07/12/2025
Food for Thought…
Over the years, I have continually told my student to be constantly “Expanding Their Awareness”… both outwardly and inwardly…
But what does this mean?
The I Ching can provide us with some guidance…
Verse 20 of the I Ching addresses this very important fact of life…
Here is… One man’s Interpretation of Verse 20, “Contemplation (Viewing),” of the I Ching…
Verse 20, often translated as Contemplation or Viewing (Guan)… expresses the importance of perception, awareness, and the role of mindful observation in personal and collective life…
In the traditional hexagram, the image is that of wind moving over the earth…
The wind’s invisible yet pervasive presence symbolizes influence that spreads quietly and steadily, much like the subtle power of thoughtful observation…
This hexagram encourages looking carefully… not only outward at the world and others, but inward at one’s own motives, values, and state of mind…
On one level, Contemplation advises a leader or teacher to serve as an example through integrity and self-awareness…
True influence does not come from forcing outcomes but from embodying clarity and sincerity…
When people observe such authenticity, they are naturally inspired…
Thus, the verse illustrates the moral power of example… when the observer’s vision is pure, the act of being seen uplifts and harmonizes the community…
The wind acts gently, but over time it transforms the landscape… likewise, sincere contemplation changes both the observer and the environment…
On a deeper, personal level, Contemplation reminds us that our understanding of the world depends on the quality of our attention…
To contemplate is to pause, to see beyond surface appearances, and to align perception with principles of truth…
The hexagram suggests cycles of observation… first looking outward to perceive the greater pattern of life, then inward to recognize how one participates within it…
Awareness becomes a mirror… what we notice in others often reflects what is stirring in ourselves…
Through such reflection, one gains humility, wisdom, and renewed purpose…
Spiritually, this verse calls for reverence and mindfulness…
The ancients viewed Guan as the practice of watching sacred rituals or natural phenomena with awe, recognizing that all of life can be approached as a temple of transformation…
By contemplating the interrelations between heaven and earth… the universe and the world… the observer becomes attuned to divine order…
When perception is clear and free from judgment, insight flows naturally, leading to right action…
Ultimately, Contemplation is about awakening vision…
It teaches that influence begins within… through sustained attention, openness, and sincerity…
By cultivating the art of seeing deeply, one learns to participate harmoniously in the unfolding of life, allowing perception itself to become a path of wisdom and guidance…
I encourage you to set this as a goal… and daily practice… to set the intent to expand your awareness… everyday… in every way…
All the Best!
H Perry Curtis, Master at Pampamisayoc Qigong
