Coaching for the 5 Skills Rodent?

[kestrelw1ngs]

This might be considered a shared reading but I'm less interested in interpreting my question and more with the storytelling element here.

Twice in a row I got a reading with line 35.4 - 5 Skills Rodent, being squirrelly unnecessarily - and once it was paired with 35.5 as well, which feels very que sera sera. Like, man quit worrying about it, things come and they go.

So
I asked playfully, "what medicine does the 5 Skills Rodent need, to progress to the next line?"

38 UC

This suggests a plethora of ideas:
-differentiation
-Distinction
-Working on his skills
-Get better at arguing and holding his ground
-Becoming comfortable with his strangeness & alienation
-getting weird with it (that ones from Trojina, way back in a thread on 35.4)


Overall I'm interpreting that this squirrelly nervous fellow simply needs a dose of swagger....and maybe consideration for the bigger picture of the grain he's spoiling by over focusing on the details.

38 as a hexagram used to scare me but now I think of it as the Great Gnarled Tree from Zhuangzi's Inner Chapters - not useful for anything, so will not be chopped down!


Are there other ways to tease out this contrast of useful/worry/conniving rodent mind, with 38?

 

[my_key]

The underlying warning in 35.4 is one of only having a shallow grasp of many different skills. In such a case the individual lacks true mastery, making each and all of the skills ultimately ineffective.

A typical squirrelling activity is to run around frantically gathering lots of nuts to see them through the lean winter months. The numerous hoards of nuts they bury are in different locations many of which become buried and unreachable under the deeper snowfalls. Of the rest, some they are unable to remember where they hid them away so these stores of nourishment never get used.

The thing with squirrels is that, although this situation is not entirely appropriate, they remain steadfast (35.4). They do not see, or behave in a manner that displays, worry or connivance in any of their activity. All of what they do is their natural, spontaneous behaviour: the de they deeply and innately hold. They do not seek swagger or look for a bigger picture they focus on the here and now in a balanced way. First gathering and hiding their nuts and then looking for them and eating them when conditions turn less favourable.

Rather than the things you mention the key 'medicine' that 38 offers is a balanced sense of discernment and awareness; especially between what is happening on the inner landscape and what is then displayed outwardly. The discord and tension this creates when it exists without awareness and discernment must be addressed in order, for those other than squirrels, to become less squirrel-like. Importantly, Yi advocates, that focus is necessary in identifying and rebalancing the bigger issues while letting the ones of lesser importance stay buried.

This medicine does not advocate 'arguing' or 'getting weird' with anything, If fact no action that stands out is really necessary. The thing with the 'Great Gnarled Tree' is that in the grand scheme of things its usefulness is not assessed by it's external appearance but more from it's deeply unashamed display of perfect imperfection. Remember, the inner source of 38 is fuelled by 63 'Already Fulfilled: everything is in place already. The medicine, if you like, is just a matter of recognising the inner beauty of that 'Great Gnarled Tree' in all it's glory.

 

[Ahlame]

In small matters [...] The superior man retains his individuality. W/B

A noble one both harmonizes and separates.

What if the difference were not a threat?
How could this tension be creative?
If you can't see eye to eye, what can you see? Hilary

I once found a diagram showing how much the feet of a sprinter spend on the ground compared to anyone else, not too much. If we were aware that there's a void when we walk we wouldn't dare to move the second foot. We even learned in school that there's movement when there's difference of potential.
There will always be danger in identifying with continuation/ repetition (looking at a mirror while moving), but being perched somewhere outside it gives potential meaning. I see this differenciation without mere identification as the richness of individuality that doesn't oppose but adds. The goal is to conserve energy and use ressources instead of using a single source of power and be left diminished and scared.

 

[Ahlame]

Yoga poses may be helpful if it's a pattern in decision making. Heart opening postures or any stretching can free movement and center the heart.

Lines, chakras, aura.
4 Anahata (unbeaten - not created) chakra, GREEN, air, relations, love, balance. Seeing and accepting how things (or others, self) are, purity, altruism, acceptance of paradox. neg: not being able to, not seeing, being hurt. (about unconditional love, unconditional giving, acceptance, relations, closeness) 4. Decisions, finding the road, choices.

4 MAN earth: reality of man. In 2 earth was strong, here man is strong, imposes his will on his surroundings, chooses, decides.

Line 4: Choice and decision - being versus choosing - bonds and disengagement. YANG: There are no fixed rules for good or bad, your own intuition says what is good. (Changes to 9.5: being true brings the only solution)
YIN: Do not choose, it means to discard half of the world. (Changes to 16.2: openness for influences makes everything possible) Line 4: spine, shoulders, arms, hands. Motivation, choices, decisions. 4. is the minister, wife. It is the feudal dukes or princes (all feudal princes, those who stood a step lower than the Emperor). It is the back or torso. It is social consciousness and altruism. It is middle age, career, and creation of a family.

LiSe

 

[kestrelw1ngs]

The underlying warning in 35.4 is one of only having a shallow grasp of many different skills. In such a case the individual lacks true mastery, making each and all of the skills ultimately ineffective.

Ah, I'm not sure which translation/interpretation I was relying on to interpret the 5 skills rat as simply being too nervous....I think it was one of Hilary's articles. Should have taken notes.
But the warning being, someone is acting like a 5 Skills Rat scurrying here and there not mastering anything, and this is unnecessary (the person is not in danger/it's not necessarily in accord with their nature to be doing this)?

Rather than the things you mention the key 'medicine' that 38 offers is a balanced sense of discernment and awareness; especially between what is happening on the inner landscape and what is then displayed outwardly. The discord and tension this creates when it exists without awareness and discernment must be addressed in order, for those other than squirrels, to become less squirrel-like. Importantly, Yi advocates, that focus is necessary in identifying and rebalancing the bigger issues while letting the ones of lesser importance stay buried.

So, becoming aware of difference, allows prioritization and understanding of what's important vs what isn't?

This medicine does not advocate 'arguing' or 'getting weird' with anything, If fact no action that stands out is really necessary. The thing with the 'Great Gnarled Tree' is that in the grand scheme of things its usefulness is not assessed by it's external appearance but more from it's deeply unashamed display of perfect imperfection. Remember, the inner source of 38 is fuelled by 63 'Already Fulfilled: everything is in place already. The medicine, if you like, is just a matter of recognising the inner beauty of that 'Great Gnarled Tree' in all it's glory.

"Considee the lilies of the field, they do not toil and they do not spin...."

 

[Trojina]

This might be considered a shared reading but I'm less interested in interpreting my question and more with the storytelling element here.

Twice in a row I got a reading with line 35.4 - 5 Skills Rodent, being squirrelly unnecessarily - and once it was paired with 35.5 as well, which feels very que sera sera. Like, man quit worrying about it, things come and they go.

35.4

'Prospering like a bushy-tailed rodent,
Constancy means danger.'

35 is a time to profit, to make the most of things that are on offer. Here one is scuttling about like a rodent does and you only have to look at how they move to get the idea. It looks like the focus is on 'the next small gain and undercover'. Rodents grab what they can when they can and to our perception at least, the human perspective of the writer can be that they can look quite undercover, small minded or rather after small gains and furtive. One doesn't think of a rodent as having a grand overview.

But note there is no moral comment on such behaviour, there is no 'shame' or 'regret' it just says doing things this way is dicey, it says 'danger'. But sometimes we do have to act this way to get by in the world. Unless one is born with great privilege there will be times where 'needs must'. Times where one can't be entirely honest if one wishes to eat or stay in your property. It reminds me of saying to a landlord 'I'll pay you next week' when you have no money and no way of getting it other than to hustle a bit whichever way and pray. There's nothing terrible about that when circumstances demand it, where say openness and honesty come second to survival but the question raised here with this line I think is 'Do you need to act this way right now?'. For example someone who has to hustle, who has had to be furtive to get by may continue such behaviour even after life becomes more settled and they can live openly. Sometimes we'd do better to look up from the ground, from our small immediate concerns to see if we are just still scuttling after small gains or if we could be more open now.

Your question though about remedy is based on the idea I think that it's not a good line to get and so there has to be a cure. I don't see that there needs to be a remedy, it is what it is. There are times one has to be rodenty just check you really need to be. I don't think lines progress as a story so I don't think line 5 is a progression to the next step it's just a different place to be. I love line 5 because it's so radical at times where one is fretting over loss and gain. I have to say this line has never disappointed me, it's always been spot on even when I have thought 'get real Yi I have to worry' it will turn out I didn't need to.

So
I asked playfully, "what medicine does the 5 Skills Rodent need, to progress to the next line?"

So as I said I don't think lines progress in that story like way so I see 38 more as 'look at it differently'. That is look at 35.4 differently

Overall I'm interpreting that this squirrelly nervous fellow simply needs a dose of swagger....and maybe consideration for the bigger picture of the grain he's spoiling by over focusing on the details.

Yes maybe if at that time it will work to have such a dose of swagger or openness but I think the situation needs to be assessed first. Remember there is no 'shame' here on 35.4 but 'danger' and danger doesn't always mean 'don't do this' it just means it's a bit dicey.

Are there other ways to tease out this contrast of useful/worry/conniving rodent mind, with 38?

Well as I said first assess whether you can connive less and if so then do so if you practically can. But this line isn't passing a negative judgment on the behaviour really. However most commentary pile on negative association that actually isn't really there.

 

[my_key]

Hi kestrelw1ngs

Ah, I'm not sure which translation/interpretation I was relying on to interpret the 5 skills rat as simply being too nervous....I think it was one of Hilary's articles. Should have taken notes.
But the warning being, someone is acting like a 5 Skills Rat scurrying here and there not mastering anything, and this is unnecessary (the person is not in danger/it's not necessarily in accord with their nature to be doing this)?

The essence of 35 is progressive expression of your inner light. 35.4 can be seen as the moment of first breakthrough of that light shining upon the outer world. As a consequence, exposed to this new light, parts of us - those that guide our habitual choice making, historical judgements, and ways of acting - are blinded by the glare and scurry around to find a shady nook and relative safely. The 'danger' comes from the rattling of the cages of these old ghosts while not having enough of a discerning awareness (38) to believe that you can stay in the light; escaping their clutches as they try to drag you with them back into the dark.

So, becoming aware of difference, allows prioritization and understanding of what's important vs what isn't?

Bullseye! Discerning through awareness what is healthy and what is unhealthy is a vital message of 38. Think of them both in the context of 35.4 as you would Batman and Robin in the context of Gotham City. Being able to identify the Joker, Penguin and the Riddler as not being Commissioner Gordon or Chief O'Hara certainly helps identifying and keeping all the villains at bay while ensuring the people of Gotham City can walk safely in the direction they choose.

"Considee the lilies of the field, they do not toil and they do not spin...."

 

[Ahlame]

There's nothing terrible about that when circumstances demand it, where say openness and honesty come second to survival but the question raised here with this line I think is 'Do you need to act this way right now?'.

It's the image I always get from this line. I hope I didn't misunderstand, but doesn't it mean knowing too much, being highy aware/skilled isn't always beneficial? In my experience it showed me that I'm stressed with too many details but it's not in my interest to act on them, in the sense of yes they are relevent but play the dead now.

 

[Trojina]

It's the image I always get from this line. I hope I didn't misunderstand, but doesn't it mean knowing too much, being highy aware/skilled isn't always beneficial? In my experience it showed me that I'm stressed with too many details but it's not in my interest to act on them, in the sense of yes they are relevent but play the dead now.

Well I guess it could mean a kind of hyperactivity of applying various skills yes. Certainly there seems to be associated stress. I never heard of playing dead as a strategy here but it's an interesting thought.

 

[Ahlame]

Here the text is about a prince, someone who has already been given/ has proved his title. I think that's another register than the superior/inferior. So it might be interesting to consider that one in this hex is backed with his people who look up to him to contribute. From the lines he keeps doubting but it seems like he's the only one.
Can someone shed light on why the powerful prince or king Kang have been honored? From wiki he'se known for warfares!
That makes me think he has been chosen to breed the multitude because of his taste for continual resistance (bitterness of a warrior?). In line 4 he became aware of being used so he hides and isn't willing to give anymore.

 

[hilary]

Can someone shed light on why the powerful prince or king Kang have been honored?

For his loyal support of his brother, King Wu, at a time when this was far from guaranteed - in fact, specifically for commanding the armies in suppressing a rebellion led by another of their brothers!

 

[Anastacia]

I'm just playing with the threads that run through Progress
35 Progress
53 Gradual Progress 56 The Traveller

A common theme is Li above Mountain and Kan as a nuclear. In 56 Kan is its expanded version in the centre lines 2,3,4,5.

Gen - mountain and Kan - Water are the younger brothers.

For his loyal support of his brother, King Wu, at a time when this was far from guaranteed - in fact, specifically for commanding the armies in suppressing a rebellion led by another of their brothers!

Wilhelm says of 35.4
'This line is at the top of the trigram Ken, with which the rat and other rodents are associated.... But the line is already in the trigram of the sun, whose light it cannot endure.... the line mingles with the crowd and joins in what is going on.'

So the line is talking about the youngest brother needing to stay away from being admired. Compare it to 17.4 which has been the subject in Calcflour's recent thread https://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/friends/index.php?threads/kill-with-kindness-17-3.38588/#post-359761
17 Following Again there is mountain as a nuclear,
as an interesting aside, in fact the nuclear becomes 53

Back to 17.4
Wilhelm:
Following creates success.
Perseverance brings misfortune.
Wilhelm says that lines 2 and 3 are the followers. The problem here could be about being the middle line of Wind/Wood, Influencing and the lower line of Tui - being open to influence.

Compare it to 35.4
Progress like a hamster.
Perseverance brings danger.
Here again we have lines 2 and 3 following - the crowds that Wilhelm refers to. And the problem here is the lower line of Li - a youngest son needing to stay out of the limelight, who is already in the middle of K'an.

So he is running round undercover doing his best not to be seen, yet he is gaining a following, people like him (which could also be a lover - advancing also has a lot to do with sex - all those mating horses - and he has more testosterone that a rat should be seen having... don't ask me how I know) Or perhaps he is in contact with another brother and other plots.. These were dangerous times for the King's younger brothers.
For those with biblical background think King Saul watching the crowds celebrating David's dance of victory.

He may be heading for a future as a wanderer.

So I guess some questions for the rodent are..
Are you really a rodent? Or have you been conditioned to believe that?
Is being open and honest still dangerous?
Who is the danger?
Do you know what a rodent trap looks like?

 

[my_key]

Any line 4 is the arrival point of a tumult of inner wranglings as a fragile new form into your outer world. There follows a scurrying of activity in an uncertain world which tests the discernment we now possess as judgements, choices, and even our common sense are put to test under a new light. The thematic process of 35 is creation of a new emergent quality of being. A new honesty; a new awareness of traps; keener understanding of dangers: the bushy-tailed mouse, as Karcher describes it, is perhaps our faithful guide, most likely through stealth and circuitous routes, as we forge a new path into the light.