We packed our gear and trekked out to the ocean to film. In November, there is an absence of man made color and sound on the beach. No striped umbrellas or blankets dot the landscape. No faint echo of kids laughing or music playing remain. The tide has rolled in and taken the last of bare human foot prints out to sea. It is a time for strong shoes and warm clothing.
The desolate shore is striking despite dawn temperatures hovering around 20 degrees. Having the place to ourselves, we bundled up, filmed, and found time to breath in moments of solitude. In the natural surroundings, the lesson comes. We saw the tides rise and fall with seas calm or wild; and glimpsed the first and last ray of sunlight. These cycles are visibly potent; it would be hard not to be moved by the power of nature. Or to feel anything but connected to it all. There is a fullness in the moment. We can learn from it:
Hexagram #55: “A moment of great influence is at hand. Prepare wisely and act accordingly.”
In the I Ching, there is a hexagram for Fullness (Abundance), Feng –represented by the trigrams of thunder over fire. Pow! It is the powerful storm that gathers energy and explodes in all its ferocity. Remember though, it only lasts for a time. It will mature, lose force and dissipate. No need to ask why, we understand it.
In our lives moments have a transitory quality and inside many there is power and opportunity at the center. Strength lies in our observation. Our own influence will gain and lose strength. Action comes from learning when to move in that moment of clarity, grace comes from patience. We are forever balancing, gauging when to move forward or retreat. In minding these cycles we can find the energy at its strong point. It will enable us to catch the wave, the dawn, or the lightning bolt in our own lives. And it will also teach us to let go of that moment. Another will come.
Watch the sun set in all its glory. It’s your best teacher.
Toni Josephson
Here are our sunset videos:
http://www.tandao.com/wellness-videos/
Tags: i ching, Martial Arts, tanandtoni, tandao, tao, toni josephson
