English help: what does the 2nd sentence mean in this paragraph n how's it related to the 1st n 3rd sentences?

Question

"Survey the circling stars, as though you yourself were mid-course with them. Often picture the changing and rechanging dance of the elements. Visions of this kind purge away the dross of our earth-bound life."

And what does "mid-course" mean?

Answer 1

You are being asked to survey or look at the circling stars and imagine that you are in the middle of them.  To picture or look at the changing elements.  To imagine that you are circling with the stars frees you from your earthbound life.

Answer 2

Yes, I would like to know. What does it mean? It's all a bit vague really.

The second sentence suggests you should visualise the ever changing elements (the weather, the air, water, wind etc). "Visions of this kind", is referring to the word "picture" alluded to in the second sentence. "As though you yourself" also infers that you should imagine an image.

Mid-course means in the middle of their course (or journey) across the sky presumably.

Answer 3

The first sentence means you should try and imagine yourself as a star looking down on the earth. In this case mid-course means that you are among them, looking at things from their perspective.

The second sentence goes on to say that you should habitually think about how things would look from this perspective, that the earth is constantly changing it's seasons and nature is also changing. (I think the implication here is that it always changes with little regard to the day to day struggles of humanity.)

The third sentence means that by thinking about these things and trying to view things from a more universal perspective you will lose your concern over the small and lesser day to day problems you face.

To put the whole thing in simple terms: what seems like big problems to you are actually pretty unimportant in the grand scheme of things.

I personally don't really agree with this paragraph, but I think those are the points the author was trying to make.

Well, I don't know if you were feeling philosophical or if you were just hoping someone would do your homework for you, but I hope that helps.