Wondering Wednesday

What are you wondering about this beautiful spring morning?

I am wondering about Li (Fire) and K'an (Water). According to The I Ching or Book of Changes, Li and K'an combine to form Chi Chi (After Completion), which is portrayed by the image of "a kettle of water boiling over a fire."

This image has me thinking about boiling water ... about what it took (heat, mostly) to get that water boiling, and what it takes to maintain that energy. It will boil over if the heat remains at the intensity that brought the water to a boil. And it will evaporate over time if left to its own devices. How carefully we must adjust the heat and keep a watch over the water to maintain it at a safe and useful level.

To all the skeptics (myself included) who have ever taken a glance inside a translation of the I Ching, I posit that it contains (surprisingly) thoughtful and relevant wisdom. I am mostly curious, after the few times over the past couple of weeks that I have "thrown a hexagram," or tossed three coins six times to "consult the I Ching," to learn more of the history of this book, as well as the Chinese culture from which it sprang!

Should The Perfect Time become an insightful part of your days in the weeks or months to come, I would like to clarify that I myself have no Chinese ancestry (to my knowledge), but I have found and continue to appreciate the wisdom in John C.H. Wu's translation of Lao Tzu's Tao Teh Ching and, more recently, in Brian Browne Walker's translation of The I Ching or Book of Changes - A Guide to Life's Turning Points. 

These are by no means the only sacred/religious texts which I find myself drawn to. As a Humanist Minister, I am constantly intrigued by the religious and non-religious histories of doubt, belief, philosophy, religion, and spirituality found in cultures throughout the world.

I myself am a member of the First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City, and while I do identify as an Atheist as well as a Unitarian Universalist, I prefer to continue my daily search for truth, inspiration, and wisdom through the lens of Humanism. Humanist Philosophy details precisely what I do believe, rather than placing a label on what I don't. I find the following, from the American Humanist Association, to describe my beliefs quite well:

Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism and other supernatural beliefs, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity.

Please, take a moment to comment below, to share some of the places where you seek for secular or religious enlightenment, insight, and thought-promoting ideas to guide you through life!