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Hex 23 changing to 42

suemc

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Dear Friends:

I think I posted this in the wrong forum, so I will try again.

I have never posted to this group before but I've been reading with interest for about 2 months. I've been studying the I Ching for about 3 years now, and am completely amazed by its insights and devoted to its wisdom. I use Wilhelm's text and Carol Anthony's Guide mostly when studying. I also have Alfred Huang's Complete I Ching, which I find helpful, especially the way he describes the Chinese symbols.

I need a little help with the question I posed to the Sage today. I've been a little overwhelmed by family problems and work stress over the past week so I asked the Sage how to work my way out of a depression. I usually seek guidance for the next steps out of confusion. I received 23 Splitting Apart, with lines 1 and 5, changing to 42 Increase. I was confused because 23's judgment clearly says STAY STILL, DO NOT ACT, while 42 says it is a good time to CROSS THE GREAT WATER.

any thoughts? thanks, sue
 
C

candid

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Hi and welcome, sue.

Its my opinion that many of the English titles used for hexagrams often falls short of the original and intended full meaning. 23 Splitting Apart is a good example of this. We in the west tend to associate anything going away as being sorrowful. So, Splitting Apart naturally gives us the impression of some great loss or disassociation. If this were the case, who would the Image then read, those above secure their position only by being generous toward those below?

Things come together and then they "split apart". Its just the Universe breathing.

Your change lines provide two options. The first is, to yield to your inferior person. In this case, you lose your resting place. The second is, you voluntarily place your inferior under your superior. That is, you yield to it and are courted into closer communion with the higher.

This naturally leads to an Increase because your soul is enriched by the departure of the of inferior Yin. In its place, there are court ladies and a princess. A much higher picture of Yin.

Follow yourself, but select your leader carefully.

Namaste,
Candid
 

suemc

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Dear Candid:

Your explanation helps a lot. thanks for your response. excellent.

take care, sue
 

gene

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Hi Sue

Thought I would add just a little bit to this, if the discussion is still open. I have found that often the relating hexagram, (2nd hexagram)describes the basis for the situation. In this reading, it appears more that the primary hexagram is defining, and the changing lines are throwing extra light on the situation, and the relating hexagram is describing more the outcome. The crossing of the great waters that you read, I think, comes at the end of everything going on, not now. You describe a sad situation at work, at least it sounds that way, and line one says, "the situation is serious, but there is nothing you can do but wait. I think the keyword here is wait. The I Ching is replete with examples about how doing nothing and doing everything depend on the requirements of the time. Line 5 offers more hope. When things look the worst, and temporarily, they may become the worst, slowly things take a turn for the better. But it says, "one no longer opposes the strong principle. Often it is only when we give up, and say to the universe, you win, I am under your protection, that the "favor comes through the court ladies." When you see the situation begin to turn, then, I think, it is time to take action. You may be thrown out of a bad situation, only to find yourself in a very good situation. As the rock group of the 60's used to sing, let it be, there will be an answer, let it be. Hope this helps.

Gene
 

lindsay

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Hello, Gene, nice to meet you!

You seem to be very familiar with reading the Yi, and I wonder if you would be willing to share some of your ideas? In particular, I found this brief remark about Sue?s reading very interesting:

?You describe a sad situation at work, at least it sounds that way, and line one says, ?the situation is serious, but there is nothing you can do but wait.? I think the keyword here is wait. The I Ching is replete with examples about how doing nothing and doing everything depend on the requirements of the time.?

There are two things here I?d like to ask you about (and anyone else who cares to jump in!).

First of all, we have seen quite a lot of waiting recommended in recent readings in this forum. Sue is waiting, Val is waiting, Anita is waiting, etc. etc. Does the Yi advise waiting disproportionately, or is that just my perception? I often think the Yi asks us to wait much more often than it counsels straightforward action. The same goes for being cautious and careful. When I consult the Yi, I sometimes feel like I?m talking to my old Aunt Biddy. I have read arguments by reasonable people asserting the Yi is a profoundly conservative document, devoted to maintaining the status quo, intrinsically reactionary and unprogressive in its viewpoint. Many have said much the same thing about the nature of the traditional society that spawned it. If Columbus had consulted the Yi, would I have been born in Europe instead of the US? What do you make of all this waiting?

The second point I found very interesting was your observation, ?The I Ching is replete with examples about how doing nothing and doing everything depend on the requirements of the time.? No issue has bedeviled this forum more than questions about time in the Yi. Before you can understand the requirements of the time, don?t you first need to know what time it is? How do you tell time with the Yi? In general, the Yi seems so hopelessly vague about time that it is almost impossible to determine the requirements of the time. Of course, there is the ?wrong? time (usually = now), and the ?right? time (usually = later), with a recommended stretch of waiting sandwiched between the two. But how do you know when the time is ?right?? Has anyone ever found a diviner?s Rolex?

Well, Gene, please don?t feel like you have to answer all these questions at once! Welcome to the forum!

Lindsay
 

gene

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Hi Lindsay,

I will try to answer this a little bit now, and more after I have had time to think about it. I just wrote a couple paragraphs in another thread relating to this same thing a minute ago before I read this. I don't remember exactly where I wrote it. I was in the process of writing a book at one time about timing in the I Ching but all my documents were destroyed. I may try again. I would like also to write a book entitled, "The Superior Man in the I Ching." In the other thread there was a question asked about hexagram 19, if there was a contradiction because it said good fortune, but in the 8th month misfortune. The nature of this hexagram is to inform us that we should work now because tomorrow is too late. In other words, do not procrastinate. Contrast that with the next hexagram, #20, and it says to contemplate. Why? Because contemplation comes before action, or our actions are not likely to be correct. The I ching in many ways is a timing device. Hexagram 1 tells us to be outgoing and strong, #2 tells us to be calm and receptive. #55 tells us things are great but they will not remain this way. #56 tells us to move on now that our fortune is spent. #23 tells us to tear down the old. #24 tells us to rebuild the new. Also, #49 and #50 do the same thing in a different way. #11 speaks of heaven on earth. #12 tells us heaven has departed. #35 tells us of a time of progress, #36 tells us of a time of decline. When I sit down and think about this I will come up with better examples, but I think you get the idea. Later I might write about what happened to me years ago, where a bunch of synchronistic events led me to believe that everything is a sine wave. The I Ching just tells us where we are on the wave. I don't think the I Ching advises waiting disproportionately, however, and I don't mean to infer this relates to anyone in the forum, but I think we should remember a great line of Shakespeare's, which I may not be able to say 100% correctly, but the jist of it is, "It is not in the stars, dear Brutus, but in ourselves, that we are underlings." Often we have to wait because we have not developed the inner strength to carry out our undertakings, or our life's purposes. Hexagram 26 advises us to build up before any action is taken. Line 3 says, "Practice Chariot driving and armed defence daily." It is only when we are tried and tested that we are ready to move forward. Living in America, I find that many americans, because of their heritage, cannot imagine that they need to actually work on anything. If they do, it is only for a couple months, or at most a couple years, if there are less than adequate results they give up. True spiritual light and understanding takes years, as does Chariot driving and practicing armed defense daily.

I might think, but don't know that the waiting people are receiving now is a sign of the times in general. The news coming out daily is ominous, and there seems to be a dark cloud on the horizon for the whole world. Then again, that may have nothing to do with it.

Gene
 

bfireman

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Hello all-

Gene, I enjoyed what you said, "often we have to wait because we have not developed the inner strength to carry out our undertakings, or our life's purposes". The yi has been a major part of my life now for the past 1/2 year or so, not really much time really, and hex 5 has come up many times. In reflection, this image of patiently waiting seems to manifest during times when I believe I am more "in control" over my life, particulary the future. I mean, when I think that a certain outward action on my part will yield a "desired" result. I think a big lesson of this hex is that what one is striving for is attainable, yet the path to the goal is one of patience and acceptance of the creative to manifest over time. Also, one's attitude is important during this time of waiting. In R.L. Wing's "Illustrated I Ching", he has a wonderful painting of two monks standing together and laughing while they patiently wait the outcome of a divination. There is no hint of doubt or worry whatsoever in that image.

Candid- I really enjoy what you said earlier about hex 23. Your image of the things coming together and then splitting apart as natural as the universe breathing. I have been struggling with hex 23 lately after having received it a few times in a short period. I was interpreting it in a very negative tone. Your image helped open my eyes a bit, thank you!!!

Peace - Brian
 

gene

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Brian

I like the way hexagram 5 ends. After all the trouble and doubting we go through, waiting in the sand, waiting in the mud, etc., when things seem the worst, we have "fallen into a pit", then three univited guests come, who in a sense save the day for us, and all is well.

Gene
 
C

candid

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Thanks Brian. But credit really goes to LiSe on that one. I had the same grim view of 23 until contemplating her rendering of "Stripping - No harvest - proceeding probing" Separating from our skin. Stripping away the outer layer and giving great care to what's beneath.

Gene - hello and welcome!

Lindsay - Your thoughts give me allot to ponder. The closest I can get to "it" is seeing it all in the now. We know there are scads of books, yoga retreats and self-help seminars that spring from this same precedent. IE: Be here now. Its not a new thought, for sure. Might even be one of the most ancient, on this sphere of activity. But that's still how I see it. Every hexagram is happening all the time. Its all present in every moment.

This is not to imply that our environment doesn't continually move and change (breathing). The world does turn 'round n 'round. That's a changing reality. Being in now centers me in, or at least near the center. The changes are real but the perspective is from the center.

When I attempt to project into the future, I'm now aware that 'that' is exactly all it is. Creating my future. Therefore, I consult Yi not to know the world, but to know my self. I really think that those who operate from that perspective live a magical life. Magical in sometimes hilarious ways! Its those magical moments that the whole playfulness of the universe comes clearly into view. Shock comes! Laughing words: ha ha!

Ha! Ha!,
Candid
 

heylise

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Hi Gene and all,
I always see hex.5 not so much as an order to WAIT!! but rather as an advice for the way of waiting. 'The time' is waiting, things are not happening in a way that they go straight to a result, so what attitude is best now? I think the Yi simply says: wait in a rich way, it is part of your life, don't waste it. Be happy, relax, make plans if that's what you want, whatever, but make it a good time. Don't stay in mud or other nasty places, don't worry, wait happy.

About the time: the hexagram usually says 'this is a time of .. (whatever), and in such a time you can act thus'

Namaste,
LiSe
 

gene

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Used to be a song I heard on the radio all the time, something to the affect of, this is wrong and that is wrong, and you can't pay the rent, but don't worry, be happy.

Gene
 

willow

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Guess I'm reading these topics backwards today, since I already responded to the time offshoot topic it seems.

>Follow yourself, but select your leader carefully.

What a great motto!
 

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