My Personal Journey
Many years ago, as a student at New York University’s Graduate School of Business, I came into contact with E. F. Schumacher’s works while preparing a research paper. I was delighted to find out that the Noble prize winner and author of “Small is Beautiful” had written one of the best self help books ever written under the title of “A Guide for the Perplexed”. In his simple yet elegant manner Schumacher draws a map of where we are at present and the direction we should take. His map influenced me greatly.
First he describes the levels of beings such as minerals, plants, animals, humans and spiritual beings, and the marked difference that exists between each other. Each level of being gains an extra element, as it moves higher, that separates it from the lower but that also gives it power and control over the lower level. Such is the case between minerals (have something) and plants (have something plus life), between plants and animals (have something plus life plus consciousness), between animals and humans (have something plus life plus consciousness plus consciousness of consciousness), and between humans and spiritual beings (all humans have plus +).
Second, he points out that while man’s mayor efforts during the last three thousands years has been aimed at studying the methodology to ascend from the human level to the spiritual level; unfortunately, his mayor efforts during the last century have been aimed at studying the lower levels of being. He reminds us of our primary goal to do our utmost effort to move higher. He quotes Saint Thomas of Aquinas –
- “the slenderest knowledge that may be obtained of the highest things is more desirable that the most certain knowledge obtained of lesser things”
And third, he asks of us to do our utmost to develop our “Heart” and turn it into an adequate (Adequatio) organ so that we may recognize the reality of the spiritual beings and reach for their higher level. He recommends books such as the Philokalia to deepen our “awareness of our awareness”.
Schumacher’s book as well as Thomas Aquinas mandate becomes imperative in today’s world because our true happiness lies in becoming spiritual beings, or Superior Men as the I CHING would call them. And the only way to do it is by moving higher. What is a matter of concern, however, is that our scientists have gathered tremendous amounts of knowledge of the lower levels of being but have made no effort to gather any knowledge of the higher levels of being. We know almost everything about minerals, plants, animals and even humans. But how much do we know about spiritual beings?
That which we reward, multiplies. Our belief that the solution to our problems comes from without will lead us to “progress” as we continue to develop new technologies to solve those problems. But if we were to decide that the solution to our problems comes from within, then we will find enlightment rather than “progress”.
I was already familiar with the I CHING for at least 10 years before reading “A guide for the Perplexed”. But after reading it I made a commitment to deepen my studies of the I CHING. I decided to rely on the I CHING as my coach to guide me on my path to “the higher levels of being”. After 45 years of studying the I CHING, I have no idea how far have I traveled in this journey, and it really does not matter. Some of us might be in the beginning, others at the end of the beginning, while others well on their path to the end. Like the stock market, the path will take you two steps forward and one backwards. What is important is to start moving.
It is said that Confucius became a master of the I CHING not only because he was a “Superior Man” but also because he both studied it and taught it for almost 80 years. After studying THE I CHING for barely 45 years, I am certainly not worthy of teaching it. I can only aspire to share with you some of the wisdom I may have discovered in the I CHING and hope to help you on your journey “upwards” to become a “higher being” and a happier one.
I am a man with a mission: to assist the I CHING in helping people become “Superior Men” as the I CHING would want us to be superior men; that is, people who first recognize the condition in which they find themselves and second apply the proper attitudes to either overcome (if they are in YIN) or improve (if they are in YANG) those conditions. The I CHING would want those who aspire to become Superior men to apply to their lives those attitudes – honesty, resoluteness, integrity, humility, hopefulness –which will get them closer to Heaven (YANG) and reject those attitudes which will keep them closer to Earth (YIN).
The I CHING, however, recognizes how difficult it is to exercise virtues and proper attitudes in the midst of misery and squalor. Thus, to ensure people practice the right attitudes, the I CHING would first help people take care of their future by investing and managing their business adequately; that is, by encouraging investors to choose those investments which preferably go to Heaven.
While the I CHING teaches us how to invest and take care of our future, it really teaches us how to become better persons. My mission, following the example of I CHING, must be to help people become wealthier while helping them become Superior Men. I know a few can become Superior Men without achieving financial security; however, my concern is not for the few but rather for the many; that is, for people like myself.
I find this mission of great importance, particularly now in light of two dramatic market crashes and the fact that most research departments at the major brokerage houses continue to mislead their clients and to cause them to loose large amounts of wealth. I have found the I CHING to be much more superior in predicting the fortunes of corporations than the analysts of most brokerage houses, particularly when we take into account the classic example of the Enron episode and the Arthur Anderson involvement in it. Only an innocent instrument, such as the I CHING, can see through the lies of the analysts, the fraud of management and the deceit of the accountants.
