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23

turned soil ready for planting

Earth inside (part 2)

Following on from a previous post… Hexagram 20, Seeing Hexagram 20 has xun, wind and wood, over earth; its Oracle text suggests earth’s open, available quality: ‘Seeing. Washing hands, and not making the offering.There is truth and confidence like a presence.’ Earth will not act, but allows: the ritual provides… Read more »Earth inside (part 2)

Detail of the Hou Mu Wu Ding vessel handle showing human face in tigers' jaws

In the Jaws

Charlie asked ‘How to navigate?’ and cast Hexagram 27, Nourishment – or Jaws – changing at line 1 to 23, Stripping Away: changing to What followed was a strongly resonant conversation between his inner imagery and the imagery of the Yi – and also the ancient Chinese motif of being… Read more »In the Jaws

A reading for the year

This episode features a reading for the year ahead. Kalimah’s question: “Please comment on the year ahead. What I can expect? And also, how best to work with the energies within and around me?” Yi answered with Hexagram 23, Stripping Away, changing at lines 1, 4, 5 and 6 to… Read more »A reading for the year

Graph with red arrow indicating losses

Losses

This entry is part 2 of 3 in the series Differentiating hexagrams

This is another post about the differences between hexagrams: this time, Hexagrams 23, Stripping Away, and 41, Decreasing. Both are about loss, about ending up with less, and – given human nature – we tend not to be pleased to receive either one. But how are they different? Names and… Read more »Losses

autumn leaf

Stripping Away, no mistake

Hexagram 23, Stripping Away, is not generally much fun. Of course, we all know there is no such thing as a negative hexagram. But it’s a rare reading when the sight of 23 fills one with joy. Stripping away means loss; usually, it means having something taken from you that… Read more »Stripping Away, no mistake

eroding rockface and green slopes below

Finding spiritual direction

A podcast reading with two radically contrasting hexagrams: 23, Stripping Away, changing to 42, Increasing: changing to Maria’s question: ‘How should I lead my spiritual life to know the truth?’ In this reading, she and Yi trace a path through what seems like an impossible situation. Links I mention in… Read more »Finding spiritual direction

hay bales in sunlit field

35 as relating hexagram

This entry is part 5 of 7 in the series Relating hexagrams

Make hay while the sun shines Hexagram 35 is one of the sunniest in the Yijing: ‘Advancing, Prince Kang used a gift of horses to breed a multitude.In the course of a day, he mated them three times.’ Look, it says, you are recognised, you have wonderful gifts, and now… Read more »35 as relating hexagram