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Bewildering hexagram

quale

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I haven't asked a question, but hexagram 10 always baffles me whenever I receive it, no matter what the question is. If anyone could tell what the general message of this hexagram is, I'd appreciate it. I even find the name of it bizzarre...what's wise or careful about stepping on a tiger's tail whether it bites or not;)? this is the only hexagram that I can never seem to relate to my own life, no matter how I look at it...
 

gavagirl

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It sounds Zen to me. Either stand or walk, but don't stumble. Like being in "the zone", maybe.

I've got the same problem with hex 7. Sometimes I get that one and I wonder if the Yi is even answering the question I asked.
 

heylise

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Walking your life can be compared to walking in the jungle. You have to know and follow the laws of the jungle, or you will be eaten by the first big hungry animal which happens to cross your path.
In speaking one has to use the right language, in acting the right gestures. In approaching the gods, one has to know the right rituals (not meaning the gestures, but the attitude). and most of all one has to know the right timing. If one has the appropriate style in all his contacts, his fellow men, fate and inner feelings will react positive.
In daily life, rituals have degenerated to manners. But codes of behavior still are the outward manifestation of inner jungle-rules.
The Yi uses the image of the tiger because it is very clear, that in dealing with tigers, you have to know the rules ? or the tiger will bite you. And there is another reason, the tiger is famous for his suppleness and strength of moving. Ointment for stiff muscles is called Tiger-balm.

The character Lu has as one of its constituent parts a corpse, sitting upright. It was usage that at a funeral someone represented the diseased. But of course this too had to be done with style..

And finally: the breath of the tiger is the mind, with its thinking and its influences. The tiger walks on the earth (the dragon inhabits the skies). It is directed towards reality, made for surviving and finding order in a complicated world.

LiSe
 

quale

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aha, makes much more sense now...thanks! I'm not too sure about 7 either...sometimes it makes sense, but that depends entireley on what question I asked. well, while we're on the subject, I could also use some help with 43...that one actually confuses me just as much as 10, i forgot to mention it in the original message tho
 

bradford_h

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if I had to put the meaning of 10 in one word it would be "accession", stepping up, into something greater than yourself or what you have been.
 
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seeker

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Interesting interpretation Bradford, I usually think of 10 more as tread carefully, be aware of all the angles in a situation or sometimes, walk softly but carry a big stick
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Quale, I have found the best way to understand the hexes, outside of experiencing them of course, is to find many credible interpretations. At least one of them will ring true, like the ones here did for you, or they will all come together to give you a better picture. Both Lise and Bradford have sites that are helpful, and I found the following that is a bit different, but has helped me

http://www.dreamhawk.com/iching.htm

Also, looking at the hex archive here on clarity can help. You can see how the hex and its lines were interpreted in different situations. If you have still questions about any of the hexes by all means post them. There are some great people here to help you
happy.gif
 
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bruce

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IMO, these are all great examples of 10. Gavagirl's "in the zone" dovetails with LiSe's inner jungle laws, and Brad's ?accession? is the one who survives best: the man, tiger or both. Ideally, both: intellect and instinct.
 

jte

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Some more thoughts on 10 for ya, Quale. (BTW, I use fairly "traditional" translations - Wilhelm and Legge primarily).

The overall hex suggests you're interacting with a power greater than yourself that is capable of harming you if you're not careful. What would it be? Could be a lot of things: a gov't agency, a hurricane, the lunatic body builder who lives 2 doors down...

Lines 1 and 2 seem to me to stay safe via consistent careful behavior. Good in some ways, but also "nothing ventured, nothing gained" to some extent. But that's not necessarily bad, I think.

Line 3 is at the height of pleased satisfaction - and it gets "bitten by the tiger". To me it suggests one is having too much fun and thus forgets to use caution. Like the carefree driver in a convertible chatting away at their cellphone - who doesn't see the truck in time to swerve. Some others, esp. Wilhelm, have suggested an additional or alternate meaning of self-sacrifice for a higher purpose.

Line 4 realizes the extremity of the danger and becomes quite careful.

Line 5 goes forward with awareness of the danger. If he does things correctly, success. If not, he can still get bitten, too.

Line 6 - you're at the end - the action is complete. Look back and see how you did. Did you achieve something without injury? If so, lucky you! :)

- Jeff
 

quale

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(I use Legge's translation too, you're the first person I've seen mention it on this site)ok, all that helped a lot. Cheers everyone. btw where on the site is the hex archive? can't seem to find it.
 

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