Chapter 16.4: Understanding Constancy and the Way

 

Understanding constancy leads to becoming all-encompassing. 

Becoming all-encompassing leads to impartiality.

Becoming impartial leads to nobility, nobility leads to becoming heavenly.  

Becoming heavenly is the Way, and the Way is long-enduring, 

and until the body is buried there will be no self-imposed misfortune.

Understanding, or possessing knowledge of the constants in our own lives increases awareness of the constants of those around us – the deep seated motivations and aspirations of soul that stay with them throughout their lives.  The greater our understanding of constancy the more encompassing, accepting, and embracing we become.  Like an all-encompassing valley with an equal place and opportunity for all, understanding constancy expands our vision of ourselves and others, opens our minds and hearts to new thoughts and perspectives, and empowers us to embrace differences and diversity.  We become great-hearted and high-minded.  This, in turn, leads to greater equity and equality, increased inclusion and impartiality. 

When we embrace our place in the universe, we won’t feel the need to try to compete with, outsmart, or outmaneuver others.  We won’t feel the need to show off, put ourselves on display, try and enhance our worth with external things. Knowing that everyone we encounter is a unique and rare treasure in this world with gifts to give and a personal purpose to pursue, we will naturally liberate ourselves and others from all limiting labels.  We will stop objectifying and (mis)judging ourselves and others based on subjective social stereotypes and cultural constructs and we will get off the rollercoaster of relative worth with its corkscrews of constant comparisons and instead look inward, return home to ourselves, drinking deeply from the wellspring of our souls, and reconnect with the deep taproot of our souls – with the constants of our core being.  Greater inclusion and impartiality in our lives is regal and ennobles us to become better versions of ourselves – even more spiritual or heavenly versions of ourselves.  Becoming the best version of ourselves is the Way – it is the result of making choices at each juncture of our lives to lead and influence ourselves and others along our personal path of purpose.    Greater equity and inclusion.  As we walk the Way, we have a greater and more enduring impact in the world and in the lives of others.  Such a life does not bring about its own demise, doesn’t self-sabotage, and doesn’t injure oneself.  It encourages us to pursue our passions, chase our dreams, and reach for the stars without settling for less than, giving up on ourselves, or falling victim to the pitfalls of this world. ~ DCB

Translation Note: The Chinese term 殆 (dai4), which means misfortune, calamity, or danger is comprised of 歹, a simplified form of 歺, referring to an ox scapula 夕ritually cracked in divination 卜.  The earliest extant writings from ancient China are the Oracle Bones of the Shang Dynasty (ca. 1600-1046 BCE).  These are collections of divination records or “oracles” engraved on turtle plastrons and ox scapulae that, among other things, often attempt to divine the future results of, spiritual support and retribution for a proposed course of action.  Conversely, the Oracle Bones also sought to determine the reason for natural disasters and social calamity in human behavior – or the ways people had already brought disaster upon themselves.  This is akin to karmic retribution, the law of attraction, and the law of the harvest.  In similar ways, our limiting beliefs, fixed mindsets, and in-the-box collusions with others (as the Arbinger Institute has coined it) often create the very calamities that we seek to avoid.  We create our belief systems and then we experience them – our focus determines our reality.  Understanding the constants of our core being allows us to decipher the often perplexing reasons why we do the things we do and empowers us to live authentic lives where we don’t bring about our own downfalls.   

 

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