Thunder beneath the Mountain

Just hours left in this year. The title is about the hexagram of the I Ching that is connected with late winter.

It may well be a mis-quote. Goodness knows I used to be more familiar with the I Ching.

Its the time between the winter solstice and the February new moon. The rulers of ancient China would close the borders, and there was a kind of rest for Nature and people.

The image used by the I Ching is a seed that waits under the soil until spring. A sense of preparation for growth.

And here I was ruminating on the two goals of Buddhist meditation, tranquility and insight. Or samatha and vipassana according to my Pali dictionary.

My understanding is that one practices tranquility meditation first, in order to prepare for insight. And the seed preparing for spring growth is an apt metaphor.