First 47>27, then 27 unchanging

[alexis]

Hello to Clarity members

For a number of years now I've been volunteering my counselling services in a correctional facility. Up till very recently, I had been working one-on-one with the inmates and, for the most part, I had found this experience very satisfying.

More recently however, I've been entrusted to head larger group discussions and I have not been enjoying the experience quite as much as before. There is the element of "mob-mentality" that seems to insinuate itself into the discussions and I am very uncomfortable when confronted with the arrogance and controlling behavior as it issues from a few select persons inside the group structure. Their belligerence tends to influence many of the others into becoming silent and uncooperative. I should probably point out that I am not in any physical danger at any point. My concern is that my effectiveness may be being watered down by my underlying discomfort hence I consulted the oracle.

I was hoping that I could get some added insight to a couple of hexagrams that came up for me. My first question was simply "Am I cut out for this?" 47>27 All lines, except the 3rd, change. Hexagram 47 certainly describes my feelings about the situation but all the changing lines throw me off somewhat. Also, because this is a volunteer position, I was wondering if this was what I should be doing with my time and got hexagram 27 (again). I went from too many changing lines to none at all as well as a repeating hexagram, which I think is significant.

Any ideas and insights will be tremendously appreciated. Thank you. Alexis

 

[candid]

Hi and welcome, Alexis.

I'm not seeing where you are or are not cut out for this. But I do see that you are cut out for providing care to people. The bond with this group can easily be broken. You've said that and the Yi says it too. The key is, maintaining a cheerful disposition in spite of the present adversity. That alone is superior to fate. Working from this new position should free you to decide clearly what is best for you, and for those you wish to council. There?s no shortage of people looking for nourishment.

 

[bradford_h]

Hi Alexis-

Zhuxi of the Song Dynasty wrote in his Yixue Qiming:

When five lines change, we use the unchanging line of the resulting hexagram as the prognostication.

Does line 27.3 make any sense to you in this context?

 

[alexis]

Hello Candid,

Of course you are correct and thank you for providing me with a little of that nourishment that I usually dole out to others.

I suppose it would have been better to ask if I were being effective despite the persistent interruptions and clashes. I was curious what the oracle might say to this and was told 42.1>20

It certainly sounds like what you just shared with me, doesn't it?

Thank you again for your insight, Candid.

Alexis

 

[alexis]

Hello Bradford,

Yes, line 3 of hexagram 27 does make sense though I never knew that one could look at the changing line of the opposite hexagram in this way.

I suppose I've been indulging myself on matters that offer no real nourishment rather than on that that would properly fulfill.

Thank you for imparting a new way of reading the oracle.

Alexis

 

[bradford_h]

Hi again Alexis-

I've appended Zhuxi's full method below. It's not a new one - been in use for eight centuries, since before 1200 ce.

On 47, note that the glyph of Gua 47 depicts a tree hemmed in by a fence and unable to grow - a picture of imprisonment.

There's a chance that this Nourisment refers to what you are providing the inmates, not what you are getting out of it. Maybe this is their best chance to learn sommething substantial while undergoing their "ten years of uselessness" from swallowing bad ideas.


Method for Interpreting Multiple Changing Lines
From Zhixi?s Yixue Qiming, tr. Joseph A. Adler
IV. Examining the Prognostications of the Changes(159)
(excerpt)
?.
Any hexagram may have all unchanging lines. In that case we prognosticate on the basis of the original hexagram's T'uan statement, taking the inner hexagram as chen [the question, or present situation] and the outer hexagram as hui [the prognostication].
?.
When only one line changes, we take the of the original hexagram's changing line as the prognostication.
?.
When two lines change, we take the statements of the two changing lines of the original hexagram as the prognostication, but we take the uppermost line as ruler.(173)
?.
When three lines change, the prognostication is the T'uan statement of the original hexagram and the resulting hexagram, and we use the original hexagram as chen and the resulting hexagram as hui. In the first ten hexagrams [of this sort] we make chen the ruler; in the latter ten hexagrams we make hui the ruler.
?.
When four lines change, we use the two unchanging lines in the resulting hexagram as the prognostication. But we take the lower line as ruler.
?.
When five lines change, we use the unchanging line of the resulting hexagram as the prognostication.
?.
When six lines change, in the cases of Ch'ien and K'un, the prognostications of both are used. For other hexagrams, the prognostication is the T'uan statement of the resulting hexagram.

 

[candid]

Alexis, it certainly does.

 

[seeker]

Bradford, a bit over my head, can you explain some things? What do you mean by prognostication? What are Tuan, Chen, Hui etc? Inner and outer hexagrams???

 

[bradford_h]

Hi Seeker

Prognostication means fore-knowledge. It's the prediction.
T"uan (now spelled Tuan) is the Hexagram's Judgment, also called Gua Ci
T'uan Chuan (now Tuan Zhuan) is the Wing Commentary on the Judgment.
The Chen (now Zhen) is the lower primary trigram. It's the past momentum and present direction, and the question.
The Hui (still Hui) is the upper primary trigram. It's the answer, the possible outcomes, the answer to the question.
Chen (Zhen) is the word the Yi uses that is translated "persistence" or "perseverance".
Hui is the word usually translated regret. But it also means complications.

When Dr. Adler translates Chen and Hui as Inner and Outer (or before and after) Hexagrams, he may be making a mistake to add to your confusion. The word Gua refers to both Hexagrams and Trigrams. The proper words for Initial and Resulting Hexagrams are Ben (Root) Gua and Zhi (Resultant) Gua. Zhen Gua and Hui Gua are always the lower and upper trigrams. So when you get an unchanging Gua, look to the lower trigram for past (or subjective) and the upper for future (or objective).

 

[alexis]

Hello Bradford,

To begin with, I am glad that Seeker asked for clarification on your excerpt as I too was somewhat mystified by some of the terminology. Thank you for this extra bit of insight into the oracle by the way. Very interesting. I will certainly attempt to apply this method in the future when confronted with multiple changing lines.

Thank you also for pointing out the connection between hexagram 47 and the picture of imprisonment. I was so focused on my own personal restrictions under the circumstances that I missed this other most obvious element as it relates to the every day conditions of those that I work with. I see from this that the nourishment, in this instance, refers more to an opportunity that may benefit them and not necessarily myself.

As Candid pointed out, there are no shortages of people in need of nourishment, and in that sense, I am aware of the many options out there that one can choose from where nourishment is not only freely provided but where it is equally welcomed as well. The fact is that despite the difficulties I've encountered I have always maintained a cheerful disposition yet it is getting increasingly difficult to not become dispirited by the persistent undermining of the 'inferior' elements present. So now as I reconsider all the facts, I can see that I have been far from indulgent, but instead rather objective about what can realistically be achieved under these conditions.

I value the new ideas that you have presented to me and I truly appreciate the time you've given me. I will take it all into consideration as I decide the best course of action to take. Thank you, indeed.

Alexis

 

[bradford_h]

Hi Alexis-
So maybe the focus of this might be to have a chat with whoever put you into this less rewarding or nourishing group situation, state the problem and why you think it's a less effective use of your time and energy, and try to modify the program so it does more in the way of feeding people what they need.
b

 

[Sparhawk]

Hi Brad,

<BLOCKQUOTE><HR SIZE=0><!-Quote-!><FONT SIZE=1>Quote:</FONT>

When Dr. Adler translates Chen and Hui as Inner and Outer (or before and after) Hexagrams, he may be making a mistake to add to your confusion. The word Gua refers to both Hexagrams and Trigrams. The proper words for Initial and Resulting Hexagrams are Ben (Root) Gua and Zhi (Resultant) Gua. Zhen Gua and Hui Gua are always the lower and upper trigrams.<!-/Quote-!><HR SIZE=0></BLOCKQUOTE>

Is it possible Dr. Adler was actually referring to Hexagrams, not trigrams? The ones that can be formed from 1 to 4 and 3 to 6 (2 to 5 being the Nuclear trigrams, as Wilhelm calls them), thus still keeping with the concept of inner and outer hexagrams?

I just wonder since I have some difficulty believing that Dr. Adler would make such a mistake...

Luis

 

[bradford_h]

Hi Luis-
I'd considered that, & I guess that's why I said "may" be making a mistake.
Yes, he could be referring to the Hu Gua (Nuclear Hexagram) as the Inner or the Zhen, and the Gua itself as Outer or the Hui.
I just have never heard of Nuclears analyzed this way or given these terms.

 

[Sparhawk]

Thanks Brad, interesting angles for interpretation if that was the case and it wasn't a mistake. I've never seen it before either if it was so.

 

[bradford_h]

Hi Luis-
I've read almost everything in English, but there's 2000 plus Chinese books I haven't got to yet.
George Fendos' Chinese Yi biblography is 200 pages long. It's in one of them, I'm sure.
Just when ya think ya know it all.

 

[alexis]

Hi again Bradford,

Great suggestion about talking with the person responsible for my present situation but it will have to wait until they've returned from a much needed, and long in coming, vacation; pretty much the reason for my having taken over this group setting at this time.

I will certainly go over all the problems as I've encountered them (as well as the few positive highlights of this experience) when we meet again. This was in a way a trial opportunity and perhaps if I am able to convince them of the need for change to the program's main set-up, I may accept the position as a long term committment. If not, I expect that I can easily go back to what I was doing previously. Not so bad really.

Overall, this has really been very helpful to my thought process. Thanks again.

Alexis

 

[jte]

Alexis, just wanted to add that I think it's wonderful that you volunteer to do this work!

- Jeff

 

[alexis]

Thank you Jeff

There is a great need in this area and a lot of work to be done. Funding continues to go towards paying the 'top dogs' but not towards the necessary changes in how the incarcerated are rehabilitated. Imprisonment, without a carefully instituted rehabilitation program, is a useless system based on punishment that eventually returns most offenders back into the stream of life simply because they've "paid-their-dues". Yet in truth, nothing has really changed for many of them that assures that they will not re-offend.

It is my hope that my small contribution and effort will help make a difference somewhere along the line, whether it is to some individual person(s) or to the beginning of the system's overall overhauling. Incidentally, the planet Uranus is presently transiting through the sign of Pisces, which itself rules institutions, and so the years ahead should bring sudden reform to this area. One can only hope.

Alexis