Clarity,
Office 17622,
PO Box 6945,
London.
W1A 6US
United Kingdom
Phone/ Voicemail:
+44 (0)20 3287 3053 (UK)
+1 (561) 459-4758 (US).
This reminds me of the Tibetan Buddhist practice of Chod, or Feeding Demons: usually we want to get rid of, avoid, or squelch our 'demons' - our unwanted 'stuff' which troubles us, or makes us ill at ease. But with this practice we instead (ritualistically) feed these very same demons, and thereby turn them into allies.
I wonder, is this line part of the response you got to a question or query you posed to the Yi? For me, what we ask or state is an important part of the response. Without it, 25.2 can be many things - as you seem to be discovering with all the translations, comments, and Wings commentaries you're sharing here.i'm more and more confused about the line ....
'No ploughing, reaping.
No cleared land, ploughland.
And so there is harvest in having a direction to go.'
25.2 - Reaping without first having ploughed: not rich. (from the Xiaoxiang, Wing 3 - lesser figure commentaries, Richard Rutt trans.) For me this suggests that we should gain or achieve our goal(s) through our own efforts: to reap or harvest without first doing the work of clearing and tilling is not real richness.
Not plowing yields uncultivated land.
Thus, it is beneficial to have a goal to move to.
So yes, it depends on the question asked. for my inquiry, it doesn't feel like a positive cast for getting results.
I was passing by as a silent reader, looking for a key that would help me think outside the box and... voila! Thanks for the inspiration... a full 25.2 was what you wrote. Grateful!This Hexagram shows the process of acting naturally ( being authentic), being spontaneous (without falseness) and allowing unconscious movement (all the reaping without planting and tilling before clearing themes in line 2 ) that equates to innocence of being. Walking in life cloaked in your innocence, without a thought for personal gain, will bring about a disentanglement from your past demons. Here at line 2 you sit at the core of your inner world - the place of transformation towards future harmony.
In the Judgement it advocates persevering and notes that any success you find will only come from the source (a higher source?) i.e. any direction you take as a human on this earth will be fruitless. All you need to focus on is setting an intent to correct yourself and become more upstanding and to do this the Image advises to trust in the abundance of the time (like the 'Early Kings') and allow this to inspire you internally and nurture the myriad beings so that these can support your inner changes too.
At line 2 you are told it is beneficial to untertake a task / a venture i.e. have a direction to go. That direction though is not to focus on the thing that is troubling or what you think you want and more a direction that is true to you - something that is natural, that you enjoy that you want to do just for the sake of it. Maybe something that you can feel proud of doing.
An example of this might be that you volunteer at a local old people's home, or day centre, just because you have always felt inspired when you work with old people. Then as you commit to and persevere with this new altruistic direction for you life you notice that some of the more troublesome aspects of your character (the false you) begin to melt away. You might begin to see that you are less angry; you can now relate with an older family member with greater empathy; you form a powerful friendship with one of the other volunteers; you notice the gift you have for bringing joy to other peoples life; you find that an addiction or compulsion becomes less compelling ....... or many other possibilities none of which you have cleared or tilled ground for and yet here you are reaping a reward of something that you have not sewn or planted.
Somehow, through setting out without any expectations of personal gain (per without a direction in the Judgement) they have arrived in your lap effortlessly: as if by magic.
....or maybe it's nothing like that at all.
Good Luck
Clarity,
Office 17622,
PO Box 6945,
London.
W1A 6US
United Kingdom
Phone/ Voicemail:
+44 (0)20 3287 3053 (UK)
+1 (561) 459-4758 (US).