to others, you will not be appreciated.

3)           If you brag about yourself, you will not be praised and nothing would last long.

4)           We don’t want to eat when we are full. Thus needless food and excessive action are unnecessary. Keep your own pace and follow your own path.

   One more note about “keeping your own pace.”  When you come across some hardships or things that you don’t like, don’t easily give up. If you give up easily, there is no growth and your life will not change.

    Lao zi says, keep a low profile, don’t worry about what others are doing or thinking and stick to your own path. With your heels up or with very big steps, your posture is strained. It happens because you are too conscious about others. If you don’t compare yourself with others, you will be walking in a natural posture. Life is not about being better than others. It is a challenge to yourself in this short period of time. The traces you make will create a path. And that path would lead you to the best possible future. If you continue to walk your own path til the end, it becomes the most graceful path.

   Lao zi was explaining about the type of person he despises the most.  He called that kind of person “a thing”. He didn’t want to recognize such personality as a human being. It seems that even 2500years ago and the civilization before that the society was the same as today. Bragging, showing off, competition… people were corrupted even in those days. When you really try to see yourself in your daily life, you would not act in such poor behavior. Today’s lesson was about, seeing yourself in own your life. Don’t compare yourself with others.

Ikashite-itadaite arigato-gozaimasu

Thank you for letting us live

The meaning of life

Words of Lao zi - Chapter 16 : (my interpretation) 

    Empty your heart. Calmly observe the things that happen in your life. You will recognize that things happen in a sequence but it eventually passes by and disappears. In this dimension, so many lives are born one after another and they all eventually return to the root. Returning to the root is called “silence or stillness.” It means all life returns to the great mothery root. The returning process is called “life, living.”  And understanding the “life or living” is called “wisdom, knowledge.”  Without the wisdom, we will be totally lost. When you have the wisdom, you are able to live in the right way and enjoy life. Those who live a life in the right way is called Kojin (公人) and he/she will naturally dedicates his/her life to the society. Those who could dedicate their lives to the society are true kings. The kings are equivalent to the heavenly sun. The sun is always giving. One’s life is the same as the sun. You are born like the sunrise, reaches it’s peak and sets, fade away. At the end, you return to the life of eternity.


Original words: 
致虚極、守靜篤。萬物並作、吾以觀復。
夫物芸芸、各復歸其根。歸根曰靜、是謂復命。
復命曰常、知常曰明、不知常、妄作凶。
知常容。容乃公。公乃王。王乃天。天乃道。道乃久。沒身不殆。

    My thoughts: 

As I translate the meaning, my consciousness was connecting with Buddha. Buddha had also talked about the importance of attaining the right knowledge. 
It is said that Lao zi was last seen riding a water ox. The fact that he was riding an ox signifies that he was going somewhere very far away. 
My vision tells me that Lao zi had gone to India after this. And he went to meet the young prince (Buddha) and taught him all the wisdom he knew. Lao zi who is rooted to the North Star passed on his wisdom to Buddha who is rooted to the Sun. The North Star periodically changes to different stars. Like the North Star, Lao zi dynamically moved around all his life. I sense that he left all his wisdom to Buddha and went to the Himalayas where his life was ended.

     Lao zi worked for the government and his position was a middle-level manager. He never tried to be famous. He is a true saint.




     Let me repeat the important phrases of Lao zi’s words from today’s chapter.

1)     It’s important for us humans to attain knowledge/wisdom. In order to do so, it’s important not to be flustered and observe your situation in a calm manner. We are a student of life until the day we die. The content that you are reading now is also an important knowledge about life.

2)      Know that all types of sufferings will eventually pass. Those who are suffering often mistakenly think that the suffering would last forever. The universal law of this dimension tells us that nothing lasts forever. Good deeds and bad deeds, both are momentary matters.

3)     No matter what, we will eventually all return to the great mothery root. Know that we will be in peace when we return to that ultimate home. Lao zi is saying that if you are flustered and worried you might go to hell that means you don’t have the wisdom and don’t have the heart to care for others. Therefore, he is saying that we need to be humble and learn until the time of death and attain wisdom. And to observe life in a calm manner and help others. When you are able to do this, you are a true winner. The financially rich people are not the successor. The true successors are the ones who dedicated his/her life to others or the society. That is because we all die at the end.




Ikashite-itadaite arigato-gozaimasu

Thank you for letting us live

October is a turning point for the Western world

 (written on Oct.1st)

   　Looking at the moon cycle of October, the tide is changing every Monday (moon day). September and October is the account settlement time in Europe and North America. Therefore, at this time, the whole financial status will be exposed. I will be watching out the stock market that also starts on Mondays. Just looking at the situation in Europe, nothing seems to have improved.  They have been postponing many issues and now the problems are catching up and start to reveal. I am getting the feeling that Germany, the tractor of Europe, may start to protect its own countries’ finance. “Take responsibility of your own action” is how they would start to react. The characteristics of Germans are known to be most logical and rational. France is sinking half way in the Euro condition. After Spain, next may be France.  The US looks critical by the numbers. However, they are clever and already recognizing the world financial crisis for a while. As much as they look deeply in debt, they have been preparing natural resources, food supply and the military.





　 In Asia, the problem between China and Japan is going to be exposed economically during the month of October.

    Regarding earthquakes, there was a M7.4 in Columbia early today (Oct 1st). Also in Japan, in the Tohoku area, small quakes are occurring continuously. We have to acknowledge that big earthquakes are occurring not only in Japan but also on the opposite side of the Pacific Ocean.   

 


    Here are the astronomical events of October:

•   Oct 5. – Moon is furthest from Earth  (1,054,405,156km)

•   Oct 17. – Moon is closest to Earth（938,360,666km)

•   Oct 19. – Moon is at most South point

     I sense we are already in the time zone that every day is a watch out day. At dangerous times, turtles would put his head and legs inside and hide in his shell. The Japanese sun goddess Amaterasu hid herself inside a rock when things were looking unstable outside. I believe we should do the same. It is wise for Japan to only focus on the domestic economy at this point. If we try to stretch our legs, it will get cut off.  Same concept will apply for the individuals. Stay calm and maintain you current condition. It’s better not to make any new moves. If you could stay relaxed and loose, you will swing well like the willow tree and survive. 

Ikashite-itadaite arigato-gozaimasu

Thank you for letting us live