63. From Old to New
The Lines Bottom.
[9] Immediately after a significant transition takes place,
the momentum of change is still effective, and there is a tendency for it to be
carried too far. If change is overdone, it creates uncertainty and weakness, a
need for a pullback, and the introduction of confusion that could lead to chaos
and disaster. The wise man, therefore, exercises caution at this time when
everyone else is pushing ahead with elation and recklessness. He holds back,
and even though he may receive some slight injury from the pullback that
necessarily follows when a general movement goes too far, his caution prevents
the minor loss from becoming a major one.
2. [6] After a complete change to a new order of things, a
man feels that the new leadership is ignoring him, and that he lacks the
opportunities that are necessary for the advancement of what he seeks to
accomplish. Those in new positions of leadership may seem content with the
changes that the recent transition has brought, and care nothing for new
projects or developments. They are content to sit back and rest upon what they
have done. Everyone seems to have lost their sense of mission and their
interest in moving forward, and are now chiefly concerned with their own power,
position and reputation. This causes the man to consider some ostentatious way
of bringing his ideas to everyone's attention, but this would be a mistake. If
he becomes a part of the same struggle for power and position that engages
everyone else, all that he intends will be corrupted and will come to naught.
His wisest course is to guard his integrity, maintain his position, consolidate
his resources, refine his plans, and develop his skills in preparation for a
time when they can be profitably employed. After the present hollow scene has
played itself out, a desire for substance and for men with great ideas will
arise, and the man's day will arrive. If he stands firm for his principles and
for his solid vision, if his goals are really worthwhile, it is impossible that
they will lose their value. All he needs to do is wait patiently for the wheel
of Fate to turn, and he will be in a position to realize his goals.
3. [9] When a time of transition is complete and the new
order is well-established, a new and revitalized administration usually seeks
to expand its powers and enlarge its field of influence. It is filled with
energy, and to fail to employ that energy in some constructive way is to invite
stagnation and decline. This can mean a long and difficult struggle to move
into other territories and incorporate them into the expanding enterprise,
however. In order for this to succeed, it must be done correctly and in
accordance with what is right and just. It should not be parceled out to
parvenus who would not be considered worthy to hold a leading position at home.
To expand an operation, but to include inferior people as part of the
expansion, is a sure way to bring on disaster to the entire enterprise.
4. [6] When a transition is complete and a community is at
the height of its power, it is almost inevitable that some kind of scandal will
occur that points to the presence of evil and corruption. This will surely
invoke outrage from the people, but since the general tenor of the transition
is highly favorable, these problems are easily dispensed with, and the people
are mollified. Nevertheless, the wise man looks upon these outcroppings of
corruption as for causes, and takes corrective action.
5. [9] In the evolution of civilization, there occurs growth
and development in the ways men express their spiritual feelings. This, too, is
subject to transitional periods in which simple devotion is replaced by more
complex forms and more expensive settings. But in spiritual matters, empty
dogma, ostentatious show, material magnificence, and gaudy spectacle are
completely without importance. Indeed, they tend to encourage external
appearances that serve only as facades that hide a vast emptiness and a
profound meaninglessness in the spirit of man. What really counts is the inner
man, the seriousness of his convictions, and his respect for, allegiance to,
and compliance with universal law. Ritual and dogma too often serve as a cloak
that is thrown over the inner poverty of inferior and evil men, but a simple
and honest respect for the powers of the Universe are the marks of a truly
devout man.
Top. [6] When there is a transition bringing with it
significant change, there is often a temptation to turn around, look back, and contemplate
the mistakes and evils of the past. But this is a dangerous distraction and can
led to unfortunate consequences. By contemplating the past, a man renews and
reinforces his attachment to the past and the power it has over him.
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