| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Trooper Peter Halket of Mashonaland by Olive Schreiner: In those days, which men reck not of now, man, when he hungered, fed on the
flesh of his fellow man and found it sweet. Yet even in those days it came
to pass that there was one whose head was higher than her fellows and her
thought keener, and, as she picked the flesh from a human skull, she
pondered. And so it came to pass the next night, when men were gathered
around the fire ready to eat, that she stole away, and when they went to
the tree where the victim was bound, they found him gone. And they cried
one to another, 'She, only she, has done this, who has always said, 'I like
not the taste of man-flesh; men are too like me; I cannot eat them.' 'She
is mad,' they cried; 'let us kill her!' So, in those dim, misty times that
men reck not of now, that they hardly believe in, that woman died. But in
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Tao Teh King by Lao-tze: were (their rulers). In the next age they loved them and praised
them. In the next they feared them; in the next they despised them.
Thus it was that when faith (in the Tao) was deficient (in the rulers)
a want of faith in them ensued (in the people).
2. How irresolute did those (earliest rulers) appear, showing (by
their reticence) the importance which they set upon their words!
Their work was done and their undertakings were successful, while the
people all said, 'We are as we are, of ourselves!'
18. 1. When the Great Tao (Way or Method) ceased to be observed,
benevolence and righteousness came into vogue. (Then) appeared wisdom
and shrewdness, and there ensued great hypocrisy.
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Master Key by L. Frank Baum: "Wh--wh--what are you g--g--going to do?" gurgled the cowardly sailor.
"I'm going to feed you to the sharks--unless you promise to keep your
mouth shut," retorted the boy. "Now, then; decide at once! Which will
it be--sharks or silence?"
"I won't say a word--'pon my honor, I won't!" said the sailor shudderingly.
"All right; remember your promise and we'll have no further trouble,"
remarked Rob, who had hard work to keep from laughing at the man's
abject terror.
Once more he ascended and continued the journey, and for several hours
they rode along swiftly and silently. Rob's shoulders were beginning
to ache with the continued tugging of the vine upon them, but the
The Master Key |
